Emma sat alone on a cold bench at the train station, her shoulders hunched as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. She stared at the empty platform, feeling a tight knot of helplessness in her chest.

She had been so excited to visit her friend, Travis, ready to support him when he needed her most. But now her purse was gone, leaving her with no money, no phone, and no way to call for help or reach out.

She couldn’t even return home, as it was no longer hers. Her landlord had raised the rent and found other tenants. Emma was supposed to find a new apartment over the weekend, but now she had no idea what to do.

“Are you okay?” a man’s voice broke through her thoughts. Emma looked up and saw a tall figure standing before her, his face oddly familiar.

“You!” she shouted, a surge of anger pushing through her sadness. “This is all your fault!”

The man’s face twisted in confusion. “Whoa, hold on. What did I do?”

“What did you do?” she echoed, her voice rising. “Because of you, I got robbed! I’m stranded here with nothing—no money, no phone. Nothing!”

He sighed. “Look, I didn’t mean to bump into you earlier. That was an accident.”

“Accident? Or were you working with the thief?” Emma shot back.

“If I was, would I still be hanging around here?” he asked with a slight smirk.

“Maybe you’re sticking around to fool people like me,” she snapped, crossing her arms.

He glanced at his watch and sighed again. “I can prove I had nothing to do with it. But I’ve got a train in the morning, so let’s make this quick, alright?”

Emma eyed him suspiciously. “And how exactly are you planning to prove it?”

“You’ll just have to trust me.” He extended his hand toward her, waiting.

Emma paused, uncertainty flashing across her face. Finally, she took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Without a word, he guided her toward the security office at the edge of the station. She followed, feeling lost but curious.

“Wait here,” he said, giving her a quick nod before stepping inside. Emma fidgeted nervously, her mind filled with questions. After what felt like ages, he came back, grinning, followed by an older security guard.

“We need more men like you these days,” the guard said, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder before heading back.

Emma blinked, still confused. “What… just happened?”

The man chuckled. “Just a friendly chat. Now, I’ve got a lead on where your thief went.”

Emma followed him, still unsure of his plan. He led her across the platform, and her eyes widened when she saw a man in the crowd—holding her bag.

“It’s him!” she shouted, pointing. “That’s definitely him!”

The thief turned, eyes locking with hers. In an instant, he spun around and dashed onto a waiting train. The doors slid shut just as Emma tried to step forward, and the train pulled away, carrying her bag out of sight.

Beside her, the man burst out laughing.

Emma whipped around, glaring. “What’s so funny? Now all my stuff is gone! Again!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well, maybe if you hadn’t shouted for everyone to hear, we’d still have a chance to catch him.”

Emma felt her cheeks flush. “Alright, maybe it wasn’t my smartest move.”

Just then, her stomach gave a loud grumble, and she wrapped her arms around herself, embarrassed.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No,” she lied, but her stomach growled again.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Emma and the man found a small fast-food place near the station. They ordered burgers and fries, then sat across from each other at a tiny table by the window.

“So, why did you decide to help me?” Emma asked, still unsure about him.

He shrugged, grinning. “Well, a prince has to rescue a princess in distress, right?”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “You don’t exactly look like a prince.”

He laughed, glancing at her with a teasing look. “And not all princesses have mascara smeared all over their faces, but here we are.”

Emma blinked, then caught her reflection in the window. Her mascara had run from her earlier tears, her hair was a tangled mess, and her nose was red from the cold. Embarrassed, she grabbed a napkin, wiping her cheeks. “Well, this is as good as it gets right now.”

He watched her, smiling. “Trust me, you’re still stunning.”

Emma felt a warm blush spread across her cheeks, surprised by his words.

Their food arrived, but neither of them seemed to notice as they fell deeper into conversation. Each story or joke they shared felt strangely familiar, and Emma was surprised at how easily they connected, as if they were old friends catching up.

She laughed at his stories, and he listened closely to hers, nodding along, his eyes never leaving hers.

When the check came, he opened his wallet, pulling out some bills. Emma’s gaze fell on a small, creased photo tucked inside—a picture of a little girl and a woman with a warm smile. Something about it made her heart ache, though she couldn’t explain why.

They left the restaurant together, stepping into the night air, and walked slowly along the quiet streets, lost in a comfortable silence.

“Do you believe in magic?” the man asked, a playful glint in his eye.

Emma chuckled, shaking her head. “I’m too old to believe in that.”

“No one’s ever too old for magic.” He reached into his coat sleeve, and with a swift motion, produced a train ticket. He handed it to her with a grin.

