Practice Makes Perfect (When in Rome, #2)

by Sarah Adams

“You never have to be scared of anything with me, Annie. Look at my photos.” I swallow and then slide the little bar to unlock his phone before clicking the photos app. Will then reaches between us and swipes down through his albums until he clicks one labeled For Annie. And then my breath catches as I scroll through photo after photo after photo of…me. Me in my mom’s flower garden. Me in the shop. Me at the farmer’s market. Me helping Mabel prune her rose bushes. Me wheeling my luggage through the airport. Me looking out the airplane window. And they’re somehow all great photos. Dare I say even…beautiful. I look so happy. So at ease in my own skin. I’ve never seen myself like this before. “Will…” I start, looking up at my boyfriend who doesn’t seem the least bit guilty for hoarding dozens of photos of me. “Now who’s the stalker?” He smiles. “It was going to be a present for you. Because you said…well, a while ago you said you don’t have any photos of yourself. And…I don’t know, that just broke my heart, Annie. Because you used to be so content to fade into the background. To offer to hold the camera to take everyone else’s photo. And I wanted to give you something that would show you how beautiful you are. How vibrant. I want you to see how I see you every day. Everyone deserves to have good photos of themselves—you more than anyone.”