Page 20 of Horn in My Side
“Who takes care of the pets?”
“We work with a gnome temp agency that comes in and makes sure all the creatures are fed and the pens are cleaned.”Gnomes were trustworthy, after all, and known for their love of animals.
“Ah, that’s smart.”
“And efficient,” she emphasized, using his own words.“Once Vrig installed their magic door, they just come in when we need them and take care of everything.”
He tapped a claw at his chin.“Hmmm.”
“What is it?”
“The filtration system on the tanks, how old are they?”
“Er, probably as old as the shop?”she answered sheepishly.
“What?”His eyes widened.
“I’ve been asking Vrig for about two years, but he always says the shop doesn’t have the budget to upgrade it.So I clean and change the filters out more often.”
Mal’s mouth pulled back into a line.“Vrig was not hurtingfor money.He owns this lot and paid off the mortgage on his house last year, plus he has no other debt.”
“I don’t know anything about the house,” she said.“But our expenses are quite high.Food alone is about sixty to seventy per cent of the costs.”
“And you want to own this place, when it’s barely making a profit?”
She opened her mouth, then quickly pressed her lips together.His tone sounded familiar—too familiar.
Why are your grades so low, Jasmine?You’ll never get into a good nursing program.
Jasmine, why didn’t you finish your degree?
You could be making so much more money as a nurse, Jasmine.
Her father, of course, had meant well.After all, he had given up his entire life in the Philippines, leaving behind everything and everyone he’d ever known, to give her a better future in the United States.
“Jasmine?”
She snapped out of her trance.“It’s not all about the money, you know.”
He let out an impatient snort.“Maybe I should check on those accounts.”
“Maybe you should.”She cocked her head toward the staircase.“Everything’s in the office back downstairs.”
“Fine.”Turning on his heel, he lumbered away from her.
Once his frame had disappeared down the staircase, Jasmine found she could breathe again and released her pent-up outrage with a quick exhale.
Mother Goddess help her.
Vrig might have pinched a few pennies here, but not to the detriment of the animals in his care.Would Mal be as miserly as a troll?She sure hoped not because she’d had a troll boss before, and it had been unbearable.
Six months, she told herself.He’ll be gone in six months.
Jasmine had no choice but to put up with him for now.Once she got her loan, he’d be gone and she’d own this place clear and easy, with no meddling orc to mess up her system, make “helpful” suggestions, or send her judgy looks.
Hopefully, she’d be able to make it through the next couple of months without taking a baseball bat to his head for a second time.
Chapter Six
