Malachi had set it up so that he could meet her by chance in the cozy bookstore where she often looked for new books. He knew her tastes, knew that she usually chose something from contemporary prose, or perhaps something deeper and more philosophical.

That evening he stood by the shelf with her favorite genre, pretending to read the annotation on the cover carefully. When she approached a neighboring shelf, he moved unobtrusively closer, keeping the right distance so as not to scare her off. She, immersed in her choices, didn't even notice him. But then, deliberately, he dropped the book, which fell with a thud right next to her feet.

I'm sorry - he said with a slight smile as she picked it up and held it out to him, slightly embarrassed.