The evening pressed in gently, not rushing me the way afternoons sometimes did when I worked too long in the boutique. The light outside had softened to that in-between shade, not quite day but not fully night either, the kind of light that makes everything look suspended in a pause. I closed the boutique carefully, sliding the key into the lock and hearing the firm click that told me the racks and fabrics inside were safe for the night. Instead of pulling my phone out to check messages or set ...