A pang of acute loneliness hit her. But it went deeper than simply wishing she was with Luke tonight. Her reaction to his subterfuge stemmed from more than her disappointment at being lied to—and she recognized he hadn’t outright lied, just withheld relevant information. Julia wasn’t such a hypocrite that she could ignore the fact that she’d done the same. She’d let him believe Kat was the reviewer.

That’s what hurt most—that, given the opportunity to be fully honest with each other, they’d both chosen to hide. To play pretend. How could any meaningful relationship develop with such a false foundation? It was a house of cards. And that’s what she was really mourning. Not just losing the chance to spend her last night here with Luke but also losing the chance at having something more with him, something that went beyond this week of fantasy.

She hadn’t known where things were going to go with Luke after this week ended, but the possibility had been there. Now that possibility was gone, hope for something more snuffed out like one of the candles dotting the tables, lighting the blissful faces of the couples all around her.

With an indulgent sigh of self-pity, Julia walked to the edge of the terrace and propped her elbows on the ledge. The twilight sky was magnificent, a blurred mesh of indigo and violet over the lake. In addition to the lovebirds on the terrace, more couples strolled along the beach below.

Julia had no way of knowing how many of the pairings were made here as part of the fun and how many had arrived together like David and Patrick or Harry and Sally, but everyone seemed so content. How could she write a review tearing this place down when it delivered exactly what it promised? As upset as she was, she couldn’t deny that all week long she’d felt like she was living in a romantic comedy, even as she actively tried to dismiss those feelings.

Lost in her thoughts, she continued to scan the beach, enjoying a bit of people watching. Someone had built a bonfire on the shore, and as she looked closer, she realized the couple snuggling in front of the cozy-looking blaze was Andie and Curt—and they seemed cozy, indeed. Their faces were glowing, and from more than the flames.

Julia noted that while he’d ditched the veil, Curt was still in his bridal dress from the dance number. She grinned, laughing softly. A quiet joy lit inside her for her friend. Curt wasn’t like any of the guys Andie typically went for … he was much closer to their age. In fact, he might even be younger than they were, silly and carefree. He was unpolished, a bit rough around the edges, and from what little Julia knew of his life, it seemed far from set.