by Kaia Knight
“That’s what miserable people say to make themselves feel better.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
Gabriel looked at his brother, pausing. His throat clenched as he straightened. “Eli. For the first time in a year, I finally feel good.” He gestured around him with the rag. “I’m happy here and fine, I’ll admit it, I like being with her. Can’t I be selfish and enjoy this, just for a second? I know it can’t last. I know I have to leave. Just not yet.”
The sudden crunch of gravel demanded Gabriel’s attention, and his head whipped around towards the driveway yet again, and his heart leapt. Kailani skidded to a halt in front of the barn, dismounting from her bike in one fluid motion. She unclipped her helmet and shook out her hair as she approached them with an enormous grin.
“This never gets old! I love being able to come home before practice.” She leaned the bike against the barn entrance and joined them. “I just posted the last of the Fall Festival flyers on my way home. What’re you guys up to?”
Gabriel watched her as she stretched her long, tanned legs. “Just finished making the corn maze. The kids are going to love it. And Eli has been thinking about maybe, someday, starting a project…”
Eli flicked the stain-soaked rag at Gabriel, who dodged it with a chuckle.
Eli looked at Kailani with a smile. “Actually, we were about to eat. Josie dropped off some food about half an hour ago.” He lifted up a small cooler that was packed with sandwiches, chips, and cans of soda.
“Bless her heart,” Kailani sighed as she reached for a sandwich.
Gabriel collapsed on a bale of hay, and Kailani sat so close to him that their elbows bumped as they ate. Eli raised his eyebrows, looking at Gabriel slyly. Gabriel ignored his brother and concentrated on eating.
“I can’t believe the Festival is this weekend,” Kailani said, covering her mouth as she chewed.
Gabriel nodded. “Do you think it’ll raise enough money to keep the Flockharts in business? Walt keeps talking about the foreclosure and I just don’t know what to say. I’m trying to keep their spirits high.”
Kailani sighed and brushed a hand through her hair, releasing the sweet scent of coconut. “I don’t know. I met with my business professor today to go over the numbers, but so much relies on how many people show up. I just hope it’s enough.”
“And if it’s not?” Eli said.
“Well…then I guess the ranch will foreclose, and I need to look for another scholarship and a place to live next year. So I’m really banking on this all to work out.”
Gabriel rested his hand on Kailani’s arm. “Hey. It’s going to be great. You’ve worked so hard for this. And you’ve all but forced every team on campus to attend; roping the athletic director in wasn’t a bad move,” he teased.
“Hey, just using what I’ve got!”
The hum of an engine approaching made them all turn towards the driveway. The door of a sedan opened, and a short brunette stepped out, slamming the door behind her. As if sensing their gaze, her head turned towards the barn. With a jolt, Gabriel recognized Alyssa. Her eyes darted in the direction of the inn before approaching them.
Standing in the entrance of the barn, her eyes immediately locked on Gabriel, trailing down to where his hand still rested on Kailani’s arm.
He quickly withdrew his hand, hyper-aware of Kailani’s warm leg pressed against his own. “Uh, hi Alyssa!”
“Hey Coach! What a surprise. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“The Fall Festival is this weekend, so Eli and I have been coming out with Dad, uh, Coach Steve, almost every day to help. Are you here to see Kailani…?”
“Oh. No.” She jerked her thumb in the direction of the inn. “Actually—”
Just then, Cristiano emerged from the flagstone path, smiling as he stepped into the wide barn entrance and wrapped his arm around Alyssa. “Hey, babe.” He nodded to the three of them sitting on the bales of hay. “What’s up?”
Kailani shifted, her voice sounding higher than usual as she said, “Just working on some finishing touches for the festival. Doesn’t the barn look great?”
Cristiano’s eyes swept the room with a cursory look. “Yeah, it does. So nice of you to help Kailani out all the time, being her coach and all.”
“Uh, well the Flockharts are old family friends,” Gabriel said stiffly. “Eli and I are happy to help them out whenever they need.”
Alyssa glanced between Cristiano and Gabriel, tilting her head to the side.
