They’d had a therapist on set when they were filming Sky. Sam had met with Dr. Gilliam throughout production and three more times after they’d wrapped. She’d been happy with the way he was processing the dark source material they were working with and kindly reminded him her door would be open if he wanted to speak with her again or if he just wanted a referral. He felt comfortable reaching out to her, but he had a feeling this particular thing wasn’t something he needed to see someone about.

“Maybe I should get back out there. It has been a while.”

“Get back out. Just do us all a favor.”

“What?”

“Do not tell Mom.”

Sam laughed as he leaned back against the truck. “You know I’m not stupid.”

“She will fly back here. She will have every eligible maiden from here to San Francisco lined up at those Big Rock gates. She will call up every soror with an unwed daughter—”

“I know, I know.”

“She’ll hit the pageant circuit, man. You’re not Jesse. She’ll have no problem selling any parents on you. Plus, you’re her baby.”

Sam rolled his eyes even though he knew it was true. Parents weren’t supposed to play favorites, but Zach was their dad’s favorite and he was their mom’s. She’d never done a damn thing to hide it. There was no reason to feel bad for Jesse. He was their grandmother’s favorite and that took the cake. Either way, Sam knew both his parents were still waiting to see all of their sons married off in their weird old-school way. And he knew his mom was beyond impatient for a grandchild. Zach and Evie were on their way there, but if she could double her odds, she wouldn’t hesitate to start playing matchmaker.

Sam had a much better, simpler plan. He’d do his best to track down Cha-Cha on his own, just to talk. Just to see if that spark he felt was real, and if that didn’t work, he’d wait until Helene got back from her honeymoon and casually ask how her friend from the after-party was doing.

* * *

The look on Helene’s face when she climbed out of her car changed Sam’s whole mood. Yeah, he was still a little out of it and he had mentally committed to finding a woman who might want nothing to do with him, but at least this week he could focus on his friends and their union.