The barn had been transformed. It had already been a lovely space, wide and open, but now, with Maddie’s attention, it had become a magical, Valentine’s Day fairyland. White and pink twinkle lights were wrapped around every single exposed wooden beam, up above and on the pillars throughout the barn. The tables were in contrasting colors, red and white, with beautiful white-and-pink flower arrangements on the red tables, and red and pink on the white. A smaller table was set up on a small platform opposite the others across the dance floor, where Jai and Stuart would sit, decorated with what appeared to be a linked chain of red, pink, and white roses. Heart-shaped balloons had been tied in enormous bunches to various places, flying high enough not to impede anyone’s line of sight, but bobbing merrily in the moving air of the crowd and warm air blowing out of the heaters.

Guests followed almost directly behind them. Many in the crowd had taken the opportunity to wear somewhat outrageously colored suits and dresses, nearly everyone in Valentine’s Day reds, pinks, and whites. People were arriving in large batches, almost entirely from the buses, and almost everyone paused and gasped as they came inside, obviously blown away, like her, by what Maddie had done with the place. Jai and Stuart had kept their guest list on the smaller side, about eighty-five people and the wedding party, but it seemed like a sizable crowd.

Three photographers swirled around the wedding party where they waited in the far corner of the barn. She felt a little like she was under the watch of the paparazzi with all the flashing lights. Some formal photos would be taken in here now as the guests enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, but Jai and Stuart had already told her that the process would be as brief as possible.

She and Maddie held hands between each set of photos—grooms with the full party, grooms with the maids of honor, Jai and his sisters, Jai and Stuart with the sisters, then both sets of parents and individual photos with each set of parents. All of this was over very fast, and she was excused to join the festivities. She and Maddie wandered over to the bar.

Erin and Darcy were there talking to the bartender, an employee of Erin, it so happened. The women were wearing matching red suits and white silk shirts. After exclaiming very loudly about the outfits she and Maddie were wearing, Erin pointed at the bartender.

“I was telling Phil here that this is the only place allowed to have our Valentine’s Day beer for a wedding. Jai and Stuart don’t know how lucky they are. We’re almost sold out.”

“Already?” Ryann said.

Erin laughed. “Don’t worry. I gave the fellas a full keg. You can have as much of it as you want tonight.”