I slowly reached for the strap and pulled it across my chest, clicking it into the buckle. “Whoa. Habit. I thought you were coming in to … should I get an Uber?” I asked.

Zeke leaned his forehead against the steering wheel. “No. I’m fine.” He rolled his head to the side—his temple still resting on the wheel—to meet my gaze, a look of disbelief on his face. “I mean, we’ve been alone together before, and you didn’t feel the need to defend yourself.”

“I know. It was just instinct.”

“Your instinct told you I was a threat?” he asked in disbelief.

I breathed out a laugh but instantly regretted it, straightening my face. “No.” I cleared my throat. “No, it’s just when someone comes at me and I’m not prepared for it … usually I’m better at deciphering it was a bad call.”

His brows shot up. “You’re not even going to say you’re sorry?”

“I’m…” I sighed. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

Zeke’s jaw ticked under the skin, and then he backed out of the lot, pausing at the street. “Where am I going?” he snapped.

I pointed. Zeke drove forward, then turned left. I gave him directions all the way to my house. It was the only time we spoke. I could tell he was mad, and I felt guilty for such an extreme reaction, but not enough to beg his forgiveness. I coached him for every turn, feeling antsy the closer we came to my house. Finally, Zeke turned down my road, and we crept by the street-parked cars and dark houses. Zeke turned into my drive and parked.

He rubbed his shoulder. “You gonna be okay?” he asked without looking at me.

I glared at the dark windows of my house knowing the moment I walked inside a heavy, awful loneliness would set in.

“No, probably not,” I said, feeling the alcohol cloud my thoughts.

He shot me a curious look. “Don’t make me feel bad for you. Not after you just sucker punched me.”

“I didn’t mean to … I don’t want you to feel bad for me,” I said, frustrated.

“Well, too late. Are you going to be okay or not?” He was trying to match my tone but failed. Zeke didn’t have a mean bone in his body.

After a few moments, I blurted out what I was thinking. “You wanna come in?”

Zeke’s brows pulled together. “Why? So you can shoot me?” I stared at him for a moment, and then burst out laughing. He chuckled too, but then his smile faded. “You got a husband in there?”

My smile vanished too. “No one’s in there.”

Zeke seemed to sympathize with whatever expression was on my face. “C’mon. I’ll walk you inside.”