“Oh my God, now this place actuallyisperfect,” I declared.
Hutch smirked at me before he said, “Gotta go back and work with the dogs.You up for a session tonight?”
“I’ve had a full day’s rest, my man.I swear, this time, I’ll keep up with you.”
His brown eyes lit with warmth before he asked, “You got a problem with me bringing Hannibal?”
“Not at all, unless he’ll have a problem with Moxie.Seemed he and Tonks were cool at the opening.”
“Only if Moxie will have a problem with him licking her to death.He’s played mother to a lot of litters.He gets off on it.”
That was so sweet.
“Sounds good then,” I said.
“Great.I’ll go work.Shower, pick you up, and there’s a place, about ten miles beyond the sanctuary, seriously local, middle of nowhere, you gotta know to know.No frills, great food.We’ll go out and eat, head back, get Hannibal, come here.”
“Works for me.”
“Five thirty?”
“That works for me too.”
He came to me and dropped a kiss on my mouth.
Then he left.
After dinner(and Hutch was right: great, home-cookin’, stick-to-your-ribs food—I had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and white pepper gravy, because in a joint like that, if it was on offer…obviously), we went to his place.
“Don’t get out,” he said as I looked around at what I could see from his headlights.“I’ll go get him and be right back.”
“Gotcha,” I replied, watching him walk into an authentic log cabin.
It was long.It had a sloped roof with dormer windows in what could only be an attic according to the height of the space.The roof led onto a long porch that had two actual rocking chairs on it, separated by an old barrel.
There were no airs and graces.No outdoor décor or sillyGone Fishin’signs.No mountain bachelor pad jacuzzi tucked off to the side.
It was bare bones, and because it was, it was all cool.
It seemed to fit him.
There were three chimneys, one in what, considering the position of his front door, was probably the living room, and beyond that, one in what was doubtless the kitchen, and the last at the back, likely the main bedroom.
No wonder the man thought firewood was a priority.
On the other hand, the setup of the dog pens across the way was far more extravagant.
Big pens.Sturdy, perfectly aligned chain link fence.And from what I could tell in the dark, really nice, roomy sheds for each dog.I could see bright bits in the pens that were probably toys.
There were also three dogs, standing at attention and looking at the house—not the car with the person in it—the house where Hutch went.
They were Malinois and they were gorgeous.They looked almost like German shepherds, but they appeared to be smaller.
I kept my eyes on the three dogs even as Hutch and Hannibal came out.
Those dogs watched him every step of the way.
When Hutch and Hannibal got in, after Hannibal gave me a sniff and let me give him a pet, I asked, “How do you let them go?”
