Page 114 of You Fall First

Bridger

Sorry, man. Loren and I have an afternoon Zoom meeting with our partner about the fundraiser next weekend.

Loren

We’ll miss you, though!

Bridger

Side note: I sent everyone an Evite. But no pressure.

Kendal

For Saturday night?

Loren

That’s the one. Kids welcome. We’d love to see you.

Jo

Looking forward to it.

Jo wasn’t even going to the fundraiser until last night. Now she’s attending as my girlfriend.

I stare at her response, then I send my own.

Me

Same.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jo

“Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

I tuck my hair behind my ear and take in the darkened theater. The space is lit by those tiny intermittent movie lights that run below the giant screen, along the baseboards, and down the aisles. On both sides of the room, rows of plush velvet seats sit empty, folded up against their chair backs. The only other person we’ve seen is the teenage boy who unlocked the door for us. He’s still in the lobby, ready to work the popcorn and soda machines.

The rest of the theater is abandoned.

“Positive,” Noah says.

Kendal texted the group a few minutes ago to let us know all her kids were asleep at the same time, and apparently it’s against the law to interrupt a nap eclipse. My parents also begged out, citing serious parents-of-the-bride fatigue, which is fair enough.

Still, I expected Hadley and Link to be here. Sayla and Dex, too. My mind’s already a whirlwind of senses, replaying Noah’s kiss from last night. Without at least a few more people here to distract me, I’ll spend the entire movie thinking about him.

“Where is everyone else?” I ask.

Noah shrugs. “I’ll check the back lot. Why don’t you two grab us some seats?”

Without waiting for further instructions, Dutton snatches my hand and tugs me to the row closest to the theater doors. He’s still dressed as Woody. Cowboy hat, boots, and all.

“Here!” he announces.

I puff out a laugh. “We could pick anywhere, and you want the last row?”

He nods, stopping midway to stare down at the seats. He doesn’t know what to do with a collapsed theater chair, so I push the bottom down while he climbs on. His boots stick straight out, and his whole body wiggles with excitement.