The Love Haters

Through the wall to the next room, Katie and Carlos hear Hutch leaving an angry voicemail to Cole. He mentions the hoops he had to jump through to get Cole to Key West, especially because Rue wanted them all together for an important day on October 4th. Hutch tells Cole about how short life can be and how much he wants to give up on him, but Hutch admits he can’t because Cole is the only brother he has.

When Hutch comes back a moment later, Carlos introduces him to Katie as if nothing has happened, and he finally recognizes her. As Hutch gives Katie a tour of the air station, she begins to understand why Cole described him as surly and serious, though she knows he is just angry. After a while, Katie addresses Hutch’s anger, and Hutch threatens to tell Cole that Katie can’t swim. Katie persuades him not to tell, and she offers to help him repair his relationship with his brother if he teaches her to swim. Hutch agrees on a trial basis as they get ready to begin shooting an interview. Seeing Hutch on camera, Katie thinks there is no way the interview can go wrong, until they start speaking, and Hutch is cold and dull. After an hour and a half, Hutch starts to loosen up as he talks about how grueling yet important his job is.

Beanie calls Katie to tell her she needs to add another item to the list of things she loves about her body. Having previously listed her earlobes, Katie now says she loves her ankles. Beanie plays along with her, but both know that it would be helpful for Katie to start taking this list seriously. After they hang up, Katie is nervous about her first swimming lesson with Hutch later that day, again insecure about her body in a swimsuit. Carlos has told her that she needs to undergo Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET) for insurance purposes, meaning she will have to simulate escaping a helicopter that has flipped upside down underwater. Katie panics as she talks to Hutch about it, but he reassures her that a pool full of rescue swimmers will ensure her safety.

When they get to the pool later that day, Katie sees that all the Gals are there, along with George Bailey, who knocks Katie into the shallow end. Katie feels bad making Hutch teach her to swim, thinking the job is beneath him, but he continually assures her that everyone needs to start somewhere. As she is learning to float, Hutch tells Katie that women are less likely to drown because of their typically higher body fat. The comment unnerves Katie, but she can’t think about her own body for long as Hutch has her feel his own “layer of blubber” (89) on his stomach and she begins to wonder if he is flirting. At the end of the lesson, Katie asks Hutch if he wants to do a “Day in the Life” video with her—something she has dreaded asking until she recognized that she was actually curious about Hutch. However, Hutch turns her down, not wanting any more fame than he already has.

Cole calls her later that day, and Katie tells him that Hutch said no to her “Day in the Life” project. He reveals that Sullivan has already fired two people and called him in to ask about Katie. He tells Katie that he saved her job for now by claiming that she already has her mini-documentary about Hutch well underway and by hinting that Katie might be able to set the recently divorced Sullivan up with Hutch. Sullivan has mentioned coming to Key West, and Katie blames Cole for getting them into this situation, but he suggests that Katie tell Hutch that her job is on the line in order to get her video made. Just as Katie is about to call Beanie to tell her about this, Beanie calls her to tell her that Lucas just released a song called “Katie” about his regret over their breakup. Beanie suggests she listen to the song, and though she says she won’t, Katie plays the song as soon as she hangs up with Beanie. Though she admits the song is good, it makes her realize that she has moved on, as it doesn’t change her feelings about Lucas at all.

Over the next week, Katie tries to convince Hutch to do her “Day in the Life” project, but he holds firm in his rejection. She withholds the fact that her job is on the line, not wanting to pressure him, especially as she thinks her job is “silly” compared to his, but Cole continues to text her about layoffs. Katie learns a lot about Hutch’s job and the Coast Guard in this first week, but she also learns more about Hutch’s generous personality. Hutch also gets closer to Katie as they carpool to the air station every day, and he learns about her complex relationship with Lucas. Katie starts to feel like a different person in Key West as her easy relationships with Hutch and the Gals at Rue’s cottages deepens, and Katie wonders if she has a lesson to learn while she is here.