“We’ll leave you to it, then.” Cristiano steered Alyssa towards the inn, murmuring in her ear as they walked.
“Geez,” Kailani said, leaning back with a sigh. “Talk about awkward. Things have been weird since….”
“You socked him in the face?” Eli interjected with a chuckle.
“Yeah, that.” She launched into the story of seeing him and Alyssa at the party, crossing her arms as she recounted the awkward experience. “But I haven’t seen him around lately, I was kinda hoping it would all blow over by now. Alyssa at least has been a little better since the swim meet.”
Kailani stood. “Either way, not my problem right now, I’ve got enough on my plate with the festival this weekend. Let’s get to it!” She downed the rest of her drink and strode towards the back of the barn.
Gabriel jumped to his feet, his anxiety returning full force. “Let’s hurry up on those benches, okay? I’m going to go place the sign for the pumpkin patch.”
He walked away from Eli before he could give another lazy protest, pushing away the unease that bundled in his stomach. He took a steadying breath as he stood in front of the pumpkin patch, swinging the heavy rubber mallet over his hip, and driving the sign deep into the ground. With each heave, he expelled his air in a sharp burst until his skin no longer crawled with Cristiano’s cold smirk.
Chapter 29
Kailani
The day of the Fall Festival had finally arrived. Kailani clutched her sweater tighter against the early morning chill as she jogged between the different booths and entertainment stations, ensuring everything was in place. Her hands trembled. What if nobody comes?
By the time Gabe and Eli showed up in their truck, she was shedding layers as she began to sweat. They had hardly stepped out of the vehicle before she pounced.
“Good morning! You guys ready?”
Gabriel chuckled as she bounced in place. “Woah, how much coffee have you had?”
“Just a cup…or carafe, same thing.” She tossed a neon-yellow vest towards Gabriel. “Alright, places! The racers will probably start arriving in about twenty minutes, so we need to make sure that everyone parks in the north field, not in the driveway.”
Gabriel saluted Kailani solemnly. “Yes, ma’am.” He turned on his heel and marched down the driveway, picking up a stack of traffic cones as he went.
Kailani smiled watching his retreat, then turned to Eli. He was still in his EMT uniform and looked like he was asleep on his feet. “Eli, thanks for coming after working all night…are you sure you’re up for this? We already have a volunteer police officer and one medic, so you can go crash in my bed if you need to.”
Eli yawned dramatically. “As much as I’d love the opportunity to rub it in that I’ve slept in your bed and Gabe hasn’t, I’m good. Just need some coffee in these ol’ veins and I’m set.”
Kailani bit back a laugh, too grateful for his help to be offended. She jerked her thumb to the tent that was stacked with baked goods and large coffee thermoses. “All yours, have at it.”
Walt and Josie waved good morning as they escorted volunteers with a wheeled cart, distributing freshly baked pastries and breakfast sandwiches to the booths. Close friends and volunteers trickled in first, manning their stations and helping with last-minute setup as Kailani directed them to their tent-covered tables.
By eight in the morning, there were hundreds of people clad in running attire heading towards the largest tent with a banner that read Lilac Ranch 5k Registra
tion, chatting in excitement and bobbing to the music that played over the loudspeakers.
Volunteers from the cross-country and triathlon teams gathered money from participants and handed over race t-shirts and bibs. Melody was passing out t-shirts and course maps, wishing each runner good luck. When she saw Kailani, she held one of the soft shirts up to her chest. “Finally, a race shirt I’ll actually wear!”
Kailani beamed and gave her a thumbs-up as she headed towards the stage where Walt waited. Gabriel had returned from his parking duties and joined her, bumping her shoulder with a smile.
Kailani handed Walt a microphone and the starting gun with a joking bow. “Will you do the honors?”
His eyes twinkled as he grabbed the microphone, giving it a few test taps. The music faded as he turned and faced the crowd humming with excitement. “Good morning, Eugene! Welcome to the fifty-fifth annual Lilac Ranch Fall Festival!” A wave of cheers rose through the crowd. “And the first Lilac Ranch 5k. As you can see, we have a lot more going on than in past years, so there is more to celebrate than just our usual baked goods. Once you complete your run, make sure to stick around for a day of games, great food, music, and celebration. We are so excited to celebrate another bountiful year with you and are thankful for your business. Now, for the National Anthem.”
