[ He puts on that bashful little look again, ducking his head and wrinkling his nose. ] Stop. You’re making me blush.

[ She’s doing no such thing, though. In fact, he figures she’s just being nice, trying to lift his mood after the shock of seeing Wickman and the others. Kind of her, he thinks, and very much in line with what he knows of her, but he hardly needs it; the gift did more than enough to help him try to put this night behind him.

It’s why he says lightly, ] As much as I appreciate it, you don’t have to keep tryin’ to make me feel better, you know. I think I’m good.