Julia woke Sunday morning with a pounding head. She sat up, immediately regretting it as the room spun and the wine-soaked contents of her stomach sloshed threateningly. She closed her eyes and breathed slow and deep through her nose. The pounding continued and she realized the sound wasn’t just inside her throbbing head.
She braved opening one eye. When the walls stayed where they belonged, she opened the other. She was still in Kat’s suite, the bottle of chardonnay lying on its side, empty. Their wineglasses, also empty. Kat was asleep on the couch next to her, face smashed into the pillows.
Her friend was so quiet, Julia was tempted to check for a pulse. She settled for a pinch. She nipped Kat in the arm and her friend groaned, twitched, and went still. Well, at least she’d gotten a response. Kat wasn’t dead. The pounding continued and Julia growled. Kat might still be alive, but whoever was beating down the door was about to meet their maker.
Julia gingerly rolled off the couch, testing her balance before venturing across the room. Her hangover wasn’t too bad, just enough to be irritating, making her want to stab whoever it was that was still knocking. She started to reach for the door of the suite but had the presence of mind to stop and check the peephole before ripping it off its hinges.
“Andie!” Julia exclaimed, catching a glimpse of her friend’s short, dark locks.
“Jules?” Andie called through the door. “What are you doing here?”
Julia unlocked the door and opened it. “Impromptu sleepover.” She turned and headed back to the couch.
“I thought you might be having one of those … but in someone else’s room,” Andie noted pointedly. She paused when she caught sight of the tipped-over wine bottle and Kat, still sprawled on the couch. “Rough night?”
“Ended up that way, yeah.” Julia collapsed back onto the couch.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for it.” Andie opened the suite’s mini fridge and pulled out two water bottles. She handed one to Julia and placed the other against the back of Kat’s neck.
“Aah!” Kat cried, gasping for breath and clutching at the bottle. She moaned and slowly shifted to a vertical position, like a ship’s sail being raised. “Actually, that felt good,” she conceded, resting the bottle against her neck again.
“I’ve gotta say, I was not expecting this.” Andie clicked her tongue and fussed over them like a mother hen, cleaning up the wine bottle and glasses and wiping Kat’s mascara-stained cheeks with a tissue. “When you left with Zach last night, you looked so happy.” She took a seat in the chair closest to the couch and handed Kat the tissue. “What happened?”
Kat dabbed at her eyes a little more. “Zach is a fame-hungry asshole is what happened.”
Andie turned to Julia for clarification.
“He got wind of the rumor that Kat is the TrendList reporter,” Julia explained.
“I’m still confused,” Andie confessed.
“He’s convinced my glowing review of his Dirty Dancing routine is going to, I don’t know, launch his Hollywood career or something.”
“Oh, so he’s delusional,” Andie snorted.
“One of his many faults, yes,” Kat agreed. She opened the water bottle and took a swig.
“I think the man has more faith in the power of that website to get him a job than I do,” Julia added.
“Well, clearly his employers think so too,” Andie said, gesturing at the sumptuous décor surrounding them. “All week long they’ve been catering to Kat.” She glanced at Julia. “I see now why you didn’t want them to know you were the reviewer.”
“Yeah, well, that cat is out of the bag.” Julia groaned. “And no, I’m not trying to be punny.”
“What are you trying to be?” Andie wondered.
“Honest.” Julia shrugged. “I told Luke the truth. Explained I was the one writing the review for TrendList.”
“Did you explain why you kept that fact hidden?”
“I didn’t actually get to that part,” Julia admitted. “But things ended in disaster anyway, so I don’t think it really matters.” Her throat felt tight, voice clipped.
“Oh, that man is going down.” Andie punched her fist into her palm. “I warned him not to hurt you,” she seethed.
“Relax, Justice League.” Julia reached out and patted her friend’s knee. “It’s my own fault for getting carried away.”
“But isn’t that the point of this whole experience?” Andie stood. “To get carried away?”
