"So," Mac started, leaning forward slightly. "What are you reading right now?"
Rachel's expression brightened immediately, some of her guardedness melting away. "Right now? Three books, actually. I'm a mood reader. I keep several going at once depending on how I'm feeling."
"Three at once?" Mac blinked. "How do you keep track of all the plots?"
"It's not that hard when they're different genres. I've got a mystery, the new Louise Penny, for when I want something engaging. A rom-com for when I want something comforting. And I'm rereading Pride and Prejudice because—" She paused, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Because it's my comfort read. I've read it about… twenty times."
"Twenty times?" Mac couldn't hide his surprise. "The same book?"
"It's a very good book." Rachel dropped her eyes. "I know that probably sounds boring—"
"It doesn't," Mac interrupted. "It sounds like you found something you love and you keep going back to it. That's not boring. That's... loyal. Dedicated. Those are good things."
Surprise flickering across her face. "Most people think it's weird to reread books. They always ask why I don't read something new."
"I rewatch the same hockey games," Mac admitted. "Stanley Cup finals from 2010? I've probably seen it fifty times. If I enjoyed it once, why not enjoy it again?" He leaned forward slightly. "Tell me about it. Why that book?"
"You really want to know?"
"I really do."
Rachel studied him, as if trying to determine if he was sincere or being polite. Whatever she saw in his expression must have satisfied her because she started talking, her whole demeanor shifting as she spoke.
"It's about second chances. About people misjudging each other at first and then realizing they were wrong. About love that grows from understanding and respect rather than instant attraction. And Elizabeth Bennet is brave and smart and doesn't let anyone tell her what to do or define who she should be. I admire that about her."
Mac listened, fascinated. Not necessarily by the book, he'd never read it, classic literature had never been his thing, but by the way Rachel's whole face lit up when she talked about something she loved. Her eyes got brighter. Her hands moved as she talked. She became less guarded, more animated.
"You should read it," Rachel said, then immediately backtracked. "I mean, if you want. No pressure. I know not everyone likes classic literature. It can be slow-paced if you're used to more modern writing."
"I'd like to. If you recommend it, it must be good."
"Really?"
"Really. Although fair warning. I'm a slow reader when it’s not mystery. Will you judge me if it takes me a month or two to finish it?"
"I would never judge someone for reading, no matter how long it takes them." Rachel's smile was more genuine now. "Although fair warning of my own: if you tell me you don't like Mr. Darcy, I might have to end this date early."
"Who's Mr. Darcy?"
"The love interest. He's proud and standoffish at first, but actually kind and good underneath all the pride. He just... doesn't know how to show it properly."
"Sounds complicated."
"The best characters always are. People are complicated. Books that pretend they're not are boring."
Sophie returned with their drinks, Rachel's usual latte with what looked like an elaborate leaf design in the foam, Mac's black coffee, and a plate of pastries that definitely hadn't been on the menu. "On the house," Sophie said with a smile. "Enjoy, you two."
Then they talked. Really talked.
Mac learned that Rachel was a speed reader, that her cat was named Mr. Darcy, "after the character, obviously", and was orange, judgmental, and hated everyone except her. That she'd only been in Evergreen Cove for six months but already loved the library, loved the quiet, loved helping people find exactly the right book even when they didn't know what they needed.
"It's like matchmaking," Rachel explained, her hands wrapped around her coffee mug. "Someone comes in saying they want a mystery, but what they really want is an escape from their stressful job. So I don't give them a dark thriller. I give them a cozy mystery with a cat and a bookshop owner. Something comforting."
"That's really thoughtful," Mac said. "I never thought about it like that."
"Most people don't. They think librarians just check out books and shush people."
Rachel learned that Mac's mother had died in childbirth, that his father had raised him alone in their house by the water. That his dad was a fisherman and hunter.
