Page 15 of Come to Me

I offer my hand and she takes it. Her skin is so warm, but she's shivering.

"Ally, what's wrong?"

"It's really not a big deal." She presses her lips together again. Her gaze moves to the floor.

Sure it isn't.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes." She presses her fingers into the table. "And I'll tell you. But I don't want to be talked out of my decision."

"Okay." What the hell could she be talking about?

Her eyes stay on the floor as the first sentence comes out in a rush, almost in one word. "I was offered a role in a play in New York and I turned it down." She fiddles with her tank top as she pulls her knees into her chest. "That's it. No big deal."

For an actress, she really is a terrible liar.

"What play?"

"Just an old play."

"Just an old play my ass," I say mildly. "If anyone cares about some old play it's you."

She really does read the most awful, English major shit.

She smirks, but it only lasts a second. Then she's back to that same serious expression. "It's not a big deal."

"Nothing is a big deal to you."

She clears her throat. "A Streetcar Named Desire."

My heart sinks. No. "You turned down a role inA Streetcar Named Desire?"

"Yes. And it's not a big deal. An actress was fired and I'd be the replacement. But it's too sudden. I'd have to leave the minute I finished shooting here." There's no pause between her statement and her hiding behind a glass of water.

She's not shutting this down that easily.

"Which part?"

She shrugs like it's not a big deal.

She was offered a part in her favorite play. And it's no big deal?

"Come on, Ally. Who do you think you're kidding? We both know you could spend the entire night talking about the themes in any depressing work of American literature."

"It's not depressing," she immediately counters.

"Oh yeah?"

She sighs.

"Okay, maybe it's a little depressing. But why is that such a bad thing?"

"You're just proving my point."

She uncrosses her legs. "I know." She frowns, clearly trying to figure out how to get me on board with this decision. "It's a great opportunity, and under different circumstances, I'd love to do it. I'd love to do it if it was in Los Angeles and I could come home to you every night."

Shit.