“As long as we still remember it’s a game,” Kat said quietly.
“Some of us allowed our feelings to seep into the fantasies.” Julia shared a smile of commiseration with Kat before turning her attention back to Andie, her tone brisk. “I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing; there are exceptions to every rule.” She nodded encouragingly at her friend. “How was your night with Curt?”
Andie collapsed back into her chair with a gusty sigh.
“Someone else have an impromptu sleepover?” Julia prodded.
“He made a bonfire for us.” Andie wrapped her arms around herself. “On the beach.” Her face glowed with the memory.
“I know,” Julia confessed, a playful grin lifting the corner of her mouth. “I saw you two in action.”
“You did?” Andie blushed.
“Oh my God, I didn’t see that,” Julia quickly amended.
“Was that your bonus activity?” Kat purred. “Sex on the beach?”
“No!” Andie’s blush deepened, cheeks turning a bright sunburned pink. “But I did want a romantic night under the stars.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Kat cooed.
“It was.” Andie’s dark eyes shone with affection. “He’s sweet.”
“Are we still talking about Curt?” Julia teased.
“I know he comes across as a doofus, but there’s more to my butter bean than meets the eye.”
“You really like him, don’t you?” Kat asked.
Andie nodded. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m staying for the wedding today.”
“After all the work he did to get you to be his plus-one?” Julia laughed. “I think we’d mind more if you didn’t stay.”
Kat shared a grin with Julia, then paused, frowning, “Do you need us to stick around to give you a ride home?”
“No, I wouldn’t do that to you.” Andie shook her head. “I have no idea how late the reception will go. Besides…” She bit her lip, uncharacteristically shy. “Curt offered to drive me home.”
“Back to Chicago?” Kat asked.
“He said that he’d be happy to do it.” Andie beamed.
“Doesn’t he live in Milwaukee?” Julia wondered. “With his mom?”
“I found out more about that. It really is a temporary situation. He’s building a house and moved back home until it’s finished.”
“Uh-huh,” Kat said.
“I know. At first my BS detector was triggered too, but I believe him. He showed me a bunch of pictures and plans and talked way too much about it in way too much detail for it to be a line. And if it turns out he made it up, I’m impressed enough by his commitment to consider rolling with it at this point.”
Kat shot Andie a look.
“I’m kidding,” Andie assured them. “Seriously, though, I’m still living in an apartment my parents own … How much different is that than living in your mom’s basement?”
“I’d argue very,” Julia said. “Your parents aren’t under the same roof as you, for one.”
“Yeah, and except for rent, you cover all your own expenses,” Kat pointed out.
“Except that,” Andie agreed, snorting. “And we all know my coaching salary is not enough for me to swing a place on my own. I’ve spent the last five years living pseudo independently.”
“Where is this coming from?” Julia wondered.
“It’s just been something I’ve been thinking about lately.” Andie paused, fingers twisting in her lap. “Maybe that’s part of why I usually date older guys … It’s easier for me to let someone else be the adult in the relationship.” She shrugged. “I’m realizing if I want something to work out long term, we both need to be adults.”
“Wow.” Kat shook her head. “One week at this place is better than a year of therapy. Who knew pretending to be in a rom-com would lead to all these breakthroughs about our relationship issues?”
“Huh?” Andie glanced at Julia.
“You missed a lot last night,” was all Julia said, too physically and emotionally exhausted to rehash the discussion right now. Her head throbbed and she winced, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Are you feeling all right?” Andie asked.
“As well as I can the morning after a few too many glasses of chardonnay,” Julia said, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m fine.”
Andie frowned. “Did you take your thyroid pill this morning?”
Julia groaned. “No, Mom.”
“Come on.” Andie stood and pulled Julia to her feet. “Let’s get you to your room. After your meds and a shower, you’ll feel much better.”
“What I need is some coffee. And lots of it,” Julia grumbled, letting Andie lead her toward the door.