Kailani and Gabriel exchanged an alarmed glance as he held the microphone towards them. This wasn’t part of the plan!
But before Kailani could stammer her confusion, Josie stepped forward, taking the microphone from her husband. She cleared her throat and stood straighter. She opened on a strong, low note that drew a surprised breath from the crowd as they clapped their hands over their hearts.
A surge of emotion overcame Kailani as she watched Josie close her eyes and pour out the soul of a song much bigger than any of them. Her voice stretched and soared, ending with a resonance that struck every person in the audience as their cheers erupted around her.
Kailani wiped her eyes discreetly as Josie began the countdown for the racers who toed the line painted on the driveway. When Walt’s gunshot pierced through the morning air with a wisp of smoke, the runners shot down the lane. The course took the runners on a tour of the grounds; around the perimeter of the orchard, weaving between the gardens, and over the bridge that crossed the lake. Seventies hits blasted through the speakers as spectators cheered the runners on, sipping coffee and purchasing baked goods from the stands.
The tension in Kailani’s shoulders began to loosen as she surveyed the excitement around her. Not a bad start to the day. She strolled along the booths and noticed that one tent was unmanned. She frowned and looked down at her clipboard, thumbing through the pages for her roster. Cristiano and the soccer team. He promised they’d volunteer, where are they? Craning her neck, she searched for his smirking face in the crowd, but he was nowhere to be seen. She pushed her mounting anger aside. I won’t let him ruin this.
Striding towards the adjacent tent, she asked a few volunteers from the football team to help man the other station, and they happily complied when she assured them they could snack on the piles of homemade caramel corn.
An onslaught of cowbells and cheering alerted Kailani that the first racers were crossing the finish line. A steady stream of runners gave way to walkers, and after an hour, Kailani returned to the stage for the award ceremony. Walt crowned the fastest runner in each division and distributed jars of honey as medals. Everyone clapped for the overall winner who ran the course in a remarkable sixteen minutes, but nobody cheered louder than when a ninety-two year old named Gretel won the prize for the slowest run, which included a twenty minute coffee break in one of the rocking chairs.
Walt leaned into the microphone as he handed Gretel her prize. “A lavender bath gift kit, for those who appreciate the art of taking it easy.” A laugh rippled through the audience and they clapped once more.
“Now,” Walt said, gesturing towards Kailani, “I would like to invite the organizer of this event to the stage. Little did we know that when we accepted Kailani as an intern, we were actually hiring a team of a hundred that somehow made all of this happen.” The audience laughed as he swept an arm around him. “Not only did she go way beyond her job description, but she is like family to us now.” A hushed ‘awww’ rose from the crowd, and Kailani blushed, looking down at her shoes. “Without her, none of this would have been possible!”
Kailani took a shaky breath as she grasped the microphone from Walt with a trembling hand, waiting for the applause to die down. She took a deep breath to steady her voice. “Thank you all for coming today—let’s have a big round of applause for all of our volunteers, representing University of Oregon’s sports teams.” She smiled nervously, her gaze sweeping the crowd who had their eyes trained on her.
She gulped and continued, “I would like to announce exciting new partnerships that Lilac Ranch has undertaken. Starting next month, you will find Lilac Ranch essential oils, bath salts, and lip balm on shelves in local grocery stores, all products that you can purchase here today. In addition, local restaurants will be sourcing some of their microgreens and seasonal produce right here from the ranch.”
“And now for the best news: today is the grand opening of the Lilac Ranch Brewery!” She pointed to the barn which now bore a large, industrial sign on its front as a loud cheer rose from the crowd.
Walt squeezed her shoulder, and Kailani’s throat tightened with emotion.
“Thank you all for coming and enjoy!” She passed off the microphone before any more words could tumble out of her mouth and stepped off the stage. Gabriel was there, smiling at her.
