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If only it were that simple for me.

Wallace nods solemnly. “Thanks, dude.”

I wait for him to move along now that I’ve done what I could to help him. Shouldn’t he be able to find someone else to overwhelm with uncomfortable questions? Instead, he plops down on the bench next to me, mirroring my pose with his own roasting stick.

Beth appears on the other side of the firepit with her own plate of s’mores toppings.

“I have been dreaming about this for a month.” She settles onto the bench next to me. “Hey, Wallace.”

“Beth.” He doffs a pretend hat. “How goes it?”

“Xander is already talking about what we need to do to go even bigger at this event next year.” She stabs a marshmallow with gusto. “I swear he will never be satisfied.”

“What you guys pulled together this year is great,” I say. “Everyone’s having a good time.”

Beth looks around after getting her marshmallow situated. “They are, aren’t they? That’s something, I guess.” She rolls her eyes. “Xander thinks we need to bring in live music and food trucks.”

“Wouldn’t food trucks take away from the enjoyment of the cocoa cart and these s’mores?” Wallace plucks his flaming marshmallow from the fire and blows it out. “Perfection,” he says with reverence.

I can’t help but chuckle. “I’m with Wallace on this one. Why mess with a good thing?”

“Bigger is always better in the eyes of the Chamber. Especially with Xander running the show.” Beth sounds a little bitter.

Wallace harrumphs next to me.

I glance between the two of them. “How long has he been head of the Chamber of Commerce?”

“He took over in January,” Wallace says. “Whether that’s a good thing or not remains to be seen.”

“He’s not so bad. He does expect a lot from his members, that’s all.”

Based on the way she shrugs it off and keeps staring into the fire, I can tell Beth’s trying to walk the line between being supportive of the Chamber in front of Wallace and sharing how she really feels.

“I have an idea,” I say, deciding to share what’s been percolating in the back of my mind since I walked up on the green. “It’s about the Christmas Dash.”

Beth looks up and over at me.

Wallace shoves the last bite of s’more in his mouth and rubs his hands together. “Insider info. I’m here for it.”

I shake my head at him, but I can’t help but laugh. I like the guy. Who’da thought?

“Sorry, dude. Co-chairs only.”

“Come on! At least give me something. Dangle the carrot. How about the theme of the event?”

“The theme?” Beth looks stricken for a moment before she masks it.

“Yeah. I know you guys got something, right? All good scavenger hunts have a theme. Something to tie the whole shebang together. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

Beth makes a sound that’s somewhere between a nervous laugh and a cry for help.

“A theme. Of course. I thought you said a dream, and obviously our dream is to make this the most fun event of the season. Which we’ll definitely do with our theme. Right, Gabe?”

She looks to me with slightly crazed eyes. I have to bite back a smile. I’ve always liked when Beth got a little out of her comfort zone—a little out of her usual realm of control.

“Oh, absolutely. We’re a team with a dream and a theme. And rhyming clues. Now”—I turn to Wallace—“would you mind giving us a minute to discuss?”

Wallace lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. “Fine. I know when I’m not wanted.”