Amanda was doing her best not to sweat or to wallow in the stupid decision not to go back to her room to change. She didn’t bring many A-list options, but she should have swapped out her zip-up hoodie for a nicer sweater. Or she should have asked Sam if she had time to run into town to see if she could pick a prom dress to wear to brunch with thee freaking Leona Lovell. The woman was Hollywood royalty. If Amanda’s mom knew she was about to set foot in the woman’s home she’d have a stroke, resurrect herself, then ask Amanda to ask her for an autograph. Yes, Amanda had been under the same tent with her the week before, but family brunch was different. Family brunch was way different.

On the ride back to Pleasant Lane, she sat in the back seat of Zach’s extended crew cab listening to him and Evie tease each other about something funny that had happened with Bam Bam on their ride. Sam showed her the pictures of Evie’s horse stopping to befriend a black-tailed jackrabbit. The whole thing was absolutely adorable, but all Amanda could think about was how she was minutes away from being face-to-face with a true goddess of the stage and screen. Not that Sam wasn’t impressive all on his own, but Amanda wasn’t starstruck by him. She was just overwhelmed by how bad she wanted to kiss him. Kissing would have to come later. Much later, after she survived her encounter with one of the greatest actors the world had ever known.

They pulled through the grates of the private property and this time, in the clear morning sunlight, Amanda got a better view of the stretch of land that Sam and his family called home. The three Spanish-style houses around the expansive cul-de-sac and a few outbuildings up the side of the lane were way more impressive than the small, two-story Cape Cod she’d grown up in. Though she still missed the tiny attic bedroom she’d made her own.

“First stop. Chez Leona,” Zach announced. He pulled his truck to a stop at the center of it all, then glanced over the seat at her and Sam. Sam took her hand just as she caught a glimpse of Euca jumping out of the flatbed behind them.

“Grandma’s a little old-school. So I’ll walk you in with Evie and introduce—”

“Time out. Is this a thing thing?” Evie said, motioning between them.

“Uh, yes? But a fresh thing,” Amanda replied, unsure of what Sam had told his brother and future sister-in-law. “A new thing.”

Evie waved Amanda off and unbuckled her seat belt. “I’ll handle it. Amanda, come in with me and you guys go get cleaned up.”