"The Magic of a Book Fair: How I Found More Than Just a Book"

Ira is thrilled to visit the book fair today, I thought to myself. I had never felt such a strong, lively energy before. The place was full of books and people, and it felt perfect. Seeing all this made me imagine running a café with shelves of books.

I picked up a few titles, but one book, with a blue hardcover, stood out. It was, "It Starts with Us" by Colleen Hoover. I had read her bestseller, "It Ends with Us", just a few days ago, and it had really moved me. It was clear I needed to get this new book.

I grabbed the book and hurried to the billing counter, eager to make it mine. But then, the cashier looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, "It Starts with Us" has already been sold." My heart sank. I couldn’t believe it. I asked if there was another copy. But they shook their head and said, This is the last one. I wasn’t ready to accept that. I needed this book. The cashier suggested I talk to the person who had bought it and maybe work something out. "Who is it?" I asked.

"Hey! It's me," a voice called out beside me. I turned to see who it was. Standing there was a charming guy, holding three books. One of them was "The Silent Patient" Impressive choice, I thought. He was handsome, dressed in a crisp white shirt and olive bottoms that suited him perfectly. A sleek watch added a touch of classic elegance to his look—casual, yet effortlessly stylish. As he rolled up his sleeves, the veins on his hands became more prominent, subtly highlighting his toned biceps against the fabric of his shirt.

White really does suit him, I mused to myself.

He took off his sunglasses as he turned to talk to me, revealing eyes that were almost too perfect to be real. His lashes were long and thick, the kind that made you want to keep looking, as if you could get lost in them. And then he smiled; a small, effortless smile as he ran a hand through his hair. Any desire I had to buy a book vanished. Instead, a new idea took hold—I should start writing a novel, and he would be the story.

He walked over and said, "Hi, I took the book." His words snapped me back to reality. I tried to persuade him to let me have it, but he had something else in mind. “How about this,” he suggested with a twinkle in his eye, “we draw chits. Whoever’s name is on the winning chit gets the book.”

It seemed like a fair game. We wrote our names on small pieces of paper and tossed them into the air. I watched eagerly, hoping to see my name on the chit. But fortune favored him—his name was drawn.

It was clear: I had to hand over the book.

I stepped away from the counter and wandered into another section, an hour flew by browsing through a few novels. As I leafed through the pages, I heard footsteps approaching. It was him again!

“Hi! It’s me,” he said with a grin. “I’ve got an idea. How about we share the book? You read it first, and then I’ll read it after you.”

His gesture was so unexpectedly sweet that I felt a warm blush spreading across my cheeks. Though I tried to play it cool. Unsure if he noticed the effect he had on me.

Still in a daze of excitement, I thanked him and took the book before hopping into the cab. Half way through , I suddenly realized I didn’t have his details. It was too late to turn back to the book fair. The thought of never seeing him again left me feeling despondent. How could I ever find him now?

By the time I got home, the book had lost its magic. My mind was completely absorbed by thoughts of him. With a heavy sigh, I opened the book, hoping it would offer some comfort. But the words blurred into incoherence, my mind drifting back to him. He had taken over my thoughts entirely.

Clutching the book to my heart, I was overwhelmed by memories of him. I questioned whether I had made a mistake by not going back to the book fair.

I closed the book with reluctance, feeling it slip away from me. It was harder to shut it than I had anticipated.

Three days gone by without me touching the book. Finally, I assembled the courage to look at it again.

As I leafed through the pages, hoping for some distraction, I stumbled upon something unexpected.

My Eyes!! The last page held his details and a note:

“Hope it doesn’t take too long before we see each other again, Ira ❤️”

I could hardly believe my eyes. I pinched myself, wondering if this was a dream.