Page 18 of Love Unexpected
A text message popped up from Jade and I pulled it up. My phone had gotten more action in the last ten minutes than it had in months. Or, you know, ever.
If he brings it up, you heard from me,Jade’s message read,I verified your age, and had you text me a picture of you, holding your driver’s license. Also I emailed you a nondisclosure agreement, which you digitally signed.
So that’s what Isaac had been talking about. Was that really what Jade had to do when Isaac interacted with people? I mean, I understood. For all Isaac knew, I could be twelve.
Or in prison.
Okay, maybe not inprisonprison. I doubted Instagram was a thing in prison.
Another message from Jade popped up.I actually will send you a nondisclosure agreement in a few minutes. Annoying, I know. It’ll just say you won’t post any of the messages he shares with you privately in any public places.
An actual nondisclosure agreement? Things suddenly felt... real. And weird. But it made sense. Isaac had messaged me from the officialRandom Iaccount. His image was his business. It made sense that he had people around to protect it.
Got it,I texted to Jade, double and triple-checking that the message was going to the right person.
Don’t worry,she responded.I didn’t tell him who you are. Just that you’re female, in your twenties, and you’d rather keep your name private.
Is this standard protocol?I texted back, suddenly curious if she had files and files of driver’s license photos of everyone who had ever interacted with Isaac.
Not standard protocol,Jade replied.He’s never actually done this before.
I paused. He’d never responded to a direct message before?Never done what, exactly? Never responded at all?
No, he responds,Jade clarified.But only briefly. He’s never asked me to vet someone so he can KEEP responding. Way to grab his attention.She followed her message with a winking emoji and a gif of Rosie the Riveter flexing her muscles.
I get it,I finally messaged to Isaac.It wasn’t weird. But you DID get a little flirty.
@RandomIOfficial: All the more reason for me to make sure you aren’t my grandmother’s age.
@Briarsandthorns: Or in the seventh grade.
@RandomIOfficial: Nah. You knew too much about Red Renegade to be twelve. And your art reflects too much maturity. But I am relieved that you aren’t a balding security guard in his fifties.
@Briarsandthorns: Haha. I guess I do have the advantage here. Since I know exactly who you are.
@RandomIOfficial: So let’s level the playing field. Tell me who you are. Ana, right?
It wasn’t technically a lie, was it? My namewasAna. I snuggled back into my covers,Schitt’s Creekand even my Twizzlers completely forgotten.All of who I am? That might take a while,I messaged back.
@RandomIOfficial: I’ve got all night.
Chapter Seven
Isaac
I leaned back on the couch in my office and scrolled through the last few messages Ana and I had exchanged the night before. It had been a week since I’d first responded to her message, and we’d been texting back and forth almost nonstop.
Last night, we’d texted back and forth for almost an hour about the latest Peyton West novel. Coincidentally, it was the last book that we’d both read. And we loved it for all the same reasons. But it wasn’t just taste in books and music that we shared. Everything Ana said, the way she viewed the world, the way she talked about her friends and what they meant to her, the way she talked about her parents... it all felt so in sync with how I felt. I liked her.A lot.
“Isaac.” Alex’s voice flitted into my brain sparking a sudden awareness that it wasn’t the first time he’d called my name.
I sat up and turned. “Sorry, what? Did you need me?”
“Dude. You’ve been lying on your couch with a goofy grin on your face for half an hour. The entire warehouse is starting to wonder what’s wrong with you.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “So I’m in a good mood. That’s not a crime.”
“Are you messagingheragain?” Alex said, his expression taut. It was possible my brother-in-law didn’t think communicating with a stranger on the internet was a good idea.
