Page 112 of Bears of Firefly Valley: The Reasons Collection (Bears of Firefly Valley Boxed Sets #1)

It might have been an act of goodwill on their behalf, but it left me choking on my feelings.

Yay, we saved the carnival, but it was Patrick’s words that struck a nerve.

I had been worried that moving to Firefly would uproot my life and leave something behind.

Mabel proved that the good things in my life would follow.

I couldn’t speak my thanks, so I slid off my stool, throwing my arms around their neck.

“Girl, don’t spill my drink!”

I didn’t care. After a moment, Mabel returned the hug.

Seconds later, I could feel arms all over me as the Glitterati closed their ranks.

The last bit of hesitation melted away. I could have it all.

Those I called family would meet me halfway, and when I needed them to go the distance, they’d do it.

“Okay. Okay. Okay.” Mabel pushed everybody away. “Patrick, get our Cinderella a drink. Group hugs are over. We need to talk logistics.”

It was going to be a long but fabulous night.

Tyler: I found your drawing.

Tyler: It’s amazing.

Tyler: You’re amazing.

“You did it,” I whispered.

Standing on the porch, I let out a long sigh.

The anxiety had vanished, leaving me almost euphoric.

I bit my lips as the smile formed. Firefly, a tight-knit community, came together when one of their own needed it.

However, I existed on the fringe, and Mabel and the Glitterati Guild made it clear that my tribe continued to expand.

These friends… this family , would follow no matter where I called home.

I opened the door, careful to avoid a loud groan. At two in the morning, I didn’t want to wake Evie. I needed to avoid steps two, six, seven, nine… and maybe twelve. A house this old came with its own security system and it’d take a skilled cat burglar to make it out undetected.

As I stepped inside, my arm caught on the coat rack. As it fell, I tried catching it. My foot hit the door, slamming it shut, and the rack smacked against the floor. All attempts at discretion were dashed, and I’m certain I had woken up the neighbors.

“Jonny?”

Peeking into the living room, I found Evie sitting on the couch, her screen lit up from her laptop screen. At least I didn’t have to worry about waking her.

“Mister, do you know what time it is?”

“Past your bedtime,” I shot back.

She folded her legs, patting the cushion next to her. Since she admitted to wanting to turn Mimi’s house into a bed-and-breakfast, it seemed as if she had shaken a weight from her shoulders. I couldn’t be happier for her… for us. Knowing Mimi had brought us together warmed my heart.

I took the seat on the far end of the couch, legs folded underneath me so I could face her. Reaching behind her head, she flipped the switch on the light, and we both winced at the brightness.

“I’ve been making a list of all the things I need to do for the house.” She turned her computer around. Scrolling, her list had reached the fourth page. “This is going to be a lot.”

“I believe in you.” It was the truth. She held the hotel together at her previous job. At least here, she wouldn’t have bosses telling her no. If anybody could make this work, it’d be Evie.

“I’m glad one of us thinks so.”

I jabbed her leg with my foot. “Stop it. You’ve always made things work. Besides, when has my sister ever backed down from a challenge?”

“It’s a lot. At least at the hotel, I had help.”

“What are you talking about? All of Firefly wants to pitch in. You’ll be annoyed with how much help you get.”

“That’s different.” She closed the laptop, setting it on the floor. “The owners might have been a pain, but at least I could bounce ideas off them. We never agreed, but they were like a safety net.”

“You have me! I’ll scoff at all your ideas. Give me a chance to work on my disapproving face.” I straightened upright, pursing my lips and shooting her a dirty look. “It’ll take practice, but I’ll get it.”

“I say this with all the love and support I can muster.” Tensing, I prepared for the right hook that followed. “I’m glad we’re in a good place. It’s nice having my brother in my life again. But you’re leaving.”

She meant it as a matter of fact, but it came with a hint of sorrow. I had walked out on her once before. I originally thought I’d bear that regret for the rest of my life. After tonight, I decided to?—

“About that.” I flashed her a smile.

