“I was. Seventeen. Did you know there was some song in the 1970s about being seventeen? I heard it a few times. It was sad.”

“You’re starting to not make sense.” He eyed her drink. “How much did you eat at dinner?”

“Not much. I can’t eat when I’m upset.” Tears filled her eyes. “I love Cooper so much.”

He stared at the tears. Ellen was crying? She never cried. He’d seen her angry, frustrated, sad and bone weary but she’d never once cried. He didn’t like seeing it now. He had to make it stop.

He searched frantically for a distraction. Could he offer to buy her something? Take her somewhere?

A single tear rolled down her cheek, nearly sending him to his knees.

“I’ll help,” he blurted.

She reached for her glass only to put it down when she saw it was empty. “Help with what?”

The server appeared with a second cosmo. Ellen exchanged glasses with her and took a big sip before looking at him expectantly.

“The list. I’ll help. Give advice, go with you when you sing karaoke, whatever.”

Not with the sex, though, he told himself. Ellen was his friend. Friends didn’t do that with each other. Sex had a way of changing things and he liked what he had with Ellen just as it was.

“You can’t help me with a smoky eye,” she murmured.

“I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s a makeup thing and it’s hard. I’ve tried like three times and I look ridiculous. Maybe my eyes are the wrong shape. Does that make a difference? It’s all so wrong. Guys just have to put on a suit and they look great. Of course Unity has to wear a dress without a bra, which, frankly, I don’t see happening.”

She wasn’t making any sense. He eyed the half-finished drink. She couldn’t be feeling hers yet, could she?

“Maybe we should get you back to your room,” he told her.

She nodded and gulped the rest of her drink. “Okay.” When she stood, she wobbled a bit. “I feel funny.”

“I’ll bet. Can you wait a sec? I have to pay for the drinks.”

She plopped back in her chair and reached for his half-finished drink. Before he could stop her, she’d downed that as well.

“You’re going to have a hangover in the morning.”

She smiled. “I’ve never had a hangover. I’ve never done a lot of things.”

Like sex.

The thought came out of nowhere and he didn’t like that one bit. No sex, he told himself as he walked over to their server and quickly paid the bill. Zero sex, at least with Ellen. He wasn’t going there. Nope. Not him. No way.

He got her to her feet and guided her toward the elevators. As they went up to their floor, he said, “Promise me you’ll stay in your room tonight.”

She frowned. “Where else would I go?”

“I’m not sure, but you’re acting wild.”