As Jack approached the shelves, his eyes scanned the rows of books until they landed on Emily, who was sitting on a stool, surrounded by stacks of novels, her hair tied back in a loose bun, a book open in her hands. She looked up, caught his gaze, and smiled. Jack felt a sudden jolt, as if the air around him had shifted. He stumbled over his words, but Emily, with her kind eyes, quickly put him at ease.