"Not on the way here," he clarifies hastily. "More like it was a recurring thing. Not really the best pattern to have, I know." He smiles faintly with a hopeful tilt to his glance, wondering if a lighter, decidedly nonchalant tone will make it a little easier to bear.

"I guess my point here would be," he swings back toward sympathy almost immediately, meets her gaze steadily, "that you're not alone."