“So…what?In the meantime, you fall harder for her, she gets her orgasms, finds another guy she doesn’t have some fucked-up deal with and hooks up with him?”
Hutch had to stretch his neck at the thought of it.
Storm didn’t miss his actions.“Listen, Hutch.Again, I don’t know her, but I know you.I knew why you were with Bree.Until she pulled that with you, I wouldn’t have minded sloppy seconds.She’s gorgeous, she’s got attitude, she likes to have fun.It wasn’t that.You knew what it was.This, I can tell, is different.This, I can tell, is not something you’re gonna wanna fuck up.And if she isn’t there with you, cut her loose so she doesn’t fuck you up.”
“Mabel would never fuck me up,” Hutch said low.
To which, Stormy jabbed a finger at him and said, “There’s your answer, brother.So don’t blow it.”
“When she called me after she saw Paisley, Stormy…fuck.”Hutch swallowed and carried on.“The drive to her house was torture.Scared as shit they’d come after her.Unknown entity, didn’t know if they had weapons.Did know they didn’t give much of a shit about women.She had a husky and her wits, and until I got to her, that’s all she had.”
“This is a different discussion, Hutch,” Stormy said.“And I don’t suggest you go to Harry and ask him if he’d take back what limited time he had with Winnie knowing he was going to lose her so fast.But I bet I could answer for him.He wouldn’t.It fucks me that Mabel went through what she did with those people, and you went through what you went through having to take the time it took to get to her.But I’ll point out, your reaction to that is your answer too.”
Hutch stretched his neck again.
“Just talk to her, man,” Stormy advised quietly.
Storm was right.
It was time.
He already knew it was before he knocked on Stormy’s doorframe.
He had to talk this through with Mabel, tell her where he was at.
And he hated it.
Because she could end them.
And he hated that.
THIRTY-TWO
Marilyn Monroe
Hutch
Hutch parked behind Mabel’s shop, let himself in the back, and greeted Tonks as she came running.
When he hit the front, he saw Mabel was alone and straightening some sweaters.
She looked his way.“Hey, honey.”
“Hey.Where’s Abigail?”
“Sent her home early.I think she might be getting that flu Emma had.”
He arrived at her, put his hand to her waist, dropped his mouth to hers for a kiss, and when he was done doing that, said, “Little late for that incubation period.”
“Brett had to stay home with Liam today because he got it.Maybe from school.So she might have escaped the first volley but is succumbing to the next one.”
“Bummer.”
“Yeah.I’ll check in with her later.”She smiled up at him.“It’s time to close.I’ve done everything so we just have to turn out a few lights, keeping some on for the furries.We can turn the rest off when we come back to get them.”
The plans they’d made were to have dinner at the Double D before they headed back up the mountain.
“I’ll do the lights.You get your jacket,” he said.
