Page 11 of Riptide

Something that won’t make me regret swiping right. I’d like to get to know you.

I take a sip of my water from my nightstand, thinking. I could go the obvious route, say something cocky, tell him I can do that thing with my tongue that makes people forget their own names. But I know already that’ll make him run.

Instead, I type:

Finn

I once surfed a fifteen-foot wave and nearly got taken out by a shark. Kept my balance. Didn’t get eaten. Pretty impressive, right?

There’s a longer pause before his next message appears.

Foxx

Did you spot the shark first or did it spot you?

Finn

Not sure. I like to think we made eye contact and reached an unspoken agreement.

Foxx

Highly unlikely. Sharks don’t negotiate.

Finn

Neither do I, Foxx. Neither do I.

I imagine him sitting wherever he is, reading that message, and rolling his eyes. Even though I have no idea if he’d do that, I’m a visual guy.

Another message pops up.

Foxx

Mildly impressive.

Finn

Damn. That story is usually a win.

Foxx

Okay, maybe I’m more than mildly impressed. So you clearly like surfing, judging by your pictures too…

He didn’t technically ask me a question about surfing, so I don’t feel the need to expand on that little comment yet.

Finn

Now tell me something about you.

The typing bubble appears, disappears, then reappears.

Foxx

I once walked out of a terrible date by pretending I had a math emergency.

Finn

A math emergency? Numbers are your thing?