Minor Adjustments (13 page)

“Go, Ryan!” Stella yelled as Ryan hustled after the soccer ball. The game was nearly over, and the score remained 0-0. The ball bounced near Ryan, and he charged as though nothing would keep him from scoring a goal.

“The other way, Ryan! Go the other way!” Devon called.

Ryan tried to turn the ball around, but two other children blocked his way, so he picked it up, ran a few feet in the opposite direction, then dropped and kicked it toward the right goal. One of the coaches blew a whistle and scooped up the ball, earning a glare from Ryan. Stella laughed. If only soccer didn’t have any rules.

Devon nudged Stella’s shoulder as they sat side by side on a blanket, watching from the grassy sidelines. “What would you think about hiking to a waterfall this afternoon?”

It sounded perfect. “I love hiking.”

“I know.” He winked. “But what I don’t understand is why you’ll voluntarily trudge through a forest filled with mud, bugs, germs, and who knows what else, but you still think my house is dodgy.”

“I like your backyard,” Stella offered. “And your front yard.”

“Well, that’s something, I guess.”

Stella hopped to her knees and pointed at Ryan. “Look! He might actually score a goal. Go, Ryan!”

Ryan dribbled the ball and kicked hard, sending it three yards to the right of the goal. When the whistle blew, signaling the end of the game, Ryan frowned and stomped his foot. A teammate pulled out a box of treats and suddenly Ryan didn’t seem to care anymore. Evidently treats made everything okay. Oh, to be four again.

They ate sandwiches at a nearby Subway before heading up the Columbia River Highway in Devon’s red Jeep Wrangler. He’d taken the top off, so the drive was windy, bumpy, and breathtaking. Towering trees were splattered across the mountainside in a lovely spectrum of browns, oranges, reds, yellows, and greens. The wide breadth of the Columbia River made it look more like a lake than a river. What a perfect way to spend the afternoon. What perfect people to spend it with.

Devon pulled into a parking lot and shut off the engine. While he rummaged around in the back of his Jeep, Stella found the trailhead leading to a place called Triple Falls. 3.5 miles roundtrip. A long way to go for a four-year-old.

“Uh, Devon, I’m not sure Ryan’s going to make it that far without any snacks or water.”

Devon patted the pockets of his baggy cargo shorts. “Don’t worry, I came prepared this time.” The shorts looked no fuller than they had before.

“Doesn’t look like it.”

“You’re just going to have to trust me.”

Stella reached for Ryan’s hand. “Okay then. Off we go.” The dirt path was riddled with colorful leaves, and the crisp, humid air smelled of pine needles, timber, and vegetation. Nature.

About a mile into the hike, Ryan said, “I’m thirsty.”

Devon fished inside one of his pockets and handed Ryan a small water bottle. “You want one too, Stella?”

“No thanks.”

They continued on, and when Ryan said he was hungry, Devon pulled out a granola bar.

“You sure you don’t want anything, Stella?” He pulled out another water bottle. “I brought enough for everyone.”

“It’s okay. Ryan might get thirsty again.”

“I know.” He handed her the bottle. “I have another for him.”

Where?
“How many did you bring, exactly?”

“Six.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Hold this, Ryan.” Devon handed him another water bottle. Then another.

When he pulled out two more, Stella said, “Okay, wow. I never would’ve believed it. Those shorts are even better than my Mary Poppins bag.”

“Ryan calls them my magic shorts,” Devon said as he stuffed the bottles back in his pockets. “Don’t you, buddy?”

With a nod, Ryan said, “They can carry lots and lots of stuff. But not my soccer ball.”

“Nope, no soccer balls,” Devon said. “Ryan made me try it once.”

Stella laughed, then laughed some more. They were like a tonic. One afternoon with them, and life was all that it should be. Spontaneous, adventurous, happy. It wasn’t that Stella didn’t enjoy her life back in Australia, but when Devon and Ryan were around, everything was better. Brighter.

“Hey Ryan, can you hear that?” Devon said.

“I can hear it!” Little shoes started running. “Come on, Stella. It’s the waterfall!”

“Whoa, slow down.” The faint sound of crashing waves grew louder as Ryan pulled Stella along. A few turns later and three spectacular falls came into view, all generated from one river. It forked, then forked again, swelling around two vivid green islands before gushing over the hundred-foot drop.