“Phew,” she said, wiping a trembling hand across her damp forehead. “I’d rather run ten marathons than say another sentence in front of a crowd.”
He laughed. “You did great. Let’s go grab some food and kick back. You earned it.” They settled on the front porch of the farmhouse, rocking in the chairs as they watched the bustle from afar.
People were flocking to the booth with lavender and honey soaps. The limited-edition mead growlers were sold out in a matter of minutes, with backorders for dozens more. People of all ages crowded the booths, purchasing baked goods, stationery, and merchandise with the Lilac Ranch logo on it.
Kids hopped on the back of the tractor trailer for a hayride on the way to the maze, bouncing with excitement. Families meandered the pumpkin patch, posing for pictures and purchasing pumpkins before heading to the carving station.
Kailani and Gabriel rocked in the chairs in a trancelike state as they watched the blur of people before them. He placed his hand lightly on her arm as he sighed. “How does it feel to know you made all this possible?”
Kailani met Gabriel’s gaze, her heart fluttering at his bold touch. “Incredible. Though I couldn’t have done it without you. And it’s not just about the money we’ve made. Look how happy the Flockharts are.” Walt and Josie were beaming as they wandered through the booths, hand in hand as strangers greeted them with enthusiasm. “I have a feeling that this is the start of something great for them, you know?”
Gabriel’s eyes did not leave her face as he nodded. “And for you, too. I am so proud of you, Kai. For everything you’ve accomplished.”
A soaring sensation ballooned in Kailani’s chest and she blinked rapidly, fighting the sudden stinging in her eyes. “Thank you. That means a lot.” She cleared her throat, brushing a hand across her eyes as she stood abruptly. “Want to check out the booths?”
The sun arced across the sky as the crowd ebbed and flowed below. A second shift of volunteers replaced the early risers, invigorating the festival with a new wave of enthusiasm. When the bright autumn daylight softened to dusk, thousands of lights twinkled in the canopy of auburn leaves and hung from the exposed beams of the brewery. A local bluegrass band set up on stage outside its doors, and couples swung onto the dance floor to the rhythm of the fiddle.
Gabriel and Kailani worked their way through the crowd towards the beckoning music. They
were pressed so tightly together that the back of Gabriel’s hand brushed against hers with every stride, sending a bolt of warmth through her. She peeked at Gabriel as his fingers played with hers. Kailani flushed at the thrill of their closeness in the middle of a crowd.
Just as they approached the dance floor, Melody burst from a throng of dancers and skipped up to Kailani, grabbing her by the elbow. “Sorry, Gabe, dibs on the first dance with Kai.” She tugged Kailani to the center of the floor. They spun, laughing as they tried to stay on beat.
When the song came to an end, Kailani craned over the bopping heads and spotted Gabriel and Eli lounging on one of the long benches in the barn, Eli’s gaze never leaving Melody as they danced.
Kailani grinned and leaned towards Melody’s ear, slowing her dizzying moves. “So, you and Eli. Anything new there?”
Melody grimaced and rolled her eyes, cupping her hand around her mouth. “Nope, he ghosted me. One date then nothing.”
Kailani frowned, glancing towards the brothers who were sipping from amber glasses. She raised her voice above the music, leaning towards Melody. “I heard he’s been busy at work, maybe it’s just that? Go talk to him!” She nudged Melody, who shook her head fiercely.
Taking Melody’s hand, she led her towards Gabriel and Eli. She crossed her arms and clucked her tongue. “So you guys are going to sit idly by, leaving the ladies to dance alone?”
Gabriel’s eyes caught Kailani’s teasing tone, and he stood abruptly, setting his glass on the long, wooden table. “What were we thinking? C’mon Eli.”
Kailani extended her arm, but Gabriel walked past her towards two elderly women who rocked back and forth. Her mouth dropped, and she watched him bow and take the arm of one of the ladies, gesturing to Eli, who quickly followed suit with a wicked grin.
Melody laughed, plopping down on the bench the guys had vacated. “Ouch. Great plan, Kailani, another diss was just what I needed. I guess while I’m here…” she took Eli’s glass and took a deep draft, setting it down with a satisfied sigh.