my car and moving here. I rented for a while and then bought my place. It’s not quite home yet, but it’s getting there.”
“Wow.” Troy licked his lips and ran his fingers through his hair. “Would it be weird if I said I was proud of you?”
Elle smirked, appreciating Troy’s honesty given the awkward situation they found themselves in. “A little bit, but thanks. Hey, let’s eat before this delicious pizza gets cold.”
“You’re right. Dig in.” Troy returned to his seat and dug into his pizza as Elle did the same. They ate, mostly in comfortable silence. Elle oohed and ahhed over the delicious pie.
“This was your dad’s recipe, wasn’t it?”
Troy nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin and taking a sip of his Coke. “Mostly. I’ve been experimenting with the spice palette.”
“Whatever you’re doing, it’s perfection.” Elle took another large bite, closing her eyes as she relished the rustic Italian flavors of the pizza. “Does your mom ever visit? She must miss you.”
“She lives in Long Beach, actually. I convinced her to buy this tiny cottage right on the water. Payton loves going to Nana’s place.”
“Nice.” She hesitated to say her next statement, but blurted it out before her type A personality could reel it back in. “I’d love to meet her.”
Troy’s mouth opened, and his eyes met hers. For a sliver of a moment, Elle thought he looked hopeful, softer, and slightly vulnerable. Yes, their discussion was mostly surface—catching up with one another, glossing over the gritty details and covering the need-to-know basics. But Elle was genuinely interested in meeting his daughter. She surprised even herself with that realization. And if she wanted to meet Payton, that meant their story wasn’t quite over, despite what the scripts in her desk drawer might say.
“I’m sure she’d love you,” Troy said with a soft smile, tilting his head to the side. Elle’s heart did a double take and the butterflies spread their wings. And they fluttered. It was a hopeful flutter. Her inner cynic wanted to scream her head off, shaming Elle for allowing the turn of this conversation to transpire. Troy deserved her resentment, her inner conflict, and her regrets. He didn’t deserve her hope.
“Why are you here?” Her voice cracked with the words.
Troy wrinkled his nose and pursed his lips. “I told you, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“Ten years, Troy. Ten ridiculously long years.”
Silence swept over the room. Troy’s nostrils flared as he gritted his teeth.
“You and I both know there was a damn good reason why I left.”
There it was, the punch to the gut Elle was waiting for. She wondered if they’d ever be able to stand in a room together without him throwing her mistakes in her face. They sat in silence for several minutes, playing an awkward game of chicken. Troy was the first to jump.
“Listen, I’ve kept you long enough,” Troy said. “And the lunch crowd should be starting soon.”
Elle stood, reaching for the top of the pizza box. Troy’s hand stopped her. “No, you keep that. Share it with . . . well, share it with whoever you want.”
Elle walked Troy to the door. When he reached to pull her into a hug, she found herself relaxing into his embrace, breathing in the scent of him. Troy smelled like spearmint and fresh soap. And as she inhaled, years of memories surged through her brain. Some blissful, some unbearable. But many worth hanging on to. At least, she hoped they were.
Elle gritted her teeth, realizing she’d just given Troy Saladino her hope.
Dammit.
That’s a wrap, people.”
The bells sounded. Cast and crew members scattered from the soundstage. Elle sighed, knowing another episode was ready for editing and the final stages of production. Coincidentally, Luke’s first episode, shot a few weeks prior, would air that evening. He’d officially be tabloid fodder, which was unsettling to Elle. She wasn’t quite ready to share him with the American public.
From the corner of her eye she saw Luke and Gina huddled together. Surprised, she turned to give them her full attention. Gina was pressing her cheek to Luke’s, her right arm outstretched, holding her phone until it flashed. Elle focused on the satisfied smile across Luke’s face. And despite the irritation she felt toward Gina, she was genuinely happy for Luke. In just a few hours, America would be introduced to him. He’d made it. His career was on the rise and, professionally speaking, it was a gigantic milestone for the actor. Elle chose to focus on that,