Cash couldn't help but laugh at her question; it escaped his mouth before he even thought about it. "Oh, Merlin, no," he said, with a grin, "I mean sometimes they're alright, but most of the balls? No." He always felt on display at those things, like people were watching him — but it did allow him to shut down and disconnect from his own head at least a little, so it could have been worse.

"Do you think you will?" he asked, a little curious.

---