“Ehhh,” Sam said, shrugging. “I think I’m ready to start dating again though.”
“Does this have anything to do with this VIP package I may or may not be comping this weekend? Miss Leona said you were making eyes at some pretty, curvaceous young thang all through Helene’s wedding.”
“Yes and no and yes. Amanda is the one I’ve invited this weekend and she was the one I was making eyes at at the wedding, but she told me she just wanted to be friends. Actually no, she just told me she didn’t want to date me.”
“So you’re letting that go by inviting her to Big Rock for an all-expenses-paid vacay. That’s not suspect at all.”
Sam laughed at the look of “what the fuck?” on his brother’s face. “No. I ran into her when she was having a shitty day and I just thought she should come down here and recharge. I might not even see her.”
“That’s bullshit, but if that’s what you’re selling to yourself.”
“Nah, man. It’s fine, we’re just friends.”
“When was the last time you invited a girl away for the weekend on Valentine’s Day and kept that shit friendly?”
“Valentine’s Day?” Sam said, a frown clouding his features. He had no idea what the date was.
“Yeah, pretend you didn’t know.”
“I didn’t.” Just then his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the text from his cousin Lilah.
You got pap’d
Sam clicked the link and looked at the story US Weekly had run first thing that morning.
SAM PLEASANT, GOOD SAM—ARITAN.
Sam Pleasant retrieves phone for woman who dropped her cellular device outside Delightly in West Hollywood.
There he was in seven or so nearly identical pictures of him jogging after Amanda in front of Delightly. She was in the first and last frames, but you couldn’t see her face. That was a relief. He wasn’t sure of a lot of things, but he had a feeling Amanda McQueen had no interest in being featured in any celebrity anything.
“Hnng,” Sam grunted.
“What is it?” Zach asked.
“Paps found me. I figured they’d be on to me last week if they actually cared.”
“Bad or good?”
“Neutral. Anyway—” Just as he went to slip his phone back in his pocket it vibrated again. “Ooh, the phone is hot this morning.” A text from a 310 number lit up his screen. He could feel his blood pumping faster as he spied the words Hey, this is Amanda in the preview notification. His thumb flew up the screen so fast he was surprised it didn’t go spinning out of his hand. He swallowed, trying to ignore the anticipation that was suddenly heating up his face. So much for moving on.
Hey, it’s Amanda.
I hope it’s not too early to text you.
I’d like to come Big Rock Ranch if the invitation is still on the table.
Sam texted back before she could change her mind.
Never too early and the invitation
is definitely on the table.
She responded immediately.
Great. I’ll see you Friday night.
He looked up at his brother unable to hide the stupid grin that hit his face.
“The fuck you cheesin’ for?” Zach laughed.
“Amanda said yes. She’s gonna come out this weekend.”
“Wow. You got it bad for this girl, huh?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Chapter 10
“Give me the password one more time,” her mother said, yawning. Amanda switched her phone to the other ear and tucked it against her shoulder as she shoved nearly every pair of clean underwear she owned into her weekend bag. She’d texted her mom plenty. Her dad too, but thanks to the time difference and her schedule she hadn’t caught her parents on the phone in over two weeks. She was packing to flee the crime scene that had become her life, when her mom sent her a text asking for the password to the Hulu streaming account they shared. Amanda had no clue how she managed, but her mom seemed to log out every time she touched the remote.
“It’s just the house number, the landline with an exclamation point at the end. All together.” Amanda had set the password one day when she was feeling particularly lonesome. She’d settled on the first phone number and one of the few she still had committed to memory. Thinking of something she and her parents would both remember with ease made her homesick and a little nostalgic. And yet, her mom couldn’t remember it for shit. Amanda didn’t mind. She welcomed the excuse to be in touch with a part of the world that didn’t involve call times and scripts. Especially after the week she’d had, a week she refused to think about now that it was over. It was done. It had happened. She wasn’t going to stress herself out by reliving it.
“Okay, let me try that.” Her mom recited the password quietly to herself, then let out a little gasp of victory. “I’m in.”
“What are you going to watch?”
“This blacksmithing competition show.”
“Oh really?” Amanda laughed.
“One of the judges is rather dreamy. I told your father and he got all upset. I told him I was going to get you to introduce me to him if he didn’t quit sulking.”
“Mom,” Amanda laughed. “Please leave your poor husband alone.”
“He’s mine. I can tease him all I want.”
“Relationship goals.”
“Damn straight. So you said you’re going out?”
“Um, yeah. A friend of mine has—well, his family has a ranch outside of the city and he invited me for the weekend.”
“Oh? A friend or a friend friend?” Her mom had given up on the dream of planning a wedding years ago, but anytime Amanda mentioned anyone of the opposite sex, her mom starting thinking of good times for them to meet at Kleinfeld’s.
“Just a friend, Mom.”
“You’re going to stay with a friend on Valentine’s Day weekend?”
Amanda froze. She knew in the back of her mind the next day was indeed Valentine’s Day. Dru had gone on and on about how she and Lacy planned to
