home later t

a common look for him when he was

, his voice echoing sl

ards him, a smile p

" she cooed, her tone a little

im with a softer,

es narrowing almo

?" he asked, his ga

linking her arm through his. "I

red to th

them, then

he asked, referring to a specific detai

fraction of a second. "

it. I'd told him about the troubl

a flicker of something un

ght out a smal

s voice carefully neutral. "The antiq

cial silver one with tiny eng

opened

e polite. "It's very...

the engravings with her finger. Sh

kind Ellie would ha

her, his expres

from her and place

t," he said,

eductive that night, more s

e shy, a little simp

, one I rarely used, and her

ed composed,

cing. I cou

otes in her performa

tic response, let a flash of irritation cross

I sa

impatient. Her m