ly against the tall front windows of The Paper Lily, blurring the edges of the street beyond and turning the world into something hazy and

side the doorway,

ligned like loyal sentinels. The reading nook waited beneath the front window, cushions fluffed, throw blanket n

d been her re

rning, something

turned on the lights one by one, watching the bookstore glow back into existence. Normally, the routine stea

w exact

hol

who had wandered in the night before, dripping rain onto her welcome mat, asking about poetry

d

on. The way he had listened-really listened-without interrupting. The care with which he handled t

where there isn't an

mistaken attention for intention. H

rmined to focus on the day ahead. Inventory needed updating. A shipmen

ings. Saf

nd the street outside stayed mostly empty. Lily worked steadily, grounding herself in small

ed to ring, she felt a flicker

cut through her thoughts like

looke

is time. His hair was still slightly damp, curling at the edges, as if the weather had taken liberties with

gnit

s voice warm but tentative,

e easily than she exp

ained, but real. "I hope I'm n

uickly, then softened he

d-Wuthering Heights, its pages marked with a thin slip of paper. "I d

against the counter

we are," he replied. "I think I wasn't

honesty of that sett

stay as long as y

ook beneath the window. Lily watched him settle into the chair, crossing one ankle

he glanced up, unable to help herself. Nicholas read with an intensity that felt ra

t motes in the air and casting a soft glow around him. Lily loo

pped by

red text, a mother with a child who gravitated immediately toward the picture books. Nicho

noon, he closed the book a

you somethi

cour

books even when yo

out hesitation. "Sometimes especi

hy

point. It's the journey back through it. The way you n

ughtful. "I used to think rereading me

d n

s you're brave enough to face

ath his words w

scare something fragile away. Nicholas spoke of the city he had left behind, of noise and ambition and a sense o

ak of heartbrea

itude, and Nicholas

utside shifted into pale gold and lavender, reflections pool

ze how late it

ally. "I can lose track of

of the sound stirring an unexpected

ng his things. "Th

g back," s

resting briefly on the frame. "I'd l

steady and certain settling

him, the shop felt fuller th

the dim glow for a moment longer than usual.

amatic had

es. No de

thing ha

acknowledge it-not as fear, not

g, unfolding exa