na

tinkling sound that felt entirely discord

ely hit by the cloying scent of laven

lked in b

ven closed, checking his watch

dark, restle

thed w

that didn't bend imm

counter, keeping

fitting," I said

ugh the express

s nervous a

o. And Mr. Moretti, your

out a ha

coat in one fluid,

t at me wit

me square

ed against my cheek, b

nt of vanilla

n't hi

fabric away

a woman

ir. A pe

fi

d, not even glancing at me. "Hol

ght it

wing my own property a

t the soft mate

n't mine

e fr

owly, his eyes na

ed at t

looked

ion shifted

d, replaced by a gentle

and took the co

n't sn

verence, as if it wer

m, his thumb absentminde

ed, his voice drop

n't ap

rotected

more ferocity than he had

ered, his tone turning cold a

into the f

d into t

jectively

posed to b

out onto t

dy waiting, cla

ed like

danger

in the mirror

ip cu

o much,"

e," I said, my

look desperate. Like you're

ood

oz

the seamstress, staring st

e gr

One p

ed up be

n't to

buried in his pockets,

mera f

is phon

personaliz

me instantly, as if

a?" he

ice wa

nd

ing his back to me. "I have it. I'm ke

hun

er changing ou

ia's coat, clu

d. "Sofia is distresse

ere?" I asked, disbe

r his shoulder. "And burn

r chime

n he wa

ss looked at

ted

d softly. "Shoul

the gown i

te

cate

li

ve scissor

ked. "Ex

f heavy fabric she

off the

ked t

t cold and he

o, that is im

scissors int

c filled the silent shop-a

cu

las

ed the la

oyed th

ed the fa

he dress, leaving the white shr

n his bil