Suddenly there's a worry that maybe he's overstepped and that's really the last thing Neal wants. Being liked is so incredibly important to him — more than one might expect from someone so confident — and while he's sure he'll be able to make things right if that's truly the case, he gets the sense that now is not the time to make any serious amends. Not with a comment like the one Jean-Paul just made.

Nodding, he offers out his hand a second time, smiling as he does. "In that case, I hope it was a good recommendation. I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on it," Neal says. "It was nice to make your acquaintance, Jean-Paul. Until we meet again."