When he reached one of the many entrances to the auditorium, he was greeted by a man wearing a tuxedo and holding a clipboard.
“Hello, I’m with Follow the Sun, I—” Luke began.
“Mr. Kingston, of course,” the man said with a smile of recognition and deference. “You’re at table nineteen, which is at the back of the first level, right next to the half wall. Some of your fellow cast mates have already arrived.”
Luke still wasn’t used to people recognizing his face or name. It amazed him every time and he was grateful for that. “Thank you.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
Luke smiled and extended his hand. The man placed his clipboard between his arm and side and shook Luke’s hand with vigor before gesturing for Luke to enter the theater.
As he crossed the threshold, Luke took in the opulence of the theater. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and elegant velvet fabric lined the walls. He could hear the chatter of television and film stars meeting one another for the first time. His eyes caught a glimpse of the most famous couple in the world, sitting together at an empty table, enjoying a quiet moment. The actor brushed the brunette’s hair from her eyes and she kissed the top of his hand. As starstruck as he was, taking in that private moment between two A-list movie stars, his focus was finding Elle. He could only hope she was sitting alone, or with Whitney, at their table. He could ask her to join him in the hallway, to have a conversation and start over.
Three simple steps led to the main floor of the theater. Before he could even make out the small card with the number 19 on the table, he saw them.
Elle looked just as stunning as he’d imagined. She was dressed in a black strapless gown that hugged her body and accentuated her gorgeous breasts. Her lips were ruby red, her hair was pulled up tight in a bun. She nearly took his breath away. But the man sitting next to her was the one who succeeded in knocking the wind right out of Luke’s lungs. Her ex. The man who, Luke knew, didn’t deserve another shot with the woman he loved. Ten years? Who goes ten years without speaking to another person and then expects another chance? He could barely let ten days go by without speaking to Elle. The idea of ten years astounded him.
Unwilling to let Elle see the disappointment and sadness written all over his face, Luke took a second to transform into character. Tonight he would be the aloof ex-boyfriend who couldn’t be rattled. If he succeeded, it would be the performance of a lifetime.
If only he could have a moment alone with her.
“There he is.” Gina rose to her feet, a cocktail in hand and a slur to her speech. “I was waiting for you. Here, have a seat.”
The only empty seat at the table was squeezed between the obnoxious and clearly tipsy Gina and Whitney, the friendly casting director whom he always suspected was rooting for Elle and him to get together. Whitney placed her hand on Luke’s shoulder and leaned in. “She’s already bombed. Started drinking in the limo.”
Luke shook his head. “Lucky me.”
Whitney’s expression changed, making Luke curious. Her eyes darted toward Elle and her date before locking with Troy’s.
“Don’t give up,” she whispered so quietly her voice was imperceptible to anyone outside of their tiny bubble of conversation. Luke knew exactly what Whitney was telling him.
He smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her hand, like men used to do in the movies. He was touched she was clearly rooting for him. “I don’t plan to.”
Whitney’s eyes smiled in a secret response as she nodded and took her seat. Luke glanced around the table, giving everyone a curt hello before sitting next to Gina. Once he did, his eyes fixed on Elle. She was fidgeting with her purse, avoiding eye contact with him. He smirked, feeling the gaze of Elle’s ex upon him. Briefly, he made eye contact with Troy Saladino. Troy’s eyes were dark, concerned, and insecure. For a brief second, they shared a glance before Troy leaned in to whisper something into Elle’s ear. Whatever it was, Elle giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. Anger built within Luke, but he suppressed it, turning his attention back to the friendly woman to his left. Whitney smiled warmly.
“Quite the clusterfuck, huh?” She leaned in closer