Practice Makes Perfect

Annie, 27, is the youngest of four Walker siblings and is seen as a “shy, socially anxious, introvert extraordinaire” by everyone in her small hometown of Rome, Kentucky (5). In public, Annie is a quiet, wholesome, and “pure” flower shop owner. Annie stands at five-foot-three, her petite stature highlighting the way everyone perceives her—as a young woman with childlike innocence that must be protected at all costs. She has nearly white, blond hair and blue eyes, “enough to inform a person that she has kindness and empathy spilling out of her soul” (50). Annie even tallies cuss words spoken by her family and friends in a portable notebook, which prompts them to donate to charity once 20 marks have accumulated within 30 days.

In private, Annie loves steamy historical romance novels and yearns for a whirlwind romance of her own. Despite being only three when her parents died—and the only one of her siblings without memories of them—Annie carries the trauma in secret, not wanting to burden anyone with her problems but always willing to help others. Annie is too occupied with being nice to look out for herself. She struggles to have conversations with dates because she worries she’ll offend someone or say the wrong thing, evidencing