He lifted his head and reached for the fork.
41
LEXI
2004 - LAUREL RIDGE
Finished, he pushed his plate away, and said, “Och, twas perfect, thank ye, mo leannan.”
He leaned back in the kitchen chair, the legs creaking, holding his beer.
“You’re welcome.”
The small countertop lamp threw a soft pool of light over the table, the room still smelling of butter and browned bread. Outside, there was the dark night, and the menacing futures, and frightening pasts that I now knew lurked there. But inside, my kitchen felt small and safe with Torin in it.
Dude took that moment to jump up on the kitchen counter. Our eyes drew to him as he walked up to the butter dish and flicked the top to the side.
He sat down, his tail twitching, eying that butter. Then he dipped a dignified paw in it.
Torin said, “Och, he is a good cat.”
I laughed, then added, “I was thinking, I still don’t believe you’ll be here for long. Max needs you, I think he’ll return by the end of the week.”
“A week from today?” He sipped from his beer. “Nae, I will be here so long ye will be vexed by my presence.”
I teased. “I could always make you stay in a hotel.”
He raised his brow. “Och, ye told me of hotels, they daena sound like a punishment for my future of vexin’ ye.”
“Your future of vexing me? That sounds nice. I am enjoying the thought of you being around to vex me.”
“Och, I think ye may be confused on what vexing means.”
He set his beer down and stretched out his feet, and pulled the legs of my chair closer. I was directly facing him, our knees touching.
That was a really hot move.
“I really missed you.”
His eyes went soft. “I missed ye as well. I believe that Max will be gone for a long time. Are ye ready for it?”
He concentrated on my face, waiting for my answer.
“I’m glad you’ll be here.” I met his eyes.
He said, “I hae been thinking long, ever since the sandwich ye made me?—”
I teased, “That was five minutes ago! That’s not ‘thinking long’!”
His brow went up, “I mean the first sandwich, mo leannan.”
“Right... I forgot, a lot has happened since then — what have you been thinking?”
“That I ought tae, if our spirits aligned and the world approved, marry ye.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “That’s... even while I was yelling at you? Even while I was sick in front of you?”
“Aye, even though ye hated me. Even when ye were desperately ill. What kind of man would I be, mo leannan, if I held that against ye?”
