I had so much fun at the first Girls’ Night Out event in Boonsboro, Maryland back in May that I decided I absolutely must return in November to another Girls’ Night event this fall. This time, instead of a date, two of my dear friends and colleagues joined me, McDaniel’s Head of Public Services Elizabeth Davidson, and Jessica Gutacker, the Information Literacy Coordinator. The three of us took Boonsboro by storm, making our way in and out of all the local shops and boutiques, mingling with other Nora fans, and even getting signed books from Nora herself!
Although this trip was celebrating friendship, no night involving Nora Roberts would be complete without a love story. While the three of us were perusing copies of Nora’s work in Turn The Page Bookstore, a young man and woman kept glancing over at us, conferring quietly amongst themselves before finally working up the nerve to approach us. The man held out his hand to me, and introduced himself. “I don’t expect you to remember me,” he said, “but I wanted to thank you.”
Back in August, I had received a Facebook message from a man I didn’t know asking about the Girls’ Night Out event I had attended in May. He said that his girlfriend was a huge fan of Nora, and he wanted to surprise her by taking her to Boonsboro.
I chatted with him for a little while, telling him about my experience at the event and what the town and surrounding area was like, and what he could expect at the book signing. It was a great conversation, and we wrapped up quickly, but I didn’t think about it again.
The man in the bookshop was the Facebook stranger! He and his girlfriend had flown into Washington, D.C. from Texas, and then rented a car and driven to Boonsboro. When she realized where they were headed, she told me, she burst into tears in the car! She never thought she’d have the opportunity to get to meet Nora, but now she was here and thrilled beyond words to have a moment with her favorite author.
“You hang on to this one,” I told her, laughing, “He’s a catch.” We parted ways, but later that evening, in the soft glow of the lights on the porch of the Inn Boonsboro, I saw the two of them holding hands and lean in for a kiss.
I smiled. Now, there’s a love story to make Nora proud.
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