I returned my eyes to the road and then, seconds later, felt her body collide gently into mine. Then, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her as close as I could to me.

“We’re almost there,” I said, as I felt her head fall against my chest.

I could get used to this.

It was another minute before we crossed over an old creek slab and landed at the edge of civilization. The gravel road pretty much ended there. I pulled to the side so that Lou pointed toward a big, clover field, and I turned off the ignition.

Then, I looked down and found Jules already eyeing me up with those green jewels of hers. And I just knew her smile was asking me what the hell I was doing taking her to a dark, clover field in the middle of the night.

“I swear my intentions are pure,” I said to her, with a soft side-smile.

She laughed into my chest.

“Come on,” I said, leaning into the door. “It’s outside.”

She hesitated but then followed my lead and scooted back over to her door and pulled on the handle. Then, I switched off the lights, and suddenly, the world around us was pitch-black, and I had to stop for a second to let my eyes readjust.

“Will,” she squealed, laughing. “I can’t see a thing.”

“Good,” I said. “Close your eyes and just wait there.”

I rushed to the front of Lou and slid my hand against the grille to feel my way over to the passenger’s side.

When I reached Jules, I took her hand and led her back to the front of the truck. Then, I put a hand on each side of her hips and squared up to her. I couldn’t really see her face — just its outline — but it didn’t stop me from trying. I held her like that for a second, soaking up the way her little hips felt in my hands and how it felt to have her body so near to mine. Then, before it could get awkward, I hoisted her up onto the hood in one, swift motion.

She squealed again.

“Will, what are you doing?” she asked. “Can I open my eyes yet?”

“Not yet,” I said. “Now, don’t move.”

I stepped to the side and hoisted myself onto the hood next to her. Then, I slid back and brought her hips back with me, until we were both resting our backs against the windshield, side by side.

“Okay,” I whispered into her ear. “You can open them.”

My eyes had readjusted, so I could see her face go from blank to wide-eyed in the seconds that it took her to soak up the scene in front of us — all around us. I watched as her lips turned up and her green eyes sparkled the way they did when she was excited about something.

“Wow,” she exclaimed. “It’s beautiful.”

Above and all around us, dashes of light danced against a black background littered with thousands of tiny stars and a sea of fireflies. It was like our own, little light show. And the crickets and tree frogs were our little, country symphony. I took in a deep breath of fresh air and then rested my head back against the windshield.

“You like it?” I asked.

Her eyes left the lights and found my stare.

“I love it,” she said, resting her head on my shoulder.

She was quiet then. I guessed she was watching the fireflies dance in the distance. I, on the other hand, was watching her and the way her fingers played with the edge of my tee shirt at my side and the way her long hair fell in pieces across her shoulders, which had already been tanned by the pre-summer sun.

“So, you really never thought about singing?” she asked, while resting her head back against the windshield again.

Her voice surprised me a little and helped to snap me out of my trance.

“Singing?” I asked.

I turned my face toward hers.

“You know, as a career,” she said.

I chuckled to myself and lowered my head.

“Nah, it’s not for me,” I said.

“Then, what would you like to be if you could be anything?” she asked.

I sat there for a second and thought about it.

“You know, I really don’t know,” I said. “I figure it’ll come to me someday, though.”

She smiled.

“It will,” she said, reassuring me.

“What about you?” I asked. “I’m sure you’ve got plans to take over the world.”

I noticed her smile. It seemed bashful.

“I want to be a lawyer,” she said.

“A lawyer?” I asked.

I know I must have sounded a little surprised.

“Yeah,” she said, smiling. “I’ve wanted to be the same thing since I was eight.”

“That’s pretty young,” I said.

“Yeah,” she said. “I guess so.”

She paused before she continued.

“There was just this guy who helped my dad a long time ago, and I guess I just decided right then and there that I wanted to be whatever he was and help someone else too.”

Her eyes traveled off into the heavens somewhere. She seemed to be lost in another time.

