“Oh my God, honey!”I yelled in his face.“That was so rad!”
He gave me a squeeze, the most miniscule lip twitch in history that was almost, but not quite, indicative of a smile, and sliding me slowly down his lean, hard frame, he dropped me to my feet.
It was only then I realized what had just happened.
And part of that was he not only didn’t push me away, he didn’t make it awkward.
He was right there with me.
“And we have a winner!”the kid yelled like a circus barker, bringing over the pink bear and handing it to Hutch with his own version of hero worship on his face.
Hutch instantly turned and handed it to Emma.
She struggled with it, listing and almost going down, but by damn, she kept hold of the bear and her feet, even as she shouted from behind yards of fake pink fur, “Thank you, Missa Hutch!”
“You get a personal tour of the sanctuary with me, if your parents are okay with that,” he said to Liam.
Clearly, this was no consolation prize.
Liam’s head whipped round to his dad.“Can I, Dad?”
“Of course,” Brett said, grinning.
“I wanna see a moose!”Emma cried.
“Mr.Hutch got you the bear,” Liam pointed out.
She bit her lip in indecision, then hugged her bear tight.
“Good choice,” I told her, even though I knew, when this tour happened, Abigail and Brett would bring her too.
“How about I go put that in the car?”Brett said, prying the mammoth blob of pink fuzz from his daughter.Before he took off, he looked at Hutch.“Thanks, man.That was spectacular.”
Hutch shrugged.
Brett handed Hutch his caramel apple and took off.
Hutch took the leash from Liam with a “Thanks, bud.”
“Anytime,” Liam chirped.
Hutch turned to me.“I gotta get back to the tent.See you Monday.”
I nodded.“Okay.Later, Hutch.And again, that was awesome.”
Another chin jut before he offered a high five to Liam, who enthusiastically gave it to him, then one to Emma, who missed his hand completely and melted into more giggles.He dipped his chin to Abigail, and he and Hannibal strolled away.
As Emma and Liam (and I) stared longingly at his tall, departing body, Abigail again sidled up to me.
“Don’t start,” I said out of the corner of my mouth before she could begin.Then I offered, “He’s Tonks’s trainer.”
“I have never once questioned my decision to marry my beloved husband, but still, in another universe, I wish that man would train me,” she replied.
She had no idea.
“So…” she drawled.“We don’t have a dog.I’m unaware.Is it etiquette to throw yourself at your dog trainer after he performs a miraculous feat for a three-year-old?”
I turned to her and deadpanned, “Yes.A miraculous feat is a miraculous feat.”
