Rain lashed against the bookstore window, blurring the world outside. Evelyn, nose deep in a well-worn paperback, barely noticed. A gust of wind rattled the door, and a man stumbled in, shaking water from his hair. He looked like a drowned cat, all rumpled clothes and sheepish smiles.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled, brushing droplets off his worn leather jacket. Evelyn looked up, startled by the interruption. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the rain was the only sound. He had kind eyes, the color of melted chocolate, and a dimple that winked when he grinned.

"No worries," Evelyn finally said, her voice barely a whisper.

He shuffled past the shelves, muttering to himself as he scanned the spines. Finally, he landed on a book about ancient astronomy, the same one Evelyn had been eyeing

They both reached for it at the same time, their hands brushing. A jolt of electricity shot through Evelyn.

"Oh, go ahead," he said, gesturing to the book. "Seems like it meant to be yours."

The next day, Evelyn returned to the bookstore. The astronomy book was gone, but the man was there, browsing the travel section. This time, she gathered her courage and walked up to him.

"Hi," she said, her voice a little shaky. "You know, there's another section on astronomy, over there."

He looked up, startled, then a slow smile spread across his face. "The rain must have fried my brain yesterday. Thanks for the tip."

They talked for hours that day, about constellations and forgotten cities, their easy laughter echoing through the quiet bookstore. As the sun began to set, casting long shadows through the window

, Evelyn knew she'd found something special amongst the rain-soaked shelves, a connection as warm and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a stormy day.

Evelyn bought the book, their fingers brushing again during the exchange. He lingered a moment more, then mumbled goodbye and disappeared back into the storm.