"I'm surprised Claudia hasn't introduced you to the clip-on tie yet." Her tongue sticks out of the corner of her mouth as she gets his shirt lined up just right, focused entirely on the folds of fabric and dimple of his collarbone. When he's done cleaning up the room, she brushes off his shoulders, reaches up and pushes back one of his curls that's gone rogue, and takes his hand. By now her hand feels more at home inside his than outside it.

If they were standing in front of a sunset, the pose would look romantic; as it is, they're standing in front of his closet, looking at coats, and the whole thing is just a tiny bit comical.

"Do they look as bad as you do right now?" She points to a red one. "I like that one. Red's my color too."