[Gale makes a noise in the back of his throat that is somewhere between surprised and noncommittal, but it fails to hide his embarrassment.]

It's too bad there isn't a broom at hand to sweep up the shattered pieces of my youthful dreams.

[Could he possibly be more evident in his gibing? It's hard to tell, but he is doing a good job feigning hurt while suppressing a chuckle.]

For clarification my thoughts have been filled with only one being until recently. [Though how recently does seem a bit vague and it does sound awkward in retrospect.] A very cheeky person whose endeavored to keep me incredibly busy, it's hard to think about anything else at all.