It’s the fountain pens that capture Valentin’s attention on the morning commute, not the perfectly imperfect man who spends his train rides using them. Not his pinstriped suits, his chin-length hair, or his perpetually raised eyebrow. But one morning when the man strikes up a written conversation, Valentin gives up all pretense. It’s not just the pens. It’s the man. Runar.
The conversations continue, and the men get to know each other better, sharing secrets they've never told another soul. The connection is powerful, growing stronger with every encounter, every scribbled conversation, every scorching look. But can secrets shared on a train be enough to build a forever?
Chapter 1Monday, February 13 When I board the train, the man sits in his usual spot. He always occupies the same seat in the back corner of the silent car, a four-seater with a table, always with a notebook open in front of him. This morning, his eyebrows are drawn together, creating two vertical lines above his nose, and he taps the pen against his chin, as though whatever it is he’s scribbling in his notebook is giving him trouble. The man is gorgeous, and I can’t stop looking at him. Not classically handsome—his nose is too big and a little crooked, his brow ridge on the heavy side with one eyebrow arched a little higher than the other as though he’s perpetually asking “what?” His face is narrow, austere, and I imagine he’s a perfect negotiator, giving nothing away. Everything about h