I'm glad you went and had a nice time. About the car...it brought back a very distant memory for me...my xh didn't want me riding in his vehicle either. I know my xh had a smoke smell in his vehicle too. He hadn't smoked in years and I know that no one I knew smoked, but when I got in it just before he left, it reeked of smoke. He claimed that one of the guys had sat in the vehicle. You know, I didn't buy it.
I think your h, if he is anything like mine, didn't want us sitting in their cars because they didn't want our "scent" in them. I know that sounds funny, but these mlcers are very strange individuals. Just like your h washing his own laundry. They really are off the wall.
Back to your night out...it appears that it was a success and you got to meet some new people in the process. I'm very happy that you went.
Enjoy your day!
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.