Page 70 of Savage Wounds
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think your parents would want me there. They don’t really know me.”
She waves off the comment. “Everyone is a stranger to each other at first until they become friends.”
Where did this kid come from?
“That’s pretty insightful for…uh…how old are you?”
Of course, I already know her age.
“Six. What does insightful mean?” Her brows furrow in anendearing kind of way.
“Means you’re smart.”
“Oh, duh!” She rolls her eyes. “I knew that already.”
I let out a laugh.
“My daddy says I’m super smart all the time.”
I nod. “Everyone has to be right about something at least once…” I whisper that last bit.
“Do you know he saved me when I was a baby?”
My curiosity is piqued. “Did he? How?”
“My birth parents died in a fire, and he rushed in and saved me. He’s a hero!”
“Mm-hmm…”
I didn’t know that.
She tilts her head and examines me like a tiny spy, trying to get inside my head. “Do you not like my daddy?”
No.
“I mean, he’s okay…”
She giggles. “You’re funny.”
“Sophia!” Mabel calls. “Where are you?”
“Uh-oh.” She grimaces and jumps to her feet. “I gotta go before I get in trouble. Thanks for the ball.” She gathers it in both hands. “Maybe I’ll see you next time, sir.”
“Maybe.” I give her a half-smile as she turns to rush off. “But, Sophia?”
She stops and glances back over her shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Be careful, okay? There are a lot of bad people in this world. Don’t make it a habit to talk to strangers.”
“But you’re not a stranger. You were at Grandma’s wedding, silly, so it means we’re friends now.” She grins.
“Friends, huh?”
“That’s right! What’s your name, by the way?”
Don’t tell her.
“Andy.”
