Treat Me (One Night with Sole Regret #8)(40)

As if the animal could understand her, she lifted her head and peered at the child waiting just outside her cage. She reached toward Julie with a paw that looked remarkably human and vocalized softly. Julie smiled and mimicked the sound. "Ooo." 

"You can come in now, Julie," Amanda said.

Margie helped Julie through the cage door and shut her inside.





Chapter Eight


Amanda kept a soothing hand on the back of Jojo's shoulder as Julie took timid steps in her direction. She didn't fear that the monkey would bite or scratch, but she might get excited enough to jump in Julie's arms and accidentally knock her over.

"Come sit beside me," Amanda instructed as she patted the patch of bare cement next to her hip. She glanced at Jacob, who'd stepped forward to stand just outside the cage, watching his daughter walk closer to where Amanda sat with Jojo on her lap. She could sense his anxiety even though she couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses, but it meant a lot to her that he trusted her with Julie. She knew how much Julie meant to him and how important it was that she was safe and happy. If not for his desire to make Julie happy, Amanda wasn't sure Jacob would have allowed her into a cage with a baby bunny.

Julie sat on the cement step, her blue eyes wide and fixed on Jojo, who had shifted away from Amanda so she could examine the newest intruder in her dwelling. Julie lifted a trembling hand toward Jojo, and the monkey scurried onto her lap. Julie's eyes widened when Jojo wrapped both arms around her narrow chest and hugged her. Jojo's fluffy cream-colored eyebrows rose expressively, as if to ask Amanda, "Am I doing this right?"

"You can hug her back," Amanda said. "She likes you."

After a lengthy embrace from Julie, Jojo scurried up her tree and grabbed something from her platform. In an instant she was back on the ground and dropping a slice of apple on Julie's lap.

"She's giving you a gift," Amanda explained.

"Don't eat it," Jacob warned as Julie picked up the slice of apple and eyed the browning piece of fruit with disgust.

"Jojo, get your ball," Amanda said.

Jojo had been trained to retrieve lots of objects while caring for her human in her former role. She ignored all the other objects in her enclosure and picked up a small red ball, racing back toward Amanda on her hind legs as she carried it between her front paws.

"Give it to Julie," Amanda said. Jojo paused and glanced at the child who was watching intently. "Yes, that's Julie."

The monkey vocalized a soft ooo ooo, and deposited the ball in Julie's lap.

"Good girl!" Julie said.

Jojo moved to stand behind Julie and began grooming her pale-blond hair. Julie giggled and scrunched up her neck. "What is she doing?"

"She thinks you have bugs in your hair," Jacob said from outside the cage.

The sound of his voice danced along Amanda's nerve-endings. God, the man had an amazing voice. She couldn't wait to get him alone later.

"She's picking them out."

"I don't have bugs in my hair, silly." Julie lifted her face to Amanda's, the corners of her mouth drawn down. "I don't, do I?"

Amanda tugged one of her silky curls. "I don't think so. Jojo's just checking to make sure."

Julie giggled, melting her Aunt Mander into a pile of sappy goo. "Monkeys are silly."

Julie certainly enjoyed Jojo's silly antics as she retrieved the items Amanda and Julie requested. The capuchin watched them put objects inside different compartments of a small box. Amanda closed all the doors of the box, and Jojo had no problem opening the correct door to reveal whichever item she requested.

"She's so smart," Julie said. "I want to take her home." She turned to her father. "Please, Daddy!"



       
         
       
        

Before Jacob could deny his daughter her request, Margie spoke up. "She has to stay here with us, sweetheart. But you can come with your aunt and visit her again. How does that sound?"

Julie's lower lip quivered, but she pressed it against her upper lip and nodded. "We have to come here to be with Jojo all the time, Aunt Mander. She wants me as her best friend." Julie reached her little hands out to the monkey, and Jojo dashed into her arms to give her another hug, picking imaginary nits out of Julie's hair over her shoulder.

"We'll come visit when we can. School will be starting soon."

"I love school," Julie said.

Amanda glanced over her shoulder at Jacob. She had yet to bring up Leah's class to him. She wasn't sure if he'd be grateful or annoyed that she'd weaseled him onto the roster. He looked kind of lonely outside the enclosure without them. Or maybe he was just interested in what they were doing. How could she tell with his eyes hidden behind his shades? Those things needed to go.