"What sort of man doesn't like pickles?" Joel asks, directing the teasing question at Raleigh, because if she's made the pickles he can at least hope he has a chance of her being on his side when it comes to this. But then the mood shifts somehow and he wonders if he's said something wrong as she switches off the radio and begins to clean up and even before she says anything, he's shaking his head, looking at Spencer in bewilderment. He knows he has a tendency to say things without speaking, perhaps be a little more gruff than he intends and while he's been trying to be better, especially with the people he cares about, he knows he doesn't always accomplish what he's set out to do.

"I didn't mean..." He takes Spencer's hand when he reaches out, letting him explain instead, because this is Spencer's home, after all, he's the one letting Raleigh stay here, he's the one who's practically letting Joel live with him, and although they've spent several nights at his apartment as well, they spend most of their time here and he knows it isn't his home, but in a way it's starting to feel like it is. Just a little. He knows he shouldn't presume and he certainly hadn't intended to make Raleigh feel bad.

"If it's about me cooking, I can do that any time," he adds a second later. "It's not important."