“No.” Elle’s heart sank as she read those words. There were two possibilities: either Luke had been lying to her for months, and he was balancing a relationship with both her and Gina at the same time, even after she’d confronted him in his dressing room. Or their showmance was in full effect, regardless of his proclamations that he would turn Gina down, that he wanted nothing to do with such nonsense. That he wanted his work to propel him to fame and nothing else. Either way, he wasn’t being honest with her, which was the one thing she had always feared. Yes, she was torn between Luke and Troy, but she was honest about it. Always. She gave Luke an opportunity to tell her the truth about Gina when Perez Hilton posted the photos of them together, but he denied it. He denied any attraction or involvement with the actress.
So what was Elle to believe?
Less than twelve hours prior, he’d confessed his love. He’d seemed so genuine, so nervous and sincere. Was he playing her? After all, he was an actor. Was it possible his Oscar-worthy performance was simply to keep her on the hook for more screen time or an extended contract? Was he using her to advance his career while sleeping with Gina on the side? The thought made her sick to her stomach.
She was falling in love with Luke, and the idea of falling in love with someone who was playing you for a fool was reprehensible, disgusting, and more than she could handle. As much as it pained her, she read the entire interview. Gina not only claimed to be “getting serious” with Luke, she also referenced his home on the beach and alluded to “midnight swims” with the actor. Bile rose in Elle’s throat as Elle thought back to the night before, one of the most romantic of her life. The thought of Gina eating Luke’s homemade sushi, swimming naked in the ocean with him, and cuddling beneath the terrycloth robes with him on the hammock made her physically sick. The room started to spin and she gripped the edge of her desk to keep from falling to the floor in a heap.
Don’t lose control. Don’t lose control. Don’t let them win.
Elle took a moment to calm herself, urging the spinning office to return to normal and her pounding heart to slow. A confrontation with Luke was necessary, inevitable, and needed to happen right then and there before she lost her nerve and walked away completely. She had to know the truth. Did he love her or was she only a pawn in his quest for fame?
Before she could change her mind, Elle sent him a text, asking him to join her in her office. He responded immediately saying he would be there in five minutes, that he’d just arrived on the studio lot. She glanced at the clock—forty minutes before the table read. She needed to gather her thoughts instead of following her gut, which was to lash out emotionally, to retaliate, to make demands with her heart. Normally, her mind was always the winner, the one in control. But with Luke, this was not the first time her heart battled to take over, that her emotions silenced her reasonable mind.
A quick knock at the door startled her. Luke entered the office with aviator sunglasses tucked into his t-shirt and his wavy locks mussed from the wind . . . or from Gina’s hands. Elle realized she didn’t know this man at all. And she couldn’t trust him.
When he entered the room, his expression changed as he took in the sight of a distressed Elle. Her eyes burned and her hands shook. She pressed the Us Weekly to her chest until he closed the door, and then she threw it directly at his chest. He flinched, catching the magazine and looking stunned.
“What the hell? Baby, what’s going on?”
“Don’t ‘baby’ me. I want the truth. Right now, Luke. Enough is enough.”
“I don’t understand.” Luke studied the cover of the magazine with wide eyes.
“Don’t look so shocked!” Elle crossed her shaky arms in front of her chest, doing her best to stand tall with her chin tipped toward the ceiling. She couldn’t let him see her heart was crumbling inside her.
“But I am shocked.” Luke stepped toward Elle, placing his hand on her shoulder. She flinched at his touch and he pulled his hand away as if she were made of fire. “Baby, talk to me. Seriously, what the hell is going on?”
Elle cleared her throat, fighting to regain her composure. “Turn to the marked page.”
“Fine.” Luke turned to the page marked with a Post-it note. His cheeks turned pale as he read. “What the hell? Elle, you must know this is bullshit. All of it.”
“No, I don’t. Either you’ve been lying to me for months, or you lied to me weeks ago about the showmance. So which is it?”
“Neither.” Luke’s chest rose and fell with labored breaths. He stepped closer to Elle once again, and she stepped back, walking to stand behind her desk. “I swear to you, Elle, I told her no. And the only time I’ve even seen her outside of work was that one night you already know about. This has nothing to do with me. Nothing.”
“Do you know how ridiculous this makes me feel? My God, Luke, I thought I was falling for you.”
Luke closed his eyes and shook his head, crossing his arms in front of him. “Don’t say that. Don’t talk about us in the past tense. We’re not over. This is just Gina having a tantrum, that’s all.”
“And why should I believe you? You’re an actor, and a really good one. How do I know you’re not playing me?”
“Because you know me. Think about this rationally, please. I didn’t do anything but fall in love with you. I want nothing to do with Gina and never have. Don’t throw us away because you bought a magazine.”
Luke attempted to join her on the other side of the desk, but she hustled to the other side of the room, her guard fully up.
“I didn’t buy it. It was waiting for me when I got in this morning.”
“Don’t you get it? She’s trying to mess with you . . . with me, with us. Gina left that for you, she wants you to get pissed off. She wants revenge.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’m her boss! And I have nothing to do with her and Nolan.”
“Whitney’s your best friend, and Whitney slept with Nolan. She wants revenge and she’ll drag us all down to get it.”
Luke’s argument made sense, and part of her wanted to believe him, to succumb to his reason. But she couldn’t risk it—she couldn’t risk being a pawn in their game.
“I can’t listen to this. I have to go.” Elle grabbed the magazine and stormed from the office, pushing the door to the side as she charged toward the hallway leading to the soundstage and dressing rooms.
“The table read starts in half an hour,” Luke called out after her, but she blocked him from her mind. She’d had enough of Gina’s horrible behavior and was ready to confront her, no matter the cost. She could hear Luke’s footsteps behind her, but she didn’t care. She could confront them together and end this once and for all.
Gina, dressed in a low-cut blouse and miniskirt, greeted Elle with a bright smile, a smile Elle hadn’t seen from the actress in months.
“Good morning, Elle. How are you on this fine day?”
“Shut your mouth.” Elle’s nostrils flared as she stood before the actress, holding the magazine in front of her. “Care to explain this?”
The corner of Gina’s lips curved up in satisfaction. “I don’t understand. Did you not like my interview? It’s great publicity for the show.”
“Cut the bullshit, Gina. You left this on my desk.”
“Um, no. I just got in, so I have no idea how you got your copy. But I also have nothing to hide. Luke and I agreed to do this to promote the show. Geez, if anything you should be happy.”
“Love after heartbreak, huh?” Elle was seething as she glared at the actress.