“You sure?” Sam asked, giving Amanda’s hand a light squeeze. She appreciated the warm reassurance, but Evie might have been onto something. She responded before Amanda could make up her mind.

“Yes. Your mom raised absolute gentlemen. Don’t worry, but if you come in and make it a thing, Miss Leona is gonna make it a thing and you know Corie is gonna make it a thing.”

“True,” Sam said.

“And I think Amanda would feel more comfortable if it wasn’t a thing.”

“Say ‘thing’ again,” Zach teased.

Evie rolled her eyes and turned her full attention back to Amanda. “Miss Leona is the best, but I’m just saying if you give her something, she’s going to run with it. It’s your call.”

Amanda glanced between the three of them, then gave Sam’s hand a squeeze of her own. “I’ll go with Evie. Hopefully, this isn’t a total setup.”

“You’re in good hands,” Sam laughed. Amanda kissed him on his scruff-covered cheek, then hopped out of the truck and followed Evie to the front door where Euca was waiting for them.

“Miss Leona is seriously the best. Cool as hell, especially for eighty-two, but Sam is right. She’s old-school. Just keep that in mind.”

“Got it.”

Evie opened the door and let Euca run in ahead of them. As they stepped inside Amanda followed Evie’s lead and took off her Converse as Evie toed out of an extremely expensive-looking pair of boots. The entryway had the same style as the entryway of Jesse’s house, but this was on a grander scale. A foyer, if you will. Amanda took in the archways and the Spanish tile and she glanced down the hallways that seemingly led to different wings of the house. Off to the right she could hear some Luther Vandross playing.

“Come on this way,” Evie said with a bright smile. Amanda let out a deep breath and followed her down the hallway. They stepped into an enormous kitchen, where thee Leona Lovell was swaying in front of a six-burner Viking range singing along to “Never Too Much.” Sam’s cousin Lilah was sitting at the island with her laptop, wiggling her shoulders along to the beat. She looked up and smiled like she was about to say hello when Evie cut her off.

“Miss Leona! I told you I was cooking!”

The elderly woman didn’t even flip her beach-waved blond bob wig in their direction when she replied. “Baby girl, I know you are not yelling at me in my own house. In my own kitchen.” She turned to them then, checking in the most hilariously sweet way if Evie had decided to change her tone. Right on cue, Evie’s shoulders dropped and she tried again.

“Good morning, Miss Leona. You look so lovely today.”