You weren’t sure what you expected when you agreed to spend the day with Steve Burns—former host of Blue’s Clues, forever sunny smile and boundless energy—but you certainly didn’t expect to be nervous.

Steve greeted you at the door with his familiar green-striped shirt and that warm grin. “Hey! Ready to solve some clues?”

“Absolutely,” you said, trying to hide the flutter in your chest.

Blue’s paw prints were scattered all over the house, each one leading to another tiny puzzle. You and Steve moved from room to room, flipping cushions, opening drawers, and laughing at the little surprises Blue left behind.

“Hmm…” Steve tapped his chin thoughtfully, spinning the handy-dandy notebook toward you. “So far, we have a paw print on the bookshelf, one in the kitchen, and one on the porch. What could Blue be trying to tell us?”

You grinned, jotting down your thoughts. “Maybe… she wants us to notice something. Something… important.”

Steve chuckled, leaning closer than necessary. “Yeah? Like what?”

You felt heat rise to your cheeks, heart racing faster than usual. “I… I don’t know. Maybe… how fun it is to… be together?”

Steve blinked, then smiled softly. “You know, I think that might actually be the biggest clue of all.”

The rest of the day blurred in the best possible way. You solved riddles, danced in the living room to Blue’s favorite songs, and even made a messy batch of cookies that were half-burnt but somehow perfect because you were laughing the entire time.

As the sun began to set, you and Steve sat on the porch, watching the sky turn pink and orange. Blue curled up next to you both, tail wagging happily.

“Today was amazing,” Steve said quietly, nudging his shoulder against yours. “Not just because of the clues… but… well, because of this.”

You turned to him, your chest tight with a mix of nerves and hope. “This?”

“This,” he repeated, pointing to both of you, and then at the way your hands brushed. “All of it. You, me, Blue, these little adventures… it feels like the perfect clue I’ve been looking for.”

You laughed softly, heart soaring. “Then maybe we’ve solved it. Maybe this… is our clue.”

He grinned, leaning a little closer. “Then I guess we should follow it, huh?”