Stuart pulled her into a twirling dance step when she made it to him, and she barked a laugh before letting him lead her into a slow two-step, swaying softly, faces close. They’d taken dance lessons together a few years ago, and he’d clearly kept up. She was no slouch herself and had even followed their partner lessons with some of her own.

“What do you think?” he asked.

She paused, making both of them stumble before they found their footwork again.

“It’s really pretty in here. Like you said—very open. And the floor is great for dancing.”

“I hear a ‘but’ coming.”

“But we’re in the middle of nowhere. And also, it’s open and lovely, but it’s a little too open, if you ask me. Where is the bar? Where are the tables? Is there even a kitchen here? Toilets?”

He grimaced a little. “It has toilets and a kitchen, but you’re right about the rest. We’d have to rent everything—tables, chairs, linens, a bar…the list goes on.”

She could tell he was disappointed, and she stopped dancing, stepping away to consider him. His gaze was darting around the room, suggesting he was nervous and upset. She spun slowly, taking in the space again. Truthfully, it was very nice. It smelled like fresh wood and clean air, and it was bright and warm and inviting. It was a surprisingly large space—much larger than most event venues, in part because nothing was in here. That said, even with a bar set up on one side, it could likely fit a significant number of tables and still have room for a large dance floor in the center or on the side, depending on how he wanted it set up.

She turned back to him, and he was biting his lip, his face twisted with anxiety—a little like a kid that wanted something he thought he shouldn’t have.

“You really like this place, don’t you?” she asked him.

He hesitated before nodding. “It’s my number-one pick.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“Yes. At a reception for an artist I know. When Jai proposed, this was the first place I thought of.”

She still didn’t understand his enthusiasm for this barn, but she needed to get past her own misgivings. His eyes were already dancing with joy, and now he seemed excited rather than disappointed.

Maddie was leaning up against a wall some twenty feet away, and Ryann gestured at her to join them. When Maddie reached them, she still seemed a little reserved, a little angry even, and wouldn’t meet Ryann’s eyes.

Ryann clenched her hands, starting to lose patience. “Okay, Maddie, here’s the deal. Stuart very clearly wants to rent this space. Now that I’m here, I can see the attraction, but the real question is: can it be done?”