“I’m not sure what kind of woman he dates,” Amanda replied, which was the truth. Though she did know some more personal things about him now. Like how he looked when he was sleeping soundly.

Dru glanced over as they slowed to a stop at the next red light. She scoffed, then looked back toward the road. “I don’t know why I’m asking you. When was the last time you went on a date?”

“Well, it’s tricky to date when you’re trying to keep up with the hottest actress in a paranormal prime-time TV show.”

“Whatever, don’t blame me. Mom made me give you weekends off. Surely there’s some single personal assistants’ meetup you could go to. Or like a janitor or something that’s looking for a low-rent sugar baby.”

“I’m not sure which part of that to find more offensive and just wrong, but what if I get lucky and leave you? How will you go on without me?”

“You won’t. You’ll be with me forever and then you’ll watch my children. The children I have with Sam Pleasant.”

Amanda’s eye nearly twitched. “Did you really DM him?”

“Sure did,” Dru said, the bravado back in her voice. “This show has two more seasons before it goes stale. I need to be ready to upgrade and what better way to upgrade than on the arm of someone like Sam Pleasant? Just not sure I can do that if I downgrade to TV movies.”

The horrible and somewhat gross idea of using Sam aside, Amanda didn’t like to hear Dru disparaging other mediums that way, especially when this type of role was something she wanted. Dru was a difficult person, but there was a sensitive romantic deep inside. It was one of the first things they’d bonded over. Their mutual love of all things love. Amanda didn’t want her to pass the opportunity up just because it wasn’t a role that would put her in the running for her own Oscar.

Plus she was right about one thing: She had three years max left on Andromeda. Who knew what was in store for her down the road? A TV movie meant a paycheck and though Dru was biracial, she still read as Black. Being offered roles was a blessing in this industry, no matter how unfair and racist that truth was. Developing a relationship with the folks at Spright absolutely wouldn’t hurt. But Amanda kept that to herself.

“Do you want me to call your mom?” she asked. “You can cancel.”

“No. No. I want to do it. Anyway, it can be like ironic or whatever. Plus it’s silly to turn down the paycheck when I get it. Which I will. I might swing Sam Pleasant too.”

“I’ll be there to hold your veil,” Amanda said.