by Kaia Knight
She didn’t know whether to laugh or to apologize. Her face must have shown her confusion because Steve chuckled. “Why don’t you go get changed and come join me in the farmhouse? I was going to get an early start on the turkey.”
She nodded, her stomach clenching. Just me and Coach Steve, making turkey dinner? Could this day get any weirder?
Kailani hurried into the inn, tossing her work gloves onto the bench by the doorway. She exhaled heavily into the silence of the room. A clatter made her jump, and she looked around in alarm for the source of the noise. “Cristiano?”
She walked further into the foyer and halted when she saw his door was ajar. Peering closer, she stepped into the threshold and her eyebrows shot up. The room was barren with the exception of a large suitcase zipped shut on the neat bed. She stepped tentatively inside. The curtains were billowing from the draft of the cracked window.
A thud made her whirl around, and Cristiano stood with his hand on the accordion closet doors. He eyed her warily.
“God, Cristiano! Did you not hear me before?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Always so jumpy.”
“Hard not to be when you always sneak around...” She took a deep breath, taming her hammering heart. As her initial shock wore off, awkwardness took its place and she glanced at his suitcase. “Uh—what are you doing? I thought you moved in with Alyssa.”
His face hardened, and he crossed the room to hoist the trunk off the bed, dropping it on the floor. “Alyssa and I are no longer dating.”
Kailani studied his face, trying to find any shadow of feeling or remorse there. “You mean she dumped you, right?”
He shrugged.
That was a yes. She nodded, chewing on her cheek. “So, that still doesn’t answer my question.”
“I’m transferring.” His dark eyes roamed around the room with disinterest. “I’m not really liking my classes here; I think culinary school will be more my speed.”
“Oh. So...you’re dropping out of the business program here? What about soccer?”
His mouth twitched, his arrogant expression faltering. He bent down and grasped the handle of his suitcase, pulling it up to full extension with a click. He strode to the door with the rumble of his suitcase following him and paused in the doorway. He looked back at her, his eyes momentarily flashing with a vulnerability that she had seen only one time before.
Kailani braced herself for his walls to come down when he opened his mouth, but he just shook his head.
“Good luck, Kai.” His footsteps retreated, and with the firm click of the front door, she was alone. There was no apology, just an empty room and the unanswered questions he had left behind. Releasing a shaking breath, she headed into her own room. She stayed in the shower until there were no more leaf remnants washing down the drain.
Recalling Coach Steve’s suit, Kailani took the time to blow-dry her hair and put on a little mascara. She only had one outfit that could be considered dressy: a sleeved, cornflower blue dress that used to be her mother’s. Grabbing a jacket from the hook on her way out the door and slipping on wedge heels, she followed the smells already wafting from the farmhouse kitchen.
When she entered the house and saw Steve bending over the stove wearing an apron with frills and cartoon turkeys, any remaining apprehension she had evaporated. As they spent the next hour chopping vegetables and stuffing the turkey, the fragile truce between them solidified.
A waft of crisp, cool air alerted Kailani to the arrival of someone else. Josie and Walt stepped into the kitchen, each carrying armfuls of groceries. She took the paper bags from their grasp, setting the items on the counter and in the refrigerator.
“Are there more groceries outside?” At Walt’s nod, she headed out the front door and towards their classic truck. She was bending over, reaching into the truck bed when she heard the rumble of another vehicle arriving. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Eli and Gabe hopping down from the truck.
“That’s a sight for sore eyes!” Eli called with a smirk.
Kailani gathered the remaining groceries and a stack of mail and turned in time to see Gabriel punch his brother in the arm.
“That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about.” Gabriel’s voice was stern, but his eyes danced as he looked at Kailani.
Her stomach fluttered and her heart soared. Girlfriend.
Gabriel took the groceries and mail from her arms and handed them to a grumbling Eli. He then swept her into his arms, lifting her off the ground as he kissed her. “You are a sight for sore eyes.” He smiled, and her pulse quickened. “You look beautiful.”
The moment was shattered as Eli made violent retching noises just a few feet away. Gabriel rolled his eyes and let Kailani slide back to the ground, but kept his hand anchored in hers.
Eli stopped the charade and grinned wickedly. “Are you guys gonna be like this all night? Maybe you need to go to the inn to bang one out and get it over with.”
Gabriel shoved him again, but Kailani laughed. She leaned towards Gabriel's ear and whispered loud enough for Eli to hear. “Not a bad idea…”
“Ugh.” Eli adjusted his grip on the groceries and started to head inside. “I liked you better when he couldn’t have you.”
Kailani laughed again and started to follow Eli, but Gabriel pulled her back.
He looked ready to burst as he faced her. “I have some good news. But I want to tell everyone when we’re together.”
She squeezed his hand. “Can I have a hint?”
“No way, you’ll guess it too easily.” He towed her inside, ignoring her as she begged for a clue.
They joined the bustle in the kitchen, though Kailani kept glancing at Gabriel, impatient to hear the news. But his lips would press in an infuriating smile and he would shake his head and mouth ‘later’.
Finally, after they had all settled at the table and Walt said grace, she turned expectantly to Gabriel. She cleared her throat and set her fork down. “So, Gabe, you had news to share with everyone?”
Eli gasped loudly. “Gabe, you’re gonna be a dad?”
“What? No!” Gabriel glanced around the table in a panic, but it appeared nobody took Eli’s comment seriously. He smiled and clasped his hands together. “I just talked to Sarge this morning, and he has an opening for me here, in Eugene! He needed another swim trainer for the instruction portion of the program. So, I’ll be moving back here to do that part-time…as well as taking over as head coach for the swim team.”
