Gemotions

The bookshop smelled of old paper and dust, a combination that usually soothed Leo. Today, however, it only amplified his simmering frustration. He’d been promised a signed first edition. Instead, the cover was peeling, the pages dog-eared, and the signature was clearly a cheap forgery. He felt a throbbing in his temples. He flipped through the pages, his touch rough, almost violent.

Then, a small envelope, tucked inside the back, tumbled out. Inside, a pressed wildflower and a single sentence: "Remember the meadow, love." He snapped the envelope back up, the corners of his mouth twitching. The whole thing was ludicrous. He tossed the book, the envelope, and all his hopes of a good find back into the arms of the startled shopkeeper.