There was a strange look on his face at that.
Almost as if he were disappointed. Like he possibly didn’t want that to be the case, that he didn’t want me to go back in.
But that had to be wishful thinking.
“Then that brings me to solution number two.”
He reached into the bag, pulling out some clunky red and silver metal thing in a kind of U-shape with a little metal bolt.
“What the heck is that?”
“It’s a door lock,” he explained. “Normally, you’d use one that goes in the jamb, but since your door doesn’t have a lock, you have to get more innovative.
“You slide this part under the door, then tighten down this bolt. Unless someone is throwing their whole body against it, it’s not coming down. And the best part, it acts like something is just jammed. So if Frank tries it, you can just claim your clothes or shoes or something got stuck under.”
That… that was genius.
“Thank you. That’s going to make me feel a lot better.”
“Good. I’m glad. I would be careful to make sure he doesn’t find it.”
“Definitely.”
“Speaking of not finding things,” he said, getting up.
He made his way over to a chair where a garment bag was draped.
It looked… full.
He pulled the zipper down, and there was my emerald green one.
My heart leapt.
I’d wanted that one for so long.
And now I was getting it.
But then he whipped that one to the side.
Then there was the blue one.
Then a reddish-black one.
A black one in a different style from the one I had.
A deep purple.
And, finally, a sparkling cream one.
I didn’t realize the burning in my eyes was tears until I felt wetness on my lashes.
Embarrassed, I reached up and pretended just to rub my eye.
“That’s too much.”
“You overstated how expensive they were,” he shot back, shrugging it off. “Now,” he added, bringing the cream dress over to me as my fingers toyed with the green one. “The alterations.”
He sat down beside me and the world constricted to nothing but him.
