Dinner with Anna

Emily pushed the last customer out of the bookstore with an apologetic smile. She loved her job, but it wasn't exactly easy dealing with people who asked for "that one book with the blue cover."

As she locked up, her phone buzzed.

Anna: We're going out for dinner. No excuses.

Emily: Tired. Can we raincheck?

Anna: No. You've been sulking since Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome walked into your life. I need the tea.

Emily sighed, knowing resistance was futile. She grabbed her bag and hailed a cab, mentally preparing herself for Anna's inevitable interrogation.

...

At the restaurant, Anna was already seated, scrolling through her phone. She looked up and waved Emily over.

"You look... average," Anna teased, scanning Emily's casual sweater and jeans.

"And you look like you're about to audition for a reality show," Emily shot back, noting Anna's sparkly dress and perfectly coiffed hair.

Anna leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, Ethan?"

Emily groaned. "Can we not?"

"Oh, we're absolutely talking about him. You don't just have a billionaire walk into your bookstore and not discuss it."

Emily sighed. "He's... persistent. That's all."

"Persistent? Girl, he's practically marking his territory. Do you like him?"

"I don't even know him!" Emily protested.

Anna smirked. "And yet, you blush every time his name comes up."

Emily took a large sip of her water, refusing to dignify that with a response.

...

Meanwhile, across the city, Ethan was having dinner with John. Or rather, John was having dinner while Ethan stared broodingly at his glass of wine.

"You're doing it again," John said, not looking up from his steak.

"Doing what?"

"Brooding. You've been in a mood ever since you started frequenting that bookstore."

Ethan sighed. "It's not the bookstore. It's... her."

John raised an eyebrow. "Her? You mean the one you keep pretending to buy books from?"

"I'm not pretending."

"You bought The Art of Crochet for Beginners, Ethan."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "She's... different. She doesn't care about money or status. She's real."

John smirked. "Sounds like you've got it bad."

"It's not like that," Ethan said quickly. Too quickly.

"Sure," John said, cutting into his steak. "But just so you know, you're terrible at hiding your feelings. If you're not careful, you'll scare her off."

Ethan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Women like her don't fall for grand gestures. They fall for authenticity. Be yourself, Ethan. Or, you know, the less intimidating version of yourself."

....

Back at the restaurant, Anna was still in full interrogation mode.

"So, what's stopping you? He's hot, rich, and clearly interested."

Emily twirled her fork in her pasta. "What if he's just bored? Guys like him don't settle down with women like me. I'm a small-town girl with a minimum-wage job. He's... well, Ethan."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Stop selling yourself short. You're smart, funny, and way out of his league emotionally. If anything, he should be worried."

Emily laughed despite herself. "Thanks, Anna. But I'm not looking for complications."

"Life is a complication," Anna said dramatically. "You might as well enjoy the perks."

....

Later that night, as Emily curled up in bed with her favorite book, her phone buzzed again.

Ethan: What's your favorite book?

Emily stared at the message, her heart doing an annoying little flutter. She debated ignoring it but found herself typing back.

Emily: That's a tough question. Why do you ask?

Ethan: I want to understand what makes you, you.

Emily: That's a cheesy line, even for you.

Ethan: Maybe. But it's true.

She smiled despite herself, her worries fading into the background as their conversation continued late into the night.