by Kaia Knight
A sudden channel of warm air wrapped around them, halting the salty sting of the breeze that had chapped his tear-stained cheeks. Gabriel looked around as a buoyant sensation filled his chest, giving way to peace. He caught movement in his peripheral vision, and he turned to see Eli climbing the hillside towards them, his hands buried in his pockets. Even from a distance, Gabriel understood the expression on his face. Proud of you, brother .
Eli looked hazy-eyed as he squeezed his brother’s shoulder and looked towards Kailani. “Hey, just wanted to let you know the bus will be heading out in about twenty minutes or so. Let me walk you both back so the team doesn’t get talking.” His lips twisted into a small smile, and he slung his arm around Kailani’s shoulder as she and Gabriel rose to their feet. She chuckled, shrugging him off.
As always, Gabriel could not help but crack a hesitant grin at his brother. “You were there when she punched her roommate, are you sure that’s your move? It might be your last.”
Eli laughed. “I’d rather have you punch me, bro, at least I can see your swing from a mile away.”
Gabriel bumped against his brother as they joked on the walk back to the cottage. The girls were dancing to the music on the deck and cheering, hardly noticing as they shouldered their way inside. Good, looks like nobody was missing us.
Pulling the sliding doors closed behind him, he saw Chantall across the living room staring at him intently, her gaze flicking between him and Kailani with narrowed eyes. Okay, maybe someone noticed our absence.
Long after the team had boarded the bus, Gabriel slipped under the covers in his old bedroom with an exhausted sigh. As soon as his eyes closed, he slipped into a deep sleep, and for the first time in a year, he dreamt of nothing.
Chapter 27
Kailani
Kailani tugged her goggles off, spitting into each lens before rubbing them absentmindedly with her thumb. Coach Steve was a few paces away, frowning with a phone pressed against his ear. He was looking directly at her as he hung up.
“Kailani, the athletic director just called. He asked you to report to his office after practice.” His voice ticked up at the end as if he were asking a question.
“Oh, really?” A thousand frenzied thoughts ran through her mind, memories of her night in the hotel with Gabriel. “Did he say why?”
Gabriel, who was passing by her lane, stilled, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his clipboard.
“He didn’t say,” said Coach Steve. “He’s a man of few words, so you’ll have to tell me afterwards. Maybe it’s another trophy to add to our collection.” He winked at her before strolling away.
Kailani chewed on her cheek. I wouldn’t count on that. She pulled her goggles down over her eyes, pushing off the wall and sprinting through her cool-down. After an impatient shower, she tugged her clothes over her still-dripping body and jogged outside into the sharp autumn air. She tousled her damp hair and shivered.
Taking the steps of the adjacent building two at a time, Kailani entered the double wooden doors of the old athletic complex building. She had been there once during her orientation to fill out paperwork but had not met the athletic director. Now that she stood in the hush of the hallway lined with trophies and ribbons, she wanted to delay the inevitable. She took slow, measured steps, peering at the posters of all the legends who had graced the campus. Athletes who had dedicated a lifetime of grueling effort to make their mark. Coaches who sacrificed everything for the glory of a win.
She abruptly turned and strode towards the ornate, wooden door at the end of the hall with a shiny placard. Joseph Montgomery. This was the man who went to great lengths to secure her athletic scholarship. Her internship at Lilac Ranch. A second chance at fulfilling her dream. She felt a sudden twisting in her gut. I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for him. And what have I done with this opportunity? I’ve been tiptoeing around with my coach.
Kailani’s hand shook as she reached towards the door, burying the guilt that rose like bile. She rapped on the door three times and stepped back, tucking her still-soaked curls behind her ears.
A tall man with a broad nose opened the door immediately and smiled. “Ah, Miss Kakoa? Please, come in.” He gestured inside, and she stepped into his windowed corner office, boasting a view of the turf fields and track in the distance.
