Mattie shuffles awkwardly from one booted foot to the other, suddenly unable to meet our expectant gazes head-on. His cheeks have taken on a dull reddish tinge, an indicator he's clearly uncomfortable with whatever he's about to lay on us.
"Well? You gonna spit it out or just keep doing your best plodding mule impersonation?" Greg finally prompts, tone laced with that familiar thread of impatient gruffness.
I shoot him a quelling look, trying to telegraph with my eyes that a gentle approach might be wiser here - whatever has Mattie so flustered, it's clearly no joking matter in his mind. Greg holds up his hands in a placating gesture, inclining his head in that slight way of his to indicate he'll follow my lead on this.
Turning back to our uncharacteristically bashful guest, I offer wh
