We're in the library and I'm sitting in one of two stuffed chairs staring at a wall of books. Gomez hands me a shot glass after filling two.

"Tequila, drink it."

I down the glass without a second thought and he downs his. There's no lime to disguise the taste or help the burn and I can't stop from doing the funny twist thing with my mouth. He ignores this, takes the glass out of my fingers, and refills both. We drink another shot together.

"You've made a real ...