She’d paired the dress with one of her favorite frames—a rainbow color combination that made her smile every time she looked at herself in the mirror.
Fifteen minutes later, she was holding the professional camera at the ready. “Let’s shoot this pair first.” She handed Rory a forest-green frame, and when he slipped them on, her heart flip-flopped in her chest, practically doing a full somersault.
“How do I look?”
She lifted the camera and began shooting. “You know damn well how good you look.”
In fact, she was pretty sure there was nothing sexier than Rory wearing her glasses frames. It helped that he was perfectly comfortable in front of the camera. And when his lips curved up at the corners, her hands actually started to shake from the lust curling through her.
“You’re a natural, considering this is your first time modeling.”
“Actually, it was an easy way to pay off my loans in college,” he told her, looking a little sheepish. “Don’t hold it against me.”
“It’s not your fault you’re exceptional-looking. Same with Brittany—there’s no point in people like me being upset that you’ve got more than your fair share of the good genes in the pool.”
“What does people like me mean?”
The intense look he was giving her made for great photos, so she kept shooting as she said, “It means normal people.”
“Normal?” He looked at her as though she were crazy, which wasn’t nearly as good a look for her ad campaign, so she lowered her camera. “You are anything but normal, Zara. You’re exceptional. In every way.”
Figuring his comments were a result of being blinded by all the shockingly good sex—and possibly also the fact that he was in love with her, a thought that sent another burst of joy through her—she insisted, “I’m totally okay with not being a traditional beauty queen. Everyone, regardless of whether or not they fit traditional patterns of beauty, should get to feel special and sparkly every day. And that’s what I hope my glasses do for people.”
She was about to lift her camera to shoot again, when he asked, “Your camera has burst mode, right?” When she nodded, he reached into her box of new frames and pulled out two, handing the blue frames to her and taking the pink for himself. “Set it so it keeps taking pictures, and come get in the shot with me. Let’s make some magic together.”
Magic was what he had told her his parents had—the reason he believed they had such a strong marriage, even after so many years. And as she set the camera to automatically shoot a new picture every five seconds, then pulled off her glasses to put on the blue ones, Zara wondered, was it possible that she could bring the same kind of magic to his life that he had already brought to hers?
The lenses were clear glass, and without her prescription lenses, everything was fuzzy.
“I’m right here,” he teased, waving his arms in an exaggerated motion.
Though she absolutely hated having her picture taken—she couldn’t think of a time she’d managed to be anything other than stiff as a board in front of the camera—instead of seizing up as she heard the shutter open and close, she found herself playfully smacking his chest. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Only for you, baby.”
Just as it always did, his baby had her laughing. She was pretty sure she was never going to be able to hear that word again without cracking up. She prayed Brittany and Cameron wouldn’t say it during their vows, or Zara was going to embarrass herself during the wedding.
Less than a week ago, her stomach would have twisted up when she thought about the two of them saying their vows. This morning, however, she felt totally fine about it.
Amazing.
“You look happy.” Rory brushed a lock of hair from her face before directing her. “Now turn to face the camera so that the rest of the world can see it too.”
Feeling a million times more comfortable in front of the camera than she ever had before, instead of fighting him on it, she did as directed. “I am happy.” Because when she was laughing with Rory like this, she truly did feel happier than she’d ever thought she could be.
“So…what are you thinking about that’s made you so happy? Or should I ask, who are you thinking about?”
She poked him in the side. “Fishing for compliments much?”
“I love you too.”
Hearing him say the words melted her heart all over again. So she kissed him. Once, then