Chapter 184

• The last customer left just after eight, carrying a small bag with one of the Kyoto silk scarves folded neatly inside. The bell above the door gave its usual soft chime as the door closed, and for a moment I simply stood there, listening to the faint echo of it fade into the stillness. Claudia had already gone for the evening. She had asked if I needed her to stay, but I told her I wanted some time alone with the space. There was no real reason I could give her for that, only the quiet pull that made me want to remain here after the day had ended.
• I locked the door and flipped the sign to Closed, then turned the main lights down to their evening setting. The boutique took on a softer tone that way, the edges less defined, the colors warmer. The glass display cases reflected the faint glow from the wall sconces, and the air seemed to settle into a slower rhythm.
• I walked to the center of the room and turned slowly in a circle, taking in each section. The main display near the front had been arranged for efficiency earlier in the week, but tonight I felt like changing it. I pulled the stand slightly to the left, so it caught the light from the streetlamp outside, then adjusted the mannequins so they faced inward instead of outward. It was a small shift, but it made the arrangement feel more like an invitation than a statement.