JAIME
Chris clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“People are wild,” he muttered. “Look at that. Matching shirts, matching hats. I swear I just saw someone with a fanny pack that hadProud Agility Momstamped on it.”
I followed his gaze.
The main hall buzzed with noise. Rings were sectioned off with white gating, jumps already set in bright bars of red and blue.
Beyond them, handlers milled around in clusters, some walking their dogs in tight circles, some kneeling to fix ribbons or wipe paws.
A few had gone all in. Coordinated team polos with embroidered logos, sequined vests, caps with their kennel names printed across the brim. One woman had matching pink streaks in her hair to mirror her Border Collie’s dyed tail.
“They’re devoted,” Chris went on. “I mean, I love Pampi, but this is another level. You think they’d actually wear that stuff outside of a show?”
I looked him up and down.
He was wearing almost the exact same outfit he’d had on during registration day.
Same cut of fitted athletic jacket. Same slim joggers that seemed a little too tight around his thighs.
Except this time the shirt he had on was a violent shade of bright purple that caught the overhead lights and threw them back in sharp flashes.
There must be some sort of reflective thread woven into the fabric. I couldn’t look at him too long without feeling like my retinas were burning.
On his arm, Pampi was wearing a collar had a matching purple accent strip.
I raised a brow. ““And here you are, matching her too.”
Chris blinked. “What?”
I gestured vaguely at his torso. He looked down at himself as if only just remembering what he was wearing. “This? It’s part of the Hill merch line.”
“Of course it is.”
He grinned, completely unashamed. “They have an online store. I ordered a few more things last night.”
I stared at him. “I’m afraid to ask how many is a few.”
His grin widened, slow and deliberate. “Oh. Didn’t know you were so interested.”
“I’m not.”
“I could order a couple more for us,” he continued lightly. “Matching ones. If we make finals, we could go all in. I’ll even pay for express shipping.”
I huffed out a laugh before I could stop myself. “Don’t you dare.”
He smiled at that. He was watching me like he’d just discovered something new.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing.”
He hesitated, then shrugged one shoulder. “It’s just… nice seeing you like this.”
“Like what.”
