So where do we go from here?
Tanya’s note floats to the forefront of my mind. What is it that we’re supposed to rediscover about ourselves?
“No, you did your part. Thank you,” I acknowledge.
Daria’s lips twist into a frown as her brows pinch together. “Well, then, time for the best part. Time to try them on!” She grabs the clothes off their displays and practically throws them in our hands, pushing Micah into the nearby closet and me into the bathroom.
Like every dress I’ve ever worn from Daria, this one glides up my body like butter. There’s something about her clothes that always makes me feel my sexiest, most confident self, like she’s infused her own aura into every stitch.
After Daria helps me zip up the dress, I step out at the same time Micah walks out. He’s adjusting his sleeves and hasn’t looked up yet, so I soak in the view.
They say there’s no such thing as perfection.
They’ve never seen Micah in this suit. The brightness of the pink against his rich complexion is an exquisite combination. He’s the apple in the garden, too tempting to resist.
Micah finally sees me, and I watch every thought march right out of his mind.
“Dani, you look incredible.”
“Thank you. This dress is the most glorious thing I’ve ever put on my body.”
“It’s not the dress. It’s you in the dress.”
His words are so firm, I find myself standing a bit straighter.
“No offense, Daria.”
“Honey, you keep talking like that, you’re gonna offend me right out of my drawers.”
He laughs shyly, never taking his eyes off of me.
I clear my throat. “Well, you look great too.”
He beams at my compliment. Why does he have to do that?
Every time I think I’ve gotten a handle on this new dynamic between us, he looks at me in a way that drowns me in what we could’ve been.
Daria uses that moment to cut through the tension suffocating the air. “Dani, I made yours based on your measurements from the last time we worked together and that seems like it worked out well. Micah, I did my best given the rough estimates Tanya gave me. I think we need to make a few alterations, though.” She instructs him to stand in front of her floor-length mirror so that she can mark the necessary adjustments. “This is cute, I’ve never done a couple’s fitting at the same time,” she remarks, a safety pin hanging from her mouth.
Micah’s eyes shutter closed at her words. He can feel the chill they’ve just unleashed.
“We’re not a couple,” I correct.
Daria looks up at me in the mirror then back up to Micah.
“Never?” she asks.
“We never got that far.”
“We didn’t?” Micah interjects.
A low growl rumbles in my chest, but I do my best to suppress it. What I’m not about to do is air out our history in front of Daria.
“Oop, okay. I’ve stumbled into awkward territory. So sorry. Dani, why don’t you go change while I finish this up?”
Without another word, I rush back to my pseudo dressing room.
A soft knock at the door sends relief through my body that I don’t have to go back out there and ask Daria to unzip me.
