AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I head to the pit bull cage, and my heart thunders in my chest. “How can these guys be dangerous? They’re so cute.”
“They get big, and they’re strong. They get a bad rap.”
“Look at that one.” I point to the puppy curled up in the corner. He has a black body with a white face. “His nose is in the perfect shape of a heart.”
Sadie laughs. “You’re right.”
“Why isn’t he playing with his brothers and sisters?”
“He’s a lot smaller than them. He looks like the runt of the litter.”
The corners of my mouth turn down. “So, they won’t play with him because he’s smaller?”
“Unfortunately, that’s the animal kingdom’s way of weeding out the weak ones.”
My lips part in surprise. “Can I… am I allowed to hold him?”
“I can let you in for a bit. But I don’t recommend getting too attached. It only makes it that much harder.”
A lump rises in my throat when I step inside the concrete space. The puppies swarm me as soon as Sadie closes the gate behind me, and I laugh as I bend down to pet them. “Easy, easy. You’re trampling each other.”
I approach the tiny dog trembling in the corner, and his black eyes are locked on me. I press my back against the wall and slide down beside him. The tip of his tail looks like it was dipped in white paint, but it’s matted and missing hair in places. It wiggles furiously as I reach over to pet him.
“I see that tail wagging. Come here.” I scoop him up in my hands, and his tongue sneaks out to lick my nose. “You’re a little lover boy, aren’t you?” I snuggle his small body into the crook of my neck. He lets out a big sigh and nuzzles his nose against my skin.
“You’re lonely, huh?” I stroke his matted fur and close my eyes. “I’m kind of a runt like you in a lot of ways. Sometimes I think we’re not made for a world like this.”
His brothers and sisters climb all over me, trying to get into my lap. But I give them a gentle nudge and push them on their way. This runt needs some extra attention.
Sadie laughs when she comes back to check on me after a while. “Looks like you made a friend.”
“How could anyone harm these babies? They’re so innocent and helpless.”
“We try our best to find them good homes, but there’s just not enough out there.”
I rest my cheek against the puppy’s body, squeezing my eyes shut.
I’ll do everything in my power to make sure every single one of these dogs finds a good home.
The doorbell rings, and I wipe my palms on my pants before opening the door.
Out of all the encounters I’ve had with James, this one is different. It’s planned, and I don’t know what to expect. I’ve seen the authoritative asshole side of him, the worried brother, and the quiet, brooding side.
Which James will I be getting tonight?
I swing open the door. “Right on time.”
“I live next door. It’d be pretty pathetic if I was late, don’t you think?”
Snarky James, it is.
The ends of his hair look slightly damp, like he took a shower before he came, and his fresh scent surrounds me as he steps inside the house.
His eyes scan the walls. “You did good with the spackling.”
I give him a triumphant smile. “I found a good YouTube video. It was pretty easy.”
“Why not hire someone to do the renovations?”
