“And not to keep you in the spotlight, shug, but—” Mrs. Robertson turned around her seat so that she was facing Sloane head-on. Her eyes widened as the older woman took her hand and the tiny sandwich she was holding with it. “We were wondering if you’re going to be here for it because, if so, we’d love for you two to be in the Sailors and Mermaids Pageant!”

She said the last part in a rush of high-pitched words and, simultaneously, a squeal. The noise and volume made the meaning behind the words take a little bit longer to sink in for him.

“The pageant? Well, I, uh—”

“It’ll mean so much if you say yes,” Arnesha piped in. “It would definitely boost exposure for the town.” Brady felt like giving her the stink eye. Woman had barely said a word, and now she was reppin’ a pageant?

“Not to mention the bar,” Mrs. Robertson added.

“But, Mother, we’re not going to force them to do what they don’t want to,” Carol said, for once not as enthused. “The pageant is always the highlight of the festival, with or without celebrities. We don’t need to bother them.”

Mrs. Robertson waved her off while keeping her sights firmly set on Sloane. The weakest of them all.

“You’ve already bared your soul to the great wide web, so what’s a little walk and twirl onstage going to really do?”

Sloane, hands still caught in their Robertson trap, glanced at Brady. Everyone else was so focused on them, he decided shaking his head and saying “hell no” probably wouldn’t go unnoticed. Plus, he could feel Felicity’s gaze on him.

One of their frequent arguments? His apparent inflexibility. That had usually revolved around him not wanting to leave the bar, but it had occasionally crept into other disagreements.

Being in a pageant? Definitely something he wouldn’t normally do.

Which was why he was going to let Sloane talk them out of it, not him. He couldn’t be called inflexible if she was the one who stayed rigid.

Sloane turned back to Mrs. Robertson, poor smooshed tiny sandwich in hand.

And betrayed him.

“I—I can’t think of a reason why we would say no.”

Arnesha and Mrs. Robertson actually cheered.

“This is going to be great!” Arnesha exclaimed. “I bet we could double our attendance!”

Mrs. Roberston agreed. They abandoned talking to Sloane directly. It was only after Arnesha and Mrs. Robertson turned to each other that Marcus leaned forward and mock whispered.

“You know, I’m glad we don’t have to suffer this alone. Last year I was trapped backstage with Dewey and his girlfriend, and I swear that man only talks about the weather. Even when he’s in costume.”