Oh, you're scolding me already. Here I am for a nice quiet evening, and you're scolding me. I may as well have gone off with Amalia for the night!

[Of course he's smiling, though. He can't bring himself to be upset. Not when the meaning behind the words is quite clear: Winter believes in him, is invested in him, wants him to stay. It's harder to tease this way than it would be to lean in and kiss him on the cheek, an urge he has for about the dozenth time today, right now.]

Well. That is why they sent me to you for all of this, isn't it. Among other reasons.