The bartender waved toward someone by the front entrance, and then a bouncer, who Amanda had thought was just a random patron, came toward the bar. The bartender appeared to be explaining the situation, then pointed over toward the dance floor. Something about his angry gesture made Amanda’s chest tighten a bit. Something felt off. The bouncer held his hand out for the phone. The woman refused to hand it over, but it looked like she was showing him something on the screen. That didn’t seem to be enough. He motioned to her and her friend and then started urging the two women toward the door.
“I deleted them. Fucking relax,” one of the women shouted over the music. Amanda couldn’t hear what the bouncer said in response. It seemed like everyone in the place watched as they were escorted out. Sensing the odd shift in mood, the DJ abruptly changed the song, and Amanda absently noted the opening bagpipe screeches of “Jump Around.” A few more people rushed to the dance floor and that seemed to break the trance.
“Wonder what that was all about?” Sam said, more to himself. His arms were still wrapped around Amanda’s waist even though he’d stopped moving.
“Clownery probably.” The sound of her voice seemed to snap him out of it. He looked down at her and smiled.
“Probably,” Sam chuckled. “Wanna slow dance to House of Pain?”
“Of course I do.”
“Good, ’cause I’m using your body to hide my erection,” he joked.
“Oh, then we better stay like this all night.”
They went back to swaying to the music, but Amanda couldn’t help but notice the bouncer when he came back in the door. This time he stopped and nodded in their direction. She watched as Zach excused himself from Evie. As he walked by he didn’t even look at Sam, but he touched him on the shoulder, his cue for Sam to come with him.
“I’ll be right back,” Sam said, letting her go. A knot rose in Amanda’s throat. Two random women getting kicked out of a bar shouldn’t have been a big deal. She was sure a few more liquor enthusiasts might be escorted out before they closed for the night. That didn’t change the fact that Sam and Zach were suddenly involved.
“You want some water?” Evie shouted over the music, clearly trying to distract her.
“Yeah. I’ll come with you.” Amanda followed her over to the bar and waited as Evie ordered some waters from the female bartender. Amanda slipped a few singles into the tip jar and waited.
“This happen a lot?” she asked Evie, trying to match Evie’s calm demeanor. She didn’t seem fazed by this bizarre situation at all.
“I mean more than never. I think someone was trying to take pictures of me.”
“Oh,” Amanda replied. She could feel her expression drop. She hadn’t forgotten how famous Evie was, but this seemed like their hometown spot. Didn’t seem like it was too much to ask to be left alone. “I’m really sorry.”
Evie shrugged. “It comes with the territory. I was just dancing with my man. Now if I was doing lines or something then I might be concerned, but if they just wanted to snap some G-rated content of me at my happiest?” She flashed Amanda a big smile before thanking the bartender for the large plastic cups brimming with ice water in front of them. “But seriously, my therapist would say this falls under ‘things outside of my control.’ Mac handled it. Zach is willing to handle it further if need be and then we’ll get the lawyers involved if it goes that far. I don’t want the night to end, so I say we hydrate, then ask the DJ to play some Janet.”
“Cheers to that.” Amanda took a deep sip, then let out a deep breath. Evie was right. Whatever happened it looked like it was under control now and if Evie could enjoy the rest of the night after having her privacy intruded upon, she could definitely relax and enjoy her night with Sam.
A few moments later he made his way over to the bar. Her skin warmed as his arm slid back around her waist. She turned, just a bit to smile up at him, but her smile faded as soon as she saw the dark look on his face. She moved so she was facing him, putting a hand to his chest.
“What’s wrong?”
“They were trying to take pictures of me. Of us.”
Amanda felt her stomach drop. Of course someone would take an interest in Sam’s social life. Depending on whom they sold them to, they could get a nice little chunk of money for those photos. If she was with Sam—Academy Award winner Samuel Pleasant a whole five minutes after his win—she was running the risk of being photographed with him. She was running the risk of Dru finding out what she was really doing this whole time. She’d run the risk of Dru losing her complete shit and trying to burn her life and her relationship down to the ground with it.
The panic started to set in again. Her stomach felt like it was still somewhere near the floor, and now an odd heat was creeping up her neck and wrapping around her ears. Her flight response was lacing up her sneakers. But her greater instinct to not make matters worse waving its own neon flag forced her to hold still.
Sam was famous and from the looks of things well known by virtue of being a Pleasant long before Oscar nominations had been announced. If fear forced her to walk away now that would be the end for the two of them. She couldn’t keep running and hiding.
Would this end horribly? Yes. How could it not? Zach and the proactive bar staff may have thwarted one asshole’s efforts tonight, but what about the next time? Sam’s career was on the rise and interest in him was only going to grow.
If
