by Kaia Knight
They watched the brothers dance, heads turning as they whirled the old women around the dance floor. Gabriel dipped his partner carefully, saying something that made her cover her mouth as she giggled.
Kailani smiled. “Tell me that’s not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.”
“Sounds like someone is falling hard.”
Kailani’s eyes followed his fluid movements, the soft smile on his face. “Look at him, how could you not? I’ve never met anyone so…good. Despite everything he’s been through, he still does everything he can for others. He makes me feel like…I don’t know how to say it, but like everything is whole, and safe.”
Melody beamed, gripping Kailani’s arm tightly. “He makes you feel loved.” When Kailani stiffened, Melody continued, “Don’t freak out. It’s clear that he makes you happy and that you trust him enough to let him in. And no offense, but you’re not exactly a warm and fuzzy open book, so that’s saying a lot.”
Kailani laughed dryly, and her eyes settled on Gabriel dancing once more. “Don’t worry, I’m well aware that I can be standoffish. Some of the girls on the swim team just reminded me of that recently.”
“That’s why I came barreling into your life instead of waiting for your permission,” Melody said with a smirk, reaching for Eli’s drink. “Life is better when you let others in.” She threw back the remainder of the glass, slamming it down like a shot before rising. “Well, unlike you, I have no prince charming, so apparently I have to make the moves here. I’m going in.”
Kailani watched her friend march through the dancers towards Eli, and a smile tugged at her lips. She took a deep breath, savoring the scent of spiced cider, cornbread, and chili that wafted from the big vats on the table. The glitter of the wedding lights, the blur of smiling dancers, and the lilt of the fiddle made her heart soar.
Kailani stood and scanned the shifting crowd for Gabriel. She found him waltzing with Josie while Walt hobbled to a seat. Smiling, Kailani ducked out of the exit and meandered towards the solitude of the gardens. As she followed the winding flagstone path, the whispers of the maples above hushed the sound of the festival.
The path led her past the inn and towards the densest part of the garden, where the arched trellis was blanketed in wisteria. Faint lanterns winked at her in greeting as she passed, and her hand trailed along the leaves as she wandered through the lattice tunnel, sinking onto a bench situated in the middle. She leaned back, looking up at the lights that glinted through the leaves like lightning bugs.
For the first time in weeks, the mounting pressure that spurred Kailani into constant action was replaced by a wave of calm. She closed her eyes with a contented sigh and sifted through the excitement of the day, settling on Melody’s parting words. Life is better when you let others in.
Her thoughts drifted to Gabriel, and a familiar warmth settled around her shoulders like the gentle embrace of a blanket. A shiver jolted through her as she recalled his touch—the closeness of his lips that evening on Otter Rock, and her desperate need as he pulled her close in the hotel bed. Her stomach clenched at the emotions that tugged her in opposite directions.
Is it so bad to want to be loved?
The sound of approaching footsteps wrenched Kailani from her daydreams, and her eyes flew open. As if her thoughts were a beacon, Gabriel strolled into the trellis archway, ducking beneath its canopy.
“Hiding, are we?” Gabriel grinned as he reached his hand towards her. “I was hoping we could have that dance…it was hard to slip away, the next lady had a vice like grip.”
Kailani laughed as she took his hand and rose. “I don’t feel one bit sorry for you. That’s what you get for turning me down.”
The faint notes of the fiddle hummed through the air as Kailani curled her fingers around his large palm, his opposite hand sliding down to her waist, he raised his eyebrow in a silent invitation. She pressed closer to him as they began to sway, inhaling his spicy, clean cologne.
She felt the rumble in his chest as Gabriel said, “Kailani, I….”
Kailani waited, but he just shook his head. The evening breeze blew strands of her hair across her face, and Gabriel gently brushed it back behind her shoulder, running his hand down to her waist once more. She leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes and losing herself in the comfort of his embrace.
“Kailani…” Gabriel began again, his voice rough.
She pulled back to look at him, frowning.
