In the middle of the night, a thunderstorm wakes Katie when George Bailey, terrified of thunder, climbs onto her on the sofa and knocks over the coffee table. The crash brings Hutch out of his bedroom wearing only boxer briefs. He tries to implement his routine for storms—darkening the room, white noise, and holding George Bailey “like a cow in a squeeze chute”—but the dog refuses to go to the bedroom until he grabs Katie’s pant leg and drags her along. Katie and Hutch wind up sitting on Hutch’s bed with George Bailey between them to calm the dog.

As thunder continues, Katie and Hutch comfort George Bailey and talk. Katie asks about Hutch’s conflict with Cole. Hutch, after making Katie promise to blame Rue if word gets out, explains that about a year earlier, the night of Cole’s rehearsal dinner, Cole’s fiancée, Scarlett, drunkenly announced over karaoke that she was in love with Hutch, called Cole a “poor man’s Hutch,” tried to “switch,” and even proposed to Hutch. Though groomsmen removed Scarlett, she and Cole still married the next day after she blamed Hutch for “entrapping” her. The marriage ended within a month, but Cole has not spoken to Hutch since and blames him.

They shift to Hutch’s attractiveness and self-image. Katie insists Hutch is exceptionally handsome and compelling, listing specifics (his eyes, nose, height, physique, and good-heartedness) and, when asked, admits it is “a lot” for her, personally. The moment grows charged, and Katie senses Hutch might kiss her. Instead, Hutch looks away and curtly tells Katie she had better return to the sofa, saying she cannot say things like that to him. Hurt, Katie tries to leave, but George Bailey blocks the door, so she stays. Hutch turns off the lights, and they fall asleep, separated by the dog.

In the morning, Katie wakes to find Hutch draped across her, mistaking him for the dog at first. Hutch startles away and apologizes, claiming he must have thought she was George Bailey. Stung by the previous night’s rejection and the implication, Katie packs her gear to leave early. Hutch, now dressed, awkwardly tries to smooth things over, saying he did not invite her except at Cole’s instruction and that he is trying to “do the right thing.” Katie challenges his deference to Cole and says he is doing penance for something that is not his fault; he disagrees.

Determined to go, Katie hauls her equipment out, with Hutch insisting on helping carry it to the car. At the dock he thanks her and says he had a “weirdly great time” the previous day. Katie, still hurt, remains cool. When Hutch says he will see her at work, Katie decides aloud to skip work for the day.