Luke shrugged, his words stern and unwavering. “I told you I wasn’t interested, Gina, but you did it anyway. What the hell did you expect? I’m not your puppet.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Gina threw her head wildly from side to side before locking eyes with Elle across the pool. “You’re her puppet! Isn’t that right, Elle?”

Luke grabbed Gina’s elbow. “Do not bring her into this.”

Elle’s heart raced as she watched everything transpire, doing her best to process what, in her heart, she already knew to be true. Luke had nothing to do with the Us Weekly article or a showmance of any kind. It was Gina. All Gina.

“Or what?” Gina pulled away from his grasp, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Whitney took a few steps to stand beside the actress. “Oh for God’s sake, shut up!” With one swift nudge from Whitney, Gina’s heels wobbled over the edge of the pool until she plunged into the water. She screeched as her arms splashed about. Most of the attendees watched as Gina popped back to the surface. Once she did, Elle, Luke, and everyone else near the pool looked to Whitney with mouths agape.

“What?” Whitney raised one shoulder, her hand resting gently on her hip, like it was no big deal. “It’s the shallow end.”

Elle pressed her hand to her mouth, her chest heaving with laughter. She wanted nothing more than to run around the pool and tackle Whitney with a grateful hug. But she refrained. Instead, she watched as Nolan walked to the steps of the pool, offering Gina his hand. Surprised by his compassion, Elle smiled. The actress attempted to pull him into the pool with her, but Nolan anchored himself with the handrail, shaking his head at her as he guided her up the steps.

She was soaked, her chiffon dress like a second skin on her body. Elle curled her lips underneath her teeth, her hand still blocking her mouth as she watched the actress, who looked ridiculous. One of the waiters brought her a towel, wrapping it around her body and guiding her into the mansion.

Elle stood, watching Luke from across the pool. When his eyes found hers, he smiled—a smile Elle could only describe as relieved. She finally knew the truth—but that didn’t make their situation any less precarious. He polished off his drink, placed it on a server’s tray, and gave Elle a salute, bidding her good night. Her stomach tied itself in knots as she watched him hug Whitney and shake the hands of those around him, before turning and exiting the party.

“Well, that was interesting.” Troy’s arms were crossed in front of his broad chest. “Poor girl.”

“Poor girl? Do you know the hell that poor girl has put me through? The lies she’s told, the damage she’s done?”

Although true, her words were venomous and Elle regretted them the second she finished uttering them. She was backing herself in a corner with Troy, forcing him to learn more than she wanted him to know about her failed relationship with Luke.

“Still,” Troy said, shaking his head, “she didn’t deserve that.”

“She’ll dry off and be fine. But the damage she’s done . . . it’s so much more than a ruined gown. Trust me.”

“I guess I’ll have to,” Troy replied with a furrowed brow. “Because I know almost nothing about your life, Rigby. I’m on a need-to-know basis, I guess.”

Elle turned on her heel and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Excuse me?”

“Listen.” He ran his hands through his hair before placing his hand behind her back and leading her to a quiet spot near the dance floor. “I realized tonight I know almost nothing about your life, and that sucks.”

“That’s what happens when you disappear for ten years.”

Troy flinched. She’d finally said it. Finally said what she had been dying to say for months. Conflicted relief flooded her body. The words, albeit satisfying, were weapons, aimed to inflict pain. She knew it, as did he.

“Let’s not do this here, Eleanor.”

Elle rolled her eyes. “Don’t say my name as if you’re scolding me.”

“I’m not calling you Elle.”

“And why not? What would be the harm?”

“Because that’s not who you are—it’s who you want all of them to think you are.”

Enraged, Elle’s eyes widened. “And what is that, exactly? A success? A Golden Globe–winning show runner? Is it so difficult for you to see me as anything but the bitch who broke your heart?”

“No.” Troy looked up at the darkened sky. “Look, I didn’t mean that, I just . . . why do I feel like we always veer off course? We’re fine one minute, bickering the next. I hate it.”

“I hate it, too.”

“All night long, I’ve watched you. I’ve watched you and Kingston—and don’t even get me started on your little disappearing act.”

“Nothing happened. I wouldn’t do that to you, Troy. Never.”

“But you wanted to, didn’t you?”

Elle had no response. The truth would be too painful. Troy was slipping through her fingers and their fight was heading in such a speed, she was powerless to stop it. She just had to hold on, take her lumps, and do her best to survive it.

“For God’s sake, Rigby, just tell the truth. What do you want?”

“I don’t know!”

“Let me rephrase. Who do you want, Rigby? Who?”

Elle closed her eyes tight. “Luke,” she whispered, unable to look Troy in the eye. “I want Luke.”

“I knew it.” Troy’s voice cracked.

“I was falling in love with him before you resurfaced in my life. And that love . . . it won’t go away, no matter how much I try. It consumes me.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Troy bared his teeth before pressing his lips together tightly. His eyes avoided hers as they stood in the moonlight.

“I’m so sorry, Troy. So very sorry I dragged you into this.”

“Was this some sort of revenge or something?”

Elle shook her head, quickly, back and forth, back and forth. Shocked by the question. For months, she’d wondered the same thing about Troy’s intentions—never, for even one minute, did she consider he might question her motives.

“Absolutely not. I promise you with all that I am.”

“Then what?” Troy’s face fell, his eyes soft and pleading. “What do you want from me?”

Elle hesitated as she thought the question through. “I want to be forgiven.”

Troy said nothing. He turned and walked in the opposite direction. Elle gasped, wondering if those would be the last words she’d ever say to him. Her eyes grew wet as he walked to the DJ’s booth. Confused, Elle watched as he leaned in and spoke into the DJ’s ear. The young man behind the booth nodded and Troy shook his hand.

Troy returned to Elle and they stood in awkward silence for a moment before he offered her his hand. Elle was confused, at first, but placed her fingertips in the palm of his hand and followed him to the dance floor. The familiar notes of “Here, There and Everywhere” filled the air. She stared at Troy in wonder.

“One last dance, Rigby?”

Slowly, they swayed as their song filled the air. A lump formed in Elle’s throat as she tried to imagine what else to say to Troy. Her mind was swirling and her heart was racing. She knew she was, ultimately, saying good-bye to one of the most important people in her life. The possibility of them remaining friends after reopening so many wounds was unlikely and she knew it. But, she was desperate for his forgiveness. As they danced in silence, she looked up at Troy, waiting for him to break the silence. Finally, he did.

“I forgive you,” Troy murmured, pulling Elle closer. “But only if you’ll forgive me.”

Elle pulled back, her eyes meeting his with confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“You’ve always been the girl who was just out of my reach.”

“That’s not true.”

“Just hear me out,” Troy insisted. “I knew it at the campsite, and the bar when we finally got together. Hell, I knew it when you walked down the aisle.”

“How could you think I didn’t love you?”