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“Are we having a good time?” Mabel’s voice rumbled across the green. The town cheered in response. “Firefly. My ego barely felt that. I ask you again, are you having a good time?” The roar grew. “Yass! That’s more like it.”

I reached the stage, and Laurel beckoned me to come up with them. It was nothing more than a few risers filled with chairs for the band. What it lacked in grandeur, it made up for with spirit. The committee stood behind Mabel, and I quickly took my place next to Harvey and Walter.

“While I’m sure you’d love another performance from me, I want to introduce the hardworking queens and kings who made this event happen. Darlings, I welcome to the stage Firefly’s Summer Carnival Committee.”

Mabel clapped, and the crowd followed. I couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at the audience.

There were plenty of people wearing their Sunday best. Sprinkled in were a slew of drag queens, looking as if they were ready to head to the club.

I’d have to be sure to compliment them on their carnival-chic attire.

“Gladys… girl… you want to share some words?” Mabel handed the mic over to our committee chair. Before she could speak, Mabel rushed to the end of the stage. I couldn’t figure out what she was up to.

She raised a crown in the air. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true pageant without somebody being crowned queen for a day. Mabel took her duties seriously. In stiletto heels, she returned to Gladys’s side, bending down to one knee. She held the crown out, bestowing the honor upon Gladys.

The confusion on Gladys’s face meant we’d need to take her to a drag show when this was over. I rushed over to Mabel, took the crown, and bestowed it on Gladys’s head. The queens in the audience whooped and hollered, ready to celebrate their new matriarch.

“This is certainly a new experience,” Gladys said into the microphone.

“Why aren’t you all cheering for the first queen of Firefly?

” I had a feeling she’d be insufferable after this.

Every committee meeting would start with her royal decrees.

However, the audience ate it up. Seeing Firefly accept the proceedings continued, reaffirming my decision to call this home.

They might be scared of change, but they proved their willingness to accept people.

“We want to thank our annual carnival. We hope you’re having a great time.

There are still plenty of activities going on for the rest of the day.

I’ve been told there is going to be a runway show?

” Mabel had demanded it. “You might have heard that the baseball team is off at the championship. Last I heard, they were up by two runs.” Firefly roared with approval.

“With them gone, we had to get creative. I want to say a very special thank you to our volunteers. Without them, we would have had to cancel.”

I cracked up as Walter and Harvey whooped and hollered their appreciation. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they had a crush on Mabel.

“But enough of that. I want to introduce our newest member.” Laurel gave me a shove forward.

“Hazel Olsen’s grandson has returned to Firefly.

You might have noticed him making Firefly a livelier place.

Jon Olsen, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

” The crowd applauded, but Gladys signaled for them to stop.

“He has some exciting news he wants to share with everybody.”

I doubt the actors felt this nervous when they prepared their grand gesture. I wiped off my palms, pacing to the front of the stage and taking the microphone. Scanning the crowd, I spotted Amanda waving. At her side, Tyler had slipped into a t-shirt and shorts.

“Wow. There’s so many of you.” Had Firefly’s population doubled?

I forced a smile. “You all know about Hazel’s passing.

I came to Firefly to get her affairs in order.

” Taking a steadying breath, I tried forcing the emotions down.

“I figured two months, and I’d be back home.

I didn’t expect this kind of reception. Firefly Valley is truly a magical place. ”

“What about the naked men?” Gloria shouted.

I chuckled. “I heard y’all were in jeopardy of losing your library, and after all your kindness… and all the pies. I needed to help. Some of you might have heard we made a calendar.”

That was the roar Mabel had wanted. I spotted Logan Jr. and Sr., their hands clapping high above their heads.

“I figured we’d have a little fun. And boy, did we have fun .

Firefly, are you ready to hear how we did?

” They cheered as if they were in a stadium.

“But how about we get our favorite librarian up on stage?”

Amanda took Tyler by the hand, dragging him through the crowd until he reached the stage. I held out my hand, hoisting him onto the riser. His face had turned bright red. I’m sure he preferred the solitude of his library, but today, I wanted him to see how much he meant to the town.

“Tyler Bailey has been a pillar of the community. He’s served as an escape from reality and a supplier of mysteries. Tyler… Firefly wouldn’t be the same without its favorite librarian.”

I gave him a quick hug. It took every ounce of willpower not to grab him by the face and press my lips against his. I couldn’t… not yet.

“As of this morning, we have sold 15,473 calendars.”

His jaw dropped. I bit my lip, the emotions stirring.

“We have raised, one hundred… and twenty-three thousand dollars!”

Tyler blinked in disbelief. The crowd had grown silent. Everybody looked at one another, confused. Apparently, our little project had produced results that didn’t make sense.

“Yes, you heard me right. We raised over one hundred thousand dollars for your library.”

“I did it!” Amanda’s screams filled the dead air. “I saved the library!”

Tyler lunged, arms wrapped around my waist. He hoisted me into the air, spinning around. It was then that the crowd caught on, and the clapping started. Mabel snatched the microphone from my hand as Tyler continued dancing about with me pressed against his chest.

Joy. Appreciation. Wonderment. I wanted to live in this moment, to take the excitement and wear it like a comfortable sweater.

The way he glowed as he smiled at me was everything I could have hoped for.

The grand gesture had done its job… but we weren’t done.

There was one more sentence I needed to speak to complete a perfect scene.

He set me down, and the spinning had taken effect. I wobbled, my foot slipping off the riser. I cried out as I lost my balance, ready to chew freshly cut grass. As I slid off the stage, Tyler caught me by the waistband of my shorts. Pulling me back, I pressed against his chest.

Firefly be damned, I’d never get another moment this perfect.

“I’m staying.” Two words. Two simple words that would serve as the first sentence in an adventure I desperately wanted to write.

“Was all of this so you could have a moment?”

I couldn’t hide the smile. It wasn’t all for him…

okay, mostly for him. He wrapped his arms around my neck and came in for a kiss.

I could hear Amanda screaming from the audience as I pressed against Tyler.

This would mark the first of many. This was an adventure that spanned decades, and now it opened the door for more.

His forehead rested against mine. Despite the crowd, we existed in a bubble. Everything had gone off without a hitch… except nearly falling on my face. I’d consider it a sign that Tyler had rescued me. I suspected I’d have that feeling a lot in the future.

“Girl, take that to the bedroom,” Mabel hissed. “While these two have a moment, let’s bring the band back for some music.”

If Mimi were here, she’d be in front of the crowd clapping. Yet again, she turned a boring summer in Firefly into an adventure.

It’d be the first of many.