“Anna is introduced to the idea of Erik when a mutual friend asks her to refer him to a job. After learning more about him—his supposed intelligence, character, and that he grew up just 30 minutes away—she forwards his resume to HR and saves it, somewhat surprised that a boy described as “introverted, extremely creative, and very sensitive” is an Erik with a K.”

“Anna and Erik meet for the first time at an engagement dinner in Georgia. The “introverted, extremely creative, and very sensitive” person she expected is instead one of the loudest and most gregarious people alive; someone who doesn’t just like to party but is the party, who talks to strangers at bars and likes to get in the front seat of the Uber. She wonders if this is an act, or if he is just insane. He only makes eye contact with her once.”

“At a wedding reception, Anna overhears someone try to set Erik up on a date. Hearing the description of the allegedly Great Girl, Anna tells Erik that this date is doomed. Erik says he needs to give people a chance if he wants to find someone to be with. Anna’s scathing retort is masked sadness at the idea of Erik being happy with someone else who is nothing like her, a feeling she does not deserve to feel and subsequently washes down with a glass of champagne from the champagne tray.”

“Anna is visiting friends in another city. Everyone decides to undertake a project—homemade ravioli—for dinner. During a particularly disastrous cleanup, she notices that Erik is always the first guest to start doing the dishes. He is the first to make sure everyone has more wine, running out before he can fill his own glass. Afterwards, they go to a terrible bar, where they pass time in red velvet banquette hell watching endless slideshows of celebrity headshots on a TV monitor and referencing imaginary casts of movies they never starred in, many of which include Bette Midler. On the ride home, Erik makes sure she has her seatbelt on. The next morning, Anna finds herself covered with a blanket, unsure how it got there. ”

“Anna receives a text message from an unfamiliar number asking if she is interested in going to a concert in Los Angeles. She ignores it, thinking it’s creepy that the sender addressed her by name. By the time she learns who the number belongs to, the show is already over. ”

“Anna visits those friends again for a music festival; Erik, who she learns has moved to Texas, decides to fly in for the same event. Time, though she doesn’t know it, has shifted their positions; Erik seems different than she remembers, though she’s not sure what’s changed. On the festival lawn, Anna shows him rare warmth and says that she thinks he is “a deeply good person who will meet someone great.” He responds to this by offering her a sip of his Corona. ”

“Erik puts music on, and though she is unsure what the words say, Anna is drawn to this song. She discovers it is music he made himself earlier that week; she knew he was a musician, but not that he was good. Later, the subject turns to an upcoming birthday. Anna, in her final year of her 20’s, admits she’s given up on doing anything special for hers. ”

“It’s raining, so the group decides to go to a nice restaurant. Seated across from their friends, who order items to share, Erik and Anna agree to do the same. Splitting a rare filet mignon leads Erik to offer much more about his life than he has in the past; four years later Anna finds he is, after all, “a quiet, creative, and deeply sensitive person.” Towards the end of the night, Anna returns to the table to find a glass of champagne, which she is convinced was brought to the wrong person. Erik, amused, says there is no mistake: he just wanted to make sure she got to celebrate her birthday, but told the server it would need to be something more subtle than cake.”

“Anna obtains the song Erik played in the living room during their last encounter, and listens to it on headphones. Maybe she is just imagining things, but now that she can hear the words better, she is pretty sure it is about her. ”

“After many distant conversations, Erik and Anna decide to meet for the first time, just the two of them. With exactly 22 hours between a bridal shower and an international work trip, Anna arranges to land in Texas, where Erik lives. He has promised her wine, music, and cacio e pepe. Anna fears the ominous weather has other plans, but her flight takes off on time. ”

“10 minutes before she is supposed to land, the pilot announces a sudden change of course: the radio tower in Dallas was struck by lightning, forcing every airport to send their planes elsewhere to get away from the storm. They are now landing in Austin, and she lets Erik know she won’t make it. Anna cashes in a Southwest coupon for a mini bottle of vodka and books a last-minute hotel, determined this just was not meant to be after all.”

“Anna meets Erik in the hotel lobby, still shocked he drove all that way. She asks him: why would you do this? Why did you come?

“Because I had to know.”

Anna tells him he is crazy, but as Erik says: when you know, you *know*.”