Even an endearment like that makes another flicker of warmth pass over him. (Being in love. What can you do?)

"There's, uh, this thing that happens when metal gets cold enough," he says. "You get any water on it and it'll freeze like -- " A snap of his fingers. "So there's this dumb prank little kids'll play where they dare each other to lick a light pole or something. You do it, and your tongue sticks so hard you can't pull it off."