Oliver’s answer was immediate, his voice warm and sincere. “Honesty and compassion. I believe a relationship should be built on a foundation of trust, where both people feel safe toshare their true selves without judgment. I’m not big on getting to know someone only to find out months later they have a huge secret they didn’t bother sharing. If you have a secret, I want to know it. I won’t tell anyone, but I want the right to know up front if I should give you my heart or not. Some secrets are deal-breakers, and that’s why people keep them a secret.” He trailed off, and he gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I’ll get off my soapbox.”
Stone shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his gaze fixed on Oliver. It was like the guy knew Stone had a secret he’d not yet shared and was passing judgment on Stone while trying to warn Sophie.
Damn. Was Oliver right? Should he tell Sophie? Of course he shouldn’t. They weren’t really an item. But if they were…
“And what’s one thing you’re passionate about?” Sophie asked.
“I’m passionate about giving back,” Oliver responded. “Whether it’s through the bookstore or my work with local charities, I feel it’s important to contribute positively to the community that has given me so much. It’s my way of keeping my late wife’s spirit alive; she was deeply committed to volunteering.”
Stone made a mental note to discover how Oliver’s wife had died.
Sophie nodded, visibly moved. “That’s admirable. Last question: Describe your ideal partner.”
Oliver paused, considering his words carefully. “My ideal partner would be someone kind-hearted and supportive, someone who shares a passion for making a difference and values quiet evenings as much as lively gatherings. Someone who understands the joy of a good book and the simple pleasure of a cup of coffee shared in good company.”
As he spoke, Sophie leaned in as if totally caught up in his words.
Stone watched the exchange, a knot forming in his stomach. Oliver’s answers weren’t just hero-worthy—they were a direct echo of Sophie’s own values and desires.
The interview concluded with Oliver’s gracious thanks and an invitation to return anytime.
As they stepped out of Oliver’s bookstore, Stone glanced down at his T-shirt emblazoned withTo Be Continued. A counterpart to her own that saidChapter One. He found himself not resenting the implication that he was a part of her forward journey. Not today. The sense of belonging, even if it was just a façade crafted for the sake of their undercover act, felt surprisingly comfortable. Like an extra blanket on a cold stakeout, wrapped around his carefully guarded heart, making him wish it could be real.
As they walked, Stone caught his reflection in a shop window. The cardigan and tee ensemble he wore was supposed to mimic Oliver’s style, a part of the wholeboyfriendimage Sophie wanted to project. He eyed his image critically.
Oliver, with his genuine warmth and effortless charm, had worn the look naturally, embodying the role with grace. Oliver didn’t just wear the clothes; he seemed to live them, weaving each thread with the same care he extended to everyone around him.
Stone, on the other hand, wore the outfit simply because Sophie wished it, the fabric feeling more like a costume than a second skin. He was a fraud. A battle-weary knight awkwardly disguised as a poet, trying to fit into her world.
Sophie deserved a guy like Oliver, a man whose life wasn’t as shadowed and complicated as his. A man who didn’t have secrets that could potentially be nonstarters. A man she could kiss goodbye to go to work and feel quite confident he’d return…unharmed.
Stone’s gaze shifted to Sophie, who was animatedly discussing Oliver’s answers to her questions. He watched her, admiring her energy. She was so fiercely dedicated to her quest for the perfect story, the perfect hero, yet oblivious to the complexities she wove into his life with each step they took.
In herChapter OneT-shirt, she seemed ready to begin a new venture. As the man currently wearingTo Be Continuedon his chest, he couldn’t help but wonder just how the in-between chapters would unfold. Was he a subplot, and it was Oliver who would become the central thread in the tapestry of her life? Or was Oliver nothing more than a complication they would overcome?
Later, as they sat at a small café table, surrounded by the quiet hum of conversations, Stone decided it was time to test the waters.
“Sophie,” he began, while she was still scribbling down notes, “have you ever thought that maybe some stories are meant to be lived, not just written about?”
Sophie looked up, her expression curious. “What do you mean?”
“I mean Oliver,” Stone forced himself to say. “He’s exactly the kind of man you describe wanting. But if you put him out there as this ideal book boyfriend, you’re opening his world to every other single woman in Manhattan. Why not keep him for yourself and find another to share with the masses?”
Once, when he’d been very young, Clarabelle had taken him and his brothers to church. The preacher had spoken about birds, and how if you loved them, you let them go. If they never came back, they were never yours to begin with. This was him letting Sophie go. Pushing her toward a guy worthy to be called a book boyfriend hero.
Sophie paused, her pen hovering over her notebook. “That reminds me, I forgot to ask him if he would be willing toparticipate in the bachelor auction should he be chosen for one of my columns.”
“All the more reason not to choose him for a feature,” Stone pushed.
Sophie’s brow furrowed. “Well, he is awfully yummy. But what if I didn’t choose him and then he didn’t even ask me out on a date? What a waste that would be.”
“But what if he did, and you hit it off, and you found your fairytale ending?”
“Hmm,” she replied, obviously chewing on the thought.
Stone watched her face as she imagined a life with Oliver. “He is everything you want in a man…right?”
“Maybe,” she said, surprising him with her indecision. “Maybe not.”
