Samantha’s POV
“So,” Julian said, leaning forward on the table as I adjusted myself in the chair. “Where did we ‘meet’?”
“Uh… the coffee shop?” I suggested hesitantly.
“Too predictable,” he replied, shaking his head with mock disappointment. “What about the bookstore down the street?”
I blinked, caught off guard. “The bookstore?”
He shrugged, a playful grin forming on his face. “It sounds more romantic, doesn’t it? Like I bumped into you while you were reaching for a book and accidentally knocked it out of your hand?”
I laughed, the mental image playing vividly in my head. “Okay, fine. The bookstore. But what book was I reaching for?”
His eyes lit up with mischief. “Something intellectual, obviously. Maybe a classic—Pride and Prejudice?”
I snorted. “Let’s keep it re
