One year on, I feel like I’ve changed things for the better.I’m one of TikTok’s top book reviewers.I’ve got a five-year plan that leads into a ten-year plan.But if you were to judge everything by the state of my car?Well, it might not look like it.
I’ve traded random appliances for advance reader copies of forthcoming books—four boxes sent from various publishers clutter my backseat—along with recording equipment I keep meaning to put away, tote bags full of various sugar scrubs from the farmer’s market that morning, and a bunch of party decorations that I am currently carting to Piper’s barn.
But there’s extra chaos this weekend.Not only is Griffin slated to begin his summer Bayshore residency in mere days, I have also been part of what can only be considered the biggest surprise party of Bayshore history: celebrating Griffin and the Cleveland Crushers’ championship win last week.
We had a family outing to Minnesota—the Keegansandthe Harts—where the championship game was held this year, and we’ve all been flying high since.Griffin has been on a whirlwind of scheduled activities and press since then, which has given me and his mother some time to collaborate on this surprise party.At Piper’s suggestion, she hired an event coordinator to help speed some things along.I haven’t met her yet, since she’s been darting around like a whirlwind tending to details.
“Oh!Casey!You brought the banner!”Griffin’s mom claps her hands excitedly.Piper had the brilliant idea of creating a custom banner for this party, but it was extremely last minute.Plus all her brothers wanted to weigh in.I was merely instructed to pick it up.I haven’t seen this work of art yet myself.
“I’ve heard so much about this thing, I can’t wait to unroll it.”
Mama Keegan takes the tube from me and we unroll it together on the barn floor.It's a massive print—Griffin on the ice, mid-celebration, stick raised, jersey drenched in sweat or maybe celebratory champagne—and across the top in bold block letters: GRIFF KEEGAN, OUR #1 PUCKER.
I snort, tilting my head at the choice of words.“Number one pucker?”
Mama Keegan rolls her eyes.“You can thank Jett for that.He insisted.You know how boys are.”
“Well if it’s a boy you raised, I know they’re exceptional.All the Keegan boys are number one puckers, aren’t they?”
A laugh bursts out of her.“It just doesn’t sound right, does it?Here, let’s hang it over here.”
We spend the next hour getting Cloud Nine Events into shape.Piper has the barn looking incredible—Crushers colors everywhere, fairy lights strung across the rafters, food pans along the far wall, waiting to be filled with delights from Kru's restaurant.An elderly lady shuffles past, a plastic-wrapped tray of cake balls in her hands.
“Dee’s Balls are here!”she announces as she sets the tray on the dessert table.
Half of Bayshore has been invited.People flit in and out—Griffin’s brothers, Piper, Kru, the DJ, the event coordinator Nora who Piper has recently started working with, a soft-spoken beauty who looks young but has a knack for putting on a party.
As we get closer to party time, it seems to me there are lurkers outside.I occasionally poke my head out to check out a small group of women who have been lingering near the road.Looking this way like they’re too afraid to come up.I can’t tell if they’re lost hockey fans or early attendees.One of the times I walk out of the barn, they shriek.
“Book Rec Bartender!”one of them shouts.
I wave dumbly.They know who I am?The whole 800,000 followers thing feels surreal most days, but it doesn’t often reach me here in Bayshore.Especially since I’ve cut back to guest appearances only at Brews on the Bay.There are way too many books to review and drinks to recommend on my TikTok account, and the more I post, the bigger my audience grows.Talk about an incredible plot twist in life.It sure didn’t hurt when my romance-loving fans found out I was datingtheGriffin Keegan.I think sharing that tidbit with the world netted me a hundred thousand new followers in that one week alone.They love a hockey romance-reviewing girlie who’s actually dating a hockey player.And watch out when I feature him in my videos, even briefly.The comments explode with thirsty ladies.
I go back to arranging centerpieces, lost in my thoughts until I hear Mama Keegan shush someone.I whip around to find her shooing someone out of the barn.
“Everything okay?”I ask.
“Oh yes.Totally fine.”She gives me a warm smile.“How’s it going, sweetheart?”
“Great.I think we’re mostly ready.”
Jett saunters over, looking annoyed.“Mom, why is she here?”He jerks his thumb toward Nora and Piper where they’re chatting in the doorway.People are beginning to arrive now, cars filling the parking lot, guests beginning to fill the space.
“That’s Nora,” Mama Keegan begins.“She’s helping with the party coordination.”
Jett narrows his eyes.“I know her name but there’s no reason for her to still be here.Can we get rid of her?She’s not letting me set up the life-size cut-outs of Griffin wearing underwear on his head when he was a teenager.”
“No, we cannotget rid of her,” Mama Keegan hisses, swatting her son’s arm.“You’d do well to be nicer to her.”
“I’d be nicer to her if she didn’t call my cardboard cut-outs inappropriate.”
Piper joins our group just as Mama Keegan grins mysteriously.But it fades as she presses her fingertips to the side of her head.
“Are you okay, Mom?”Jett asks.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”She draws a deep breath, then opens her eyes.“I just got another one of the…sensations.”
“Are you serious?”Piper squeaks.
