Written in the Stars

By Tvdfanpam

Chapter 36

Ray to the Rescue

Ray left Christian and Ana's apartment and made his way back to his new house in Redmond Washington. Christian begged Ray to take the Escalade since Ana didn't want it. He decided to stop for gas before going home so he wouldn't have to do it later. That SUV had a big engine and was a gas guzzler. Ray didn't know how much he would actually drive it but it would take it off their hands. He pulled into the gas station on the edge of town and got out and started pumping his gas. He glanced over and saw a small woman standing beside a car with a flat tire. She had a cell phone to her ear. He finished pumping his gas and walked over to her.

"Hello ma'am. Can I help you? I'd be happy to change that tire for you if you want." He said with a slight smile. He took a closer look at her and she was beautiful! Close to his age if he was guessing, no ring on her finger either.

"Um, thank you. I tried to call my dad and he didn't answer. He's old and probably napping." She stammered. "I would really appreciate it."

"Do you have a jack and a spare?" Ray knew his way around cars and was confident he could change the tire no problem.

"Yes. Everything is in the trunk. I haven't had to use the spare but it is full size." She smiled at his helpfulness. "I can pay you." She offered.

"No need for that. I'm happy to help." He blushed. He took the spare and the jack out of the trunk and made quick work of changing her tire. He turned to her and noticed she had been staring at him. "Are you from around here?" He didn't know what made him ask that.

"Yes. Actually I live here in Redmond. How about you? I don't think I have seen you before." She asked Ray.

"I just moved here a few weeks ago. Finished the remodel on my home over in the Ames Lake area." Her eyes widened slightly. The houses over by Ames Lake were pricey.

"That's nice. It's a great little town. Low crime rate and people are friendly. I'm a native, grew up here." She was a chatty Cathy. "Thank you…" She said.

"Ray Steele, nice to meet you." He shook her small hand and looked into her pretty blue eyes. "Could I buy you a cup of coffee?" He asked boldly. He was tired of waiting on things to happen. Go big or go home was his new motto!

"Stella Martin. Yes. There is a Starbucks on the next corner. We could meet there." Ray smiled at her and put the flat tire and the jack in her trunk and helped her get in her car and shut the door. She powered down the window.

"I'll follow you there Stella. See you in a bit." She smiled back at him and waited for Ray to get in his car and follow her down the street. He couldn't believe he asked a woman for coffee and she said yes. He needed to ask why she wasn't married, he thought she was very beautiful and was surprised someone else hadn't snapped her up!

They parked in the lot at Starbucks and walked in together and ordered their coffee and were sitting facing each other in a booth. They both started to talk at once. "You go first." Ray said, the gentleman.

"Thank you for changing my flat tire. I ran over a sharp rock going around a curve and couldn't swerve to avoid it since I was meeting a car. My dad usually takes care of things like that for me but like I said earlier, he is elderly and was either asleep or couldn't hear his phone ringing." She trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"No problem. I was happy to do it for you. So if you call your dad usually, does that mean you are single?" Ray asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Stella blushed. "Yes. I dated the same loser for 7 years before I caught him with my best friend. That was over a year ago and I just didn't feel like dating anyone after that. I work at Swedish Redmond hospital, I am an RN and work crazy hours. How about you Ray? Are you married or dating anyone?" She thought why not ask. She wasn't getting any younger. Maybe he was the one she was waiting for. He seemed harmless and he was tall and very good looking in a rugged masculine way.

"I'm divorced, one daughter who is married and lives in Seattle. I moved here to be closer to her. She's expecting her first baby." Stella raised her eye brows in surprise.

"You don't look old enough to have a married daughter!" She said before she realized what she was saying. Ray smiled.

"Thanks, I think. Her mother and I were very young when we married. She was my stepdaughter but I adopted her. Her name is Ana and she is my world. Do you have any children?" He drank some more of his coffee to have something to do with his hands. He wasn't used to making conversation and wasn't sure what to do.

"No children. No nieces or nephews either. I'm an only child." Stella fiddled with her cup. She was nervous. Her hands shook a little bit so she put them in her lap.

Ray's phone buzzed and he looked down. It was Ana calling. "Excuse me Stella, it's my daughter calling. She will worry if I don't answer. Hi baby girl! What's up?" Ray asked Ana, hoping to make it a quick call. He listened to her and tried to get her off the phone quickly. "Ana, can I call you back later? I'm in the middle of something right now." Ana hung up with the promise that he would call her back. "Sorry about that. With her being pregnant, I always answer her in case something is wrong." He explained and Stella sighed inside. Caring and sweet.

"It's fine. I understand. What line of work are you in Ray?" Stella asked, hoping he had a decent job. Her last boyfriend was on unemployment more than he worked.

"As of January 1st, I will be the new acting chief of Police. I transferred here from Montesano and will work with the chief until his retirement." Stella sat back in her seat impressed. Brains and brawn. "Well congratulations. I heard there was stiff competition for that position."

"Thank you. I have 20 years of law enforcement experience." He didn't know why he told her that. He felt comfortable with Stella and felt like he could tell her anything. That didn't happen very often with Ray.

Stella looked at her phone. "I have to be at work in an hour and need to go home and change and pack my lunch. Thanks again for changing my tire Ray. Could I cook you a meal as thanks since you won't take any money?" Stella could be bold too!

"I would like that, I don't get many home cooked meals except from my daughter. What's your number and we can decide on a day and time." Stella gave him her number and he put it in his phone and called her to make sure he had the right number. Her phone buzzed on the table. He got up with her.

"It was really nice meeting you Stella. See you soon." He kissed her on the cheek as he helped her get into her car. He watched her drive off and smiled. Things were looking up!

A/N: Ray kept talking to me and I had to let him have his say! More Ana and Christian next chapter and they will meet Stella. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following this story! I really appreciate it.