“Kayli, I got this.” Summer nodded in the direction of the table. “Go on.”

Kayli spun and did what she should’ve done in the first place, and that’s slide the table away from the wall so she could easily move the boxes that were haphazardly piled beneath. Spotting the lost piece, she stooped down and picked it up then slid the table back in place while neatly arranging the boxes. When she turned, she found Summer watching her.

“Much easier, eh? Not as nice a view as last time though.” She winked before turning away.

Kayli felt her cheeks heat at the teasing comment. A trait the gorgeous model was known for.

Too bad Kayli hadn’t fully outgrown the shy and graceless traits she’d been plagued with since adolescence, causing awkward attempts at socializing or witty comebacks. Her friends, AJ and Jen, were always encouraging her as well as schooling her on snarky dialogue. But at the age of thirty-five, Kayli figured she was who she was. She sighed as she worked on attaching the ornamental pull to the coat.

“Comme ci, comme ça,” she murmured to herself.

“N’importe quoi, tu es merveilleuse,” Summer practically sang.

Those words had Kayli chuckling. How could she have forgotten Summer also spoke French? “Thanks, but I’d hardly consider myself marvelous. Unless you mean marvelously mundane. Marvelously mediocre. Marvelously—”

“Magnifique,” Summer whispered.

The woman’s stealth was impressive as she managed to sidle up to Kayli’s backside, causing her skin to sizzle. But in the next instant, Summer’s sugary words had Kayli ready to melt against her.

“You are a delightful woman, Kayli Couture, and your creations are superb.” Summer placed her hands on Kayli’s shoulders and slowly turned her so they faced one another. With the extra height from her shoes, Kayli was eye-level to her. “I, for one, am flattered that I get to flaunt your talent across the stage.”

“Well, I’m flattered you feel that way. And you do an excellent job at it.”

“At flaunting?” Summer grinned.

“Oh, well, I meant, parading with such beauty and confidence. I certainly couldn’t do it.”

“Sure you could.” Summer ran her finger along Kayli’s cheek before dropping her hands. “You’re also a very lovely woman who would look great in anything.” She leaned in to perch her mouth next to Kayli’s ear. “Probably best in nothing at all.”

Kayli sucked in a breath. And then another when Summer lightly kissed below her ear.

“Don’t ever doubt your skill or your worth.”

“O-okay,” Kayli stammered.