He nodded, and didn't try to stop her from leaving this time. Before, it had seemed like she was leaving because she thought he wanted her to, and that was different.

"You, too," he told her. "If you need help, or to talk, or just something heavy lifted. I ain't going anywhere, and I guess if I'm gonna get involved again, I might as well actually do it. And, thanks. Really."

He gave her a half-serious salute, a cocky tilt to his lips that for just a moment showed an echo of the playful, outgoing man he'd once been.