Fangirl

ranchers—helping them be better at what they do.”
    “Range management.”
    “And you try to pretend like you’re not paying attention—hey, this is our stop.”
    “Already?”
    “East Campus is only two miles from your dorm; it’s shameful that you’ve never been here.”
    Cath followed him off the bus. He stopped to thank the driver by name.
    “Did you know that guy?” she asked when the bus pulled away.
    Levi shrugged. “He was wearing a name tag. Okay—” He stepped directly in front of her and spread a long arm out toward a parking lot. He was smiling like a game show host. “—Cather Avery, as a student of the Agricultural College, a member of the agricultural community, and a citizen of Lincoln, Nebraska, I would like to welcome you to East Campus.”
    “I like it,” Cath said, looking around. “It’s dark. There are trees.”
    “You can park your snark at the gate, Omaha.”
    “Who would have thought that being from Omaha would make me citified?”
    “On your right is the East Campus Union. That’s where we keep our bowling alley.”
    “Another bowling alley—”
    “Don’t get excited, there’s no bowling on the agenda tonight.”
    Cath followed Levi along a winding sidewalk path and smiled politely at all the buildings when he pointed to them. He kept touching her back to get her attention or to make sure she was facing the right direction. She didn’t tell him that East Campus (in February, at night) looked a lot like City Campus.
    “If we were here during the day,” he said, “we’d stop at the Dairy Store and have some ice cream.”
    “Too bad,” she said. “It’s the perfect freezing night for it.”
    “Are you cold?” He stopped in front of her and frowned. “Is that how your mother taught you to put on a scarf?”
    Her scarf was hanging around her collar. He pulled it snugly against her neck and wrapped it, tucking in the ends. Cath hoped her coat hid the embarrassingly shaky breath she’d taken.
    Levi moved his hands up to the side of her head and gently pinched the top of her ears. “Not too bad,” he said, rubbing them. “ Are you cold?” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to go in?”
    She shook her head. “No. I want to see East Campus.”
    He grinned again. “As well you should. We haven’t even gotten to the Tractor Museum. It’s closed, of course.”
    “Of course.”
    “But still worth seeing.”
    “Of course.”
    After a half hour or so, they stopped to use the bathroom in the Dental College. People were spread out on blue couches in the lounge, studying. Levi bought a cup of hot chocolate from the coffee machine for them to share. Cath had a weird thing about sharing drinks, but she decided it would be stupid to say anything. She’d already kissed him.
    When they stepped outside again, the night seemed quieter. Darker.
    “I saved the best for last,” Levi said softly.
    “What’s that?”
    “Patience. This way…”
    They walked together along another curving sidewalk until he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Here we are,” he said, pointing down an unshoveled path. “The Gardens.”
    Cath tried to look appreciative. You wouldn’t know there was a path here at all if it weren’t for one set of footprints in the melting snow. All she could see were the footprints, some dead bushes, and a few weedy patches of mud.
    “It’s breathtaking,” she laughed.
    “I knew you’d like it. Play your cards right, and I’ll bring you back during the high season.”
    They walked slowly, occasionally stopping to look at educational plaques that were sticking out through the snow. Levi would lean over, clear one off with his sleeve, and read out loud what plants were supposed to be growing there.
    “So what we’re really missing out on,” Cath said as they bent together over a sign, “is a variety of native grasses.”
    “And wildflowers,” Levi said. “We’re also missing the wildflowers.”
    She stepped away from him, and he took her hand. “Wait,” he said. “I think there might be an evergreen over there—”
    Cath looked up.
    “False alarm,” he said, squeezing her hand.
    She shivered.
    “Are you cold?”
    She shook her head.
    He squeezed her hand again. “Good.”
    They didn’t talk about any more of the flowers they were missing as they finished their loop through the Gardens. Cath was glad she wasn’t wearing gloves; Levi’s palm was smooth, almost slick, against her own.
    They walked over a pedestrian