Lilah was already hopping off her seat before Amanda could make up her mind. “Let’s see.” She opened the industrial-size fridge, revealing a wide variety of beverages. “What can I get for you?”
“Water is fine.”
“And you should try some of the pomegranate punch Lilah made. It is delicious,” Miss Leona added.
“And I will also have some of that punch,” Amanda added obediently.
Lilah grabbed a fancy glass pitcher out of the fridge, then whispered, “Don’t worry. She’s my grandma and I still think it’s all pretty cool.”
Normally Amanda wouldn’t have believed her, but it was Leona Lovell. She absolutely did.
* * *
Brunch turned into a late lunch, but Amanda didn’t care at all. She was just happy to be a part of the gang. She sat at the island with Lilah and helped her pick out some dresses she was shopping for online. When Evie came back, fresh as a daisy and as gorgeous as ever, Amanda got to watch her in action as she and Miss Leona followed through on cooking enough food for a small village and Jesse. Amanda had caught Evie in a few clips of The Dish and faithfully followed her on Instagram for years now, but the real thing was impressive as hell.
Sam and Zach joined them and then Corie arrived with Vega soon after. She was still a bit overwhelmed being in Miss Leona’s home, but Sam was right. She felt completely comfortable hanging around with him and his family. She insisted on helping Lilah and Zach set the table and when Jesse finally arrived from some meeting in town, they sat down to eat. Amanda found herself between Sam and Vega and directly across from Evie and Zach. Jesse and Miss Leona were at either end of the table.
“So, my grandbabies. And friends. Who has news for me?” Miss Leona said after Jesse delivered the grace.
“Oh, I do,” Lilah perked up. “Well, it’s not my news, but it’s news.”
“Go ahead,” Miss Leona chuckled.
“Well. You know we do the date auction every year—” She looked Amanda’s way. “Jesse and I work with the chamber of commerce to raise money for various things. We helped take over this date auction that raises money for seniors in the area.”
“Lilah’s been crushing it actually,” Jesse said in his strong, deep voice, though he didn’t take his eyes off the loaf of French toast piled on his plate. “They already asked her if she could help with some of the summer programming this year.”
“I said no, because there is power in no and if I wanted to work full-time for the chamber I would, but that’s not my news,” Lilah said. “Last year Diana Foster and her friends pooled their money so Diana could bid on Omar Harrison—Amanda, he’s a super-hot firefighter, amazing single father. All that. Well, Omar’s proposing to her tonight.”
“Aww, that’s awesome, Li,” Evie said.
“That’s wonderful news,” Miss Leona replied. “Blessings on the happy couple.”
“I told him to send us the pictures or video. However they capture the moment. I’m really happy for them. Omar told me his daughter is really excited too. She loves Diana.”
“When’s this year’s auction?” Amanda asked.
“April. It’s kind of a spring fling sort of thing. People really seem to enjoy it. And we made a real love connection this time.” Lilah was practically glowing. Genuine pride in a job well done. Amanda briefly considered what that would be like before she forced her brain to temporarily erase Dru’s existence again.
“I’m trying to get Jesse to enter the auction this time, but he refuses.”
Jesse put down his fork and fixed Lilah with a hard stare. Amanda didn’t know whether to freeze or hide under the table. She never wanted that look from Jesse Pleasant turned in her direction, but Lilah just glared right back. “And I told Lilah I would do it if she also joins the auction.”
“And I. Said. No. I’m not in the mood to date.”
“Well, neither am I.”
“We got our first review from the Post,” Evie broke in, grabbing everyone’s attention from Lilah and Jesse’s back-and-forth. “Didn’t love our choice in light fixtures. But the menu was awarded stars all around. The carbonara that Brit helped me perfect was the big hit.” Amanda had seen little bits and pieces about Thyme, the restaurant Evie was opening in Manhattan, on her Instagram, but it wasn’t open to the public yet and of course, she hadn’t been to New York recently. Not without She Who Would Not Be Named.
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart. Very proud of you,” Miss Leona said.
“Any word on Celia or when the doc will be released?” Vega asked.
“Celia Lamontagne filmed a documentary on Evie’s recovery and what it took to get Thyme off the ground,” Sam said, filling her in.
“No firm release date yet. We still have more to film, but don’t worry, when I know I’ll make sure everyone knows,” Evie said. “Sam, she told me Larry Johnson asked about you. Did he get in touch with John?”
“Yeah, he did,” Sam said, letting out a heavy, frustrated breath. “I met with him on Tuesday and he had another biopic that would have me cast as the supporting character in my own story. He wasn’t the only one though. We got about twenty scripts this week. Which is great. I want those calls. I want those meetings, but I also want to play a leading man or at least an equal man in an ensemble in something with some heft or some humor. I don’t want to play a sidekick and I definitely don’t want to play a cop.”
“Amanda,” Jesse suddenly said.
“Yes?”
“You look like you were about to say something.”
“Yeah, girl. You have no poker face whatsoever,” Corie added.
“Oh,” she swallowed. “Sorry.”
“Both of you, just chill,” Sam warned.
“Seriously. Why are you trying to start stuff with the girl? She’s been here a whole hour,” Evie laughed.
“Excuse his lack of manners, sweetheart,” Miss Leona chimed
