Page 32 of Finding Her Leading Man

“It’s a funny story,” Samantha began, her mind settling on a storyline.

“I bet it is,” Grayson mumbled. Juliana nudged him, hard, in the side with her elbow.

Samantha cut her eyes at Trevor one last time. Nothing. He didn’t have a single thing created to tell his mom. She’d keep it as much to the truth as possible.

“I’d flown out to L.A. to meet with a director.”

Amelia’s forehead wrinkled. “I thought he said you met in New York.”

Great. She was working with half a story she didn’t know. “We did. I was just saying that I flew out to L.A. to meet with a director. That’s when I first bumped into Grayson.”

“Oh. That makes sense. Trevor said he was in New York with Grayson right before he mentioned you.”

Samantha crossed her arms. “Maybe Trevor should continue the story.” Before she blew their entire cover.

“No.” His color returned. He half-smiled in a way that was both cute and annoying at the same time. “You’re doing great.”

Oh, there’d be some serious payback for this. “I don’t want to repeat what Trevor told you. Where did he leave off?”

Amelia, oblivious, said, “Nothing much. He said that when he’d been in New York for Grayson’s award presentation that Grayson had introduced you to him.”

Award. Trevor had been there, she’d found out, but they hadn’t spoken. At the time, she wouldn’t have thought anything about meeting him. Not with her engagement to Jasper still going strong. What a joke.

“Right. Good.” She took a big breath. “Grayson and I presented an award together.”

“I wasn’t aware you’d presented together.”

“Yes. I ran into Trevor again on the stairs after the show as I was leaving.” Samantha shrugged. “And, here we are. It really feels like it only happened like a week and four days ago. Notmonthsago.” She was in a committed fake relationship. And how they met was a little true. On the stairs in the bed and breakfast.

“Tell me, Samantha, is Trevor romantic?” Amelia leaned closer but didn’t drop her voice over the loud rock music playing in the bar. Samantha didn’t miss Trevor’s eye roll or Grayson’s shoulders shaking with laughter. Addie pinched the bridge of her nose.

Juliana stood up and tugged at Grayson’s arm. “Come play pool with me. I need to learn to beat my sister.”

Samantha ran through the possibilities of answers as they left the table. She wished Trevor was romantic. Jasper wasn’t. Not in the past few years, at least. Maybe at the beginning of the relationship, when he cared.

“My husband, when we first started dating, would bring me flowers and chocolate all the time,” Amelia said, pushing Samantha along. “I’m hoping Trevor is treating you the same way.”

“Trevor is treating me just fine.”

“Oh, dear.” She shook her head slowly at Trevor. “I’m not sure fine is the best it could be. Does he bring you flowers?”

“Yes. On our one-month anniversary, he brought me flowers. No chocolates, though.” She grinned across the table. “Ilovechocolate.”

“Duly noted,” he said, returning her smile.

“And special dates? His father would take me to the most romantic spots. A small Italian restaurant in San Francisco was our favorite. Do you and Trevor have a favorite place to go?”

They watched each other. It felt like speed dating. His mother asked the questions, and she gave Trevor all her answers. And he looked to be paying close attention.

“I love Italian. There’s a place called Gino’s. It’s near Central Park. I was a waitress there for a few months when I first moved to New York. I still go there after every opening night.” Jasper hated the place, and he’d never eaten there before. That had always annoyed her. She didn’t think she’d have trouble asking Trevor to go along with her. But their temporary attachment wouldn’t last that long.

“Have you two taken any trips?” She looked to her son on this one.

“Not yet.” He said it with such finality, Samantha almost wanted to ask where they were going and when did they leave. Could they push their time together a little longer? She was crazy even to consider staying with him.

The waitress walked up. “Hi, y’all. I’m Rhonda.”

Samantha didn’t expect the owner to look like that. Rhonda was in her mid-seventies, with silver hair teased up high, leather pants, and a blue shirt covered in sequins. Her red lipstick and glitter eyeshadow made her ready to take the stage.

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