That Barn isn’t going to clean itself,” Micah said. She, Andrew, and I had wandered the grounds as guests started to leave and had found a stack of hay six bales high and just as wide. Andrew had boosted us to the top and we now lay side by side (me in the middle), looking up at the bright stars.

“It might if we never go back,” I said.

“I thought you said no animals live at this barn.” Andrew patted the straw beside him. “What’s with the hay?”

“People use it for weddings. Seating or decorations or …” I trailed off.

“You couldn’t think of a third thing?” Micah asked.

“Can you?”

“I probably could, but I won’t go there,” she said.

“Where is your boy?” Andrew asked Micah.

“My boy?” she repeated.

“The one you were kissing earlier?”

“He was a midnight kiss, Andrew. Don’t try to tie me down to someone I kissed at midnight.”

“Oh,” he said.

I smiled. That was a good sign for Lance. Micah had ended up actually talking to the beautiful boy and finding out that he didn’t fit her criteria.

Andrew rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his hand.

“Do you know that Sophie yelled at Russell about Birmingham?” Micah asked Andrew. “And how close it was and how easy it would be to visit her since he lived in Birmingham?”

“You want Russell to visit you?” Andrew asked me with a grin.

“Yes, that’s exactly what that was about.” I threw a piece of hay at him. Then I threw one at Micah. “And that’s not at all what I said, but whatever.”

Andrew draped an arm over my waist and pulled me closer.

Micah stuck out her tongue. “I might need to get a boyfriend if you two are together now. I can’t compete with this.”

My eyes flitted to Andrew’s, wondering what he thought of Micah proclaiming us a couple. He seemed to read my mind because he just raised his eyebrows at me, like a question. I pulled on his already-loosened tie, bringing his face down to mine, and I kissed him.

“Yep,” Micah said. “I definitely need a boyfriend. You have any friends in New York?”

Andrew threw a piece of hay at Micah this time. “I thought I told you that I have no friends.”

“Had,” I said. “You need to start using the word had in that sentence.”

“True,” he said.

“Micah!” The sound of Lance’s voice rang out through the crisp night air.

Micah sat up. “He probably needs me to help clean. See you two later.” She hopped off the stacks of hay and went to meet Lance.

“I’ve never seen her so anxious to clean,” Andrew said as she walked away.

“Yes, that’s exactly what that was about,” I said for a second time. “Cleaning.”

“You don’t think it was about … Ohhhh!” he said, realization dawning. “Good because I was kind of depressed when she kissed Russell.”

“Me too.” I sat up to see Micah and Lance talking as they walked to the Barn together. I smiled.

“When are you supposed to hear back from colleges?” Andrew asked.

“Between now and February. I’m hoping more on the now side because I’m nervous.”

“I saw your designs,” he said. “You have nothing to be nervous about.”

I nodded. I was still anxious. But I was also more confident about my work than I’d been in a long time. “Thank you.”

He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and then traced my earlobe with his finger. “So. I hear there’s this yearly Valentine’s Dinner at the old folks’ home around here.”

“Yes, it’s a tradition,” I said with a shiver.

“Want to be my date this year?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Things didn’t end well for my last Valentine’s date.”

Andrew laughed and kissed my cheek. “I’m willing to take my chances.”

“You’d come here for that? Don’t you think you’ll be working a completely different New York party?” I asked, running a hand along his tie.

“No. I have a date.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

“Let’s go out this Friday too,” Andrew said.

“What’s this Friday?” I asked.

“Nothing. I’m starting a trend of seeing you outside of special occasions.”

“How will that be?” I said. “To see each other just because.”

Andrew pulled me close and together we looked up at the stars. “I think it will be perfect,” he said.