Jane came out of the craft session later that afternoon wearing a very sad looking poodle skirt. Even though she’d spent three hours on the thing, the hem was uneven and the poodle looked like a pink pillow had been murdered. She was going to Moon Bug 10 to see if she could find Everett, knowing he’d get a kick out of how much of a failure she was at sewing, but an announcement came over the loudspeaker.

“Attention Camp Firefly campers! We have a surprise for you. There will be a special performance by cast members from the Elm Street Theatre in New Milford. Enjoy a few songs from our favorite musical in the boathouse in fifteen minutes.”

Thinking there was going to be a mad rush for seats, Jane hurried to the boathouse. Good thing because the place was filling up fast. She tried to save seats for Booth and the Gaydies in case they showed up, but when she didn’t see them about two minutes before the show was to start, she gave the chairs up to strangers.

The small group of actors was very good. The girl who played Sandy had a high, clear voice and the perfect girl-next-door looks. Her Danny sported the required slicked-back hairstyle and moved with just the right amount of tough guy. They, along with four others, performed five songs and encouraged the crowd to join in for the finale number, “We Go Together,” during which it was easy to see who were the diehards. They were the ones who knew all the crazy ass lyrics of that song.

After the whoops, cheering and applause, “Danny,” took center stage and raised his hands for silence.

“My name is Matt Oliver,” he said into a microphone. He spoke without any of the bravado and accent that he’d been using to play the role, which shouldn’t have surprised Jane, because he was a real person, after all. “On behalf of all of us from the Elm Street Theatre, I’d like to thank you for allowing us to perform songs from one of the best feel-good musicals ever written. It was a blast for us to do this for fans of your high caliber.”

More hoots and applause came from the audience, after which he raised his hands again.

“Now, is there a Jane Merrifield in the house?” he asked, peering out into the audience.

Jane blinked. “Ah, yes. I’m Jane,” she said, waving her hand.

“Come on up here a second, Jane, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“I don’t have to sing, do I?” she asked.

He laughed. “No, you don’t have to sing.”

People were looking at her curiously but she had no idea what was going on.

“Now, as you know,” Matt said when she came up onstage with him, “Grease was a love story, about two kids from opposite sides of the tracks. Sandy was a wholesome girl. Danny was a greaser. It shouldn’t have worked. They didn’t have anything in common, but it didn’t matter. Love brought them together, didn’t it?”

She nodded. “Yes it did.”

She was starting to get a nervous feeling in her stomach. This had all the earmarks of a public marriage proposal, but that was…unthinkable. There was just no way.

She looked around for Booth, but he was nowhere in sight. His absence could mean nothing because he was just out with the Gaydies climbing rocks or racing canoes.

Or it could mean that he was standing somewhere out of sight nervously holding an engagement ring in his big sweaty hand.

Matt rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Now, I happen to know something you don’t.”

“Is that so?”

“There’s a man backstage.”

Jane’s heart started to pound. There were several gasps in the audience. She could see people getting out their cellphones.

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t. Was Booth in love with her? Was he that impulsive that he’d up and pop the question after only a couple of days together? Because yes, they’d been intimate and she could see in his eyes that his feelings for her ran more deeply than she’d originally thought, but marriage was a big step, and Booth could be spontaneous when it came to small things, like trying that night’s special at a restaurant or giving in to a sudden craving for the best taco that could be found in a five-mile radius. But for big decisions and goals, like his hockey career, he could be a planner of the first order. And getting married was arguably the biggest decision of anyone’s life.

Could this be the culmination of a Machiavellian scheme that he’d hatched after meeting her for coffee? Had he come here all along with the intent to propose? The very thought made her shake in her shoes. There were at least a hundred people in the audience, expectant and excited for her, and all she could think of was, anything other than a yes would be devastatingly awkward and embarrassing for everyone involved. But was that worse than saying yes just for appearances and then explaining to him later that she didn’t really want to marry him?

A small part of her brain—or maybe her heart—asked would it be so bad if you said yes?

More people were filming now, which made Jane want to flee the room.

Did she want to marry Booth? She let herself imagine what it would be like. Just for a moment. Even though it felt like a schoolgirl’s naïve fantasizing.

Of course a lifetime of mindboggling sex was a plus. Not to mention waking up to that lovesick expression on his face, the one she’d seen just a few hours ago. Had Dylan, or anyone really, ever looked at her like that, like he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to even be breathing the same air as her? The answer was no. In addition to that very strong argument in his favor, Booth was thoughtful and kind and generous. He was able to admit he’d made a mistake and apologize. He had a sentimental streak as wide as a hockey rink.

But it wouldn’t be all wine and roses. He was married to his work, just like Dylan was. If the hockey team snapped their fingers, he had to jump. And he would be on the road even more than Dylan. Half their games were not at home, which meant half the time she’d be in a long distance relationship. And that was another thing. She’d have to move to California. That wasn’t a bad thing necessarily. San Diego was a beautiful city with a truly idyllic climate, however, a hockey wife lived where the hockey player played, and if he was traded, off the couple went to the new city. Would that be so horrible, she wondered? Because she could blog anywhere. And how often had she thought about switching it up and going someplace new and exciting, just because she could?

Matt Oliver grinned first at the audience, then at her. “And this man is very much in love with you.”

There were a few female sighs as Jane struggled to figure out what she was going to do.