Her head came up.
“How about some explore time?”I asked.
Her head tipped with curiosity.
But I left the door open and retreated to sit cross legged on my bed.
It took a few minutes, but she came out sniffing.
Then, for the next fifty-five minutes, I trailed her all around the house, trying not to hover, as she explored upstairs and down.During this time, the bread finished baking, and I took it out to cool.
I’d scooped Moxie up, and with a lot of cuddles, scratches and apologies from Mommy, I put her back in the bathroom before Hutch knocked on the door.
I opened it.
Tonks yodeled at me.
I crouched and gave her head a good rub.
“How’d it go?Were you good for Hutch?Did you show him how smart you are?”
Dancing in my hold, Tonks howled her answer to each question.
“I knew you’d do awesome,” I replied.
“She did,” Hutch confirmed.I looked up at him.“She’s sharp and alert.”
I straightened.
When I did, he said, “We need to discuss schedule.”
“Right.Come in,” I invited, getting out of his way.
I closed the door behind him and unclipped Tonks’s lead.She danced some more, did a few whirls, howled a couple of times, then headed to her water bowl and very noisily slurped some up.
I was hanging her leash on the hook by the door when Hutch asked, “Are you baking bread?”
“Baked.Sourdough,” I replied as I walked to the writing desk.I opened one of the drawers at the back, pulled out my checkbook, nabbed a pen, bent over it, and clicking my pen, I asked my checkbook, “Do I make the check out to Hutch Hutchison or Double H Dog Training?”
“You aren’t paying me.”
I lifted up to turn to him.“Do you prefer Venmo or PayPal or something?”
“You aren’t paying me.”
“Sorry?”
And a repeat, but this time with strained patience, “You aren’t paying me.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I?—”
He interrupted me.“I’ll be back tomorrow.Same time.I’ll work with her for forty-five minutes, then I want you out with me for the last fifteen so I can show you how you should work with her on the days I’m not here.I’ll be back Wednesday and Friday, same thing, her and me for forty-five, all three of us for that last fifteen.”
“Okay, but about pay?—”
