Our Valentine's Day issue features a Q&A with ATWT's hottest non-couple, Terri Colombino (Katie) and Austin Peck (Brad). You can read about what she thought of his screen test in the magazine, but here they talk about when they met — as well as the bizarre trip they took not long after, as they (in character) cleaned up a contest-winner's basement for a segment on their fictional talk show, OAKDALE NOW.

Soap Opera Digest: Was the screen test the first time you met?
Austin Peck: Yeah.
Terri Colombino: Well, I think we had met before, but he doesn't remember. I remember meeting you at the thing with the wrestlers.

Digest: That thing at the China Club? It was a weird animal-rescue benefit, with soap stars and wrestlers.
Peck: Oh, yeah! Where I jumped up and hit my hand on the fan and I thought I chopped my fingers off!
Colombino: Yes! I remember that, actually.
Peck: Because it was so stupid, how could you not? This big oaf jumping up and hitting a fan.
Colombino (to Digest): He was just tall.

Digest: Was there chemistry right away?
Peck: I thought so. I tried to give her permission to be the way she needed to be with me as the character and really hit my feet off the table or really come at me. I don't even know if I said anything, but even after we started working, any time it was in the script for her to be physical with me, I said, "Push me! Really go for it! Just do it!" It was giving her permission to be how she needs to be as Katie to Brad and that just gives me what I need.
Colombino: He still does that.
Peck: But as far as the screen test was concerned, I saw the character and I felt like I saw what they wanted and I saw the traps that most actors or that I myself might have made. I knew that I was going to go for the fun. Katie is trying to grow up and take her life seriously. Here comes this guy who doesn't take much of anything serious, but he is inside. And I thought that was the fun thing about him that he was challenging her.

Digest: Not long after you started, you had to go off and clean someone's house together.
Colombino: Yeah, that's so weird! We barely knew each other then.
Peck: That was all improv. Chris [Goutman, executive producer] was great: he gave us a lot of freedom.

Digest: That must have been surreal, though.
Colombino: It was like reality television, but for a television show.
Peck: I thought it could be a real miss, but it flowed perfectly with the show.
Colombino: And the people were great! It was very confusing for them, too, because in between we were talking as Austin and Terri, and then all of a sudden, they'd be like, "Come on in, Katie and Brad!"
Peck: It was almost like they were cast.
Colombino: They were great. Awww, I wonder how they're doing. How much did they win?
Peck: $5,000. The funny thing is, we had cleaned the guy's office and knowing how offices are, with paperwork, before he saw it I thought, "This guy's going to be p----d." He came down and I saw it on his face. The wife was like, "Grin and bear it!" It was spotless, but where did all his papers go?
Colombino: Oh, no. And I remember using them as props!

Digest: Did you get to know each other better doing that?
Colombino: I think so.

Digest: Do you ever hang out?
Colombino: We have a couple times.
Peck: Considering you're in Jersey.
Colombino: And they're in the city. They came out to our house for dinner and brought the kids.I have pictures of all three of them in front of the TV. It's so cute.

Digest: They're close in ages, right?
Colombino: Julia's right in between.

Digest: So one day, they could date....
Colombino (laughing): She'll get caught...
Peck: Between the two brothers!