“We should get back. I’ve kept you away too long.”
“Don’t be silly, it’s okay. We have plenty of time.” Elle smoothed down her clothes, still trying to adjust to the brisk breeze of the deck. “Although, if I’m even a few minutes late, I’ll have daggers from Gina.”
Luke chuckled. “And how is that different from any other day? She always has daggers for you.”
“Ugh, I know. It’s exhausting.”
“You could kill her off,” Luke joked. Elle allowed herself to savor that thought for a quick moment, before shaking her head and returning to reality.
“Nah. We’re losing Desmond. If I take Molly out of the equation, it won’t even be the same show anymore.”
“Would that be so awful? It could be a fresh start.”
There was that term again. Troy had used it the previous week in his living room, and now Luke was using it in reference to the show.
“Or career suicide . . . for both of us. Molly is the heart and soul of the show. Even if the actress who plays her is a total pill.”
“Don’t let her get to you. She’s not worth your time.” Luke took Elle’s hand in his and they walked into the kitchen, where he signed the contracts and handed a check to the leasing agent.
As he handed the pen to the leasing agent, Elle smiled. “Welcome home.”
Even though Elle and Luke were five minutes late, the lead actors were nowhere to be found in the conference room. Their table read wasn’t nearly finished and they were scheduled to run until at least 4:00 p.m., if not longer. The supporting cast was seated, ready to begin, but Gina and Nolan were absent. Elle wondered where they could be.
“Um . . . that’s odd.”
“Should I go look for them? See what’s holding them up?” Luke offered, placing his hand on the knob.
“No, I’ll do it. You can look over your script and I’ll be right back. Text me if they show up, okay?”
Perplexed, Elle walked down the hallway, hoping she wouldn’t interrupt a lovers’ quarrel of some kind. She braced herself as she walked in the direction of the executive offices. When she turned a corner into the atrium, she heard shouting.
Oh boy.
She followed the screeching voice of Gina, who was standing in the doorway to Whitney’s office.
“I can’t believe this! You said it was over!”
“Baby, listen to me.” Nolan could be heard from inside the office.
“Baby?” Whitney yelled, sounding appalled. “Since when is she your baby? Did you get back together with her?”
“I’m sorry, Whit. I can exp—”
“Don’t apologize to her!” Gina shrieked, stomping her foot against the linoleum floor. “I am so done. You begged me, pleaded with me for another chance. And being the idiot I am, I gave it to you. But now I’m done. You can fuck off, Nolan Rivera. And take your little whore with you!”
Gina wiped her cheeks and stormed toward Elle, whose feet were frozen to the floor. Gina’s cheeks were the color of a blasting fire engine. Elle felt terrible for her, unable to comprehend how it must feel to be the victim of infidelity. It was one of her biggest fears, and seeing it transpire right in front of her eyes was gut-wrenching.
“You knew about this, didn’t you?” Gina’s eyes were bulging from their sockets. Outrage poured from her skin.
“No! No, I promise you, I had no clue.”
“I don’t believe you.” Tears streamed down Gina’s cheeks as she yelled. “I gotta get outta here.”
“Listen, take the day. We have the table read, but it’s okay, just go home.”
“I don’t give a shit about the table read, Elle! Just leave me the hell alone.”
Gina stormed away and Elle pulled herself together to approach the wreckage. Nolan was half-dressed, seated in a chair with his head in his hands. Whitney, her lipstick smeared, her hair disheveled, was standing behind her desk, her hand covering her mouth. She was just as shocked as Gina, just as betrayed.
“Nolan, will you give us a minute?”
Nolan stood, his tan skin flushed, his dark hair mussed. He looked to Whitney. “I never meant for any of this—”
“Stop.” She put her hand up in front of her, her eyes closed tight. “Just stop. I don’t wanna hear it. Clean yourself up and meet me in the conference room in ten minutes.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Nolan had never, not once in the years they’d worked together, called Elle ma’am. If she weren’t so upset for Whitney, she would have chuckled at his sheepish behavior. But her loyalty to Whitney and her sympathy for Gina kept her features cold as stone.
Nolan left the office, closing the door behind him. Elle and Whitney stood in silence for a moment before Elle broke the tension. “You didn’t know they were still together, did you?”
Whitney shook her head.
“Then why the secrecy? You told me it was a one-time thing. Why didn’t you tell me you were sleeping with him?”
“We were keeping it to ourselves. He said he didn’t want to hurt her and being the idiot I am, I believed him. God, I’m so stupid, Elle. So stupid!” Whitney smacked the wall with her palm, turned, and leaned down against her desk.
“You’re not an idiot. You were trying to be sensitive and not make waves.”
“I know, but now it’s a freaking mess. I’m so sorry. I never meant to mess with your show.”
“Don’t worry about that. Nolan has only seven episodes to shoot, and then he’s done. It’ll work itself out.” Elle walked to Whitney, rubbing her back with her hand. “But I’m worried about you. Were you two . . . serious?”
A sardonic laugh left Whitney’s throat as she looked up to the ceiling. “Obviously not.”
“I mean before what happened today. Were you . . . falling for him?”
In their four years of friendship, Elle had never witnessed Whitney have serious feelings about a man. She bounced from man to man without getting attached. But everything about this scenario felt different. The secrecy, the pained look on Whitney’s face, and her reaction to Gina spoke volumes.
“Yes. Can you believe it? I’m such a fool.”
“No, he is. You deserve so much more.”
Elle’s phone pinged with a text from Luke:
Nolan’s here. Gina went home, but not sure why.
“I’m so sorry to do this, but I have to go. It’s the table read.”
“Of course, I get it.” Whitney faked a smile.
“Dinner tonight? Just you and me?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Elle placed a kiss on the top of Whitney’s head. “It’s gonna be okay.”
But deep in the pit of her stomach she knew the repercussions from Gina’s discovery would be just around the corner. It was just a matter of time before they reared their ugly heads.
“Start from the beginning.”
Elle and Whitney were tucked into a quiet corner of a local French bistro, their favorite place to talk over delectable food and cocktails. Sipping martinis and nibbling on a favorite appetizer, black mussels poulette, Whitney was ready to discuss her relationship with Nolan.
“You know it happened once this spring and it was seriously no big deal, but this time it was different. He was pursuing me, like really working at it. So we started seeing each other a few times a week.”