“Wow,” Stella said.

“You like?” Devon’s fingers grazed her cheek as he brushed her windblown hair behind her ear.

“I like.” Stella wasn’t just talking about the waterfalls.

“It’s not the Blue Mountains, but I thought you’d appreciate it.”

“It’s gorgeous. Really. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

A little finger pointed to the river down below. “Can we go swimming?”

Devon chuckled. “Sorry, bud. Rivers aren’t warm enough to swim in. You’d freeze. Besides, it’s way too steep to hike down there.”

“What can we do then?”

“Look at the waterfall.”

“But that’s boring.”

“Toss a rock over the edge and see how long it takes to hit the bottom,” Stella suggested.

Ryan found a rock and chucked it. A few seconds later the clatter echoed up the ravine. He grinned and searched for another.

“Wait. There aren’t any hikers down there, right?” Stella should have asked that question before she’d told Ryan to throw rocks. Just to be sure, she leaned out over the railing, trying to get a better look.

Devon grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. “Easy there, girl. What are you trying to do? Base jump without a chute?”

His touch felt good. Too good. “I wanted to make sure Ryan wasn’t going to clobber someone in the head.”

“Don’t worry. That area’s inaccessible to hikers.”

“Good to know.”

When Ryan tired of tossing rocks, Stella trailed behind the two boys as they headed back to the Jeep.

“Can we have pizza for dinner? And can we eat it at our house so Aussie can eat some too?” Ryan asked.

“Heaven forbid we leave Aussie out,” Devon said. “What about you, Stella? In the mood for some pizza?”

“Sounds great.”

By the time they got back to Devon’s house, Stella was more than ready to eat the pizza, with its tempting aroma. Devon helped Ryan mix up a pitcher of lemonade while Stella foraged for the plates and cups. Then they all settled around the table on the back patio.

“Here, Aussie! Come here, boy!” Ryan picked off a pepperoni from his pizza and held it out for the dog. Aussie gulped it down and begged for more, so Ryan threw more pepperonis over the railing, then giggled when Aussie tracked them down. Before long, he discarded his pizza and dashed after Aussie, chasing him around the backyard.

Stella wished she could capture the moment and stay in it for a while—soak up the feeling of being part of a real, actual family. Stella wanted Devon to put his arm around her and pull her close. She wanted to rest her head against his shoulder and become a part of his life.

If only it were possible.

“Time to get ready for bed, Ryan,” Devon called.

“I don’t want to go to bed.”

“There’s a shocker,” Devon muttered, making Stella laugh. “Come on, Ryan. If you get your teeth brushed before I count to thirty, you’ll get an extra story. One . . . two . . .”

Ryan darted past them and into the house.

“Nice,” said Stella. “I was worried you were going to have to lock him in the bathroom again.”

“I’ve found that bribery works much better.”

Stella smiled. “Mind if I read to him tonight?”

“Gladly. His new favorite story is
Five Little Monkeys
, and it has way too much repetition for me. I’m actually considering using it for kindling the next time we start a fire.”

“You’re terrible.” Stella left Devon on the deck and found Ryan in his room. Four books were spread across his bed.

“I like all these books. Can we read them?”

“You bet.” And she did read them, savoring every moment. Then she kissed Ryan on the forehead and turned out the light. When the ceiling lit up with over a hundred glow-in-the-dark stars, Stella couldn’t resist the urge to snuggle with him a few minutes more.

“I like the stars,” she said.

“That’s called the Big Dipper, and that’s the Little Dipper, and that’s the Southern Cross.”

Sure enough, there on Ryan’s bedroom ceiling was the Southern Cross, a constellation typically seen only in the southern hemisphere. But here it was in Oregon, glowing bright for Ryan to see every night. A reminder of his homeland, his roots, his mom.
Thank you, Devon.

Stella snuggled closer to Ryan, holding him tight.

Only one more day.

The thought pierced her heart, leaving it bruised and aching.

Stop!
Stella wanted to shout at the passing time.
Stop! Stop! Stop!

But the seconds ticked by, the earth rotated, and time continued forward unimpeded. Tomorrow there would be no days left. Only hours.