“You are all I think of. All the time,” Gabriel said, the words tumbling out. “We’ve only known each other for a few months, but I feel like you’ve always been here. And I don’t know how to describe it, but you make me feel whole again. Like my life can go on…and I deserve to be happy.” He reached his hand towards her, cupping her face in his palm. “And you make me so happy.”
Kailani searched his eyes, so close to her own, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled for the right words.
“I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.” He sighed. “It’s a year and a half left until you graduate. We can wait, right?”
“Oh, Gabe,” Kailani whispered, pulling him closer. “I don’t think I can do this….” Gabriel drew back quickly, and Kailani shook her head and continued, clutching his sweater in her palms. “I mean this,” she said, giving him a small shake, “being so close to you, but not allowed to be with you.”
“You know we can’t,” Gabriel said softly. “That’s why I needed to tell you how I felt. You’re too important to me. Our only option is to wait. If you want to.”
The finality in his tone stilled her heart. An urgency gripped Kailani, and she ran her hands down his chest, stepping closer. She pushed up on her toes to bring his face closer to hers. Swirling thoughts of doubt and hesitance ricocheted in her mind but at this moment, with Gabe's lips less than an inch from hers, she wanted to be reckless. To forget the rules and consequences. She tightened her grip around his sweater and Gabriel met her lips with a low moan. She'd felt the softness of Gabe's mouth once before, the first day they had met, but this was different. As his hands knotted in her hair, she felt his adoration in the way he worshiped every crevice of her lips. She felt his desire for her as he grabbed her hips, pulling her closer.
Time slowed as Kai savored the moment. Her head was swimming with delight, filling her with contentment she never wanted it to end.
Chapter 30
Gabriel
Gabriel shuffled towards the illuminated farmhouse, balancing the last of the dishes and trays precariously against his chest. The figures silhouetted in the kitchen window were so still, they could have been a portrait. It was past midnight, but they were still tallying the profits from the Fall Festival and cleaning up long after the last guests trailed away.
Opening the screen door with an elbow and carefully maneuvering towards the kitchen sink, Gabriel glanced at Kailani, who sat hunched in front of her laptop, chewing her lip in concentration. He smiled, remembering the taste of her lips against his, the soft lamplight bathing her dark waves in gold as he twined her hair between his fingers.
“How’s the count looking?” Gabriel called over his shoulder. He winced as the dishes tumbled into the sink with a deafening clatter.
Kailani’s gaze did not leave the screen, her reddened eyes darting around as she continued to type and click. “Almost done.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying for the past hour,” Eli grumbled as he sorted the last of the receipts, sliding them towards Kailani. He rested his head on his hand, his eyelids drooping.
Josie sat rigidly at the kitchen table, unnaturally quiet as she waited with her hand clasping Walt’s. Time seemed to pass slowly as Gabriel scrubbed the dishes absentmindedly. The Flockharts needed fourteen thousand dollars to pay off the overdue mortgage and keep the bank from plastering a foreclosure notice on their front door. Please, let it be enough.
Kailani cleared her throat loudly, and Gabriel whipped around, looking at her expectantly. Her face ga
ve nothing away. He wiped his hands on the dish towel and crossed the room.
“So, what’s the grand total?”
“Guess.” Kailani’s eyes glinted as she met Gabriel’s gaze.
Eli and Gabriel groaned in unison.
“Just tell us!” Eli said.
“Okay, okay!” She ran her finger across her laptop screen. “Well, from the 5k alone, we raised $3,500…from all the booths —”
“What’s the total?” Josie interrupted from across the table.
Kailani looked at Josie in surprise, and a grin grew on her face as she conceded. “Twenty-three thousand dollars!”
A beat of silence filled the room before shattering into a cacophony of cheers. Josie leapt from her chair, sending it toppling back as she planted a kiss on Walt’s wrinkled cheek.
“The most we’ve ever made from the Festival was five hundred dollars. Twenty-three thousand dollars? Are you sure?”