“You think it would have been the doctor, but I guess I never saw the doctor then,” she continued. “It was the lawyer that was there by the time I had gotten there.”

My eyebrows instinctively furrowed.

“What happened to your dad?” I asked.

My words seemed to have snapped her back to the present because her eyes darted back to mine, and a soft smile returned to her face.

“Why did you never ask me out when we were younger?” she asked.

I paused but then smiled.

“I did,” I said, “in my head, a thousand times.”

“What?” she asked, starting to laugh.

“It’s true,” I said.

She lifted her head slightly from the windshield and caught my eye. Her lips were parted, but a smile lingered on them.

“Let’s play a game,” she said.

“Okay,” I said, smiling.

“What’s your favorite sport?” she asked.

I paused for a second.

“Uh, basketball, I guess,” I said.

“Okay. What’s your favorite food?” she continued, without missing a beat.

“Umm, I don’t know. Uh…,” I stuttered.

“Will,” she scolded through her laughter. “The game doesn’t work if you don’t answer the first thing that comes to your head. It’s supposed to be the truth, but you have to do it fast.”

I met her pouty eyes. They seemed to be fighting back a smile.

“Okay, pizza,” I said, flashing her a grin.

“Who are you named after?” she asked.

“My grandmother,” I said.

She stopped, and her eyes slowly traveled to mine.

“You’re named after your grandmother?” she asked, not even bothering to try and hide the teasing grin now slithering its way to her face.

“Well, sort of,” I said.

Her perfect eyebrows darted together.

“Willamina?” she asked.

I nodded my head.

Her eyebrows relented a little, but the grin stayed. I didn’t want to have to tell her the whole story, but it didn’t look as if I had much of a choice. Though, the truth was, I’d do anything she asked me to do — even if it was explain to her how I had come to be named after a woman.

I exaggeratedly sighed through a wide smile.

“It means protection — Willamina,” I said. “My mom said that my grandmother protected my mom and her family and that she protected me and my family, and that someday, I would protect someone special too.”

I watched her lips turn into a warm smile and the features on her face grow soft again.

“That might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said. “At least they didn’t name me Willamina.”

“No, I’m serious,” she said, gently sliding her shoulder into mine.

“So, you don’t think I’m less of a man now that you know I’m named after a woman?” I asked.

She laughed a sweet and gentle laugh.

“No, that makes you stronger,” she said, sending me a wink. “And after that story, you couldn’t possibly be less of a man in my eyes.”

I smiled, as my cheeks grew warm.

“Well, what about you?” I asked. “Who are you named after?”

“No one,” she said, laughing. “My mom just liked the name. It means youthful, I think.”

“That fits,” I said.

I so wanted to kiss her.

“The game,” she suddenly exclaimed. “We’re not finished.”

My eyes faltered from hers, and I leaned my head back against the windshield again.

“Okay,” I said, still smiling.

“Okay, what’s your favorite summer job?” she asked.

“Easy. Umpiring,” I quickly replied.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” she asked.

“Okay, Jules, that one I really don’t know. You know that. Skip,” I pleaded.

“Okay, fine,” she said. “I thought I’d try. But I’ll answer for you — a famous musician.”

One corner of my mouth slid up my face.

“What’s a hobby not many people know you have?” she continued.

“Uh…playing guitar, I guess,” I said.

Who are you going to marry?” she asked.

“You,” I said.

She stopped suddenly. She looked surprised.

“Really?” she asked.

I cocked my head toward her again.

“That surprises you?” I asked.

“I guess I just never really thought that far ahead,” she said, bringing her legs to a bent position.

“You really want to marry me?” she asked.

“Of course I do. Well, if that’s okay with you?” I asked.

My voice had turned shy.

She smiled a happy smile and pressed her head against my shoulder again.

“You want to grow old and wrinkly with me?” she asked, twisting the corner of my shirt tighter around her finger.

I hesitated for a second, which attracted her stare.

“Maybe old, but not wrinkly,” I finally said.

She was wearing a half-smirk by the time I had finished.