Ethan watched her from across the café, his fingers tightening around his coffee cup. She wasn’t doing anything special—just reading, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear—but somehow, she had his full attention.
He’d seen her here before, always alone, always lost in a book. Today, though, something was different. Maybe it was the way the afternoon sun caught her eyes, or the small, absentminded smile on her lips.
“Go talk to her,” his friend nudged, grinning.
Ethan hesitated. Did she even know he existed?
Before he could second-guess himself, she looked up. Their eyes met.
And she smiled—at him.
His heart stuttered.
Maybe today was the day.