Reservations

“Well, I don’t know, really. At my school, we have a social media deal on the school’s website. All the current students have automatic accounts, and if we graduate, we keep them forever to help mentor new students. Does your school have that?” she asked.

Thane had no real idea. “Keep going…”

“I don’t know, Thane. If you could find a way to talk to him… At my school, Secret Networks powers our community. It’s an easier interface, designed like personal chat rooms. It’s kind of a sleeker, older version of social media.” Erin got up and went for her phone on the cabinet in the kitchen. “It’s like different components of social media. It’s not designed to just chat with anyone. Instead, it’s more of a one-on-one mechanism that facilitates easier communication. Kind of like Wilder Hangouts. Are you familiar with that?”

“I don’t do social media at all, but I do teleconferencing all the time,” Thane reminded Erin as she grabbed her seat and dragged the chair around the table closer to him. She worked her phone until she found what she was looking for then turned the screen so he could see.

“This is a smaller, very basic profile that I can link to my real social media pages or just have this one like it is. Most of the younger generations have pictures, the older ones not so much,” Erin explained, crossing one leg over the other as she positioned the phone for him to see as she showed him the workings of her profile. “Think of it like this: it’s just alumni, staff, and students working together for a better school experience. If you don’t have a college email address, you can’t get in. Secret Networks created the concept a couple of years ago, and it’s really taken off as a source of networking for students and new graduates.”

Thane took her phone and swiped around a bit, familiarizing himself with the site. His eyes narrowed as he contemplated the possibility of how this application could help him with Levi. Maybe he could get Levi talking to him over something like this. Build a friendship with Levi… His heart immediately rejected that idea. He wanted more than that, but dammit, Thane just wasn’t anywhere close to giving up his requirements.

“I don’t know,” he said, handing her the phone.

“Let me search Johns Hopkins.”

He waited, taking another bite of the neglected pancakes then drinking his cooling coffee while she worked her phone.

“I found it.”

Thane tilted his head enough to watch everything she did. “What’s his name?”

“Levi Silva. With an i. L-e-v-i.”

“Oh, Thane, he’s hot,” she stated, turning the phone his way.

He was unprepared for the jolt of desire sweeping through his body as he took the phone and isolated the photo, making the picture larger. Nice-looking didn’t begin to describe Levi, at least not to him. Even in what looked like a standard, run-of-the-mill enrollment picture, Levi’s extraordinary handsomeness came shining through. His look just did it for Thane. He was exotic, yet all-American, and those perfect suck-me lips… Shit.

Thane forced himself to hand the phone back.

“Okay, well, he’s in here. Your school’s in here. It might be a way to talk to him without being aggressive, but you have to be the one to do it. I can’t access anything inside there,” Erin said.

“Send me that link?” he asked, completely unsure if this were a good or bad idea.

“Sure. I also can’t see the alumni accounts, but I’m certain you have a profile. I’ll help if you want me to,” she offered eagerly.

“Will he think it’s stalkerish?” Thane asked.

That was his biggest concern. He had vowed to leave Levi alone, and exactly twenty-four hours later, he now wanted to make contact. Probably not the best idea.

“Not if you handle it right. Besides, what’s it hurt?” she said with a casual shrug.

“You’re right. It can’t possibly get any worse.” Which sounded dramatic and understated all at the same time.

“Good, then give it a try,” she said, unfolding her long body from the chair. “I’m taking these to Corey. You start on your profile, and I’ll be back to check on you.” She pushed the chair back to the other side of the table and lifted the pancakes and syrup. “I’m leaving the mess for you to clean up. Also, I found the SPCA does let you walk the dogs, so no more excuse about yappie hour, mister. Thursday night.” She kissed the top of his head and exited through the patio door.

Thane sat there, thinking. Maybe the alumni thing could work. His heart sure saw the benefits. His head, not so much. Maybe he should wait. A sudden slice of pain over that irritating organ in his chest nearly crippled him. Apparently, his heart was determined to make anything but doing the right thing impossible. If for nothing more than to apologize, the sooner he reached out to Levi, the better. Thane got to his feet and went to warm his coffee. He needed to shower, call the resort to have someone store the belongings he’d left behind, and then he’d take a look at that alumni software. It surely couldn’t hurt to build an account.