That had me giggling.
“Mabel.”
My name in Hutch’s voice switched the giggling to shivering.
I turned.
And there he was in all his glory, the sun shining on his burnished hair, his wardrobe selection for the day being a short-sleeved burgundy T-shirt over a long-sleeved gray one, jeans, his scuffed-up boots, with the addition of some smoked-lensed, gold-rimmed sunglasses that made me need a bathroom, STAT, so I could ascertain if my panties just did, indeed, melt.
I hadn’t seen that T-shirt look on a guy in years, and I was all in for a revival.
Since I’d met him, I’d thought he’d been growing a beard.
He was cleanshaven now.
Except a thick mustache.
No, I didn’t need to check.
I knew my panties were toast.
“Ahnahtha doggie!” Emma squealed and threw herself at the animal sitting at Hutch’s feet.
Brett jumped forward.Abigail did too.
But I was closer, and at just a glance at his dog, I caught her shoulder and pulled her back.
This had to be Hannibal.
All black, with fur so glossy, it was extraordinary.All muscle, lots of it.He had floppy ears and long jowls.
He was adorable.
He was also huge.
“Hannibal loves kids,” Hutch said to Abigail and Brett.
“Hannibal?”Brett asked, clearly skeptical of that name and Hutch’s assertion.
“The Carthaginian general, not Anthony Hopkins,” I said to save Hutch from having to.
Brett looked to me.
Abigail’s eyes zoomed in on me so hard, I was sure she was reading my X-ray.
She then oh-so-slowly raised her brows.
I ignored her and started the introductions.
“Hutch, this is Abigail and Brett.Abigail is a friend, and she works with me at my store.And these are their kids, Liam and Emma.”
As far as I knew, Hutch didn’t know about my store.We spent time together, but it wasn’t get-to-know you time.It was get-the-dog-to-learn-to-stay time.
Even so, he didn’t blink when I said that.
Nor did he ask about it.
Liam was staring up at Hutch with his mouth hanging open (I got where the kid was coming from).
