y

ted candle could fake. I moved toward a rack near the back, looking at a simple, dar

ady crossing the room before I'

y n

d past me and pulled a differe

of dress that looked like it belonged on a runway rather than a person who once ate noodles for six days straight to make re

or your opinion

aid, turning to hand it to

o calm a

ady knowing that arguing with

to have the last word, flipping the little

opped straigh

taring at the number like it might grow z

said, entire

costs more than my entire life," I h

Put it back on the rack again and I'll just buy it anyway. It's still a wi

stretching on endlessly, offering up nothing but glittering fabric and impossible choices. Alex still had that unreadable

he announced. "Which means we need to leave in ten minutes, which means..." he clapped his hands together once for dramatic effect. "N

concept of boundaries or personal space evaporated the moment luxury shopping was involved. I let myself be herded l

eered toward the fitting rooms by two men who clearly weren't used

I owned combined, and something ugly and uncomfortable settled low in my chest. It wasn't g

ng aside and dragg

would be-if not for the little twist in my gut. I tried a few experimental spins, half-expecting the mirrors to catch me out as an imposter, someone wh

was patiently waiting, and whatever he saw o

"but I feel like some kind of a project, not an assistant or a person,

se, maybe, like he hadn't expected that hit to land

deflecting tone he used on Milo when he didn

lous dress. "You picked the clothes," I went on. "You picked the hairdress

ready for that one, and for a

feel like..." he sighed and dragged his hand through his hair. "That wasn't the po

tonight to be easy for you..." His lips thinned, like he was already r

mean it, and somehow, that made

as pretending not to eavesdrop, scrolling his phone in a way that was far too obvious. A bubble of nervous laughter tried to br

in. "But next time, ask first. I mig

followed was smaller than his usual sm

made it worth it-al