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MAKE ME WET

Jason: Best carnival ever.

Amanda: Face painting? I just got a full glow-up!

Jason: I’ve never been patted on the butt this much.

Amanda: Do we need to have a talk with Simon?

Jason: Tyler is at the dunk tank.

Amanda: In boxer briefs!

Jason: Should have been white briefs.

Amanda: Somebody’s a thirsty ho!

“With arms like that, he doesn’t stand a chance.” Sue Flay squeezed my bicep. “Oh baby, if your dance card has availability, sign me up.”

It was midday before I could tear myself away from committee duties.

The texts had been fast and furious all day.

I had yet to hear a complaint. The entire town clapped when the marching band performed, and the queens started a flash mob.

Firefly Valley would never be the same after today.

The Glitterati Guild would forever be welcome with open arms.

“Still dry!” Tyler cheered, snapping me back to reality.

He sat on a plank suspended above a giant vat of water.

I wanted to watch the shock on his face as he plummeted into the water.

“It’s so warm out. I wish somebody could help me cool off.

” I wanted to text Jason and agree with him.

Tyler, in black boxer briefs, bearing chest hair for all to see, was sexy, but white would have been better when I nailed the bullseye and soaked him.

“Ticket, please,” Sue snatched the yellow stub from my hand. “Will three balls be enough to sink our handsome librarian?”

“You’re going down, Mr. Bailey,” I said.

“Oh.” Sue stepped back from the white tape on the pavement.

“He’s a feisty one!” She flipped her purple hair over her shoulder while she grabbed the balls off the table.

Unlike the other queens, she had dressed up in a baseball uniform…

mostly. The exposed midriff wasn’t standard issue, but it showed off her abs.

“Are you sure you can do it?” Tyler chided. “Maybe you should step up to the kid’s line?” I wanted to shoot him a dirty look, but he was right.

I took a step forward to the next white line on the pavement. “Thanks for the invite.”

His eyes widened. “Sue, don’t let him do that. He’s cheating!”

Sue shrugged. “Girl. You should choose your words more carefully.” She handed me the first of three softballs. The moment my fingers wrapped around it, I prepared for mocking. Sports had never been my thing. I remained the only student asked to warm the bench during intramural dodgeball.

“Not so brave now, are we?” Tyler laughed. Holding his thumb to his nose, he stuck out his tongue, waggling his fingers. “You know you want to see all of this dripping wet.”

The sudden tent in my pants agreed. “Just remember, it’s for charity!”

I threw. The ball didn’t hit the giant bullseye. It didn’t even hit the backdrop meant to stop the ball. I’m lucky I didn’t break a library window. Maybe the dodgeball coach had a point.

“Darling. Do you need me to fetch your glasses?”

“It’s been a while. I’m just getting warmed up.”

Sue handed me the second ball. “Girl,” she whispered. “You better sink that man. I’m dying to see that chest hair glisten.” Sue let out a soft roar. “Do it for all of us.”

“No pressure,” I mumbled. Checking my grip on the ball, I did a slow practice run. Shifting a little down the line, I pulled back, narrowed my eyes, and chucked it.

Miss. At least this time, I hit the backdrop. Okay, I improved. The next would hit the giant red button at the center, and Tyler would fall with a thunderous splash.

“One more,” Sue said. “Make it count.”

“What?” Tyler teased. “Somebody scared of wet kisses?”

I channeled every baseball pitcher I accidentally watched funny videos of.

Draw back, leg up. I imagined the catch on the other side, his glove raised.

I chucked the ball. Not only did I miss, it bounced off the steps to the library, launching itself in the air.

Everybody covered their heads, scrambling.

“No!” Sue yelled. “You’ve been banned.”

A blur whipped past my face. It cracked against the red button, a chime sounding seconds before Tyler’s arms flailed. He yelped as he splashed into the tank. He opened his eyes in the water, pressing himself against the clear glass before coming up for air.

Sue and I turned to see Evie.

“East Division Winners three years in a row.” She waved as she walked away from the dunk tank station. “Consider this your repayment for all those missed birthday gifts.”

“Now, that’s a queen.”

I agreed with Sue. I’d thank her later. First, I had a soggy boyfriend who needed a taste of his own medicine. I strut over to the tank, reaching the side as he broke the surface of the water. Throwing his head back, I narrowly dodged a stream of water.

