Tim couldn't resist teasing, brown eyes dancing. "Well, well, Andy," he said, "I've got to hand it to you. Never thought I'd see the day when you actually act like this for someone. Haven't seen you like this with anyone in... ever." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you even realize how soft your eyes go when you look at her, man? It's like you've already given her the world."

  Andy opened his mouth to respond but then paused, glancing at Summer, who had gone back to examining herself in the mirror. He sighed, his smile softer now. "I guess I have gotten a little carried away."

  Tim laughed, the sound rich and warm. "It's cute. Honestly. I didn't think you were the type to get so sentimental. But here you are. You really like her."

  Andy leaned against the wall, shaking his head. "Shut up, Tim. I'm serious about this."

  "Oh, I know," Tim said with a smirk. "And it's clear she's already got you wrapped around her finger. I'm just enjoying the show."

  Andy flushed slightly, though he didn't back down, his eyes still fixed on Summer. "I'm not that bad," he muttered under his breath, but his lips twitched with the effort not to smile.

  Summer blinked at Tim, then at Andy, her heart skipping a beat at the way he was acting — soft, almost vulnerable, a side of him she hadn't quite expected to see. Tim caught the look, his expression softening.

  "You wouldn't believe it," Tim said, his tone warm and matter-of-fact, as he turned to Summer, "But Andy's a lot more complicated than most people give him credit for. You're the first person I've seen him drop all the bad boy masks for. The first person he actually wants to do this kind of thing for. He's never been the 'buy expensive things' kind of guy. This whole... whatever this is between you two — it's new for him. And I've known him for a long time."

  Summer's heart did a funny little leap in her chest. She had been wondering, unsure of how to navigate the complexities of their relationship. But hearing it from Tim, hearing it so casually, helped her understand a little more. Andy's usual world of glamorous but distant assignations and carefully constructed facades suddenly seemed so far removed from the genuine warmth in his eyes when he looked at her.

  "Okay, so maybe I've got it bad," Andy admitted, rolling his eyes. But his voice was light, almost shy. "But that's only because Summer is worth it."

  Summer swallowed, blinking back the warmth that rushed to her cheeks. "You really want to do this?" she asked quietly, suddenly unsure again.

  Andy's gaze softened, full of something tender. "I do. More than anything. You deserve this." He reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. "You're not just someone I'm buying a dress for. I want to show you how much you matter to me. It's not just about the dress — it's about you."

  Tim leaned back, clearly satisfied with the way Andy had laid it all out. "Well, looks like we're done here. If I know anything, it's that Andy gets what he wants when he's this serious." He turned to Summer with a grin. "And I'd say you're about to have your mind blown when you walk out of here with that dress. No pressure, though."

  Summer laughed, a little overwhelmed, but the warmth inside her was undeniable. She nodded, finally allowing herself to fully accept the gesture, the meaning behind it. "Alright," she said, her voice steady but her heart racing. "I'll let you do this... for me."

  Andy's smile was the most genuine thing she'd seen yet. It made everything else fade away, and in that moment, all she could think about was the fact that someone like Andy wanted to do this for her.

  Tim tilted his head and offered Summer a sly smile. "Well now, since we're all feeling romantic and generous... would you like to try anything else on? Just to be sure, of course. Never hurts to see all your options."

  Summer narrowed her eyes at him in amused suspicion, then glanced up at Andy, who had the most unconvincing innocent expression on his face.

  "Oh no," she said immediately, holding up a warning finger. "Absolutely not. You are only buying one dress. Promise me that right now, Andrew."

  Andy gave a soft, theatrical sigh, clasping a hand to his heart. "You wound me, Summer. No faith in my restraint."

  "You don't have restraint," she said, half-laughing. "You've got a tragic romantic streak and a suspicious amount of disposable income."

  Tim snorted.

  Andy leaned in, gently brushing a strand of her long red hair back over her shoulder. "Alright, alright," he said. "One dress. I promise. But," he added, glancing at Tim, "trying on a couple more doesn't count. Just for fun."

  "For fun, he says," Summer muttered, but she was smiling now, unable to help it.

  "C'mon," Andy said, his voice low and coaxing, "you'll look beautiful in all of them, and I want to see you shine."

  "You already said that," she teased.