Stella stayed next to Ryan until both he and her arm had fallen asleep. It took all of her willpower to kiss his forehead and leave him alone in his beautiful starlit room. Rubbing the sleep needles from her arm, Stella found Devon lying on the couch, watching a sports game.

“I take it this is football?” Stella said.

His feet dropped to the floor as Devon moved to make room for her. “Yeah, and it’s a lot different than rugby. These guys wear protective gear and play by normal rules.”

“What’s wrong with rugby’s rules?” Stella said as she took a seat.

“If I could understand them, I might be able to tell you.”

“You’ll have to watch a game with me sometime so I can explain it to you.”

“I’d like that.”

The voice of the sports announcer filled the silence, but Stella wasn’t ready to leave. She wanted to savor the time she had left with Devon, store it up for later days. But the longer she stayed, the harder it would be to go.

“I should head back,” she said.

“Please stay.” Devon turned off the TV. “Usually it’s just me after Ryan goes to bed. It’s nice to have another adult around, and besides, you haven’t told me my random fact for the day.”

Stella smiled. How could she say no to that? “Okay, fine. But only because I came prepared with a good one.”

“All right. Let’s hear it.”

“Did you know it’s impossible to lick your elbow?”

“Really? That’s it? That’s your ‘good one’?”

“Did you?”

“No. But only because it’s never crossed my mind.” Like the good sport he was, Devon tried to raise his elbow to his mouth but couldn’t quite reach. “Looks like you’re right again.”

“Did you also know that 75 percent of the people who hear that will actually try it?”

Devon chuckled. “And I was so hoping to stand out.”

“Oh, no worries. You definitely stand out.” Stella had meant for it to sound light and teasing, but when the words came out, they sounded anything but.

“I do?”

“Yeah.”

“In a good way?” Devon moved closer and brushed her hair back, caressing her neck.

“Are you fishing?”

He inched closer. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“Yes,” Stella breathed. “In a very good way.”

Devon’s thumb traced her cheekbone as he searched her face. Could he tell how crazy she was about him? How badly she wanted him to kiss her, to hold her tight and never let go?

Devon’s lips brushed across hers in a feathery light kiss before coming back for more. Lost to a bliss-filled world of feelings, sensations, and Devon, Stella’s fingers wound their way behind his neck and into his hair, clinging to him like he was the answer to everything. Her hopes and dreams. Her fantasies. A guy to love. A ready-made family. A place to belong. Devon offered it all.

Could offer it all.

Devon pulled back, his dark eyes raw and intense. A warm, hopeful feeling wound around Stella’s heart, giving her reason to believe the unbelievable. He cared. Really cared. About her.

Devon’s arm snaked around her back, drawing her to him. It felt so natural to rest her head against his chest, lulled there by the beating of his heart. It could work between them. It was possible.

But it was also Devon’s choice.

Stella was tied to her job in Australia, but Devon was free. Free to span the oceans and bridge the gap between them.

The question was: did he want to?

Silence engulfed the room, and suddenly Stella had to know. She could no longer cling to the hope that a happy ending was possible without knowing he felt the same way. Slowly, she lifted her head. What if he didn’t? What if his eyes were filled with regret? Please no.

They weren’t. But they were filled with something almost as bad—sadness. Not hope, not joy, not anticipation. Sadness. As if Devon considered it a good-bye kiss.

So much for bridging the gap.

So much for happy endings.

Stella swallowed to dislodge the lump in her throat, knowing there was no way to dislodge the lump in her heart. She needed to get away. Now, before the tears came. Find a place to curl up and lick her wounds in private.

“Stella, I—”

“Don’t say it,” she whispered, blinking back the tears. “Please. Just let me go.”

Stella felt his eyes follow her as she grabbed her keys and rushed out the front door.

⇐ ⇑ ⇒

At first, Stella allowed the tears to accompany her home, but as the distance lengthened between her and Devon’s house, she swiped them away with an angry hand.

Why had he kissed her? If he’d already known it would be a good-bye kiss, why do it? Why put them both through that? Devon had ruined everything now. He’d crossed a line that shouldn’t have been crossed, and now things would be different. They had to be.