I gingerly pulled on the outfit in the dressing room.
“I look crazy,” I said as I walked out. The Svenssons doubled over, laughing.
“It’s like Oscar the Grouch had a baby withBraveheart!” Josh choked out.
“Wait, wait!” Eric strode over, grabbed my chin, then smeared something greasy around my eyes.
“Get off!”
“Yes!” Josh rubbed his hands together. “He looks crazy! No woman is going to want to kiss you, let alone be the future Mrs. Winchester!”
5
Grace
“Are you ready to take the greatest journey of your life?” Rainbow, the blonde hippy lady, asked me.
I crossed my arms and scowled.
From behind the cameras, my friends mouthed, “Smile!”
“Sure,” I said, managing a grimace.
“We want to make sure you and your husband are going to be compatible.”
My stomach turned.
It’s just a fake marriage, I chanted to myself. Still, the idea of marrying some guy I had never met freaked me out, even if it was just for show.
“Why do you want to get married?” Priyanka asked.
I took a deep breath. From behind the camera, Gunnar made begging motions.
“I want to get married,” I said slowly, “because I am a wedding photographer. I see the good, the bad, and the ugly of weddings. Sometimes the couples like my work so much that they have me come back and do baby showers or anniversaries, or family portraits. I love the idea of helping to create a brand-new family. I like the idea of having a teammate, someone to share life with—a partner.”
The two women smiled at each other.
Brea made a heart with her hands.
“It sounds like you’re ready for marriage!” Priyanka gushed.
Yeah, or my new acting career, if my book doesn’t pan out.
“Now what kind of man are you looking for?”
“What do you have in stock?” I joked.
“Quite the variety!” Rainbow said.
“I just want someone who is normal, you know, who doesn’t have weird hang-ups like hating tomatoes. He needs to be driven, but not a complete sociopath. Also, I work a lot,” I warned them. “And I won’t be giving that up.”
Wait, what am I doing? It’s not like I’m going to actually be building a life with this guy.
“And do you have deal breakers?” Priyanka asked.
“Not someone who’s a man-child,” I said automatically, thinking of Chris. “And he cannot wear sunglasses inside.”
“Any physical characteristics?”
