Impulsively, I turned off the main road and into a parking lot, where I got out of the car. Zander pulled in beside me and rolled down his window. "You live at Waffle House?" I risked a smile. "No. I was hoping you'd let me buy you some breakfast as a thank you for saving my butt." He hesitated just long enough that I was embarrassed. "What am I saying? It's two in the morning. You probably have someone wondering where in the heck you are." I started to get back in my car. "No, wait. I'll eat." I didn't try to hide my pleasure. As we walked to the door, I considered the conundrum of me being attacked by three unknowns in the parking lot one minute and hopefully feeding another unknown the next. Were the shadows of harsh reality lurking on the rim of this bright spot? I suspected they were, and dreaded the moment I'd be alone with my thoughts. But that moment wasn't now. We sat in a booth and ordered a coffee apiece and our breakfasts, with neither of us saying much.
