Amanda can’t stop staring at Luke.
She’s standing outside Kincaid’s bookshop, where he works—
Watching him through the storefront window.
He’s handing a bag to a customer.
It might seem creepy if someone caught her staring.
She went into the shop for the first time right before Christmas.
To buy chapter books for her second-grade class.
And it wasn’t the prices that kept her coming back.
Luke finishes with the customer.
And Amanda finally heads inside.
Luke
It’s good to see you back.
Luke
Can I help you find anything?
She always gets distracted by Luke’s forest green eyes.
Luke raises one eyebrow, still smiling.
Amanda
Do you have any recommendations?
Luke
Well, it’s almost Valentine’s Day.
Luke
Have you ever tried reading romance?
Amanda
I read the Hunger Games trilogy a few years ago.
Luke
No…I’m talking about real romance.
Luke
Written-in-the-stars true love.
Amanda’s heart skips a beat.
Luke walks out from behind the counter.
His green flannel shirt is rolled up to his forearms.
Amanda can’t help but notice his muscles.
Amanda
I guess I’ve never really read a romance novel before.
Luke
Well, let’s fix that.
She follows him down an aisle to the back of the store.
The bookshelves are filled with colorful paperback spines.
Amanda
There are so many!
Amanda
I’m not sure where to start…
Luke
I can help you narrow it down.
Luke
Do you have a specific genre you’re interested in?
Luke
Contemporary, regency, paranormal…
Amanda
Contemporary, I guess.
His praise makes her cheeks warm.
He reaches past her to a shelf above her head.
She can feel the heat of his body radiating against her skin.
And the spicy scent of his cologne makes her breath hitch.
Luke
I saw what I was looking for and got excited.
She’s knows exactly what he means…
Amanda takes the novel from Luke and glances at the cover.
It’s covered in cute little candy hearts and shows a couple embracing.
It doesn’t look like something she’d normally read…
But Luke always seems to know what she likes.
Luke
That one is about a guy who’s crushing on a girl.
Luke
But he’s too afraid to tell her how he feels.
They’re standing so close.
Is he talking about himself?
Amanda
What about the girl?
Amanda
Does she feel the same way?
Luke
You’ll just have to read it and find out.
Amanda clutches the book to her chest.
They return to the counter.
Luke rings up her purchase and hands her the bag.
Luke
Let me know how you like it.
Light headed and walking on air.
Is she imagining the sparks between them?
Or maybe he feels it too.
And pulls out her new book.
She notices a pink paper heart between the pages.
Kincaid Bookshop invites you to their Booked for Valentine’s Day Party.
Luke must have slipped the invitation into her book when she was busy staring into his eyes.
A thrill runs through her.
But she doesn’t want to read into it.
Luke probably invited all his customers.
She puts the invitation on her nightstand…
Amanda practically runs through the door of Kincaid’s bookshop.
Amanda’s suddenly embarrassed,
She probably looks a little scary…
She didn’t sleep a wink last night.
Luke
You “booked” it back here fast…
Amanda laughs, suddenly at ease.
Amanda
That book you gave me.
Amanda
I couldn’t put it down.
Amanda
Do you have any more like that?
Luke
Let’s go check it out.
They walk to the back of the store.
Luke
If you liked that author, I have another one you’ll love.
Amanda
How do you know so much about romance novels?
Luke
They were always lying around the house.
Luke
I picked one up one day, out of curiosity.
Luke smiles, caught up in his own memory…
And Amanda can’t help but smile back.
Amanda
My mom loves to read thrillers.
Amanda
And watch true crime documentaries.
Amanda
It made her a little paranoid when I went off to college, but…
Amanda
It all worked out.
Luke chuckles, a low sweet rumble.
Luke
My mom doesn’t do scary.
Luke
She likes a guaranteed happily ever after.
Luke
I guess I like that too.
Amanda
Which you don’t always get in life.
Amanda
So, no happily ever after for you?
Luke
I was always really shy around girls.
Luke
I didn’t date much until after college.
Luke
So, no, I haven’t found the one, yet.
Luke
Though, I’m looking.
Reaching past her for another book…
His face mere inches from hers.
Lips close enough to touch.
Luke
This author is one of my mom’s favorites.
Luke
I think you’ll love her.
Amanda
Hopefully I won’t read this one as fast.
Luke
The faster you read it…
Luke
The faster you’ll come back.
Did he add that hasty addition because he’s shy?
Or because he doesn’t want to give her the wrong impression?
She notices him slip another heart invite into the book.
Amanda
The Valentine’s Day party sounds fun.
Luke
Are you gonna make it?
Amanda
Are you taking the night off?
Luke
Owners don’t get days off.
Amanda
I had no idea you owned this place.
Luke
Yeah, it was my mom’s.
Luke
She retired last year.
Amanda
Thanks again for all your help.
Luke
Hope to see you soon.
Luke
Maybe on Valentine’s Day?
Amanda catches herself skipping out of the store.
She’s wearing a red dress and heels.
With a black winter coat.
She spent hours trying to pick out an outfit.
She walks through the door of the shop.
And hits her head on one of many dangling pink hearts.
There’s a crowd of people milling around.
Drinking wine and eating pink cupcakes.
Some of the shop clerks are talking about the latest romance books.
But she doesn’t see Luke.
She heads for the back of the shop.
And there he is, in the romance aisle.
He’s standing with his back to her.
Studying the rainbow array of spines.
Amanda takes a deep breath.
His face is so filled with joy that her knees wobble.
Amanda
I told you I would.
Luke
I have something for you.
He crosses the distance between them.
Pulls something from inside his black blazer.
She notices he’s wearing a tie covered in candy hearts.
And loves how he isn’t afraid to be silly.
Luke
I made this for you.
He hands Amanda a beautiful pink card.
It looks like a book cover.
She opens the card and reads it silently.
The first time you walked into the store.
And grabbed that new young adult novel for yourself.
I joked that Dystopian novels were so 1984.
That I wanted to know you better.
Amanda’s eyes fill with tears…
Even as she laughs at his terrible pun.
She dashes at her wet cheeks with the back of her hand.
Amanda
I had no idea you felt that way.
Luke meeting her halfway.
Amanda feels her entire body melt into his.
Eventually they break apart—
Her heart full to the brim.
Amanda
I’m booked on you, too.
