That she doesn't simply laugh at him or roll her eyes and turn away does a lot to relax Joel, and he has to remind himself that not everyone in town thinks poorly of him. Not everyone in town even knows who he is and he can be grateful for that when it occurs, He's never really felt the need for a fresh start -- he is who he is, for better or worse -- but sometimes it's a little easier to inch into a conversation without worrying that someone knows what he'd done to Eli or that they know the story of what happened at the lighthouse.

"Joel," he says, taking her hand in his. "Have you just come to town?" She's not from here originally, he can tell that well enough by her accent, though he supposes the same can be said for him. The eastern Canadian accent has faded over time, but as Erin had pointed out the other day, it's still obvious enough that someone familiar with the dialects of Canada can pick out where he's from easily enough.