If there’s one thing romantics can’t get enough of, it’s authentic love stories.

Just one day before Valentine’s Day, tender stories of romance were shared during a fashion show at the Bainbridge Island Senior Center appropriately titled “Love is in the Air.”

Longtime Bainbridge couples were paired off as fashion models, and with each new set of models walking the runway came narrated stories that made even young hearts beat faster.

Models of all ages twirled around in clothing straight from the thrift shop’s racks at the senior center and the Bargain Boutique.

Like the tickle of a warm summer wind, the fine details of desire and romance whirled in the air, intertwining with the collective sighs of a captive audience.

“Love is in the Air” took in its audience the way Rhett Butler whisked Scarlett O’Hara into his manly arms. Many were swept away; some eyes in the sell-out crowd went misty.

“I like the way it is done,” said Marcia Walker, an audience member. “It’s fun to see the couples together seriously in love.”

An appreciative crowd came out for the fundraiser. And for the first time ever, the annual senior center fashion show sold out before the event.

Dorie Nelson celebrated her first time participating in a fashion show on the same day as her 87th birthday.

“It’s exciting,” said Nelson, who is a regular at the thrift shop. “I thought this was a great way to celebrate my birthday.

“It’s nice they’re all ages,” the birthday girl said of her fellow models. “And it’s nice to know seniors can have fun.”

Audience members enjoyed cheesecake and coffee while socializing as the fashion show participants got ready for their debut.

As models sashayed down the center of the room, emcee Mark Ancell shared the details of embarrassing first dates, weddings on graduation days and blind dates at businesses that no longer exist.

Ancell, manager of Bargain Boutique, shared what the ladies wrote about how they fell in love. The second half was dedicated to the men’s side of the story.

Some couples showed off dance moves. Others paused for a sweet kiss or a lingering hug — much to the audience’s delight.

One gentleman got a bit cheeky when he grabbed his wife’s bottom during their turn on the catwalk. The shocking move came after the story of their first date was told, where he made the same heroic heinie motion to save his date from face-planting after slipping on a patch of ice.

The smooth move was a hit both times, as the crowd erupted in laughter and applause after the tushy touch.

Judy Duffy, thrift shop manager and show coordinator, said she looked for “the best couples married couples” she could find. She found plenty.

For an added romantic touch, Duffy called in the Agate Passage Quartet to sing as couples strutted down the center of the room just after their love stories were read.

Not all of the show’s participants were married, however, but they made a fun show with their runway partners, like Judy Lindsley, who paired off with her co-worker Irving Ratner.

Both said they were delighted to take part in the event, and that the audience’s reaction inspired their moves.

“There’s a lot of old faces that are so wonderful to see again,” Ratner said. “The enthusiasm is here — can you imagine what we’ll act like when we’re older? It’s a wonderful happening.”