“Brunch will be starting soon. You can have all the coffee you want then,” Andie promised. She turned to Kat, in full coach mode as she pointed at her and ordered, “You. Go pamper yourself with a nice hot bath in that big luxurious tub and meet us downstairs in an hour.”
An hour later, Julia entered the dining room of the Notting Hill Resort one last time. She took a breath. Her head definitely felt better. Andie hadn’t been wrong about the shower, and it was true, if Julia missed the window when she usually took her medication, she felt off the entire day. She spotted her friends seated at what she’d started to think of as their usual table. David and Patrick were there, too. A bittersweet pang wafted through her as she crossed the room.
“Why the glum face?” Patrick asked, brows creasing in concern as she took a seat across from him.
“I’m just a little sad thinking about how everything is coming to an end,” Julia admitted. “Look, I know David and Patrick aren’t your real names, and I understand this whole week was a game, but I just want to say I’m happy to have met you both.”
“Oh,” David said, clutching his chest. “You are just the sweetest.” He hopped out of his chair and hurried around the table to give Julia a quick hug.
“Meeting new people is one of the best parts of these experiences,” Patrick said. “And the hardest.”
“Goodbyes are always hard,” David agreed, returning to his seat.
“Especially when you meet someone truly special,” Patrick added.
Julia jerked her head up. But Patrick wasn’t looking at her; he only had eyes for David.
“Wait a minute,” Andie said, leaning forward and eyeing the two men curiously. “Did you two meet at something like this?”
“Guilty as charged.” David chuckled. He reached for his partner’s hand and they entwined fingers.
“It was my first role-playing adventure,” Patrick explained.
“Yes, my little LARP virgin,” David said affectionately.
Patrick sighed good-naturedly and continued, “We got paired up for a few activities, and things sort of happened from there.”
“But how did you know?” Julia asked, unable to stop herself. “I mean, how did you know that what you were feeling was real? That it was going to last beyond the end of the game?”
The two men exchanged a look full of memories.
“We didn’t,” Patrick said. “Not at first.”
“But we were both willing to take the risk and find out,” David added. “As much as we enjoy the fun and excitement of playing pretend, at the end of the day—or the week—when we return to our real lives and our real selves, that’s when we know what we have is real.”
“It’s true,” Patrick agreed. “All the heightened emotions and passionate moments of the fantasy are icing on the cake for what we have back in the real world. It’s all the normal, boring stuff, the quiet moments at home, that create the foundation for a lasting relationship.”
“I’d argue life with me is never boring,” David countered playfully, “but he’s right. The trips and games are thrilling, and they make romance seem easy. It’s the other stuff, like figuring out whose turn it is to take out the trash and who was supposed to buy toilet paper, that takes work. And honestly, I don’t think anything is more romantic than caring enough for another person to be there for the everyday stuff.”
“Yeah, but it’s more than shopping and chores,” Patrick cautioned. “It’s also apologizing when you’re in the wrong. Putting the other person’s needs first. Making their joy a priority.”
David sniffed, visibly tearing up as he pulled Patrick in for a kiss.
Andie leaned in to plant a kiss on Curt. Julia knew her friend was not a crier, but in this moment, she looked like she was on the verge of turning on the waterworks.
Julia felt herself tearing up too. David and Patrick had described it perfectly. That was what she was looking for. That was the kind of happily ever after she wanted for herself.
She was so lost in her thoughts it took her a moment to realize that Penelope, game master and Luke’s sister, was approaching their table, accompanied by the guy Julia had seen backstage last night. Penelope took a moment to greet everyone at the table, her gray eyes lingering apologetically on Julia.
Pasting a smile on her face, Julia steeled herself, not sure what to expect from this surprise visit. She tried to ignore the flash of disappointment when she realized that Luke wasn’t with them. For a moment, she regretted storming off last night. So many things had been left unsaid.
