“Jaxx.”
She looked up at him, and he could see the turmoil in her expression, but also hope.
“Would you take him, too?He needs a good home.”
“Won’t you miss him?”Thomas asked.
She nodded.“Yes.But his future is all that matters.”She blinked away her tears.
He thought it took a lot of guts to try to find her pets good homes, even though it was clearly breaking her heart, and he couldn’t help but be impressed and very proud of her.
“What will you do?”he asked.
She looked startled for a moment.“I’ll move on once I save up some money.”
He studied her.“Will you go back to your family?”
“No.These two are my family.”
“You have no one else?”he asked.He hated the thought of her on her own.
He could tell she was starting to get anxious.
“No, sir.But I’m used to it this way, so it’s no big deal.”
Damn, this little-bitty person was braver than most people he knew.The dog moved out of the stall to lean against the girl’s leg.He was about as big as the girl.He caught sight of a bundle of something, maybe clothing.“What’s that?”
She looked over her shoulder.“That’s my things.”
“Everything?”
She nodded and frowned.“Why all the questions?”
How did he explain that he’d had an instant connection with her?“Where do you sleep?”
She looked at Percy, stricken.
“It’s okay, Scrappy.He’s a good man.I think he wants to help.”
“He will be taking my family to his home,” she said.
“Answer my question,” Thomas demanded in a stern but gentle tone.
She pointed to the corner in the stall.“There.”
His eyes widened.“Don’t you have an apartment or something?”
She shook her head.“No.I need the money for these guys, and I actually don’t know how to get an apartment.I’m used to living this way.I like it.”
He didn’t believe a word she said.Jesus, this little woman didn’t belong by herself.He was surprised she hadn’t been hurt or killed.
Thomas nodded into the stall.“You can put him away.I’ll be back tomorrow to get them.”
Her expression brightened.“You’ll take both of them?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.“Good.Thank you.”
