“Why do you have a glass of white wine? You hate white wine.”

“It’s what women order in bars.” She glared at him. “Did I tell you to go away?”

“You did. I’m ignoring you. Why do you think women order white wine in bars?”

She waved her hand. “It’s what they always do in books and movies. They have a glass of white wine. It’s classy.”

“Not if you don’t like it.” He rested his forearms on the table and leaned toward her. “Ellen, why are you here?”

Her gaze met his. “Are you asking in the existential sense?”

He ignored the need to laugh. “No. Why are you sitting in a bar?”

“I want to get drunk. I rarely do that, you know, except with Unity. I’m very responsible. It’s boring. I’m boring.” She glared at him. “There’s your answer. I’m sitting in a bar because I’m tired of being a boring person.”

She usually wore her long hair up in a ponytail, but now her hair was loose and tumbling over her shoulders. The new style suited her, making her look sexy and appealing. Not that he would notice. There was no sexy Ellen for him. No way. She was firmly in the friend column in his life. That was how he liked his relationship with her. Friendly and uncomplicated.

There was a reason he avoided getting involved with a woman close to home—he didn’t want the messiness. He had a good life that he enjoyed—his present difficulties with Lissa aside. Ellen was a part of that. He depended on her and he wasn’t comfortable with all the changes.

But leaving wasn’t an option. He and Ellen had each other’s backs. Something had obviously happened to her and he was going to figure out what it was and then fix it. After that, things would go back to what they’d been.

He waved over the server. When she pulled out her pad, he pointed to the white wine. “She’s not a fan. Why don’t you bring her a cosmo and I’ll have a vodka tonic.”

“Sure thing.”

Ellen’s eyes widened. “A cosmo. That’s perfect. I love Sex and the City. I should have thought of that.” She sighed. “You know, I’ve never had one, probably because I don’t live a cosmo kind of life.” She shook her head. “Is it wrong to blame my parents for that?”

He leaned toward her again. “Ellen, what’s going on?”

She hung her head. “It’s too embarrassing.”

“I doubt that.”

She put her hands on the table, then tucked them under the table. After shifting in her seat, she opened her mouth, closed it, then groaned.

“I hate this.”

He waited.

She glared at him. “You’re so annoying. All right. If you have to stick your nose in everyone’s business. Why is that?”

He still didn’t speak. No way he was getting pulled into a distraction.