Page 112 of Come to Me

Her tone feels almost a little... forced?

He shrugs, his expression unreadable. "You get used to it."

Ellen returns with the shots and hands one to each of us. "To... getting totally wasted."

Alyssa laughs, but she slams back her shot quickly. There's a certain joy to it, but there's also a desperation.

Ellen slams her shot, coughing. She shakes her head and jumps up and down. "You two-" She points to me and Nicholas. "This is a party. And a party calls for shots."

I bring my glass to my lips, tasting the first hint of tequila. I've never really been one for shots, but what the hell? I tilt my head and swallow it in one gulp.

Alyssa leans into me, wrapping her arms around me. I turn to her, searching for meaning in her expression, but I can't make anything of it.

"Hey, you two- enough. This is a party. Stop looking so cuddly and adorable."

"Damn, Ellen. You really are jealous," Nicholas accuses.

Ellen huffs.

"Fine. Be adorable. What do I care? It's not like this is Alyssa's last night in the city with us."

"If you want a chance to be adorable, you should probably try a second date," he adds, clearly not interested in going easy on her.

"I get everything I need on the first." She sticks her tongue out.

Nicholas shakes his head. "Then why are you jealous?"

Ellen narrows her eyes. "Oh, go find some 18-year-old college student who will want to hear all about your truth on stage."

It doesn't faze him at all.

"You could be serious about the craft."

"I am damn serious! I'm just not a pretentious fool." Ellen steps towards the bar. "You guys want to be difficult, fine. But I'm going to get another drink. And I'm going to have fun. You can sit here and talk about truth and cuddle and whatever. I don't give a shit." She marches to the bar.

Nicholas turns to us. "She's always like this."

Seems to me he enjoys making it worse. But I don't say it.

"You guys really work together that often?" Alyssa asks.

Nicholas sighs. "Unfortunately." He slides out of the bar and offers his hand for Alyssa to shake. "It was nice working with you."

She hesitates for a second before taking his hand. "I was worried you'd hate me."

"Everyone worries about that." He holds her hand and her eyes for a beat longer than necessary before releasing, letting go and waving goodbye. "I'm sure I'll see you again sometime. Call me if Ellen gets too drunk. I'll take her home."

"Sure," Alyssa agrees. She watches Nicholas leave. "We can get out of here. Go back to the apartment for one last time."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

She turns to me.

"We don't have to analyze every little thing to death." She pulls away from me fighting a sigh. "Okay. Forget it. I'll have another drink. We'll entertain Ellen."

"We're going to spend the next week together," I say. "I just don't want you to regret leaving early."

She nods, squeezing my hand.