In the books she’d crafted, Desmond was never proud of Molly. Did he protect her? Yes. Did he care for her? In his own way. But this character she created from memory, from the longings of her heart, was jaded, flawed, and not quite accurate.
And for the first time in ten years, as she read through the passages in that first novel, she wondered if perhaps their story wasn’t quite over.
Her reading was interrupted by the ping of her cell phone. She grabbed it, hoping to hear from Whitney. Her friend was smart. She took measures to maintain her safety when going home with men; however, Elle couldn’t help feeling protective of her when Saturday mornings rolled around. Over the years, she’d requested a simple text to let her know all was well.
To her surprise, when she glanced at the screen, it wasn’t a text from Whitney, but rather one from Luke.
I miss you. Any plans today?
Elle smiled as she stared at the simple words. Despite her unfinished business with Troy, she was still drawn to the handsome actor. Despite Luke’s naivety about the world of Hollywood, or his possible flirtation with his leading actress, Elle was in no hurry to end their relationship.
Luke relaxed her like no other man had in the past. He fascinated her with his laid-back nature, and being near him satisfied her in a new and inexplicable way.
No plans. What’d you have in mind?
Elle placed the phone back down and moved her attention back to her book. Before she could even find her place in the story, her phone pinged once again.
You. Me. Whatever you want.
Excitement stirred in her belly as she thought about a day spent with Luke. She made a firm decision not to mention anything about Gina or the pictures of them at the bar. She was going to enjoy him, trust him, lose herself in him. She wanted to enjoy how he made her feel and nothing more.
Come over.
With a spring in her step, Elle jogged up her winding staircase and promptly changed into a hot-pink sundress with a plunging neckline. She placed a pair of strappy sandals on her feet and proceeded to fix her hair and makeup. By the time she’d finished applying, her doorbell rang. She smiled at her reflection before jogging downstairs to answer the door. She was so focused, she almost missed the text message from Whitney:
Home safe and sound. “Big Mac” was just that.
Elle rolled her eyes, but laughed as she tucked her cell back into her pocket and opened the door. “That was quick.”
Luke removed his sunglasses and placed a kiss on her cheek before crossing the threshold to enter her home. Without knowing it, he’d worn an outfit that complemented hers perfectly. A faded navy blue t-shirt that pulled at his pec muscles and dark washed jeans that hugged his muscular thighs.
“I couldn’t wait.”
“Good.” Elle drank him in with her eyes, willing herself to be strong enough not to simply drag him up to her bedroom immediately. She wanted to spend more time with him, learn what made Luke Kingston tick, discover if they had much in common. Their sexual chemistry was undeniable, but their intellectual chemistry was still undecided.
Closing the space between them, Luke wrapped an arm around her waist, nuzzling into her neck.
“You smell good. Are you hungry?”
“Famished.”
“Great. I made a reservation at The Ivy.”
The swirls of excitement in Elle’s belly dropped to the floor. The Ivy was known for celebrity sightings. Not only that, it was littered with paparazzi. The Ivy was a place she’d avoided successfully since moving to California and she had no intention of ever eating there. Elle was a private person. Luke knew that, and despite the promise she’d made herself earlier not to mention Luke and the photos of him with Gina, she was not willing to compromise her desire for a private life.
“The Ivy? Why would you want to go there?” Elle didn’t want to sound accusatory in her question, but she was feeling unsettled. Why would Luke want to take her there knowing how private she was? Especially after he’d already been photographed just a few days prior.
“What do you mean? They have this killer patio. I thought we could enjoy the sunshine.”
“Luke, I thought you knew how I felt about places like that. If you don’t, then I need to be more clear. I have no interest in participating in the Hollywood game. I don’t want to spend my weekends looking for photo ops or avoiding paparazzi. It’s not how I’m built. It’s not how I want to live my life.”
“Oh.” Luke took a step back, running his fingers through his waves. “I hadn’t really thought about that. My agent suggested it when I spoke to her yesterday.”
“Your agent?”
“Yeah. But I mean, it’s not a big deal. If you don’t want to go there that’s fine.” Luke placed his hands loosely on his hips, waiting for Elle’s answer.
She hesitated before speaking. “Let’s go somewhere else.”
“You pick.” His behavior was nonchalant. Somehow with Luke, things never seemed to erupt into a full-blown altercation, which was not what Elle was used to. With Troy, things always seemed to become something worthy of discussion. Luke’s lack of concern was confusing. Did he just not care enough to fight with her? Or could she stand to learn a thing or two from his relaxed demeanor?
Elle chose a quiet bistro in Santa Monica overlooking the sand and surf. They feasted on oysters, scallops, and shrimp scampi. The soothing sounds of the waves crashing against the sand calmed Elle’s nerves and helped her relax. Luke held her hand as they ate. They talked about the show, which was holding its own in the Nielsen ratings. The network was pleased with Luke’s role on the show and the new love story developing between his character and Gina’s.
“You won’t believe what’s happening on Twitter.”
Elle finished chewing before responding. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve gained thousands of new followers in just a few weeks. Two hundred new ones just this morning. It’s crazy. I mean, crazy awesome, but crazy.”
“I’m sure that’ll continue. The viewers love you,” Elle deadpanned.
“Geez, you say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“No.” Elle shook her head, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m thrilled they’re loving you on the show. I’m just—I don’t know . . .”
“Talk to me. First the Ivy and now this. What’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours?”
“It’s nothing, I just . . . It’s really easy for all of this to go to someone’s head. In some ways, it’s almost unavoidable. I’d just hate for that to happen . . .”
“It’s not going to change my feelings for you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“That’s not it.” She shook her head vehemently. “I just think it’s important to avoid all of the craziness, stay on the perimeter. The Ivy, Twitter, Facebook fans, dodging the paparazzi—it’s all very Hollywood.”
“And you think I’m too Hollywood?”
“I’m not sure yet,” she answered honestly.
“I’ve been a struggling actor for eight years. And now, I’m on the biggest show on television. Do you understand what a thrill that is for me? How it’s changed my life?”
Elle nodded, attempting to put herself in Luke’s shoes. He’d worked for years to achieve this—of course he was allowed to celebrate his newly earned success. She just didn’t want it to consume him. She’d seen it happen so many times before. When Gina first auditioned for the role of Molly, she was one of the sweetest actresses Elle had met during the casting process. But now . . .
“Of course,” she conceded, “I’m sorry. I really am happy for you.”
“Try to relax. Everything has a way of working itself out.”