Page 45 of Come to Me

"I'll be here to help put you back together."

"You won't be here. You'll be in Los Angeles. You have no idea how bad it gets."

"But Ally-"

"I'm sorry, but I have previews and Laurie is visiting Monday. I have to get through this first," she insists.

I rake my fingers through my hair, taking a deep breath.

"Fine. On one condition."

She groans. "Condition is a fancy way of saying promise."

"Alright. Then you have to make me a promise."

"I could hang up this call right now."

"But you won't."

She frowns. She hates it when I'm right. "Fine. What's the condition?"

"If you feel like you're going to fall, if you feel like you're too overwhelmed, you call me. Okay?"

She sighs.

"Okay," she agrees. "I—thank you." She closes her eyes. "I love you, Luke."

"I love you too."

She nods her way through a goodbye.

I hate seeing her like this.

But this isn't a battle I can fight for her.

* * *

When I bought this house,the fact that Laurie lived so close was a complete coincidence.

But, right now, I'm glad that we're so damn close to Alyssa's best friend.

I get dressed and run the three blocks to Laurie's house. There's a light on in the living room and a low roar that sounds a lot like TV. She's home.

I knock on the door, but Laurie doesn't answer. A man does. He's tall, good looking, wearing classic black glasses. Exactly Laurie's type.

"Hi. Can I help you?" he asks.

"I'm a friend of Laurie's."

"I knew you had a booty call," he calls out over his shoulder. It's jovial. So, they aren't an item. Just friends.

"Shit. At eleven. Only person that could be. Does he have a lovesick look on his face? And is he just so fucking hot you want to scream?"

The friend laughs. "I wouldn't know." He turns back inside, to where Laurie must be sitting. "You describe me like that when I'm not around?"

"Come in, Luke," Laurie says in a louder voice. "It is Luke, right?"

"Yeah," I confirm. The friend moves out of the way to let me inside, shutting the door behind me.