The barn was warm with the buzz of laughter, the clatter of plates, and the faint strum of guitar music floating through the air. Jesse had been helping all afternoon, hauling tables and stringing up fairy lights between the rafters

Now, as the sun dipped low behind the trees, the tiny bulbs flickered to life, bathing everything in a soft golden glow

You spotted him across the barn—sleeves rolled up, a little sweaty, a little messy, but smiling. His usual easy confidence seemed to falter when he caught your eye

He ran a hand through his hair, glanced around like he was making sure no one was watching, then motioned for you to follow him

Without a word, he led you outside, just past the open barn doors. The fairy lights stretched overhead, twinkling against the dusky sky. It was quieter out here. Just the two of you, the hum of crickets, and the muted laughter from inside

Jesse shifted on his feet, rubbing the back of his neck like he always did when he was nervous. His cheeks were a little red—whether from the heat or something else, you couldn’t tell

"I, uh... I’ve been meanin’ to do this for a while," he mumbled, glancing down before meeting your eyes again

You barely had time to ask what he meant before he leaned in, awkward at first, like he was afraid you might pull away. But you didn’t 
You leaned in too

And under the fairy lights, with the scent of summer grass and the faint sounds of music, Jesse kissed you 
Soft, careful, like you were something he’d been afraid to touch for a long time. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours for a second, and he let out a quiet, breathless laugh

"’Bout time, huh?"