“Does the six-month hiatus we’re taking for this little boyfriend project include no maintenance dates?” London asked.

Samiah’s brow shot up. “You have a maintenance man?”

“No, but I was thinking about getting one.” She drank down the rest of her margarita and set the glass on the table with a pronounced thump. “You know what? Forget about the maintenance man. I just bought one of those megapacks of batteries at Costco. I’m good for the next six months.”

“And your goal?” Taylor asked.

“Easy. To find myself a hobby.”

“Samiah, what about you?”

“I have—” Samiah started, but then stopped. She couldn’t tell them about her app. If she actually spoke it out loud she would have to work on it. No more excuses.

If you commit to it, you wouldn’t need any excuses.

She mentally pointed her middle finger at the voice in her head.

“I’m in the same boat as London,” she said instead. “My job keeps me so busy that I never take time to relax and do something that’s just for me. I’m going to find myself a hobby too. One that will help me detach from the job.”

“All right,” Taylor said, typing again. She set the phone on the table and smiled. “We got this, ladies. We are going to rock this.” She motioned to the array of dishes. “So, are we making this a weekly thing, or what?”

“Tapas and margaritas?” London asked.

“Or dim sum, or hot wings, or whatever.” She shrugged. “Not that either of you should get a big head or anything, but I’ve actually been looking forward to this all week.”

“Aww.” London reached over and pinched her cheek. “I like you too.”

Taylor scrunched her face and stuck her tongue out at London. These two reminded Samiah so much of herself and Denise. It was amazing to think they’d all met just last week.

“So Hashtag Squad Goals will have a standing date every Friday?” Taylor asked.

“Yes. And these are to be our only dates for the next six months,” London said. “We’re working on ourselves.”

“I’m in,” Samiah said. “We get together once a week and update each other on how things are going. Sounds like a plan.”

Sorta. She still wasn’t 100 percent sure about this no-dating thing.

They finished off their tapas and margaritas, then parted ways with reminders already set in their phones to meet at the Mediterranean place across the street at the same time next week.

As she made her way to her car, Samiah couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her stomach since Taylor started making that list. She should have told them about her app. Saying it out loud, having others to hold her accountable—it was the kind of motivation she needed to finally see her dream through.

She slid behind the wheel of her Mustang and gripped the steering wheel.