Page 65 of Hooking the Captain
FenwayFlirt: Hey RedSoxFan_28! It’s always nice to chat with someone who enjoys the game. How’s it going?
I finished putting my sandwich together and headed to the living room to sit on the couch.
RedSoxFan_28: Not bad so far. Just got back from a run and decided to do some scrolling on here. How about you?
FenwayFlirt: I've been busy at work lately, so I’m actually chilling at home today
We continued to chat off and on throughout the day. I learned he was twenty-eight years old, worked in sales, and had lived in Boston his whole life. As I was climbing into bed, another notification came through.
RedSoxFan_28: I really enjoyed talking to you today
FenwayFlirt: Me too. I’ve never done the dating app thing before. I wasn’t sure what to expect
RedSoxFan_28: I hope I made your first experience a good one
FenwayFlirt: You definitely did
RedSoxFan_28: So I know people are picking this app for privacy reasons, but I was wondering if you’d want to exchange names. But if you’re not ready for that, it’s cool
A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined joining a dating app, especially to meet guys. It was somewhat shocking how much my life had changed, especially in the last six months, because now I was okay with living out in the open.
FenwayFlirt: I’m good with that. My name’s Ford
RedSoxFan_28: Hi Ford. I’m Jacob
A few days later,I sat at my desk at work and continued to sneak glances at my phone, hoping to hear from Jacob. We had messaged each other the entire weekend, and I was excited to get to know him more.
Just as I was about to refocus on a project that was due at the end of the week, a notification flashed on my phone.
RedSoxFan_28: Hey, do you only like baseball, or are you a hockey fan too?
Well, that wasn’t a question I was expecting. A year ago, I had been a fan of a certain hockey player, but I didn’t think it would be appropriate to mention him when trying to get to know a guy I might want to go out with. Instead, I went with a safe answer.
FenwayFlirt: I’ve watched a few games on TV
RedSoxFan_28: Maybe it’s too soon but I have an extra ticket to the Bruins game on Friday. Do you want to go?
I didn’t think it was too soon. In fact, I wanted to meet Jacob, but the thought of seeing Coop on the ice after all this time made me hesitant to accept his invitation. I didn’t harbor any bad feelings toward my ex-boyfriend, and it wasn’t as if our paths would cross during the game, so maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Deciding I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to go on a date, I typed out my reply:
FenwayFlirt: Sounds like fun. I’d love to go
The nightof my date with Jacob arrived, and I could feel the anticipation bubbling within me as I made my way toward the arena. Fans wearing black and gold filled the streets, and everyone looked ready for a fun night.
I walked toward the phone store near the arena we had agreed to meet at. He said he would be wearing a Bruins jersey and jeans. I figured it would be hard to spot him since there were a lot of people wearing jerseys, but a few seconds later, I noticed someone who was alone and standing near the window of the store.
“Jacob?” I asked as I reached him.
“You must be Ford.” He stuck out his hand.
“That’s me,” I replied, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jacob.”
Standing close to him, I took a second to take in his features. He was quite attractive with wavy blond hair and stormy, grayish-blue eyes. They were a color I’d never seen before but was captivated by.
He flashed me a warm smile, those gorgeous eyes twinkling. “Likewise. Glad you could make it tonight.”
“Thanks for inviting me.”
