Eastborough's annual Summer Safety BBQ was the kind of event where the whole town showed up, from toddlers to grandmas, armed with lawn chairs, iced tea, and a serious appetite for burnt burgers.
Jason Brooks arrived with his usual punctuality, clipboard in hand and a sense of mild dread. The last thing he wanted was to spend another afternoon next to Maggie Greene — whose definition of "BBQ attire" apparently included a tank top emblazoned with "Firefighter Fierce" and shorts that could barely be called modest.
Maggie was already there, setting up a makeshift firefighter's obstacle course for the kids, her ponytail bouncing as she barked orders and joked with volunteers.
"Look who decided to show up," she called out, flashing him a grin that made him want to adjust his shirt collar twice.
"Someone's got to make sure this doesn't turn into a circus," Jason replied, scanning the scene. "And that the burgers don't burn down the pavilion."
"Don't underestimate the power of spontaneous combustion," Maggie teased, tossing a water bottle into the cooler with a clink.
Mayor Douglas was manning the grill, his hat slightly askew and a spatula in one hand. "Jason! Maggie! Glad you two could join the party. Thought you'd like to see your handiwork in action."
Jason glanced at the obstacle course — kids laughing, parents cheering — and allowed himself a small nod of approval.
"See?" Maggie said, elbowing him lightly. "You can loosen up sometimes."
"I'm not loosened up. I'm professionally vigilant."
Maggie snorted. "That's just fancy talk for 'stiff as a board.'"
They were interrupted by a shout from the picnic tables.
"Hey! Who's stealing my chair?"
Jason and Maggie turned to see Pete, the town's unofficial prankster, hopping after a small boy who'd swiped his folding chair and was sprinting for the playground.
Jason sighed. "That's the kind of chaos I'd prefer to avoid."
"Speak for yourself," Maggie said with a grin. "That's Tuesday."
The Contest Begins
The highlight of the BBQ was the Firefighter vs. Police Officer Games — a series of challenges designed to pit the two departments against each other in good-natured competition.
This year's events included a water balloon toss, a pie-eating contest, and a relay race that combined sprinting, crawling under tables, and solving a puzzle.
Jason and Maggie had been drafted as team captains.
"I suggest we take this seriously," Jason said, already formulating a plan in his head.
"Relax, bro," Maggie said, twirling a spatula like a baton. "It's about fun — and who can embarrass the other department first."
Jason's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Prepare to be humiliated."
Maggie laughed. "That's what they said last year. Then you lost the pie-eating contest by three pies."
Jason swallowed hard at the memory. "That was… tactical."
"Tactical? You looked like you were trying to solve a math problem with every bite."
Water Balloon Mayhem
The water balloon toss started calmly enough — until Maggie's team decided that aiming for Jason's forehead was the only way to win.
Jason dodged, swatted, and eventually got soaked. His carefully styled hair plastered to his forehead, he glared at Maggie.
"You're going to regret this."
"Bring it on, Clipboard."
The balloon war escalated quickly. Bystanders scrambled for cover as balloons burst and water splashed in all directions.
When the final balloon soaked Jason's uniform, Maggie gave him a victorious wink.
"Okay, okay — you win this round."
Jason wiped water from his eyes. "Next: pie-eating. Prepare to lose."
The Pie-Eating Contest
Jason took his seat, face set in determined focus. Maggie smirked opposite him, licking a dollop of whipped cream from her upper lip.
The signal was given.
Jason dove in, trying to keep a rhythm. Maggie, however, was an expert — face buried in blueberry pie like it was a matter of life or death.
Within seconds, Maggie's pie was gone.
Jason was still halfway through.
The crowd cheered.
Jason groaned, waving a surrender flag made from his napkin.
"Mercy."
"You should've practiced more," Maggie teased, wiping pie crumbs from her chin.
Jason forced a smile. "Rematch at the relay race."
Relay Race Chaos
The relay race was supposed to be straightforward: sprint, crawl under picnic tables, solve a safety puzzle, and sprint back.
Jason and Maggie were both on their best behavior… until Pete showed up dressed in a clown costume, juggling fire torches — uninvited.
Chaos ensued.
Kids scattered. Maggie slipped on a banana peel. Jason collided with a picnic table leg and went down hard.
Despite the bruises and chaos, the race ended with both teams crossing the finish line together — a tie.
Breathless and battered, Jason looked over at Maggie.
"You know, this isn't so bad."
She grinned, handing him a towel. "Told you. Fun, remember?"
A Quiet Moment
As the sun began to set, the crowd started to thin.
Jason found himself beside Maggie near the fire engine, both quietly watching the remnants of the day's festivities.
"You know," Maggie said softly, "for a guy who hates mess, you sure know how to get mixed up in it."
Jason smiled. "And you? You're chaos in a tank top."
They shared a laugh.
Then Jason hesitated. "I guess… maybe working with you isn't the worst thing that's happened to me."
Maggie's smile softened. "Same here, Officer Clipboard."
The moment stretched — the kind of pause in conversation that feels like the start of something new.
Then Maggie nudged him. "Come on, clipboard, time to help clean up. No glitter pranks this time."
Jason groaned. "No promises."