12
Amanda kicked off her heels the second she stepped through the door of her apartment, letting out a deep sigh as she finally—finally—let the workweek go.
No more reports.
No more meetings.
No more staring at Ericka Matthews and overanalyzing her every glance.
Tonight was about fun.
She tossed her bag onto the couch and headed straight for her bedroom, already flipping through her closet in search of the perfect outfit. Something cute, something fun, something that screamed, I am not thinking about work tonight.
After a few minutes of searching, she landed on a black mini dress, strappy heels, and a cropped leather jacket.
Flawless.
Grabbing her phone, she shot a quick text to Samantha:
Change of plans—come to my place first. I have a bottle of tequila, and we are taking shots before we go out.
Samantha replied instantly:
YESS. Pregame at yours. I'm bringing limes. Be there in 20.
Amanda smirked, tossing her phone onto the bed before heading to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, letting the hot water wash away any lingering tension from the day, then went through her full getting-ready routine—makeup flawless, hair styled just right.
By the time she was slipping into her dress and touching up her lipstick, her phone buzzed again.
Samantha: I'm outside! Open up, you tequila queen.
Amanda grinned, rushing to the door and throwing it open.
Samantha stood there, dressed to kill in a deep red bodycon dress, her hair curled to perfection. In one hand, she held a small bag of sliced limes; in the other, a mischievous grin.
"I come bearing citrus," she announced dramatically. "Now where's this tequila you promised?"
Amanda laughed, stepping aside to let her in. "Kitchen counter. Glasses are already out."
Samantha beelined for the counter, grabbing the bottle. "Girl, you are prepared."
Amanda grabbed her own glass, smirking. "You know I don't play around."
Samantha poured two generous shots, handing one to Amanda.
"To the weekend," Samantha declared, holding up her glass.
"To absolutely zero thoughts about work," Amanda added.
They clinked their glasses together before downing the shots in one smooth motion.
Amanda winced, exhaling sharply. "Oh yeah, that's the good stuff."
Samantha nodded, shaking out her shoulders. "Alright, one more, and then we hit the club."
Amanda laughed, reaching for the bottle. Tonight was going to be a good night.
Amanda poured them another round, the golden liquid sloshing slightly in the shot glasses as she grinned at Samantha.
"Alright, this one's for us," she declared, raising her glass. "Because we work hard, we look amazing, and we are about to have the best damn night."
Samantha beamed, clinking her glass against Amanda's. "Hell yes, we are."
They tipped their heads back, the second shot going down smoother than the first. Amanda sucked in a breath, grabbing a lime wedge from the counter and biting into it.
Samantha did the same, then waved a hand in front of her face. "Okay, okay, I think I'm warmed up now. But we can't just leave after two shots. We need music, a little dancing—set the vibe before we go."
Amanda smirked, already swiping through her phone to her playlist. She hit play on a high-energy mix of club bangers, the bass immediately pulsing through her apartment.
Samantha squealed, already swaying her hips as she grabbed Amanda's hands, pulling her into an impromptu dance session in the kitchen.
Amanda laughed as they twirled and swayed, tequila buzzing warmly in her veins. This was exactly what she needed. No schedules, no pressure—just pure, carefree fun.
"Okay," Samantha said breathlessly after a few minutes, hands on her hips. "One more shot, and then we call the Uber."
Amanda shot her a look. "One more?"
Samantha gave her an innocent shrug. "Come on, bestie. We're celebrating!"
Amanda rolled her eyes but couldn't stop smiling as she reached for the bottle.
"Fine," she said, pouring them both another round. "But after this, I'm officially cutting us off until we get to the club."
Samantha grinned. "Deal."
They downed their final shot, laughter bubbling between them as they grabbed their bags, did a quick lipstick check, and made their way to the door.
Amanda felt lighter than she had in weeks, the excitement thrumming beneath her skin.
Tonight was about letting go.
And for once, she had no problem leaving work—and a certain CEO—far behind.
Amanda and Samantha stumbled into the hallway of her apartment building, giggling like teenagers as the tequila settled into their systems. Samantha was already scrolling through her phone, summoning their Uber while Amanda checked her clutch to make sure she had everything.
"Alright," Samantha announced. "Black SUV. Two minutes away."
"Perfect," Amanda said, double-checking her lipstick in the mirror by the door. She smacked her lips together, approving of her final look. "Okay, let's go before I decide I want another shot."
Samantha grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the elevator. "Nope! You said we're cut off until the club. I'm holding you to that."
The elevator ride down was filled with excited chatter, Samantha hyping up their night while Amanda felt the buzz of anticipation mixing with the tequila.
She wasn't just ready to go out—she was craving a night of loud music, dancing, and forgetting about everything else.
The SUV pulled up right as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. The driver gave them a polite nod as they slid into the backseat, the cool leather interior a stark contrast to the warmth buzzing beneath Amanda's skin.
Samantha leaned toward her, nudging her shoulder. "So... how's work been?"
Amanda groaned, tipping her head back. "No. We are not talking about work tonight."
Samantha laughed. "Okay, okay, fine. But, like, hypothetically—if you were to talk about work, would it involve a certain high-powered, suit-wearing, terrifyingly hot CEO?"
Amanda gave her a pointed look. "Hypothetically? No comment."
Samantha wiggled her brows. "I knew it."
"There is nothing to know," Amanda said, shaking her head with a smirk. "She's my boss. That's it."
"Mm-hmm," Samantha hummed. "Sure. That's why you just lit up like a damn Christmas tree when I mentioned her."
Amanda groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Samantha. I swear."
Samantha giggled, poking her side. "Fine, fine! No CEO talk. But if I do catch you checking your phone for any 'urgent' work messages tonight, I'm snatching it away."
Amanda rolled her eyes but couldn't fight her smile. "Fair deal."