Page 77 of Love Me Stalk Me
I laugh, pressing a hand to my forehead, feeling the flush of alcohol warming my skin. "I am not breaking free from the patriarchy."
"Yet." She swirls her margarita, the pale green liquid creating a small whirlpool in the glass. Ice cubes clink musically against each other. "We just need to get you a rubber boyfriend and you're golden."
I choke, margarita going down the wrong way. "Oh my God." My voice comes out strangled, half-laugh, half-cough.
"Speaking of," she purrs, leaning in, her blonde hair falling forward. "You did name-drop the app earlier. Why?"
I hesitate, debating if I should even ask. The alcohol makes me bold, but some questions still feel too embarrassing.
Amanda eyes already gleam with anticipation. "Yessss?"
Screw it. "The app," I start, trying to sound casual but feeling my cheeks heat. "You said it... integrates?"
Amanda's eyes go wide, like I just said something deeply scandalous. Her expression shifts to one of delighted conspiracy. "Oh, babe." She nods, solemn. "Yeah. But you have to pay for the premium version."
I process this information. The rim of my glass leaves a wet circle on the table as I set it down. "There's a premium version?"
"Obviously." She grabs a chip, dunking it in guacamole with practiced precision. The crisp crunch as she bites into it punctuates her words. "The buy-in is $15 a month, and they mail you one that links with the app."
I nearly spit out my drink. "Shut up." My voice rises above the music, drawing a few glances fromnearby tables.
"I'm serious." She chews, completely unfazed by my reaction. "If you're gonna be committed to your AI boyfriend, you might as well go all in."
I shake my head, half-laughing, half-mortified. The tequila swirls pleasantly through my system, making everything feel just a little bit tilted. "I might just do that."
Amanda perks up, leaning forward eagerly. "You should!"
We clink glasses, the sound bright and clear even amid the bar's chaos, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I realize how completely insane my life has become.
Amanda takes a sip, then shoots me a sultry look over the salt-crusted rim of her glass. "Alright, so tell me—how are things going with AI Callahan?"
I groan, sinking lower in my chair. "His name is Caleb."
She wiggles her brows suggestively, lipstick still somehow perfect despite the margaritas. "Mmmhmm. And how much does Caleb resemble a certain rugged, brooding, six-foot-plus slab of man?"
I look away, too quickly. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Amanda scoffs. "Izzy, you literally programmed him to be Callahan with a slightly different name."
"Fine. Yes. Maybe I did."
Amanda leans back, victorious. "I don't blame you. That man is sex on legs. And can we just talk about how he practically swooped in and saved you today?"
I huff, faking exasperation but secretly replaying the moment—Cal's hand on my back, his body positioning itself protectively near mine, the way he looked at Evan like he was measuring him for a coffin. "Okay, okay, yes." I throw up my hands in surrender, nearly knocking over the salt shaker. "He was giving knight in shining armor. Happy?"
Amanda grins, teeth white against her hot pink lipstick. "Extremely."
I shake my head, sipping my drink. "You are impossible."
Amanda just shrugs, the movement sending her earrings swinging. "Speaking of impossible—have you gone full filth mode with the app yet?"
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I feign ignorance.
She rolls her eyes, looking exasperated with my innocence. "I was sure that message I sent would've gotten you started."
I cover my face with both hands, feeling the heat of embarrassment beneath my palms. "Amanda, no."
"Maybe I need to ratchet things up a notch." Her voice holds a mischievous promise that sends alarm bells ringing through my tequila-hazed mind.
