I said, “We should go up to the house then, the… time is, wow, 11:45. Yep, time for bed.”
I saw his eyes focus on my watch, his brow drawn down. He chewed his lip.
Jen and I stood up.
He stood up and bowed. “Mistress Lexi, Mistress Jen, I will walk ye tae yer door.”
I said, “You remember how to turn off the lights?”
He looked around as if he didn’t quite remember, so I said, “I’ll click this one off.”
He said, “Aye, good, I will likely stand guard outside. I winna need the light.”
“Do you need some food before you go in the morning?”
“Nae, I winna bother ye, I will be gone before dawn.”
We trudged up the hill and he remained quiet as we walked. Until he asked, “What is that sound?”
“The hum? That’s the cicadas, grasshoppers, and katydids. Insects. In the spring and summer they really like to make a racket.”
He tugged on his earlobe as we continued striding.
At the porch he stiffly bowed.
“Good night, Torin.”
“G’night, Mistress Lexi.”
He waited until the door was locked.
Then from the window we watched him trudge down the long slope of the lawn.
I turnedto Jen with my eyes wide. “I’m so glad you’re here, you would never have believed me.”
“I still don’t believe you, girlfriend, not really, but that is… I mean, what’s the other explanation?”
I grabbed the bottle of wine and poured two glasses.
We carried them to the living room, stopping by the stereo to turn on some music and then sitting on the ends of the couch facing each other.
She said, “Here’s some ideas: he could be lying, he could be joking, maybe he’s just cosplaying. Maybe it’s some kind of dare from a fraternity brother. An audition…”
I said, “Sure, but to what end,why?”
She shrugged and sipped her wine. “I have no idea, it makes no sense.”
I said, “I can’t come up with any reasons he would be lying and he just seems like, so truthful. Even Daniel Day-Lewis couldn’t method act this well.”
I got comfortable, tucking my feet up under me, lying against the pillows with the wineglass tucked under my chin.
She giggled, mirroring me. “You look like a lush.”
“You too.”
She said, “What are you going to tell Cooper about this guy? It’s awkward, ‘hey, honey, that huge mysterious, armed, likely criminal guy is sleeping in my love shack.’ I don’t think Cooper’s going to be down with that.”
“Yeah, he’s going to flip out, but… Torin will be gone tomorrow. Cooper won’t even meet him.”