“I want to thank you all for being a part of this event,” Penelope began. “The very first of its kind at Notting Hill, but not the last. I’m pleased to announce we have several other rom-com-inspired experiences in the works.”
“Really?” David asked, interest clearly piqued. “Such as?”
“We can’t disclose the details yet,” the man with Penelope said, “but I have a feeling you’ll find them quite to your liking.” He winked and held out a hand. “Vijay Chandran, marketing and PR for Notting Hill Resort.”
“Well, aren’t you a tease, Mr. Chandran,” David said, shaking the man’s hand.
“Vijay is fine. Or Jay.” He smiled pleasantly. “We do have a newsletter you can sign up for to stay informed on all upcoming events.”
“Clever segue,” Patrick noted, shaking Jay’s hand as well.
“Oh!” Penelope perked up. “That reminds me: Don’t forget to stop by concierge and pick up your cell phones.” She grinned. “And please feel free to take as many pictures of the resort as you’d like.”
“And post them to all your social media accounts and tag us, of course.” Jay grinned. “There’s also an evaluation form we’d appreciate you filling out,” he added. He glanced around the table. “Your feedback will help ensure our next event is even better.”
“It’s not like this one could get much worse,” Kat muttered from Julia’s left.
Julia sputtered into her coffee. Kat, apparently, was still dealing with some residual anger. Not that Julia blamed her friend. Another wave of disappointment hit her. She’d held out hope that Luke would make an appearance, give them both a chance to clear the air, but clearly that wasn’t going to happen. Which was probably for the best. She kept her smile pinned in place while Penelope and Jay wrapped up their conversation and moved on to the next table.
Once they were gone, she turned to Kat. “I know the stuff with Zach sucked, and I’m sorry it ruined your experience here.”
“Why are you sorry?” Kat asked. “You weren’t the one pretending to be into me.”
“Yeah, but it’s because you were pretending to be me that the whole mess with Zach happened in the first place.” Julia hesitated. “Maybe if he didn’t think you were the TrendList reviewer, he would have—”
“He would have what? Liked me for me?” Kat’s laugh was sharp and self-deprecating. “He would have been cozying up to you, instead.”
Julia didn’t argue. Instead, she asked earnestly, “Did you really have a miserable time?”
Kat fiddled with the pleats of her cloth napkin. “No,” she finally admitted. “If we pretend those last few hours of last night didn’t happen, I had a great time.” She grinned, mood brightening. “Like when my grandmother watches Titanic.”
“I’m not following.”
“She still owns a VCR and watches that movie on VHS. It comes on two cassettes, so Babcia only watches the first tape, because it’s not until the second one that everything goes to hell.”
Julia giggled.
“What about you?” Kat asked.
“What about me?” Julia hedged.
“What kind of review are you planning to write?”
“An honest one.” Julia took a sip of coffee, gathering her thoughts. “Last night, I was ready to rip this place to shreds. But then I reminded myself I’m better than that. I’m a better person and a better journalist.” She wrapped her hands around the mug. “My job was to assess whether this resort can pull off making people feel like they’ve been living in a fantasy world for a week.”
“Like Disney,” Kat suggested.
“Exactly,” Julia agreed, laughing. “Nobody expects to leave Disney World believing it all was real. They just enjoy the fantasy while they’re visiting. Did the resort deliver the magical experience of being part of a romantic comedy? Yes, it did.”
Kat shifted her gaze to where Andie and Curt were leaning toward each other, foreheads pressed together as they talked softly. “Some of us are going home with better souvenirs than others.”
“True, but we’re all bringing home some great memories.” She grabbed Kat’s hand and stood. “Let’s go get our phones and take some pictures.”
Out in the lobby, Julia and Kat joined the crowd of people hovering near outlets, charging up their phones. Looking around, she felt an odd sense of loss. All week long, this area had been filled with conversation and laughter, but now it was almost silent as everyone fixated on their electronic devices, encased in invisible bubbles, oblivious to the world around them as they checked messages and caught up on emails.