“I don’t believe it!” Walt said in a dazed tone as he leaned towards the computer, scanning Kailani’s totals for himself. “Corporate sponsorships…brewery…” he mumbled, a trembling hand covering his mouth. Slowly, he stood. “We can’t accept all this. You did so much. We have to pay you for all your work –”
Kailani shook her head. “No. These were your products, your hard work! I just monetized it. If you want to repay me, you could write my professor a note, so I get an A.”
Walt wiped his eyes before reaching out to squeeze Kailani’s hand, opening and closing his mouth. Josie was equally speechless and pulled Kailani in for a fierce embrace as she sobbed.
Eli looked around the room and a grin grew on his face. “What are we waiting for? Let’s have a toast!”
Their excitement staved off the exhaustion as Gabriel filled glasses with champagne and distributed them. They all raised their bubbling flutes with a cheer. Gabriel stood next to Kailani, and they eyed each other as they sipped, savoring the tangible relief that flooded the room.
Gabriel felt as if his head had just hit the pillow when his phone began to ring.
“Hello?”
“Gabriel? It’s John Montgomery.”
The athletic director? He struggled to orient himself, twisting under the covers to look at the clock. 7:30am?
“I’m sorry if I woke you, but this is important.”
Gabriel sat up quickly, throwing the sheets off. “No, it’s fine…what’s going on?”
“I think it’s best if you come in to talk.”
Shit. “Uh, sure—I’ll be right in.” After a stiff goodbye, he tugged on jeans and a long-sleeve shirt with shaking hands.
The drive towards campus stretched on as every dreaded possibility flipped through Gabriel’s mind with agonizing clarity. Each thought knotted in his stomach, twisting with the only conclusion. He knows.
When Gabriel finally stood in front of John’s towering door, he wished the drive had taken longer. I’m not ready for this. Taking a deep breath, he knocked with a sense of finality.
John answered immediately with a grim expression. “Please, come in.” After closing the door, he walked around the desk and collapsed in his chair before sighing heavily. “Gabriel, it pains me to call you in today. You know your father and I go back to our college days, and I’ve watched you grow up, both in your time as an athlete here and now as a coach. I know you’re a good kid, and you’ve done great things for our team.” He wiped a hand down his face.
Gabriel clenched his jaw as he waited for the blow. He shifted his weight, eying the chair that had not been offered to him.
“You’ve been to hell and back in the last year. Few people would be strong enough to face the challenges you have.” John looked up at Gabriel but said nothing further.
Spit it out! Gabriel knew what was coming. The agony of the anticipation clawed at him. He cleared his throat and croaked, “Mr. Montgomery, what is it you wanted to say?”
“Yes. Right. I’m sorry, I seem to be having difficulty saying it. I was informed yesterday evening that you may be partaking in an inappropriate relationship with one of your athletes.”
Gabriel kept his face smooth as he absorbed the director’s words. Should I act surprised? Protest? His prolonged silence was telling. John looked at him and slowly nodded with a frown.
“I don’t understand, who did you hear this from?”
John sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with two large fingers. “The source must remain anonymous. This situation is…delicate. In circumstances of misconduct or abuse—”
“Abuse! John, please, it’s nothing like that!”
“Gabriel, remain calm. I am not accusing you of abuse, merely explaining why I cannot tell you the source. And please, before you tell me anything, know that I am in a difficult spot—I am here to support the coaches, but we have a strict set of guidelines to adhere to. I don’t want a legal mess. I just want the truth, and I want to work through this quickly before word gets out.”
Gabriel nodded, perching on the edge of the seat that John finally gestured to. “I met Kailani a few days before the season started,” he said with a sigh. “I didn’t know she was a student, let alone an athlete on the team. We kissed. Once I found out that she was on the team, we immediately stepped back.” He paused, chewing on his cheek, and the silence stretched between them.
John raised his eyebrows. “So, you’re telling me that there is no romantic relationship between you and Kailani?”
