[ He's not wrong, and that honest observation earns him a smile in return that's a bit more heartfelt than the one he gives her. She can count on one hand the number of times she's genuinely smiled in the last few weeks — it feels good, if a bit weird. ]

I'll go with beer. Thanks. [ After another moment of watching him, she pushes the power button on her phone and sets it facedown on the bar before turning her body toward him, one elbow leaning against the edge of the bar. There's humor in her voice when she speaks again, a lightness to the words that even starts to filter into her expression. ]

You know, I've never really understood that saying. Oysters are gross and pearls are seriously overrated. Why can't it be the world is your coconut?