  "I'll keep saying it," Andy murmured, stepping back so Tim could guide her toward the next dress. "Every time you forget how radiant you are, I'll remind you."

  Tim just grinned, already flipping through another rack of gowns. "He's got it bad," he murmured under his breath, and Summer's face turned pink again — though her smile didn't falter.

  Andy sprawled out in one of the boutique's plush armchairs, one black-clad leg draped over the arm of the chair, his opposite arm lazily slung along the back. His chin rested in his palm as he watched Tim and Summer sift through a rack of gothic gowns in varying shades of blood, wine, and garnet.

  "I still can't believe I'm letting you two do this," Summer muttered, fingering a dress with beaded black lace climbing over crimson velvet.

  "Letting?" Andy drawled, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You're radiant. I'm simply a man basking in the glory."

  Tim chuckled as he tugged out a dress with a structured bodice and a full sweeping skirt, the fabric a rich oxblood satin. "Now this one says 'I may be queen of the underworld, but I still have excellent taste.'"

  Stolen story; please report.

  Summer snorted. "Very subtle."

  "Oh, subtle's overrated," Tim replied, holding it up to her. "And I bet this would look amazing with your hair down."

  Andy's eyes drifted half-lidded with appreciation as Summer considered the dress, her knee-length red hair catching the boutique lighting in waves of copper and flame. "Go on," he murmured. "Try it. You're halfway to Persephone already."

  Summer glanced over her shoulder at him, mock-exasperated. "You're insufferable."

  "You adore me," Andy said.

  "I'm reserving judgment," she replied, though her soft laugh ruined the edge of it.

  Tim handed her the dress. "Try it, sweetheart. If nothing else, it'll make this one over here forget how to speak again."

  "I already forgot how to breathe the moment she stepped out in that green-blue one," Andy said, lifting a hand like a man struck by divine vision. "I'm operating on sheer willpower at this point."

  Summer rolled her eyes — but she was still grinning as she headed back toward the fitting room. Andy watched her go, utterly content to lounge and admire while she found her power in rich fabrics and deep colours.

  When she stepped back out of the fitting room, her expression was tentative, fingers fussing at the neckline of the oxblood gown as though it might betray her at any moment. The structured bodice cinched her waist dramatically, while the skirt flared wide and full from her waist, moving like shadowed wine when she stepped into the light. Her hair tumbled over one shoulder in loose waves, catching the deep red hues and reflecting them like firelight.

  Andy sat up straight.

  Actually, Andy forgot to breathe.

  His eyes raked over her slowly, reverently, taking in the sharp angle of the gown's neckline, the way the skirt whispered around her legs, the slight tremble in her fingers.

  "Holy shit," he said at last, voice rough.

  Summer blinked at him. "That bad?"

  Andy's hands were in his lap, clenched, because if he moved, he might drop to his knees. "You look like a Victorian vampire goddess who's about to seduce and destroy me, and I — " he swallowed hard — "I accept my fate."

  Summer's breath caught. That look... she wasn't used to that look.

  So she took a shaky breath, and tried. Tried to straighten her spine, to channel some of the women she'd seen on red carpets or in Andy's pinboard. She walked toward him slowly, her hips swaying a little more than usual, trying for that glittering edge of seduction — gorgeous, powerful, wanted. She saw Andy's pupils blow wide.

  Emboldened, she stopped in front of him and lifted her hand to toy lightly with one of his silver rings. "You gonna remember to breathe this time?"

  "No," Andy said honestly, voice rough. "And if you keep looking at me like that, I'm gonna forget how to stand."

  "I could devour you," she said, trying on the words like a new shade of lipstick.

  Andy groaned and slumped back in the chair like she'd punched him in the chest. "You already have."

  Behind her, Tim quietly slipped away to another rack, grinning and muttering, "Yeah, you're buying that one too."

  Tim had barely taken two steps when Summer turned on him, her skirt flaring with the motion like a drop of wine spreading through water. "No," she said, sharply — commandingly. "We said one. One."

  Tim threw up his hands, grinning. "Okay, okay. No sudden movements, Countess Dracula."

  Andy, still sprawled in the armchair like he'd been struck, let out a low laugh. "Oh my god," he murmured, eyes fixed on her. "You're incredible."

  Summer glanced at him, caught his expression — and blushed. "I'm serious," she said, but her voice had softened. "You're not allowed to just — buy me things like this. It's not sustainable."