“Not fair!” Tyler wiped the water from his eyes. Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop gawking at his wet chest. Soon as I spotted the dripping water, I remembered our night at the drive-in, drenched as we fucked. I hoped it was the first of many storms we’d braved while naked.

“The Olsens are a package deal.”

He waded to the edge, leaning over. I wiped his face, giving his beard a shake to dry him off.

Leaning in for a kiss, it only took the touch of his lips before I wanted to confess everything.

I could barely contain the news about the calendar, but more than that, the decision to stay.

That last one came with a promise of many more kisses to come.

“You pulled it off,” he said. “Or should I be thanking Mabel?”

“Hey! Without me, she’d have never heard Firefly needed fabulous volunteers.” As much as I wanted to take the win, it had been a group effort.

“They’re going to talk about this for years.” He gave my nose a quick peck before resetting the plank. “How are you going to up the stakes next year?”

“Whoa,” I said, holding up my hands. “Let’s survive today. Then we can worry about next year.”

“So there is a next year?” When Tyler glanced over his shoulder, his lip pulled back in a smirk, and I realized I had walked into a trap. My sexy librarian knew just how much to push without pressuring me.

“Maybe.” He wouldn’t get any more out of me before the big announcement. “I’m glad I could make you wet.” I shot him a wink.

“Technically, your sister did that.”

I shivered at the thought. “Way to ruin an innuendo!”

Tyler jogged in slow motion across the tub. He reached the edge, holding my cheeks as he came in for another kiss. I could have stood there all day if it meant more time studying those lips.

“Ahem.” I turned to see Sue with a line of people.

There were kids with eager faces and a man holding his daughter.

It took a moment before I recognized Tony.

The last time I had seen him, he had been showing off his abundance of goods for the calendar.

“Move along. It seems Mr. Bailey has admirers who want to sink him.”

“Who wants to dunk Mr. Bailey?” Sue asked, getting the kids worked up.

“I’ll see you,” I whispered. “Later, I have some big news I need to share.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I believed him with every fiber of my being. If I had time, I wanted to ask if the carnival brought up feelings of nostalgia like it did for me. Was he also thinking about that picnic table?

I walked away from the tank, ready to return to my committee duties. I stopped at the line of kids and reached into my pocket. Pulling out tickets, I shared them with the line of dunkers.

“Sink him as many times as possible!” The kids of Firefly cheered.

The more I thought about my announcement, the more I felt it in my soul. This was the right decision. At every turn, I could see why Mimi called Firefly home.

My home .

Harvey: We have a hotdog emergency!

Sheryl: I’m running to the store.

Walter: Has anybody seen Tina’s stuffed bear?

Gladys: Beary is at the lost and found.

Laurel: We’re out of glue at the face painting station.

Harvey: Glue?

Laurel: For false eyelashes, of course.

Sheryl: I have some in the shop.

Jon: I’m on it.

I closed my eyes, savoring the pulse of sunlight against my face.

I had taken off my shoes, rubbing my aching feet.

When I had walked into Twice-Told Tales, I thought a carnival committee had been unnecessary.

As I sat on a park bench, rubbing my feet, I realized they were the unsung heroes of Firefly.

Working like ninjas, they put out fires, ensuring the residents hadn’t noticed the hiccups.

In the case of Simon’s burger stand, I meant that literally.

“We did it,” I whispered. The more I thought about the we , the more I smiled.

The carnival was in full swing. Every person in Firefly had come out, ready to partake in the festivities.

With the number of people milling about the green, I realized there were plenty of faces I didn’t recognize, at least not yet.

Gladys claimed once word spread, we even had visitors from Merryville.

I guess that meant I’d have to attend Flannel Fest next year.

Gladys: Committee to the stage.

The high school band had been performing all day.

They took a break as people worked their way to the end of the green, ready for speeches and a long list of names to share for appreciation.

Originally, it was going to be Gladys hosting the show, but, of course, Mabel had stolen the opportunity. I’m sure I’d hear about it later.

I slid my sneakers on and headed toward the stage.

There were so many families in attendance it warmed my heart.

I found Jason in the crowd, holding hands with Simon and their son.

Not far from them, Chris had his head resting on Bobby’s shoulder.

I had been terrified coming to Firefly, that I’d be an outsider, always looking from the outside in.

My fears washed away as I watched the townspeople simply existing. I felt nothing but sheer joy.