They chose one of the endless iterations of the Jason Bourne franchise but ten minutes in, Seb’s mind was already miles away. He took out his phone and scrolled through his text messages. He found one, a number he hadn’t programmed into his phone yet. It was the text that had sent him Fin’s contact info. Via’s number. He didn’t think too hard on it.

Just an FYI, Matty’s all right. Took him to urgent care and then his general practitioner. It’s just strep. He’s on medicine and sleeping.

He didn’t sign the text or tell her who he was. He wasn’t about to participate in whatever fancy footwork was required for texting a twenty-seven-year-old crush on a Saturday night when she was probably out clubbing with her model boyfriend. He didn’t have the energy. If his text was dumb or stilted or weird, so be it. He just wanted her to have the information. It was less than thirty seconds later that he got a reply.

I’m so relieved. Strep is no fun, but I’m sure he’ll be feeling better when he wakes up.

Seb was just contemplating a reply when the thought bubbles popped up and he whipped his thumbs off the keyboard. She was typing. He pictured her in a bar, that bartender from Cider slinging an arm around her. Even though he knew that Via would never let a man put his arm around her when she had a boyfriend. His phone made that swooping sound, and her text popped up.

How are you, though? That was really scary.

He chuffed a little laugh. Scary was understating it. Heart-stopping was what it was. He looked up and saw Tyler’s eyes on him. Tyler gave a pointed look at his cell phone and raised his hands up, like, don’t mind me. Seb didn’t think Tyler would be quite so gung ho about this if he knew Seb was texting someone who had absolutely no interest in him.

My hair’s gone completely white. You’ll barely recognize me the next time you see me. I look almost as old as your hot bartender.

He smiled at his phone as he sent the text and turned back to the movie. He watched a gunfight, barely even seeing it as he replayed his own words back in his head. The smile melted off his face. Shit. That had been way too flirty. See? This was why he was supposed to fling his phone across the room when engaged in a texting conversation with a beautiful woman. He always, always ended up putting his foot in his mouth.

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” he told Tyler.

Tyler turned the volume down on the movie. “Yes. Absolutely. What are we talking about?”

Seb wagged his phone through the air. “You should just take this away from me. I’m so not good at digital crap with women. I swear. Me texting is the same thing as your skinny jeans phase. You’re just like, dude, no. Can’t pull it off.”