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LEXI

T he pasta was boiling when Cooper returned. He had changed his clothes, putting on dark jeans and his favorite blue t-shirt. His hair was combed, a bit of product making it shiny, his face freshly shaven. He looked handsome as he stood there glowering at the floor for a moment.

Then asked, “Did you say ‘Time Traveler’?”

Jen leaned against the counter. “Yep, that’s what she said, because that’s what he is — he’s a time traveler.”

“You’re both going to come at me with this?”

I said, “I’m not coming ‘at you’ with anything, I’m telling you that the man is a time traveler, if you’ll let me tell you how?—”

There was a knock on the screen door.

Torin called in, “Mistress Lexi, might I enter?”

Cooper’s eyes went wide. “Is that him, that’s the guy? Why is the guy on my — I mean your porch?”

“Because I invited him to dinner.”

He groaned.

So I said what we often said when we were irritated with each other, “Don’t you just love me, Cooper, aren’t I wonderful?”

“You are wonderful… as you do everything in your power to kill me.”

Jen went to let Torin in.

I said, “You are not going to die because I invited someone to dinner.”

He said, “You know that isn’t what the problem is.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I turned as Torin entered, wearing the slacks and shirt I bought for him — it fit, a little tight on his muscles. Dude walked along merrily beside him.

I said, “Hi Torin, hungry?”

“Och aye, I am famished.” He bowed deeply.

Jen’s eyes traveled over him as he bowed and then she mouthed to me: Whoa.

Torin continued, “Thank ye, Mistress Lexi for invitin’ me tae the meal.”

Cooper asked, “Are you going to introduce us, Lexi?”

“Of course, yes, Cooper, this is Torin, Torin, this is Cooper, my um… boyfriend.”

Torin’s brow drew down but only momentarily, then he smiled broadly when Cooper put out his hand.

He grasped Cooper’s forearm, clutched it tightly, and pulled him closer in kind of an arm wrestling match.

“Och aye, tis verra fine tae meet ye, Master Cooper.” The two men were eye-level, though because of Cooper’s thin stature, Torin looked much bigger.

Torin let go of his arm. “I thank ye for yer hospitalities after m’regrettable incursion ontae yer lands.” He rubbed his hands together. “I heard we were celebratin’ yer good fortune!”

Cooper shook his head, defeatedly. “No, we aren’t. My good fortune failed, it’s bad fortune all the way down?—”

I interrupted, “But we don’t need to talk about it, we need to celebrate. Cooper went on a trip and returned safely, so I made his favorite meal and… Hold that thought.”

I picked up the bottle of champagne and untwisted the wire over the cork.

Cooper ran his hand through his hair. “Is this necessary?”

I said, “Yep.” The cork popped, flying across the kitchen, disappearing behind the stove. I laughed. “Ignore it, I’ll get it in the morning — who wants champagne?”

I poured and then we all held our glasses up. I toasted, “To friends, new and old, we are excited to share this moment with our new friend, Torin, and welcome home, Coop.”

Everyone raised their glasses.

Torin asked, “Might I add one thing?”

I nodded.

“Tae the feast tae come, our gratitude that Mistress Lexi has cooked for us, it smells verra good. My mouth is waterin’. Tae our good company, good cheer, and God’s grace upon us all. May our hearts be merry and our days blessed. Slàinte!”

We all drank.

Then Torin stuck his tongue out with a grimace. “Och, I daena want tae be rude, but I think it has soured.”

I laughed. “That’s fizz, it’s supposed to be like that. It’s French, a type of sparkling wine.”

“Ah, the French will meddle in things they ought tae leave proper and plain.”

I said, “This is considered good, I paid top dollar for this bottle.”

Torin said, “If this was Castle Glume, we would send the drink back and tell the cellarer tae bring forth a new cask.”

Cooper narrowed his eyes. “You’ve never heard of Champagne before?”

Torin shook his head.

Cooper drank another sip.

Torin asked, “So ye went on a journey, Master Cooper, and twas long — where did ye go?”

Just then the timer dinged. I put on the oven mitts, picked up the pot, and drained the pasta over a colander in the sink.

No one talked while I did it, because the steam that rose made the action seem so dramatic.

Then I pulled the pan of meatballs and sauce from the oven. “Drat, I forgot the garlic bread, hold on.”

I had bought garlic butter, so I quickly brushed it onto the bread loaves and stuck them in the oven, happily remembering to turn it back on.

I put my hands on my hips and blew hair from my sweaty forehead. “Okay, sorry, go back to the conversation.”

Cooper said, “Right, yeah, you asked a question, Torin, I was in Los Angeles on a business trip.”

Torin nodded, his eyes narrowed. “And where is Lusanjleez? Tis near?”

Cooper brow drew down. “What…?”

Torin said, “Yer journey on this day, was it a long distance?”

“Los Angeles … in California?”

Torin shook his head, looking completely clueless.

Cooper looked around at all of us. “Y’all are messing with me, right?”

Torin asked again, “Tis near? Ye dinna hae far tae go?”

“Los Angeles is in the state of California. It’s on the other side of the country, about three thousand miles away. What is happening… ? I went by plane.”

Torin said, “Och, I heard of this?—”

Cooper’s eyes went wide.

The bread timer dinged.

I said, brightly, “Time for dinner!”