A second later, the door opened, and when I looked up into the mirror, I saw Tolliver's eyes staring back at me. They held mine as he stood there just inside the door. I felt my face get even hotter as we both stayed frozen.
"You said you needed help," he said finally.
"I asked for Stacia."
"She's somewhere looking for more dresses."
"Oh."
"Anything I can do?"
"Yeah, I...the zipper, I just can't reach it," I said.
Tolliver nodded and stepped forward. "I'm going to move your hair, so it doesn't get caught."
"Okay," I said softly.
His hand brushed along my shoulder blades, and I trembled.
"All good, Kent?" he said.
Not trusting my voice, I nodded.
As he gripped the material of my dress in one hand, he pulled the zipper up with the other. Tolliver didn't touch me. His knuckles didn't graze my skin. But goodness, the warmth of him was enough to make me weak in the knees.
"There," he said.
"Thank you," I replied.
"You're welcome."
As I looked up and caught sight of us in the mirror, I expected him to step back, but he didn't.
"What do you think?" he said.
"Of what?"
"The dress."
Shifting my focus, I took in the full picture, trying to focus on what I wore, but I already knew the answer. Felt it.
"It makes me feel beautiful," I said.
Like Tolliver did when he looked at me how he was now.
"Then, I think this is the one," Tolliver said.
"I think so too."
A beat passed then, "Did I do something to make you mad?"
"No," I said.
"I thought we had fun at the library."
"We did."
"Seemed like you were pissed at me after. Or at least annoyed."
