With a grunt of annoyance, she heads into her apartment and I continue up the stairs. I can smell the alcohol on him. Great. Just what I need, another little man to babysit.

I nudge him with my foot as I unlock my apartment.

“Hey, Kitty,” he says, only opening his eyes slightly.

“What are you…” I hear my neighbor’s door re-open below. “Never mind, get inside and I’ll make some coffee.”

I leave him on the stoop and carry Christian into my room and lay him on the bed. With any luck he’ll nap long enough I can get Joel a ride back to his place.

When I close the door and head back to the living area, I find Joel standing at the end of my kitchen countertop taking in the place like he’s just realized where he is.

“What are you doing here?”

“You stood me up,” he says and even though he tries to play off his tone as playful, I can hear the hurt.

“I didn’t stand you up,” I insist. “Blair told me you guys were having a party to celebrate the last home game of the season and I didn’t think you should miss that.”

He nods. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

I shrug and he sways.

“Go lay on the couch and I’ll make you some coffee. You didn’t drive here, did you?”

“Uber,” he says as he flops down on my couch, his legs hanging off the end.

I put the pizza in the fridge and then pour two mugs of coffee and cross to the living room. I sit on the coffee table and offer him a mug. “Here.”

“Thanks, Kitty.”

“Why are you here Joel?”

He takes a drink and then lays his head back. “I wanted to show Christian I could eat a whole pizza by myself and win you one of those stuffed animals from the crane at the pizza place.”

I can’t help but laugh and when I do Joel’s eyes open and he grins up at me. “I’m a grown man, Kitty. I can make decisions on my own. I don’t need you to make them for me based on what you think I want.”

I swallow the lump in my throat because he’s right. Instead of letting him decide, I took away an option and forced his hand.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m not used to people, especially guys, choosing us over parties or whatever. It’s easier to keep people at a distance than to continue to be disappointed.”

I open my eyes to find Joel watching me carefully. Too carefully. Like he can see past my guard.

“Drink your coffee and Christian and I will take you back to your place when he wakes up from his nap.”

I stand and pick up his heavy legs to make room to sit next to him. With little help from him, I manage to get situated with his legs across my thighs. His breathing starts to even out and I lay my head back and close my eyes.