Arthur picked up the paperweight. His thumb traced the smooth curve of the glass. “She always did love impossible things,” he murmured. “Seeds that float. Words that travel. People who leave and come back.”
In real life, we try to hide our baggage. In fiction, the baggage must be visible from the first scene. Consider Elizabeth Bennet’s prejudice and Mr. Darcy’s pride. The reason Pride and Prejudice has survived for 200 years is that the obstacle isn’t an evil villain; it’s their own personalities. Romantic tension is not created by proximity; it is created by . Arthur picked up the paperweight