Emma’s eyes widened as she examined the ticket. It was for the very train she needed. “How did you…?” She couldn’t hide her surprise. She hadn’t told him where she was going.

“I’m a magician,” he whispered, leaning closer, “but don’t tell anyone.”

She laughed, though curiosity flickered in her eyes. “Come on, I’m serious.”

“So am I,” he replied with a wink. Then, seeing her still looking puzzled, he added, “Alright, alright. I overheard you on the phone earlier, talking about where you were going, right before we bumped into each other.”

Emma narrowed her eyes. “And when did you buy the ticket?”

He leaned back, crossing his arms. “A magician never reveals all his secrets.”

She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. After a moment’s pause, he spoke again. “Look, I booked a room at a nearby hotel for tonight. If you want, you’re welcome to stay. I promise, nothing inappropriate. You can even have the bed—I’ll take the floor.”

Emma’s smile faded slightly. “Won’t your wife and daughter mind?”

He looked at her, momentarily confused, then understood. “Oh, you saw the photo.” He shook his head. “No wife. My daughter is with my ex.”

Emma nodded slowly. “Oh… got it.”

He cleared his throat. “What about you? Husband? Kids?”

Emma’s gaze dropped. “I can’t have children. Though I always wanted them.”

His face softened. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up—”

“It’s okay,” she said gently. “I found out as a teenager. I’ve had time to accept it.” She paused, a faint smile returning. “As for a husband? My closest thing to that is pretending to be my friend’s fake girlfriend for Thanksgiving dinner.”

He laughed. “Well, that’s a twist! Not sure who’s more pathetic, you or him.”

Emma elbowed him playfully. “Hey, at least I don’t keep photos of my ex in my wallet.”

“Touché.”

She laughed, then explained, “My friend’s hiding his orientation, and his family started asking questions. He needed someone to play the role, so I offered.”

He nodded. “I get it. My brother’s the same. He thinks everyone forgot he wore dresses as a kid and still believes they buy that he’s straight.” That made her laugh.

Eventually, they reached the hotel, and Emma decided it was better to stay there for the night than at the cold, empty station.

When they entered the small room, she spotted a bottle of champagne in the minibar and pulled it out with a grin. He laughed, grabbing a couple of glasses.

They spent hours talking, sharing stories, and listening to the muffled beat of music from a neighboring room. At one point, he got up and spun her around in a clumsy dance, both of them laughing until they were breathless.

Emma couldn’t remember the last time she felt so at ease, so carefree. With him, she felt comfortable—maybe more comfortable than she ever had with anyone.

The next morning, she woke up to find him still asleep beside her. She barely remembered falling asleep and wondered, for a second, if anything had happened.

Slowly, she slipped out of bed and began putting on her coat, trying not to wake him. But then he stirred, opening his eyes groggily.

“Leaving already?” he asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in bed.

“Yes, my train leaves soon,” she replied, her voice soft. She paused, glancing at him. “Did we…?”

“Did we what?” he replied, his expression puzzled. Then, he got it. “Oh, no. We didn’t.”

“Oh, good. That’s… good,” she murmured, locking eyes with him. For a moment, she felt a rush of courage. Without another word, Emma leaned down and kissed him, then slipped out the door without a backward glance.

Once she’d gone, he stood there, smiling. “Did we…?” he repeated with a grin. “Oh, we definitely did.”

As the train pulled away, Emma watched the station fade into the distance. She thought about him, realizing she didn’t even know his name.

It felt strange, yet somehow it didn’t matter. Last night had been like a dream, and maybe that was all it needed to be—a beautiful memory.

When the train arrived, she spotted Travis waiting for her. He waved, looking relieved as he took her bag. They stopped at a small café near the station to grab some coffee, sharing quiet smiles as they sipped. Soon, they stood at his parents’ front door, and Emma could see the worry in his eyes.

“This is going to be miserable. I can’t handle tonight,” Travis muttered, shifting nervously. “And now, my brother’s ex won’t even let him bring his daughter. Perfect. So now all the attention is on me.”

“Relax,” Emma said, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. “Your family will love me. No one will think twice. We’ve got this.”

Travis exhaled, bracing himself. “I hope you’re right,” he mumbled. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and led her in.

And there he was—the man from last night, her “dream.” Emma’s heart skipped a beat as she saw him. She couldn’t hold back her smile.

Travis began to introduce him, “This is my brother—”

The man stepped forward and extended his hand to her. “Liam,” he said, his eyes meeting hers.

“Emma,” she replied, smiling back, her hand lingering in his.