Last night, couples had stared intently into each other’s eyes. Today they stared intently at their screens. She sighed wistfully. It really was time to let go of the fantasy and head back to reality.
After going over her notes for the “Take Me!” review, Julia convinced Kat to help her take some pics. She snapped a few of Andie and Curt, and of Harry and Sally, too. She even got Patrick and David to agree to a few pictures. They were tickled to discover her secret and were happy to provide their contact info so she could reach out later with any follow-up questions for her review. With all their experience traveling the world and participating in role-playing adventures, they were going to make a great resource.
She was wrapping things up with a video in the resort’s grand foyer when Kat, who was filming for her, suddenly froze, staring, eyes wide.
“What?” Julia asked. “Do I have something on my face?”
Kat shook her head. She pointed at a spot above and behind Julia.
Slowly, Julia turned and glanced up.
There, at the top of the landing overlooking the foyer, was Luke. He stared down at her and lifted something over his head. It took Julia a moment to realize it was a Bluetooth speaker.
“It’s not a boom box, but you gotta give him points for creativity,” Kat said.
“Are you still filming this?” Julia hissed.
Kat nodded, blue eyes gleaming. “Oh, you better believe I am.”
Music suddenly blasted through the foyer, filling the quiet lobby with sound.
Heads snapped up as guests tore themselves away from their screens.
Kat cocked her head. “Is that the same song from—”
“Wine and paint night? Yep.” Either Luke was a one-hit wonder or he was trying to make a statement. She shook her head. As the song played, he continued to stand on the balcony, staring down at her, holding the speaker over his head, Say Anything style.
“Stay here, please,” she told Kat. “I need to have a word with John Cusack.”
As she marched up the steps to the balcony, Julia reminded herself this was not real and she was not living in a romantic comedy and she would not—under any circumstances—be falling for another scripted scenario. She reached the top of the stairs and Luke lowered the speaker, the sweet, awkward half smile curving his lips almost her undoing.
Julia couldn’t deny that she was completely charmed by the ridiculousness of the moment, even as she recognized it was too much. It was over the top and she was done with the fantasy. She couldn’t trust his adorable smile and hopeful gray eyes—she wasn’t sure she could trust herself.
He turned off the music and set the speaker down. “Can we talk?”
“I’m listening.”
He moved toward her, and she backed up a step. It was instinctive. Self-preservation. A need to protect herself, protect her heart.
Luke halted midstep, stricken, gaze darkening with a wounded look that gutted her. He licked his lips, throat working.
“Don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “Don’t say anything.”
“But—”
“I changed my mind.” She held up her hand, while inside her chest a fist tightened around her heart. “I don’t want you to say anything.”
“Julia—”
“Please, don’t.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t want to hear what you have to say, because I just realized it wouldn’t matter what you said right now.” She opened her eyes and met his gaze. “I’m not going to believe you. I can’t.”
She could see the struggle on his face, the need to defy her request and spill whatever promises, excuses, explanations he’d planned to accompany this elaborate gesture. She sucked in a breath. That’s what this was. A grand gesture. The last move in the game.
A game she was done playing.
He’d lied to her, but she’d lied, too.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, gesturing toward the speaker. “What we had—the funny first meeting on the beach, that amazing kiss in the rain…” She paused, reaching out to touch Luke’s cheek. “Our night together.” Julia could hear the pain in her own voice. That pain was real, and it scared her. “It was perfect.” She smiled softly. “Imperfectly perfect.”
He reached up to press his hand over hers, but she pulled away.
“Goodbye, Luke.”
Julia turned and hurried down the stairs. And no matter how much she wanted to, she didn’t look back. More than anything, she wanted to believe that what they had shared had been more than a game, was more than being swept up in the fantasy. But at the same time, she was scared to believe. Because that would mean that, by choosing to walk away from him, she was walking away from their chance at having something real.