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She gives me a thin smile. “The article is about you, Juliet. And to be honest, the most striking thing I’ve found so far is how desperate you are not to talk about Danny.”

I stare at her, my mouth dry.

I was so careful for so many years and now I’ve ruined everything. I just keep making it worse.

I walk past her, flinging the door open. “Because I don’t want the speculation to hurt Donna. And this is still a private residence,” I say over my shoulder, stepping over the threshold, “so get the fuck out of here before I call the cops.”

Outside, the crowd is dispersing. I’m relieved to see that Libby and Grady are gone. Donna stands with Luke, Summer, and the rest of the guys. I’ve got no choice but to join them.

Luke glances at me. “There’s a new bar at the beach. We’re all driving over there. You want to go?”

I have no desire to listen to them rehash the past while Luke studies me, trying to find something in the words I don’t say, the answers I don’t offer.

“No thanks,” I reply stiffly.

“You should,” he says, looking to Donna for help. “You’ve barely left.”

But Donna simply smiles at him. “Go ahead, Luke. We’ll have a nice night in, just the two of us. I think Summer needs a ride though, don’t you?”

“Yes,” says Summer, brightening. “My sister dropped me off. Do you mind?”

Luke glances at me once more before he shakes his head. “No, of course not.”

“That’s nice, seeing them together,” Donna says as Luke and Summer walk away. “Don’t you think they’re a good match?”

No. I don’t think that. Not at all. I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“She’s not really his type.”

“What do you mean? She’s gorgeous. And doesn’t she surf too?”

Yes, and she’ll have her hand on his fly before they’ve even got their seat belts on. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, honey,” Donna says, hugging me from the side, misinterpreting my tone. “You know what it’s like to be in love. You’ve had that. Don’t you think Luke deserves that too?”

Yes. Yes, he does. And I want him to be happy. I want him to move on. But I don’t want to watch it happen.

* * *

Donna and I snack on leftovers from the reception in lieu of dinner and watch several dumb sitcoms with laugh tracks. And the whole time, I stew. Luke’s been gone for a long time. Caleb and Harrison have wives now—I doubt they’re still out drinking—and Beck owns a fucking bar…he probably had to leave for work.

So it’s just Luke and newly gorgeous Summer, reliving old times on the beach or in the back of his truck.

Donna goes to her room and I go to mine, and I hate myself for the fact that, on this day, when we celebrated Danny, I’m only thinking of Luke. I wonder if Danny is somewhere witnessing this, and if he’s as disgusted with me as I am with myself.

Eventually, I hear Luke in the hall. I wait for him to go through his night-time routine, the sounds I’ve memorized: toilet flushing, water running, lights switched off, his retreating footsteps. Instead, my door opens and closes.

He sits at the end of my bed and puts his hand on my leg. “I know you’re awake,” he says quietly.

I say nothing until I’m sure my voice will hold up. “Did you kiss her?”

Silence.

“Get out,” I hiss, but he does not.

He pulls the sheet down, stretches out over me, and lets his weight push me into the mattress as he whispers in my ear. “Would it bother you if I did?”

“Get out,” I growl, and attempt to throw him off, but he doesn’t move at all.