Jules moves beside her, folding his arms. “This is new.”
Maggie doesn’t look at him. “What is?”
“You doin’ paperwork,” he says, tipping his head toward the clipboard. “You don’t trust me now?”
Maggie just keeps writing. “I trust you to talk too much.”
Jules presses his lips together, like he’s holding back a grin. “That’s fair.”
I watch the ease between them, the way they move through this place effortlessly, like it runs through them as much as they run it.
Maggie sets the clipboard down and steps back from the counter, her attention turning toward the kennels.
“Alright,” she says. “Give me a minute.”
She moves past us and heads down the row, stopping at one of the kennels. Daisy is already up on her feet, her tail starting to wag the second she sees Maggie.
“Well, hey there, pretty girl,” Maggie says, her voice lowering as she crouches down. She opens the kennel and reaches in, wrapping one arm around Daisy’s neck, pulling her in close. “I know, I know.”
Daisy leans into her as Maggie runs her hand along her back, slow and reassuring.
“You’re gonna be alright,” she murmurs, her hand moving up to scratch behind Daisy’s ears. “Ivy’s gonna take real good care of you, I promise.”
She stays there a second longer, giving Daisy one more squeeze before standing.
Ivy adjusts the puppy in her arms, her attention fixed on them, like she’s trying to take it all in at once.
“Can I still come here?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip.
Maggie stills while Jules goes quiet beside her.
I turn my attention to Ivy.
“To help,” she says. “With the dogs.”
Maggie’s eyes lift to mine. She doesn’t answer for me or step in. She waits.
“She’s been a mighty big help,” she says after a moment. “If it’s alright with you, she can keep comin’ by.”
I hold her eyes, finding no push in them, just that same look she gave me the first time, direct and clear.
“Yes,” I say. “You can keep coming.”
Jules lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Well, look at that. Miss Ivy’s about to be our best volunteer.”
Maggie bumps his shoulder with her own as she passes him, a smile slipping through. “He’s not wrong.”
Jules tilts his head, his lips pursing before they curve. “I’m just statin’ facts.”
Ivy looks up again, a big smile spreading across her face as her eyes move between us before landing on Maggie.
“You should come over,” she says.
Maggie blinks. “What?”
“For dinner,” Ivy adds, like it’s obvious. “We should celebrate.”
Maggie’s attention snaps to me, then back to Ivy, her hand lifting to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
