"Ha! You were going to hurt me. That's cute." Ari set a pan with boudin to simmer and added some more grated cheese to the gratins. As he buzzed about the kitchen he scowled at the suggestion of using food as a weapon. To him food was nothing to use so lightly.

The slight to his character didn't sit too well either. "Excuse your low expectations, I am a gentleman. You are a lady in my home. Therefore I need to make sure you're taken care of. My parents raised me right!" Ari looked up from the pot of gumbo he'd been stirring and waved the spoon at her in reprimanding fashion. He looked her dead in the eye to let her know he was serious.

Within minutes everything was warm, he served it up with some homemade rolls and sweet tea. Ari sat down at the table across from Ella with a cat-like grin on his face. "Just to make things civil, my name is Aristide Beau Duplantis. But I prefer Ari. If we do become 'buddy-buddy' you can call me Bo-Dee. What about you? I never got your name." He purred, spearing a bite of extra cheesy gratins.