Whispers of the Heart by Ruth Scofield

box that’s empty, though.”
    He grabbed it before guiding her into his office,where he set it on the floor. “Now Buttons can stay without worry she’ll get into anything,” he said, nodding at the empty box.
    â€œThanks, that’s a clever idea.” Buttons yipped when she discovered she couldn’t get out of the box, but Autumn thought it better than constantly chasing the tiny mite all over the office. She’d let her have another run up the block before going home.
    Brent phoned and ordered. “You can’t get away without pizza at least once a week in my house,” he said, hanging up. “Timmy’d eat it every day if I’d let him.”
    That made her chuckle. “Of course. He’s all boy.”
    â€œThat he is. Sorry,” he said as he brought a leather-seated chair forward for her, and cleared his desk in the center. “No proper table.”
    â€œThis is fine.” She sat down opposite his desk while he took his own. “How is Timmy?”
    â€œOh, he’s telling everybody about running into the snake and how brave Samson and Buttons were in chasing it away. The snake is growing longer with the telling, I think.”
    She laughed. “Well, the dogs still showed their courage. I didn’t know I was getting a lionheart in a teacup with Buttons. I don’t think she knows she could be flattened by a gnat.”
    â€œSamson, too,” he said and nodded. “He’s proved to be a great boon buddy, never far from Timmy. Barks at anything he thinks is strange. Lets us know if there’s something outside the house he doesn’t like. If Tim ever really needed protection, little Samson would give his best. Even sleeps with him.”
    â€œThe foot of my bed is Buttons’s favorite place to sleep, too. She doesn’t like being alone.”
    â€œYeah, that’s Samson. Timmy, too, really. He feels more comfortable with the dog there, especially in the middle of the night if he wakes.”
    His voice and features grew thoughtful as he leaned back in his chair. “He’s missing his old sitter, I guess. I should’ve bought him a dog long ago.”
    â€œWell, I would think he was too young before now, to handle a puppy properly. At least my friend Kim tells me that’s why she hasn’t had a pet yet. Her baby is just two.”
    â€œThat’s so.” Brent sat forward and doodled on a pad. “I can’t always give Timmy the full-time attention he deserves, and—” he pursed his lips “—a pet seems to fill the gaps a little. Especially when I have to leave Tim with a baby-sitter at night, when I have evening meetings and such.”
    â€œI thought your mother took care of Tim then.”
    â€œOh, she often does, but counting on her isn’t always fair, either. I can’t expect my mother to give up all her time. She still has a life of her own.” He leaned back again. “Finding a new baby-sitter that Timmy likes is my current project. At least until he starts full-time day care next fall.”
    â€œWould Tim stay with me?”
    â€œYou?” His surprise caught her off guard.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with the idea?”
    â€œNothing, only I’d think you wouldn’t want to be tied down at your age.”
    â€œTied down?” Letting a smile tug at her, she simply stared at him. She couldn’t be any more tied down than she already was by her own disability.But Brent didn’t know that. On the surface, she’d done quite well in his presence. Having a small child for company for a few hours now and again wouldn’t cramp her at all. She’d even find it a pleasure, knowing Timmy now.
    â€œOh, I wouldn’t mind watching Timmy on occasion,” she said, and gave a cool shrug. “If it works into my work schedule. In fact, I think I might like having Tim for a guest if you don’t mind him staying with me rather than