Eliot leans back and says something to the woman. He shakes his head politely and gestures to his cell phone. But she’s got the sleeve of his sweatshirt pinched between her fingers and she’s yanking him onto the dance floor.

He looks adorably flustered, stumbling after her and trying not to spill his drink. He glances around the room before he quickly drops his eyes again. I smile behind my hand. Even right now he’s trying to keep his promise to me.

The woman is a good dancer and is doing her best to get Eliot involved. Suddenly her ass is jammed against his crotch and his eyes get very big. He’s lifting his drink high, trying not to spill it on her hair. She’s shouting to a friend, and then, yup, magically there’s a tallish brunette pressed against Eliot’s back. Eliot sandwich. I shout with laughter at his expression. He tips his head back toward the woman behind him, and as the light catches on his face, I make an attempt to read his lips.

I’m Eliot, I’m pretty sure he just said to her.

I’m laughing hard behind my hand. He just introduced himself on the dance floor to the woman trying to freak him into next Tuesday.

He’s too cute. This is terrible.

This is wonderful.

Everything in my life has become so much harder since he voice-messaged me the other night.

I finish my beer and then pass my phone from one hand to the other. Should I call him? Oh, who am I kidding, I pressed the call button ten seconds ago. The phone is already jammed tight to my ear.

He’s still got his phone clutched in one hand, and down below on the dance floor he stops for a second while he squints at the screen. His face lights up, and he answers it.

“JD!”

“Well, you certainly didn’t waste any time.”

“You can see me?”

“Yup. And your dance partners.”

“About that. I kinda didn’t have a choice?”

“I saw.”

“No chance of a rescue mission for me, huh?”

“None. I’m having too much fun.”

“That makes one of us.”

“Eliot, you might be too flustered to realize this, but you’re dancing, too.”

“Well, it’s kind of hard not to when . . . look, I’m not exactly the one in charge of my hips right now. Stop laughing!”

“I can’t! This is too good.”

“I’m glad I amuse you.”

“What? Oh, sorry. No, thanks. Yeah. No, seriously. Yeah, I’m here with someone. Seriously, man, I’m not going to drink that. You might as well take it with you. Eliot? You still there? Sorry about that.”

“What was that?”

“Just some guy.”

“Making the moves on ya?”

“I guess.”

“Hey, JD?”

“Yeah?”

“Am I the person you’re here with?”

“Huh?”