He's a conservative man when it comes to the use of his hands, of course. He's had to be, in his life. But the tick, when he's busy and tired and needing strength, of reaching up to squeeze his own shoulder absently isn't easy to repress.

/A little swamped. Running to see E-V-E for a bite./ She might set his heart in a bit of a bind from time to time, but she kept him honest at lunch time when Leigh didn't get to him first. /Can I bring mam?/