Sam understood. They all wanted to encourage him in his craft, still no one had given their complex perspective as succinctly as Amanda McQueen. He was gonna call her Cha-Cha though until she said otherwise.
“So you’re here for all the wedding party things but you’re not in the wedding party. How did that work out? How did you and Helene meet?” Sam asked.
“Ugh, our meet cute was actually kind of a bummer.”
“What happened?”
“It was in a Starbucks out in Malibu. I walked in as another customer said some pretty racist things to Helene and she was just in shock. She didn’t respond. I told the lady off and then sat outside with Helene until she felt okay to drive home. You know, sometimes your adrenaline’s so high you almost feel dizzy?”
“Oh yeah. I’ve been there. Rodeo circuit was full of good ole boys who wanted my dad and my brother gone. You get your racist studio exec here and there, but I heard the worst of it standing right by the chutes.”
“I don’t know what a chute is, but yeah, you get it. She asked for my number so she could thank me properly when she was more clearheaded and we’ve been friends ever since. She invites me to things all the time, but my schedule is weird and I don’t always get to make it out. This whole seeing-each-other-twice-within-seven-days thing is an anomaly.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I’m here a day early because again Helene is amazing and just wanted to give me a little time away from Los Angeles. I appreciate the break.”
“Oh, well, if it’s a little R and R you need, you’ve come to the right place, little lady. I do have the hookup around these parts and could get you access to all the ranch’s fine amenities.”
“Okay, slow down there, Tex. I’m just here to chill.”
“Nah, you didn’t come all the way out here just to chill. I’m serious. Perks of knowing a Pleasant. In the biblical sense.” Sam waggled his eyebrows and was rewarded with another of one of Cha-Cha’s sexy smiles. “For real. You’re not in the wedding. I’m not in the wedding. They will not notice if we disappear for a while.”
Her smile dropped and she looked over at him like he had lost his damn mind. “Are you kidding?”
“What? Helene has seven hundred people in this wedding and the staff of the whole ranch is at their service. You won’t be missed.”
She sucked her teeth. “No, I mean we’re in the middle of an open field, so unless you want to army crawl to that barn way over there using the dogs as cover—”
Sam laughed quietly at that particular visual.
“I’m not just walking off with you during this rehearsal.”
Sam knew his reasons for being so private. Celebrity came with a cost. He did what he had to in order to keep his business under wraps, but it seemed a little strange that Cha-Cha was suddenly throwing down her own verbal NDA. They weren’t walking down Melrose. They were on private property for an event where photos were expressly limited to the wedding photographer.
“Listen, if you don’t want to be seen with me, I get it,” he said, only sort of joking. The sudden softening of her expression made him wish he could take it back. “Hey, I was just playing. I didn’t mean—”
“Listen, I know you’re just a regular guy who looks ridiculously fine in a cowboy hat, but you’re also Sam Pleasant. The other night still doesn’t feel real. I just need a minute to adjust.”
“Yeah, we can do that.”
Sam sat back and focused his full attention on the spectacle being choreographed in front of them. There had been hundreds of weddings at the ranch, but this might be the one to top them all. The silence between him and Cha-Cha stretched out and all Sam could do was start cataloging all the other questions he had for her, when he was done making her feel completely awkward.
“I really want to pet a horse,” she whispered suddenly.
“Say again?”
“A horse. I love horses, but it’s been years since I’ve seen one in person.”
“Sometime this weekend when no one is looking, I will introduce you to a very special horse. My girl Majesty.” Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Of course a picture of Majesty graced his cell’s lock screen. And his home screen. And the wallpaper on his laptop and his tablet.
“Oh, I know this horse. From the GQ spread.”
“You read my GQ article?”
“By accident. I was flipping through looking for some cologne ads.”
“Hmmm. I’ll also introduce you to my brother’s horses, Steve and Bam Bam.”
“I know nothing about Bam Bam and I already love him.”
“I’m sure he’ll love you,” Sam said. Then he went ahead and took a risk. “I know I just met you and this might sound crazy, but could I get your number?”
“No,” she replied with crisp ease. Sam had forgotten the acute sting of rejection, but it took hold right in the center of his chest, burning as it spread.
“I’m staying in room twelve though. If you can be cool, maybe stop by after tonight’s festivities. Or tomorrow night.”
And he’s back in the game!
“I can do that.”
“I look forward to it. Now tell me more about Bam Bam, my new favorite horse in the world.”
* * *
For such a festive evening, a dark cloud had somehow settled over Amanda’s