Kailani beamed and, unable to contain her glee, leapt from her chair, hugging him fiercely around the shoulders. He laughed and reached up to kiss her, his touch sending warmth straight to her core.
When Eli piled on to hug the pair of them jokingly, Kailani laughed and extracted herself from their tangle of arms.
Coach Steve was smiling from across the table and shot Gabriel a wink. He reached for a baguette from the linen-lined basket and offered it to him. “Passing on the torch.”
Gabriel accepted it but broke the loaf in half and handed a piece back with a twitch of a smile.
Josie’s eyes shone. “That’s wonderful, Gabe. And good timing, too. Kailani might want the company with the inn all to herself now.”
Gabriel’s eyebrows came together quickly, and he looked at Kailani.
Kailani turned towards Josie. “You already knew?”
“Knew what?” Gabriel’s eyes darted between the two of them.
Josie’s nose lifted slightly in the air as she spooned green bean casserole onto the plate. “Cristiano’s performance in his internship was deemed unsatisfactory. We gave him several weeks of notice and were going to help him find new accommodations, but he left today.” She shrugged daintily and began to eat.
Gabriel sighed. “Finally. I’m glad he’s gone. Though it doesn’t feel like much closure, he got off scot-free.” He looked at Kailani with a mischievous grin. “He could’ve used one more punch.”
Josie was inspecting her nails. “Oh, I don’t think he
got off scot-free…”
“Josie? What did you do?”
“Me? I didn’t do anything. Cristiano reaped what he sowed. He skipped so many classes that he was going to fail, which puts his student visa at risk. And seeing as he was not going to do work at the ranch, I chose not to sponsor him for a work visa.”
Kailani whistled. “Yikes. Well, seems like it all worked out for him, he mentioned a culinary school.”
Josie’s eyebrows lifted. “Culinary school? I think that was his way of saying he’s going back to the family restaurant.”
“Oh.” Kailani looked down at her plate, a wave of guilt washing over her. Why should I care? He made my life miserable here.
Josie reached out, squeezing Kailani’s shoulder. “Don’t feel bad, dear. I couldn’t stand the thought of him staying in the inn with you another day. You deserve a place of your own.” She looked at Kailani with warmth in her eyes. “After all, I’m hoping you’ll want to stay another year. And maybe after graduation, as our business manager?”
Kailani bit her lip, hope swelling in her chest, swallowing the uneasiness that had crept through her.
“You don’t have to give us an answer now. We just want you to know that you’ll always have a home with us here if you want it. And we’re getting older. It’s time we start thinking about the future owners of Lilac Ranch—we want them to love it here as much as we do.” She settled her small hand over Walt’s and smiled at Gabriel and Kailani. The implications of her offer stilled Kailani; she opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
“Oh, speaking of getting older. Silly me. I opened today’s mail without realizing that one of the letters was for you, Kailani. It’s right there on the counter behind you.”
Kailani frowned and reached behind her chair. Who would be writing to me? I don’t know if I can handle any more news today.
Taking a deep breath, she slid a crisp piece of paper out of the already opened envelope. Her eyes flicked to Josie, who gave her a small smile and a wink. She already read it. Kailani unfolded the official-looking paper and began to skim, her mouth dropping open. The letter quivered in her hand.
She looked up at Gabriel. “I won the grant! Dr. Murray nominated me for my work on the Fall Festival…and I won. This covers my tuition for the year!” Kailani passed the letter to Gabriel’s open hand while everyone showered her in congratulations. She buried her head in her hands, ready to burst with the overwhelming emotion of the turn of events.
Walt clinked his spoon against his glass as the commotion died down. “A toast!” They all raised their champagne glasses, turning towards the head of the table. “It seems we have a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Cheers to friendship, and family.”
Kailani leaned over the table to clink glasses with everyone, grinning as she sat and sipped. The rest of the meal slipped by as they joked and swapped stories, and Kailani ate until she was ready to burst. When Walt retrieved his fiddle after dessert and began to play, Kailani leaned against Gabriel’s shoulder and closed her eyes, surrounded by the weaving, rich melody.
As they eventually descended down the front steps of the farmhouse with a wave to the Flockharts, it felt natural for Gabriel to slide his hand into hers and say goodnight to Eli. Together, they walked along the flagstone path and under the wisteria trellis towards the front door of the inn. As they crossed the threshold together, hand in hand, Kailani knew she was home.
The End
***
Thank you, Reader!
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It's only The End...for now. The romance continues with Eli and Melody's story in Rising Tides Book #2: Slipstream, available for preorder today!
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Acknowledgement
Thank you to the wonderful author community for accepting me with open arms! Through dozens of rounds of edits with critique partners, beta readers, and editors, I have arrived at The End with more than just a published book - in the form of lasting friendships.
A big thank you to my husband who made this book possible through his encouragement and unwavering support. Thank you for cheering me on in all my wildest dreams and adventures!
And lastly thank you, reader, for your love and support! Your praise fuels me to keep sharing stories with the world.
About The Author
Kaia Knight
Kaia Knight is a contemporary romance author who loves to share her passion for adventure through driven, compelling characters facing challenges in everyday life. She pulls from personal experience as an athlete to take readers on immersive experiences in sport and recreation along the way to finding love. When she's not writing, Kaia is out exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two goofy puppies.