Page 31 of Shot Through the Heart

When she first agreed to this event, I had worried she would not fit in or that I’d have to check in on her throughout the day. Now it’s here and she jumps into volunteer work without being asked. It’s clear just how much she doesn’t need me.

By the time I’ve finished my first fishing trip with a kid who just turned eight and is in remission for the first time in four years, the need to check on Stella is overwhelming. But just like he did the entire time we were on the water, the kid chatters away about everything that pops into his mind, and I’m certainly not going to walk away from a kid. The father must notice me fidgeting, though, because he’s the one to take pity on me and points out a face painting booth to the kid. I think I offer a thanks with an excuse of needing the bathroom, but I don’t know if they believe it.

I find Stella at the cornhole setup, surrounded by giggling kids who all fight for her attention. The genuine smile on her face, so strikingly different from the one she paints on around me, makes me pause. She might be here because of work, but seeing her so carefree and enjoying herself…I can’t bring myself to interrupt that.

So I duck into one of the bathrooms, splash my face with cold water, and head back out for the next boat ride out.

By the time the fishing begins to die down, the smell of burgers and fries permeating the air over the smell of the ocean, it’s obvious that Stella is avoiding me. Not that I blame her one bit. Every time I had a break between rounds, she would appear long enough to offer me water or a granola bar and disappear just as quickly.

While I wrap up taking pictures with my last fishing buddy of the day, I start searching for where she’s hiding now. There is a rise in commotion as all the kids start getting distracted by their parents bringing them food or bribing them with dessert if they agree to start heading out. Volunteers begin breaking down some of the tables and booths that aren’t getting any attention, but none of that stops me from finding her.

She stands off to the side, gathering crayons from the table beside her as Dean chats with Arianna and Lilly cozies up with Dominik.

Dom’s words earlier this morning bounce through my mind as I watch her from a distance.

Then make sure she knows that.

He’s right. If there’s going to be even a remote possibility that Stella gives me another chance, I need to start by apologizing. For last night and whatever else I did to make her leave.

Which means I need to get her to talk to me now.

The boat driver I’d been paired with all day catches my eye and an idea forms. I move through the crowd and back down the docks where he’s checking the knot he just tied. Hearing me approach, he turns to me with a smile.

“Good job out there. You really know how to handle yourself on a boat.”

“My parents have one, made me drive most times,” I offer, fighting the urge to just lay out my demands. I need this to go my way, so placating him with small talk is the least I can do. “What are the chances you’d let me borrow your boat for ten minutes?”

I resist the urge to cringe.So much for small talk.

To my surprise, the guy doesn’t laugh in my face. Instead, he drops the rope and turns to appraise me. After a moment of me awkwardly standing still while he just stares at me, he finally shrugs.

“Technically, since it’s a company boat, it would be a liability,” he says slowly while glancing around the docks. “However, I was just about to get a burger before they’re gone, so if the boat were to go anywhere for ten minutes and I somehow managed to get a signed jersey for my kid…”

“Deal,” I say immediately. Before he can change his mind, I run back to the merch table and grabtwojerseys and sign them both. I meet him at the top of the dock and hand over both.

“Well, kid’s gonna be happy. Keys are in the ignition. You’ve got ten minutes.”

Rushing, I head to where Stella’s still awkwardly hovering by our friends. The second she sees me, she straightens and my molars grind together at her immediate defensiveness.

Clearing my throat, I pause a respectable distance away and motion with my thumb toward the docks.

“Can I borrow you for something real quick?” I ask.

She glances toward Lilly and Ari, the desperation for any excuse clear as day, but they’re not paying attention. After a second, she nods and follows me.

I lead the way, constantly glancing to make sure she’s still beside me. Stella doesn’t say anything until we’re approaching the docks.

“What are we doing?”

“Lucy, our social media manager, needs pictures of every player and whoever they came with for social media,” I say as we step onto the dock toward the boat. It’s not a total lie. Lucy did mention she needed to get a picture of me before I leave.

I stop beside our ride and hold out a hand to help her on.

“On the boat?” Stella says, finally looking around and noticing the lack of people around.

I shrug and hold my breath as she slips past me, ignoring my outstretched hand and stepping onto the boat. My heart pounds as I quickly undo the rope that’s anchoring us to the dock and push off before jumping onto the boat.

“What the hell are you doing?” Stella shouts from the front of the boat, but I ignore her and slip behind the wheel.

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