Page 15 of Moonlighter

Eric gives a snort. “Please tell me that’s not a real assistant who calls you that.”

Bingley answers for himself. “I am very real, sir. I am not, however, human.”

“Well, that clears that up.” He quirks an eyebrow at me over the cover of hisSports Illustrated.

“Bingley is an AI version of a virtual assistant. Nate Kattenberger developed him.”

“Cool.” Eric shrugs.

“I need you to greet him, though. He’s part of my security detail, so he needs to recognize your voice. Bingley, please meet Mr. Eric Bayer.”

Eric scowls. “Hello, computer. ‘Sup?”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance!” Bingley replies in his crisp British accent. “Should you need my assistance, feel free to call me by name. If your request does not conflict with my queen’s best interests, I shall endeavor to obey!”

“I’m flattered,” Eric grunts.

“Thank you, Eric,” I say. “Bingley, fill me in on the evening’s itinerary.”

“Certainly, my liege! When we reach a cruising altitude of thirty-thousand feet, Manny will serve you a sesame chicken salad on a bed of noodles, with gelato for dessert. For our guest, we have a choice of steak tips in wine sauce or Lobster mac and cheese.”

God I’m hungry again already. “Please ask Manny to bring out both.”

“Of course, madame. What would Eric like to drink? We have a selection of beer and wine, and several sodas.”

“Sparkling water, please,” my guest says. “Does the robot serve drinks? That would be fun to watch.”

Bingley answers the question himself. “I may have a silver tongue, sire, but no hands. Your meal will be served by a human. This flight will land once at LAX for a quick refueling. Our estimated arrival time in Hawaii is nine-fifty-two p.m. local time. The time difference is six hours.”

“Thank you.”

“You just thanked a computer,” Eric says from inside his magazine.

He’s right. And it is a little weird. But Bingley is a big part of my new product launch, so I’ve been conversing with him as much as I can. Besides, I don’t like Eric’s attitude. “It’s never wrong to be polite,” I point out.

“Uh huh. The big tech companies have already taught us to clutch our phones all day. Now we need to chat them up, too?”

“Yours probably wouldn’t want to talk to you anyway,” I chirp. “Maybe I should find you a surly virtual assistant to match your demeanor. You could ignore each other.”

“Sounds perfect,” he says with a smirk.

That smirk shouldn’t turn me on, should it? I must be hungrier than I thought.

I sit back and wait for dinner. And I don’t steal glances at Eric.

Not many, anyway.

“Alex. Wake up.”A hand pats my upper arm.

Someone is trying to wake me, but I’m not having it. I screw my eyes more tightly closed and press my face into the pillow.

“Alex, we’ve landed. You need to get up.”

“No.” Whatever the man is saying, I really don’t care. My bed is comfortable, and my body knows it’s not time to wake up.

“The car is on the tarmac. And Manny can’t clock out until you’re out of here.”

I’m too tired to care, though. Oh, well.