With the plush leather chairs and fireplace, Kailani half expected him to light up a cigar before starting his lecture. Instead, he walked to the far wall of the room where a gleaming bike leaned with a bow on the handlebars.
“It looks like we have an anonymous bribe.” He gestured to the bike and looked at her expectantly.
She shook her head, waiting for him to tell her that she and Gabriel had been discovered. “I’m sorry…I don’t follow.”
“This was locked to my door handle this morning, which was not the best way to come to work when I was already running late,” Mr. Montgomery said with a dry chuckle. “I had to get the custodial staff to cut the lock so I could get to a meeting in time. But there was a note attached to it.” He silently handed it to her between his index and middle finger, the way someone would slip a generous tip.
Her eyebrows came together as she unfolded the paper and read:
To Kailani,
Congrats on qualifying for Nationals! Does your back hurt from carrying the whole swim team? At the very least, your legs since you run to and from practice every day. Since they haven’t gotten you the limo you deserve, you can have this ride on us.
Happy training
PS bike days are on Saturday after your swim practice, hope to see you there.
Her lips involuntarily curled into a smile. She took a step closer to the bike, running her fingers along the frame. There were a few dings in the matte black paint, but it was clearly well-taken care of. She picked it up cautiously, and her eyebrows shot up when she lifted it with ease.
“Carbon fiber,” John said with an approving nod. “Astonishingly light. They must like you all right.”
Kailani set the bicycle down as if it burned her fingers. “I don’t…I can’t accept this.”
He laughed, crossing his arms as he took a few steps away and leaned against his desk. “Well, it would appear they did not give you the option of turning their gift down.”
She stood in silence, not sure how to respond as she stared at the bike.
Mr. Montgomery cleared his throat. “Also, I believe congratulations are in order, I heard you had an excellent meet this weekend? This is the first time we’ve had a swimmer qualify for nationals in over three years. The athletic board is thrilled to see the payoffs of taking you on. They were a little skeptical at first, with all the financial shuffling we had to do, but it’s clear that you’re well worth it. Keep up the great work!”
Kailani struggled to keep her face composed as his words delivered a punch to her gut. What does that mean? I didn’t realize my spot on the team was so controversial. “Uh— thanks, the whole team did well…Coach Steve was happy.”
“That’s great to hear, I know he works you to the bone over there. Speaking of which, how are things going at the internship? Not working too hard, I hope?”
Kailani smiled thinly, still mulling over his words. “It’s been great. We’re just a few weeks away from the Fall Festival. We’re changing up a lot this year, and it’ll be bigger than ever.”
“That’s wonderful. Be sure to send me an invitation.” He stood, formally gesturing to the door as he politely dismissed her. “Enjoy the bike, Kailani, and be careful. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, and I trust you’ll continue to do great things.”
“Thank you for everything, Mr. Montgomery.” She returned his smile but squirmed under his steely gaze. Why does that sound like a threat? Wheeling the bike down the silent hallway, she bit her chapped lips until she tasted blood. As she struggled to push open the two sets of heavy doors while holding her bike, the outer door suddenly jerked open. Gabriel .
“So?” Gabriel asked, looking
at her insistently, glancing down at the bike in confusion.
“What are you doing here?”
He held the door open, ushering her through. “What did John want to talk to you about?”
She pointed at the bike as she wheeled it outside. “This.”
He shook his head, staring blankly. “I don’t get it.”
“Me neither, but apparently the triathlon team is giving me this bike. It was probably because Melody knows I run everywhere. But I don’t see what good it does… I’ve never ridden a bike.”
“Wait, what?” He looked at her for a long moment before his face broke into a smile. “Well, better late than never. Luckily for you, I am a coach after all. I can show you the basics.” Gabriel reached out to grab the handlebars from her grip, wheeling it from the sidewalk towards the now-empty parking lot.
