Promise

Hunter would have preferred Katie yelling at him than hearing that disappointment in her voice. He didn't know why it bothered him so much... maybe he'd forgotten what it was like to have someone he respected enough, that when he disappointed them, it hurt. No matter the reason, Katie's tone did nothing but cut him to the quick, and he didn't like it.

"Chatting hasn't solved anything," he mutters, blocking out the guilt and pain.

Chugging down the last of his coffee, he sets his cup aside and rises from the table. "I'll be right back." Heading for the restroom, he takes advantage of being alone to splash some cold water on his face and just stare at himself in the mirror for a few good long moments. Who was he?

Ever since coming here, he'd had a great time. But it was almost as if he had forgotten his buried battles. The ones that liked to creep up on him when he least expected it. His past. His anger. His drinking.

He swallows hard. Was that last one really a battle? Could he have said no tonight? Could he really say no to drinking altogether? Or... was he more dependent on it than he'd thought?

Drying his face and hands, he returns to the table but doesn't sit down. Closing his eyes, he stretches out his arms and touches his nose a couple times, then demonstrates walking a very straight line before standing on one foot to prove his balance. "Can we go now? I promise not to tip over or drive into the ditch." 

Grace's gesture brings a new warmth to Jared. Her touch to his hand was... real. She cared. Her lips were soft like a cool, gentle breeze. She cared enough to share comfort to him. And that was worth more than Jared could express. 

Curling his fingers around hers just a little, he finally nods. "I know... I just... I guess I was hoping to find out that I was at least a halfway decent guy and..." Color comes to his cheeks as he remembers that previous brief memory. "...and now I'm not even sure I was that. Even if I can change it... be different... I was hoping I could at least find some people I remembered so I wouldn't be so alone anymore, but... I'm beginning to wonder if anybody I knew would even want anything to do with me anyway."