Howard gave Mary's hand a quick pat and then removed it. It was a forward move for her and he knew it, so prolonging the contact wouldn't end up working in his favor.
"Well, I hope that theory is true," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "For your son's sake. All I've got back home is my company and a flamingo named Bernard that Jarvis hates." He had his work, of course, but he was meticulously organized when it came to his business plan. Even if he were to be missing for months at a time, his notes would be enough for the individual sites to function relatively autonomously, so he wasn't worried.
"Is talking about your son painful or pleasant at this point? Because we can change the subject if you'd like."