Our Fault

Noah heads to the airport for her flight from LA to New York City for her best friend Jenna Tavish’s wedding. At the gate, her mind drifts into memories. 

The narrative shifts into the past. Nine months prior, Noah learned that Nick was leaving LA for New York. After their breakup, Noah packed her things—leaving her and Nick’s cat N with her mom Raffaella and stepdad William Leister—to start college. She spent months in therapy trying to get over the breakup but knew she had to see Nick before he left. She showed up at his apartment—the apartment they once shared—and begged him to take her back. She apologized for cheating on him with her former therapist Michael O’Neil, but Nick insisted he couldn’t forgive her. He pinned her to the wall and kissed her, insisting that he had loved her, but she hurt him too badly. 

The narrative shifts back into the present where the flight attendant calls Noah for boarding. In New York, Noah catches the train to the Hamptons where Jenna and Lion are getting married. She nervously anticipates seeing Nick at the wedding.

Jenna picks up Noah at the station. On the drive, Noah studies the scenery, awed by the landscape. Jenna chats about the wedding, revealing that she’s getting married at a vineyard instead of at her parents’ mansion. When she asks if Noah will be okay seeing Nick, Noah admits she’s dreading it but will be fine.

In the morning, Jenna shows Noah the red designer dress she bought Noah for the wedding. She reveals that Noah is her maid of honor and Nick is Lion’s best man but assures Noah that everything will be fine.

Nick wakes up dreading seeing Noah again. He reminds himself how much his life has changed in the past year. His grandfather Andrew James Leister died and left him his properties, money, and Leister Enterprises. He gets back in bed with the woman he’s sleeping with and demands they have sex again.

Noah tries to enjoy her time with Jenna before the wedding. She sees Lion’s brother Luca and is surprised to see how he’s changed. However, she gets upset when Luca compliments her appearance and invites her to hang out. He knows she’s still in love with Nick and assures her he isn’t going to try anything. Noah gives in. They drive to the beach and spend the day together, making plans to run together in the morning. For the next two days, they spend most of their time together. Noah is surprised that she enjoys Luca’s company, especially while running. On one run, a car almost hits Noah and Luca. Noah gets a strange feeling but doesn’t know why.

Nick’s driver and bodyguard Steve takes him to the Hamptons. Halfway there, Nick demands to drive. His mind wanders to his summers in the Hamptons with Jenna growing up. Lost in thought, he almost hits two runners and is shocked when he recognizes them.

Noah reflects on her and Nick’s breakup while showering and getting ready for the night. Downstairs, she sees Nick and is surprised by how different he looks. Jenna appears, rescuing Noah. Throughout the evening, Noah talks to other people to avoid Nick. She ends up chatting with one of Jenna’s dad’s associates, Lincoln Baxwell. He’s heard Noah is studying law and urges her to call him if she ever needs work. He calls Nick over to introduce them, and Nick pretends not to know her. 

Noah goes for a run by herself the next morning. Her mind races through the events of the past year but the exercise helps, and the day passes quickly. That evening, Noah is horrified when she has to drive to the rehearsal with Nick. On the ride, she professes her love, but Nick insists he feels nothing for her and turns up the radio.

Nick has a hard time being mean to Noah in the car. He smells her perfume and wishes they could be close. Then he remembers what she did to him and becomes angry all over again. Finally they arrive at Corey Creek Vineyards, where he and Noah must practice walking down the aisle together.

On the ride back from the rehearsal, Noah reiterates her love for Nick, but he tells her to shut up. Noah feels silly for thinking they’d have a second chance. 

In the morning, Noah pulls herself together for Jenna and Lion despite how awful she feels. When she sees Nick later, she envies him for looking so good. Since the breakup, she’s lost too much weight.

Noah manages to survive the ceremony. Walking back down the aisle with Nick, she wonders if this is the last time she’ll touch him.

Nick feels pained watching Noah leave the ceremony. During the reception, he feels even more upset seeing Noah with Luca. He grabs the arm of a girl he slept with a month before and pretends she is his date. Finally, everyone sits for dinner. Nick can’t stop looking at Noah, angry with himself for still caring about her.

Noah stays close to Luca throughout the reception. When she sees Nick and his date flirting and kissing, she grabs Luca and kisses him. Furious, Nick races up, punches Luca, and storms off. Noah follows, and they get into a heated argument. Noah insists she’s sorry for cheating on Nick. However, she only slept with Michael because Noah’s ex-girlfriend Briar told her Nick was cheating on her, and Nick kissed Sophia Aiken in front of her. She doesn’t think what happened is all her fault and insists she’s heartbroken, too. Nick grabs and kisses her but then walks off, even when she begs him to stay.

Jenna sits with Noah when she finds out what happened. She insists Nick still loves Noah, and there’s a chance they could start again. Noah dismisses her remarks but is grateful when Luca later reminds her that everyone makes mistakes.

In the morning, Nick chastises himself for losing control and kissing Noah. Memories of him and Noah together flood his mind. Then he starts imagining Noah with Michael and becomes angry again. He packs his things, suddenly desperate to leave.

Noah wakes up certain that Nick is gone. She packs her bags and gets ready for her trip to the city. When Jenna’s dad learns where she’s staying, he offers to pay for better accommodations. Noah declines his offer. 

In the city, Noah settles into her squalid motel. She spends the rest of the day in Central Park and feels better until she runs into Steve. Jenna’s dad told Nick where Noah was staying, and Noah sent Steve to bring her to a new hotel. Noah demands that Steve call Nick so that she can talk to him. On the phone, she insists she doesn’t need his help. However, she lets Steve give her a ride. En route to the hotel, she makes “a risky decision” and tells Steve to bring her to Nick’s apartment (78). She’s shocked by Nick’s palatial space. She lies on his bed, determined to talk to him no matter how late he comes home.

Nick meets up with Sophia for dinner. He and Sophia have been close for years. They have a casual sexual relationship but aren’t dating. Over dinner, Sophia asks Nick to be her fake boyfriend. Her dad is running “for governor of California” and she’s tired of him pushing eligible bachelors on her (84). She wants Nick to pretend to be her boyfriend to keep up appearances in the press. Remembering his situation with Noah, Nick agrees. 

Nick returns home late, shocked to find Noah in his bed. At first, his heart softens. Then he remembers what she did to him and gets angry.

Noah wakes up when Nick gets home. He demands to know what she’s doing there, and she begs him to take her back. They start kissing and touching. Nick says he’ll pretend to forgive her for the night, but she has to leave in the morning. They engage in sexual foreplay, but Nick says he doesn’t want to have penetrative sex. Noah winces when Nick touches her, afraid to admit she hasn’t had sex since they broke up. After they both climax, Noah and Nick fall asleep side-by-side.

Nick wakes up early, replaying his night with Noah. He goes for a run, frustrated to find Noah still asleep in his bed when he gets home. He wakes her up and demands she leave. Noah professes her love again, insisting Nick loves her too. Overcome by emotion, Nick demands she remove the pendant he gave her on her 18th birthday and reveals he’s “in a relationship” with Sophia (101). He says they’re in love, and she’s better for him because there’s no drama. Noah leaves without looking at Nick.