Kailani rolled her eyes and snorted. “Just because I haven’t ridden a bike before doesn’t mean I need training wheels and a push. I’ve got this.” She strode forward and jerked the bike from him with a huff. Carefully swinging her leg over the middle, she went onto her tiptoes to inch back onto the seat.
She grumbled to herself and pushed off, teetering on the skinny wheels until she picked up speed. Her heart pounded as she circled the parking lot, wobbling when she made a wide turn. She reached for the levers to change the gears, but a shuddering noise and the crunch of the chain caused the pedals to lock up. Kailani tipped in slow motion, landing on the asphalt with a yelp. She scrambled to get out from under the bike as Gabriel’s rapid footsteps approached.
“Kai! You okay?” Gabriel’s hands reached out as he leaned over her, his deep blue eyes sweeping over her body.
She blushed as she stood, brushing off the gravel that dusted her legs. “I’m fine. I guess I deserved that. Let me try again.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Handling skills come with time. I’ve been riding for years, and I still wreck. I even tipped over at a stop sign last month because I couldn’t unclip my cleats, and a whole line of cars were there to witness it.” He chuckled and leaned down, adjusting the chain, and setting it back on the ring. “This time, when you change gears, keep pedaling to keep tension on the chain so it doesn’t fall off.”
Kailani looked at Gabriel’s sincere, excited expression as he held the bike out to her and smiled warmly. “You're a good coach, you know that?”
With a few more minutes, and the help of Gabriel’s corrections, she was able to smoothly switch between all the gears and execute sharper and tighter turns. She relaxed her shoulders as she rode circles around him.
“I still can’t believe they just gave this to me. No more running with a heavy backpack! I’ll have to call Melody and ask her about this when I get home…which reminds me, I should probably get going.”
“Wait.” Gabriel held up a finger as he jogged towards his truck, returning with a helmet. “Here, use mine. I went riding after practice this morning, hopefully it isn’t too big for you.” He gently tapped on the side of her head with a knuckle, a smile spreading across his face. “Last thing we need is another possible concussion.”
Kailani clipped the helmet on and fumbled with the straps. Gabriel reached towards her, gently tugging on the helmet to tighten it under her chin, brushing his hand along her jaw in a subtle caress. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. Her resolve began to weaken as she imagined stepping forward into his arms, pulling his lips towards her own.
Her daydreams were interrupted as Gabriel dropped his hands, burying them into his jean pockets as he took a slight step back. She blushed and looked down at her feet.
“Hey,” Gabriel said softly, his voice pulling her eyes up. “I never got the chance to thank you the other day, at the party. I don’t think I could have done that alone.”
“Thank you for trusting me with your story. I know that wasn’t easy to tell.”
He nodded and a thoughtful silence rested between them, hanging in the stillness of the evening air. Kailani glanced over her shoulder towards the main road. “Well, I guess I should get going, I have a ton of homework due tomorrow, and honestly, I’m starting to panic with the Fall Festival coming up so quickly. I don’t know how I’m going to get it all done in three weeks.”
Gabriel leaned forward and nudged her with a playful smile, his hands still anchored in his pockets as if he could not trust to release them. “With help. Stop thinking you have to do everything, we said we’d help. What do you need?”
She shook her head. “There’s so much to do, I wouldn’t even know how to delegate at this point.”
“You could start by writing a list. Seriously— I want to help, and I miss being at the ranch. I’ll swing by with Dad while you’re in class tomorrow.”
Kailani met the intensity of his gaze once more and felt the familiar pull when their eyes locked. “I will, thank you.” With a wave, she pushed off and pedaled across the parking lot towards the street. Glancing behind her, she saw Gabriel still watching her when she rounded the corner.
With each pedal stroke, she gained confidence as she immersed herself in the glorious sensation of riding. Where the two wheels met pavement was the melodic whir of air being sucked through the spokes and the scattering of sand. The waning sun undulated on her skin as it broke through the shading leaves above.
