Page 48 of Only Some Stars Fall

Somethingelse I’ve noticed in Silsby is how the weather changes distinctly each month. Without even looking at a calendar, you can almost predict the day of the month just by the feeling in the air.

Alex and I sit under the pergola, the warm August sun streaming through the slats and purple Clematis that’s woven itself overhead. A stronger breeze that seems to be a morepermanent fixture has taken over in the last few days. Change is coming.

“I think the fence looks pretty good,” Alex says with her mouth full of the ham sandwiches I made for each of us. Dried paint speckles across her UCLA T-shirt and the tip of her ponytail is covered in white paint from when she accidentally dipped her hair in the paint can.

“If you don’t look closely, I’d say you and I definitely have a future in fence painting.” I laugh as Mr. Croft comes out the side door.

“Look at that, girls! I was starting to wonder if you just conveniently forgot about our deal, but the fence looks great.” He stands with one hand in his pocket, the other one holding a cup of coffee.

“Of course not, but you know, Everly here is such a perfectionist and wanted to make sure we picked the perfect shade of white for you. I mean, she’s been researching it all summer.” I kick her under the table, trying to hide my smile.

“You just used the paint I had in the shed, didn’t you?” Mr. Croft is not buying Alex’s story.

“Yup, sure did, and we may have added a little water to it when we were running a little low.” She smiles up at him innocently.

“What did I get myself into this summer?” He laughs, shaking his head as he takes a seat with us. I have grown very fond of Mr. Croft over the last couple of months, and it has been truly amazing to watch my best friend reconnect with her father. He is such a kind and gentle man, and I can see why the city was slowly killing him. It’s too bad Alex’s mom drove such a wedge between them for her own personal gain. There was so much wasted time.

Lately, I have been trying to stop that mindset in myself.Maybe there is no such thing as wasted time, and maybe it is all part of the journey we are on. My whole life, I have beaten myself up about wasting time. I should have spent more time with my mom, and I shouldn’t have said no when she’ asked me to go to the store or do mundane errands with her. After she was gone, I fixated on school, and how I should have spent more time studying. I felt guilty for doing anything other than school work or working my various jobs.

As the end of the summer is getting closer, I find myself doing the same with Hux. Six weeks have passed, but how many of those weeks did I actively avoid him, or did we spend our time being riled up by one another’s actions? This has hardly been the perfect summer romance, but I’m determined to stop living in that concept of wasted time.

Alex and her dad’s playful banter brings me out of my thoughts. I smile as they debate the actual chances of bigfoot’s existence. That’s another thing about Silsby, there are a lot of bigfoot believers.

“So, do you ladies have any plans tonight? I was thinking I could fire up the grill if you were going to be around.”

“Everly has a hot date tonight! But I’m free for whatever you want to cook up.”

“A date, eh? With Nick, I’m assuming?”

“Dad, keep up. Nick is old news; she’s going out with Hux tonight.” Alex wiggles her eyebrows and clicks her tongue.

“Alex!” I swear she is determined to make sure I spend this entire summer embarrassed.

“What? Dear old dad should know if you’re getting cozy with his best friend’s son!” Alex screeches back. Mr. Croft watches me closely with a strange look on his face. I can almost see the wordsbe carefulflash behind his eyes but he doesn’t verbalize them.

“Well, I hope you have a good time. If there is anyone whoknows the most beautiful spots this area has to offer, it’s a member of the Anderson family.”

I smile at him, silently thankful for letting the subject conclude. This seems like the perfect opportunity to excuse myself, and I head upstairs to change and get ready for the afternoon.

TWENTY-THREE

HUX

Drivingover to Mr. Croft’s house, I can’t remember the last time I took anyone on an actual date. Any of my college dates mostly consisted of walking to the campus dining hall or maybe a coffee shop if we were feeling adventurous. Then whatever party was happening, and finally, ending the night in one of our beds.

To be honest, all my time at NYU, I had little interest in women. I was so focused on finally being out of small-town Maine and making sure I made something bigger of myself so I would never have to go back. Women were more of an afterthought, plus I was broke as hell.

The last real date I went on must have been with my high school girlfriend, Sarah. I smile, thinking about those times. Fifteen, trying to act like you’re an adult and overdressed for a casual restaurant. Oh, and your older brother had to drive you there.

I pull into the crushed stone drive of Mr. Croft’s house, and suddenly, I’m jittery. I’ve seen Everly almost every day this whole summer, but this feels different. I’m fearfulthis is what hope feels like. Hope feels dangerous; I already know how this has to end.

Stuffing those thoughts down deep, my truck door creaks as I open it and step out into the August breeze. I run my hand through my hair and walk toward the house when the front door opens. Everly stands in the doorway in a white summer dress, her skin bronze from days on the lake, and her loosely braided hair hangs over her left shoulder. I spot a few dainty yellow wildflowers woven into the braid, Alex’s touch, I’m sure.

I swallow hard. “Hi.”

“You showed.” A playful smirk painted on her lips.

“Couldn’t stand up a beautiful girl like you? Never.” I smile, holding out my arm for her to take, disguising my jittery fingers.

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