Daphne stands on her office chair at the reference desk to brief volunteers before the Read-a-thon begins. Scanning the crowd, she spots Julia, Elda, Barb and Lenore, Katya, Banks, and—unexpectedly—Miles, whose tentative smile undoes her. She delivers a heartfelt speech about libraries and community, locking eyes with Miles as she emphasizes how much the volunteers' presence matters, then directs everyone to their stations.

The Read-a-thon unfolds successfully throughout the night. Elda runs the refreshments room, where she and Harvey bond and flirt. Banks runs tech in Landon's absence, Julia leads the Picture Book circle, Huma helps kids pick reads, and Miles, on cleanup duty, ends up playing with the Fontana triplets. Daphne notices Maya quietly reading alongside Ethan from the YA book club, signaling Maya's growth beyond their two-person club.

During a 3 a.m. lull, Daphne tries to nap in the office but instead texts her mother, exchanging "I love you"s. She reflects that she has decided something significant, loves her Waning Bay life—including Miles—and feels excited about the unknown for the first time in a long while.

Near dawn, Daphne grabs a brownie Miles baked and Ashleigh teases her about her audible reaction. Ashleigh insists the hard part is over and urges Daphne to stop hesitating. They hug, exchange "I love you"s, and Ashleigh tells her to go get her man.