Page 38 of A Little Christmas Wish

Shit!

That was her backpack. But where was she?

“Zippy!” he yelled out. “Zippy!”

There was a small, answering cry. He moved through the trees. “Zippy!”

“I’m here. I hurt myself.”

He followed her voice further through the trees until he saw her sitting under a tree and looking miserable.

“Zippy! What happened, sweetheart?”

“There was a kitten. Look?” She opened her jacket and, sure enough, there was a small, gray kitten sleeping against her chest.

Shit.

Bandit wasn’t going to be happy if they brought a cat home.

“You found a kitten, huh?” he asked.

“Yes, I could hear her meowing. She’s really thin and cold. She was shaking. I followed her in here and picked her up, but when I tried to walk back out, I hurt my foot.”

“And you left your backpack by the road?”

“It got caught on some branches. Am I . . . am I in trouble?”

“In trouble? Hmm. No, honey. You’re not in trouble. But I am worried about why you thought you had to leave. Do you not like it at our house?”

“What? No! I like it! I do!”

“All right. That’s good.” He sighed. “There’s no use talking about all of this out here, sweetheart. We should head home where it’s warm and tell Betsy and everyone else that we found you, yeah?”

“All right,” she said quietly. “Is Betsy worried?”

“Very. She’s concerned that there’s a reason you don’t want to live with us.”

“There is. But it’s not that I don’t like you guys.”

He reached down and picked her and the kitten up. The little cat didn’t even stir. Hmm, seemed he knew he’d hit the jackpot on the good life.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Ink carried her back to the truck, scooping up her backpack along the way. He put her into her car seat and did up the belt, careful of the kitten.

“Little guy is tired, huh?” he said.

Zippy yawned and nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Much like you.” He shut the door and let out a sigh of relief.

Thank fuck.

Then he climbed into the truck and immediately called Betsy.

“Ink? Did you find her?”

He hated hearing the fear and worry in her voice. “I did.”

“She’s all right?”

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