“Jonny.” She leaned forward. “Does that mean…”

Leave it to a group of drag queens and a sassy bartender to change my perspective. I realized I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by moving. My ties to the city and the people I call friends wouldn’t vanish if I uprooted my life. Instead, I’d be surrounded by my family, blood, and chosen.

“You’re not doing this alone.”

“Jonny.” It came out in a gasp. “I can’t let you throw away your life to help me.”

I shook my head. “It’s an adventure.”

To anybody else, it might have sounded like a hollow justification. After cleaning out a dozen rooms with Evie, we uncovered countless moments when Mimi chose adventure over tedium. Those words were anything but empty. They honored our grandmother’s legacy and came like a mid-life rally.

Evie understood the intention. She sprung across the couch like a feral cat, wrapping me in a hug. Two months ago, this moment would have been impossible. We had been strangers who shared a bloodline. Every night since she arrived, I debated if this was Mimi’s goal all along.

“She played us,” Evie said, pulling back. I hadn’t allowed myself to imagine the possibility of us rekindling our relationship. Even in death, Mimi had set out on one last adventure. “She’s diabolical. But are you sure? I don’t want you doing this just for me.”

I nodded. “My family is here.” I had to fight back the surge of emotion as my heart reached capacity.

“You. Jason. Amanda. The guys. The bed-and-breakfast. Everything is here. I can work remotely. At first, I was worried about what I’d be losing.

Now…” Tears. I wiped my face. “I’m thinking of all the things I’d gain. ”

“Jonny…” Her hand rested on my calf. “If this is the adventure you need, you know I’ll support you.”

“Good. Do you know where I can rent a room?”

She snickered. “It’ll cost you.”

“Family discount?”

“Whoa, now.” She held up her hands, halting me. “I don’t think we’re there yet.”

We both chuckled. I’m glad she recognized we still had a ways to go. The bridge had been built. We had found a way back to one another. Right now, that tie remained delicate, almost fragile. I was ready to put in the work. In time, we would be the Olsen siblings again.

“I noticed you didn’t mention a certain somebody.”

I let my cheeks turn red. There was no point in hiding it. I know she expected me to gush, but truth be told, I didn’t make the decision because of Tyler. Had he been a consideration? Absolutely. But my well-being didn’t rest on his shoulders.

“Mimi opened the door,” I admitted. “I want to live a life so full that when people sift through my belongings, they’ll be surprised.”

“I mean?—”

Evie froze when I shot her a look. “I want to regret the things I did, not the things I didn’t. I got comfortable in that rut. Then Tyler walks into my life, shaking things. I think about the possibilities with him. But it wasn’t until Mabel Syrup came to my rescue with the Glitterati Guild?—”

“You’re making this up.”

“We’ll circle back to that.” I couldn’t wait to see her jaw drop. “My friends will find me wherever I am. But I have a family here. Why wouldn’t I want to chase the best things in my life?”

“You’re such a sap.” She chucked a throw pillow at my head. “I’m proud of you, Jonny. It’s about time you spiced up your life.”

“Did you ever think we’d wind up here? That Firefly Valley would be our spicy ?”

“Oh, that reminds me—” She spun about on the couch, grabbing a sheet of paper off the coffee table. “—a handsome gentleman dropped this off for you.”

Evie handed me the page, and I flipped it over.

It took a moment to process the scratchy marks.

Stick figures? Were they hugging? Wrestling?

“Oh.” They were kissing while sitting on a table.

Above them, there were bursts… fireworks.

There was no point in holding back the tears.

When I spotted the little hearts around the figure’s heads, I didn’t need an explanation.

Tyler’s intention far surpassed his horrible artistry.

Maybe he was more than a little responsible for my wanting to stay.

“He’s a keeper,” she said.

Staring at the drawing, I couldn’t help but wonder if the thumping in my chest was what others felt when they found my drawings. Was this the result of radical love? More importantly, were these stickers from twenty years ago, or were they a prophecy yet to come true?

Both. Definitely both.

“So what’s this about a Glitter Gang?”

I chuckled. “Okay, it started with the carnival committee…”