Amanda sighed. “No, it was amazing, BUT! That doesn’t mean there’s a play. It happened. It’s over.”

“Do you want it to be over? I mean Sam is pretty private too, but I think he and I are close enough for me to give him a little wink wink nudge nudge in your direction.”

“And then what?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve used up all my goodwill and PTO with Dru this fiscal quarter.”

“I’m not going to say it, but you know what I want to say.”

“I know.”

She loved Helene, but Helene really didn’t understand Amanda’s life. Helene understood how hard of a town Hollywood could be, being a young dark-skinned Black woman herself, but Helene came from money and that money had subsidized her lifestyle until her acting career took off. Amanda’s parents were amazing, but they weren’t “pay her grown-ass bills” rich. She had some savings, but living in Los Angeles wasn’t cheap and she couldn’t afford to be unemployed. She didn’t want to delve into the complex feelings that came with leaving Dru alone to deal with her mother, while also worrying if Dru would sabotage her job prospects if and when she announced she was moving on. She knew it wasn’t healthy or good, their bizarre codependency, but right now wasn’t the time to quit. However, that wasn’t the issue at the moment.

“Dating just isn’t on the schedule right now. Hell, flirting isn’t. We had a nice time. Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t want you spending your wedding trying to play matchmaker for someone else. Okay?”

Helene’s bottom lip jutted out just a bit. “Fine.”

“I’m so annoyed he knows my name,” Amanda said through a playful scowl.

“What kind of anonymous kinky shit were you two up to?” Robyn asked.

“Yeah, I know you said leave it, but I want details,” Helene added.

Amanda felt her cheeks heat. “Nothing. I just—I didn’t think he was serious when he started chatting me up and when he made it clear he was, I wanted him to work for it. Also I wasn’t out looking to smush. I just wanted a night off.”

“Okay, so he didn’t even know your name until an hour ago,” Helene said. Amanda could practically see the gears in her head turning. She should have kept her mouth shut. “But you don’t want to make anything of it.”

“No. I just want to see my beautiful friend wed to her true love.”

“Fine.” Helene stood and made a show of smoothing the seat of her maxi dress. “I’ll focus on my stupid wedding. But when I get back from my honeymoon I’m getting all up in your business.”

“Why?” Amanda laughed.