  Andy leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, eyes locked on hers. "Summer. You looked in the mirror and transformed. That dress didn't make you anything — you let yourself be seen. That's what I'm buying. Not fabric. Not glitter. That." His gaze flicked over her slowly again. "Also, I'm not going to survive the gala if you wear that blue-green one. I need something to help me cope."

  Summer gave a half-laugh, half-groan and covered her face for a moment. "You are such a menace."

  Tim popped his head back around a rack. "I warned you," he said to her. "He's got it bad."

  Andy didn't look away from Summer. "I do," he said simply. "And apparently I have a thing for you giving orders."

  She dropped her hands from her face, cheeks flushed, eyes bright. "Oh no," she said faintly. "Don't tell me that."

  But Andy just grinned, entirely unrepentant. "Too late."

  Summer tilted her head, the dark red fabric catching the light in rich undertones of wine and blood. "This dress," she said slowly, looking down at herself, then back at Andy with a spark in her eye, "isn't going to help you survive the gala either. Apparently."

  Andy let out a rough laugh, dropping his head briefly into his hands. "God, no. It's going to end me. I'll be clutching a flute of champagne and praying no one notices I've forgotten how to speak."

  Tim leaned against a display rack nearby, arms crossed, smirking. "You realize she's got you on a leash, right?"

  Andy lifted his head, eyes gleaming. "Oh, I know. I'm thrilled."

  Summer blinked, caught between a laugh and disbelief. "You're not even trying to act cool about it."

  "Why would I?" Andy stood, slowly, and crossed the space between them. "You, in that dress, saying no like that, looking at me like you might actually like me back — I'm not wasting time playing coy."

  She swallowed, suddenly warm all over despite the boutique's air-conditioning. "So you're saying I could destroy you before we even get to the gala."

  Andy leaned in, not touching her yet, just letting his nearness speak. "Oh, absolutely. I'm counting on it."

  Summer's breath hitched. She looked up at him, still so close, then let her eyes drop. Her voice was quiet. "Maybe I shouldn't go," she said, almost to herself. "If I'm going to be that much of a distraction... "

  Andy blinked, then gave a short, incredulous laugh. "What?"

  She shrugged a little, fingers brushing the fall of the dark red skirt. "It's your world, Andy. Fancy people, important conversations, deals I don't understand. If you're spending the whole night tongue-tied because I'm wearing a ridiculous dress — "

  Andy touched her chin, tipping it up. "First of all, this dress is unholy, and if you don't wear it to the gala I might actually mourn. Second — " He smiled, soft but fierce. "You think I don't want to be distracted by you?"

  She tried to look away, but he held her gaze. "I want to walk into that room with the most beautiful person I've ever seen. I want to watch people look at you and think, 'who the hell is she?' I want to sip something overpriced and pretend I'm listening while I'm actually thinking about how fast I can get you out of that dress when we get home."

  Her cheeks flamed. "That's... not very professional."

  "No," Andy agreed. "It's personal. That's the point."

  From the corner, Tim cleared his throat. "If you two want the room for a few minutes, just say the word."

  Summer laughed despite herself, half-burying her face in Andy's shoulder. "We're fine," she muttered, muffled. "Mostly." Andy heard her breath catch again, the softest mutter against his collarbone: "This was a mistake."

  His brow furrowed, and he drew back just enough to see her face. "What do you mean?"

  Summer didn't look up. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of the red gown. "I want them all," she whispered. "The blue-green one, this one, even the ridiculous over-the-top velvet one with the trailing sleeves. They're so beautiful. They make me feel like I'm not... just some girl in jeans with her hair always in the way."

  Andy blinked, then softened completely. "You're not just anything," he said, cupping her cheek. "But I get it."

  "I shouldn't want them," she said quickly, like it was a confession. "It's not practical. It's not me. I wouldn't even wear them more than once."

  "So?" Andy shrugged. "Wanting beautiful things doesn't make you greedy. And letting yourself have something that makes you feel powerful and radiant — that's not a mistake, Summer."

  She glanced over at the mirror again. Her reflection stared back, regal and unsure, like a princess trying on a role she wasn't sure belonged to her.

  "I don't want to be a mistake for you," she said very softly.

  Andy leaned in and kissed her temple. "You're the best decision I've made in years."