He was the one lying across the front of Roger’s boat, wearing a crocheted mermaid’s fin that hung low on his hips and a coconut bikini top that barely covered his nips. Not to mention a vat of glitter on his exposed skin. Between the night before, the parade, and the pageant, Brady was pretty sure he’d be finding specks of glitter for the rest of his days.

A bell sounded somewhere up the street. Cassidy’s float was, surprisingly, smack-dab in the middle of the lineup. With Carol and her mother in charge, he bet they’d had to compromise to put them there. Missy had been vocal about showcasing Sloane and Brady, while Carol had been vocal about them not having any special treatment. Not that they were complaining at their slot. One look at the monstrosity that was the Gardening Club’s float and Brady was glad to be leagues away from it.

Sloane had described it the best.

“I get that they tried to make it look like an underwater treasure trove being discovered by sailors, but I don’t understand why Carol is wearing a crown and has a trident,” she’d said. “Is she guarding the treasure? If she’s the queen, is it her job to do that? And what exactly are Marcus and Felicity supposed to be? Why are they wearing a suit and a ball gown? And where are the plants? Isn’t it supposed to be the gardening club? My God. I have so many questions.”

Brady doubted Carol’s float participants would have any fun during their time in the limelight. However, Cassidy’s Place? As soon as the bell rang to let everyone know it was showtime, everyone around them was all giggles, shouts, and selfies.

“Watch out, Sloane! Mermaid numero uno coming through!”

Dixon’s coconut bra clacked as he hustled over to the front of the boat. Sloane gave Brady one more look before moving out of the way. She and Santana took their stations at either side of the middle and adjusted their respective pirate outfits. Dixon lay out like he and Brady were supposed to and pulled his fin down over his bare feet.

Dewey and the several bar patrons hurried to their places next to the boat. They had on shirts with the bar’s logo and all had a pint glass in one hand and their cell phones in the other. Callum made a whooping noise from the rolled-down driver’s side window of Brady’s truck.

Brady looked back at Sloane one more time. She was adjusting the stuffed parrot on her shoulder while the plastic sword Justus had loaned her was in her other hand. Santana said something he didn’t catch, and Sloane laughed.

Everyone was excited. Dixon had even started talking about next year’s parade as they were putting on their body glitter.

Brady should have been excited right there with everyone.