Descending a hill, Kailani rose from the saddle and let loose a laugh. She leaned forward and pedaled with all her might, shooting through the streets with a burst of adrenaline. She was free, completely untethered as she glided over the earth beneath her. All her worries about her scholarship, the festival, and the distant ache of her family were tossed to the wind. It was just her, the wind, and the freedom in the power of her legs.
Chapter 28
Gabriel
Gabriel whistled as he bumped along on Walt’s tractor, towing bales of hay. The trees had already begun changing colors, and he breathed in the dry, earthy smell of fall.
The last few weeks had slipped by in a blissful blur. Gabriel spent most mornings after practice working on Lilac Ranch, tackling Kailani’s list that seemed to grow longer each day. He helped Walt harvest honey, rolled oak barrels into the barn for the mead, and arranged a hay bale maze.
As the tractor chugged to a halt in front of the barn, Gabriel hopped down and loped towards the open doors where Eli lounged on a bale of hay. Over the past month, the space had transformed from a dusty storage space into a quaint, rustic brewery with two long, Biergarten tables. A row of barrels behind the new bar were labeled with different types of honey and hard ciders on tap. He looked around with satisfaction. The brewery would be a hit, and it was easy to imagine families and college kids alike coming to hang out.
Gabriel brushed off his jeans and ran a hand through his hair, shaking out the errant dust. He glanced over his shoulder towards the driveway before strolling towards Eli, who held a can of walnut-colored stain and a rag. In front of him were six untouched wooden benches.
“Working hard?” Gabriel said with a smirk. He heard the crunch of gravel and instinctively looked over his shoulder again, but it was another worker.
“You know, I think I finally have Kailani’s class schedule down,” Eli drawled. “She should be here any minute.”
“Oh yeah? You took the time to memorize her schedule, yet you forgot the name of that brunette that keeps calling you?”
“No, but I can always know when Kai will be here because you can’t stop looking at the driveway, pining for her return like a puppy.” He jabbed a finger in Gabriel’s chest. “Busted.”
“Whatever. I’m just excited for someone else who pulls their own weight. You never see Kailani taking a nap on the job. Have you actually gotten anything done since you’ve been here?”
“Sorry I’m not obsessing over this whole thing like you and Kai. I value my sanity, thanks very much.” Eli yawned as he settled further into the hay. “So, when are you going to start the rescue diving job? You only have the written test left. And
didn’t you say that Sarge gave you a letter of recommendation for the dive team on the coast?”
Gabriel shrugged as he stepped forward, grabbing the rag from Eli and began to stain the bench with even, careful strokes. “Yeah, but things have been busy with coaching, the Fall Festival…”
“And with Kai?” Eli plucked a piece of straw from a nearby bale and bit down on it. “You don’t want to leave because of her?”
Gabriel did not answer, pressing his lips together as he continued to work the stain into the wood.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Are you going to help, or are you just here to gossip?” Gabriel tossed another rag at Eli. “And no, it’s not like that with Kailani. We can’t be together. We can’t be anything. I’m just not ready to leave Eugene yet, and I can’t abandon Dad in the middle of the season.”
“Because you love her, right?”
“What?” Gabriel said sharply. “Love? Dude, we haven’t even had a talk about what we’re doing. Technically, she hasn’t even told me she likes me, so let’s not get carried away.”
Eli snorted and rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up, obviously she likes you. And I know you don’t dive into anything headfirst. Well, except that one time in seventh grade where you dove off the shallow end of the dock and split your head open.”
Gabriel wiped his arm across the sweat on his forehead. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“My point is—I’ve seen you date over the years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you have that stupid look on your face like when you talk about Kai. I know a goner when I see one.”
“Oh, right, I forgot you were an expert on relationships, seeing as you can’t get the same girl to come back more than one night in a row.”
Eli lifted the can of stain as if in a toast. “By choice, mate. Living the dream.”