Gabriel stilled, his throat catching. “I—no, we are not in a relationship.” That’s the truth, right?
“Did you see each other any other time outside of scheduled practice and meet times?”
Heat flooded his face as incriminating memories rose to the forefront of his mind. Otter Rock. The ranch. Hotel room. “Well…not on purpose. I’m close friends with the Flockharts, so I spent some time helping prepare for the Fall Festival…”
John nodded solemnly as if he had found out all he needed to know. “Do you understand that your job is at stake, as is her scholarship? It’s clearly written in the athletic code that this type of situation cannot occur. It doesn’t matter if your relationship is romantic or physical in nature. You are in a position of authority, and you have a hand in decisions like her scholarship, what events she swims—”
Gabriel stood abruptly at the mention of her scholarship. “John, please. This isn’t her fault; you can’t take away her scholarship. I admit I have feelings for Kailani, but I never meant for this to happen. But I want to assure you we aren’t in a relationship, and we never had…intimate relations.”
“Nothing is happening yet, this is just a conversation. It would take a formal investigation to determine the next steps.”
Gabriel began to pace in front of the large desk, dragging his hands through his hair. “I don’t want an investigation… I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her scholarship. I’ll resign. Right now. I’ll sign a confidentiality form so that you don’t have to worry about bad press. You know me. This had nothing to do with politics or scholarships.”
John nodded, drumming his fingers on the table. “That’s just it, though. Her scholarship has been a sticky subject among the advisors and board members. It took a lot of shuffling of funds to get her on the team, and clearly it’s paying off based on our league ranking, but we’ve had some pushback. I’m afraid if this gets out, then people will think that the other scholarships were reduced because of favoritism.”
“Why is this the first I’m hearing of this? So, the senior girls had their scholarships reduced…to accommodate Kailani?”
“Yes, it caused quite a stir, but we wanted to keep it quiet. Your father was adamant that it was for the good of the team and would bring more funding in if you won championships this year.”
A taut pause stretched between them as John trailed off. Gabriel shifted, crossing his arms as he waited. What now?
John continued to tap his fingers as he spoke slowly. “You can take today to collect your things, and I’ll draw u
p the paperwork. I’ll have to meet with Kailani as well. And for her sake…I think it would be best if you make yourself scarce for a while.” He looked around furtively. “I shouldn’t be saying this, but the person who tipped me off seemed very…motivated. I would advise that you make no contact for the time being to ensure that Kailani will not be further adversely affected by this.”
Gabriel swallowed dryly. No contact? What do I do, just skip town without a backward glance? He felt his head nodding numbly. “Of course. Anything to protect her career.”
John sighed as he pressed his large palms into the table and stood with a groan. “You must really care for her.” Gabriel’s eyes snapped up to meet his softened gaze. “I know you don’t dive into anything lightly. You’re a good kid. Just let this situation die down, okay? Let Steve break the news to the team.”
Gabriel froze. “Does Dad already know?”
“No. I figured that was something you would want to do on your own.” He gestured to the door with a look of grim finality. “Good luck.”
Gabriel nodded in response and headed towards the door with a renewed wave of dread. Time to go disappoint my dad some more.
Gabriel had seen his father angry before. His was not the kind of fury that would leave holes in walls, or any visible sign of inner turmoil. Instead, his anger was delivered in the stoic turn of a cheek that stung sharper than a slap. It was the slight twitch of a frown that could not be hidden under his otherwise smooth bearing. The icy indifference that made Gabriel shrink before him now.
Steve had stood silent as Gabriel explained what happened. He pressed his lips together in a tight line, his face blanching. “You’re quitting now? In the middle of the season?”
“This wasn’t supposed to happen. I met Kailani before the season started and didn’t know what to do.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me? I thought you were better than —”
“Why would I tell you?” Gabriel cut him off, his shaking voice growing louder. “So you could tell me how disappointed you were? So you’d get that judgmental look on your face, and wish for the thousandth time that it had been me that died that day?”
