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Val and I exchange another skeptical glance.
Items rattle as Abby rummages in her purse.
“If she shows us a butt plug, I’m outta here,” I tell Val.
“You guys.” Abby huffs. “Let me show you how Life Shift works. It’s almost ready to be beta tested.”
Val blows her nose loudly into her tissue and sniffs before she asks, “How long until it goes live?”
“Maybe a year. We want to make sure we attract the right men and women to become residents of our town.” Abby gets up to wiggle her way between me and Val. “Applicants to Life Shift are going to be heavily vetted.”
“Right,” I scoff. “That’s what all the dating apps say.”
“This is going to be different.” She nudges me with her elbow. “It’s me, Charlie. You know how high my standards are. I even insisted that an objective party write the profiles.”
I shrug. Out of all of us, Abby certainly is pickiest about the men she’ll date. “Okay. That sounds more interesting.”
She grins at me. “We’re going to need beta testers. You get to preview the men first.”
I chuckle as I reach for my wine and finish it off. “I’d be happy to check the compatibility of select prospects in every way.”
Abby’s fingernails click on her cell phone. “We’ll have strict guidelines, but you, Charlie, are definitely on the list of people who are in. In fact, I set up your profile this afternoon. I’m still logged into the site as you.”
“Really?” I let out a small squeal. “Can you get Val on there too?”
“Now that she’s single, of course.” Abby waves her phone. “Why wouldn’t I share my job perks with my two besties?”
I grab Abby’s cell and see a list of possible matches for me displayed on the screen.
“Whoa,” Val says as she leans over Abby to check out the list. She clicks on an image, and a guy’s smiling face fills the screen. She grabs the device and holds it against her chest. “Boyfriend Number Twenty-One has eyes that could steal my soul.”
“He doesn’t get a name?” I chuckle, reaching for the new glass of wine Becky has brought me.
“Not yet,” Abby says as she takes her fresh martini from the waitress. “You have to match to get that information.”
I look back at Val. “Read his description.”
“Perfect for the independent woman, Boyfriend Twenty-One is eager to please.” Val frowns. “What is he, a dog?” She continues to read. “He has above-average intelligence and should be paired with an intellect to match.”
I groan at what is clearly an amateur attempt at ad copy.
Abby sighs. “I told you it was still pre-beta.”
“Give me that.” I click on the edit button at the top of the screen. I say the words out loud as I type. “Twenty-One yearns for a strong woman in his life to tantalize his mind.”
“That’s good,” Val says. “But I hate the number for a name.”
“Got a better idea?” Abby asks. “If we gave them aliases, then you might be thinking of a Lance as a Harold. Whole different connotation there.”
I smile and study the image of Boyfriend Twenty-One. “This is going to come across too cold if they don’t have names.” He’s the kind of guy I like, with well-defined muscles beneath a dark, skin-tight shirt that looks two sizes two small. He has a pair of arms that could probably lift me up and toss me over his shoulder like a pillow. Hell, he would be anyone’s type.
“He needs to be more than a number. Hey!” I giggle. “Who got sixty-nine? The guy sticking out his tongue?”
Val snorts.
Abby frowns. “Seriously, Charlie? Don’t be crass.”
“Says the woman who carries a dildo in her purse.” I continue writing Twenty-One’s description, reading it out to my friends in the process. His credentials make him sound like he’s one of those guys who is good at everything he does, and after a few tweaks from the group, I’ve created a profile that will get this guy a girl.
