She crouches once the dog's reached her, lips curved in a grin as she pays Hal a proper amount of attention and care. Maybe she's just trying to avoid the more awkward encounter of the two, putting it off until she can settle the strange way that her heart feels, almost as though tied up and twisted. What she feels for Mathias isn't love in the way that she feels for Mitchell, she knows that. While there was the potential for so much there, Sookie also ended it early enough to keep from falling in too deep. She never feels comfortable with the idea of being in love with more than one person at once, and comfort ends up being a strong motivator.

That said, she's still glad to see him. There's an apology always in her expression, hoping that he can forgive her for those whims that she'd indulged the night she met him, clutching to the notion of a good thing and a new opportunity, even when all signs pointed to it being too early for her. No one left a year-long, loving, and passionate relationship without being left in a lurch for a while.

And she'd misjudged, in her way.

But she looks up soon enough, intent on making it right. "How've you been?" Sookie asks from where she's still petting the dog, smile soft as she stares up at Mathias, nothing but fond.