Below the Barrel (Saltwater Springs #2)

25. Koa | Peniche, Portugal

TWENTY-FIVE

KOA | PENICHE, PORTUGAL

It’s the day after Griffin and Eliana arrived, to my surprise, and we’re out on a dolphin boat safari, cruising along the turquoise waters off the coast of Peniche. The sun’s beating down, but the breeze off the ocean cools things just enough to make it bearable.

I sit on the edge of the deck, my bandaged leg stretched out in front of me. The salt air burns a little as it brushes over my skin, reminding me of the countless cuts beneath the gauze. I glance down at my leg. It’s still a mess, no doubt red, raw, and swollen. The tour medics came to check on me at the house today and said it’s healing, but every step I take feels like someone’s dragging a serrated knife across my skin.

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the pulsing pain. This isn’t how I wanted the tour to go. And if I’m honest, I feel like I let Mal down. First place means nothing if I can’t even get back in the water to keep us there.

I let out a slow breath, shifting my gaze away from my leg to the water, where she and Eliana are swimming with dolphins. They’re both laughing, splashing around as the dolphin’s dart around them. The single cameraman that joined us on this tour captures everything, of course—always. Maliah’s hair floats around her like a dark halo, her smile wide and carefree, and for a moment, all I can think about is her.

She moves effortlessly through the water, as if she’s meant to be there. I can see this is her element, and as I watch her, a twinge of regret stirs within me. I should be out there with her, not stuck on this boat feeling like a useless idiot.

Griffin’s next to me, lounging with a casual ease that only someone like him could pull off. His leg bounced back from injury like it was nothing, but I know he worked his ass off to get back to this point. Part of me wonders if I’ve got that same strength in me or if this is the beginning of the end.

“You alright, man?” Griffin asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear over the sound of the waves and the girls.

I nod, though it’s a lie. “Yeah, just watching Mal.” He follows my gaze, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He lifts his sunglasses to the top of his head, making sure our eyes meet. “I’ve been wondering,” he says, his tone casual but with a hint of curiosity. “What exactly happened that night you called me and Colton and then abruptly hung up?”

I feel my face heat up, and I look away for a second, trying to play it cool. There’s no way in hell I’m about to tell him what happened between Maliah and me that night…or the next. My eyes drift to her again. She’s swimming with a dolphin that plants a kiss on her cheek, and she explodes in giggles, her laughter carrying over the water.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter, my voice flat.

Griffin chuckles, clearly not buying it. “Right,” he says, dragging out the word like he’s onto something. “So how are things between you two? I noticed the burning rage and hatred she had for you seems to have disappeared.”

I shrug, not really sure how much to share. “We’re working through stuff.”

“Oh, come on,” Griffin teases, leaning back against the boat’s railing. “We’re going to see it on SurfFlix anyway, you might as well tell your friends before the media does.”

I sigh, knowing he’s right. “We’re trying to repair things,” I admit. “Taking it slow, but I don’t know if I messed all of that up with this injury.”

Griffin looks at me for a moment, serious now. “You didn’t mess anything up, Koa. If she’s still here, swimming with dolphins while you sit here moping about your leg, that’s gotta mean something. She’s in this with you.”

I nod, but the doubt still lingers in the back of my mind. I glance at Maliah again, watching her smile, completely at ease. Maybe he’s right, but the fear that I’ll screw this up again is always there.

“We’ll see,” I say, not fully convinced, but trying to believe it.

Griffin nudges me with his elbow, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “You know, for a guy who flew across the world to be here for you, you’re not really paying me much attention.”

I glance over at him, chuckling. “Yeah, yeah, sorry, man. Just…got a lot on my mind.”

He leans back, folding his arms. “That much is obvious,” he jokes, but then his tone shifts. “Speaking of which, I had to pack up your stuff at The Shredder House temporarily. Gabriel brought in a few new team members to fill the gap while you and Mal are on tour.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You packed my stuff?”

He nods, reaching into his pocket before pulling out something small—something familiar. It’s a ring box. My chest tightens at the sight of it. The box that holds the ring I was going to propose to Maliah with…the same day I broke up with her instead.

Griffin holds it up between us. “Found this in your drawer,” he says quietly, eyeing me as if waiting for an explanation.

Every emotion I buried that day crashes back into me, heavy and overwhelming. The sense of worthlessness, of not being good enough for her, floods my chest, suffocating me. I swallow hard, shaking my head as I stare at the box. “It doesn’t matter,” I say, my voice low. “I’m not good enough for her, Griffin. She deserves better.”

Griffin’s eyes widen in disbelief, and he shakes his head firmly. “You seriously think that?”

“I know that,” I correct him, bitterness slipping into my voice. “I screwed up. I hurt her. She deserves someone who won’t do that.”

Griffin leans forward, his voice softer but insistent. “You’re the best thing that could have happened to her, Koa. Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s what you do after that matters. And I know you—you’re not the kind of guy who gives up when things get hard.”

“But I did. I did give up, and I broke her heart in the process.”

He eyes me, as if seeing right through me. “I have a feeling there’s more to that story than you’re willing to share.”

I don’t respond. I just stare at the ring box in his hand, the weight of my past mistakes settling in.

Griffin places the box in my palm, his eyes locking onto mine. “Just in case you want to join the fiancé squad,” he says with a grin.

I blink, confused for a moment. “Fiancé squad?”

Maliah lets out a screech, and my head snaps in her direction. She’s gripping onto Eliana’s hand staring at an emerald ring on her ring finger. I look back to Griffin with wide eyes and his grin broadens.

“Eliana and I…we’re engaged.”

“What?”

He nods, laughing softly. “Yeah, man. I popped the question literally minutes before Gabriel called us and asked us to come here.”

I shake my head, a smile tugging at my lips despite everything. “That’s crazy. Congratulations, Fin.”

“Thanks, brother,” he says, clapping me on the back. “Now, maybe it’s your turn. That is, if you stop telling yourself you’re not good enough for her.”

I look back at the box in my hand, the weight of it suddenly feeling heavier.

Eliana bursts back onto the boat, her wet hair flinging water everywhere as she runs straight into Griffin’s arms. She’s laughing, carefree, and without hesitation, she wraps her arms around his neck and plants a kiss on him, soaking him in the process.

Griffin laughs, not caring in the least about the water dripping from her. “You’re drenched, sunshine,” he teases, but pulls her closer anyway.

I look away, giving them their moment, but the second I do, my eyes lock with Maliah’s. She’s standing at the edge of the boat, water glistening on her skin, but her gaze is fixed on the ring box in my hand. Her expression unreadable.

Before she can say anything—or before I can explain—I stuff the box into my pocket and lean back in my seat, closing my eyes as if that would hide everything. My chest tightens, and the weight of everything presses down on me, but I can still feel her eyes watching me.

I keep my eyes shut, pretending it doesn’t matter. But deep down, I know it matters more than anything.

It’s been a few days since the dolphin safari, and today is competition day at Supertubos. Maliah and Griffin spent the last few days practicing the waves together and giving each other pointers on how to handle them the best. I’m confident they’ll be able to pull it off today. The sky is clear and the conditions couldn’t be more perfect—solid sets rolling in, forming those signature Supertubos barrels that swallow surfers whole before spitting them back out.

Eliana is on the beach next to me, holding her phone steady as she captures content for the team’s social pages. She’s already snapped about a million pictures of Griffin, but now her focus is on Maliah. Every so often, she glances down at the screen, switching between video and camera mode, determined to get the best shots.

“Look at them go,” Eliana says, grinning and zooming in as Maliah carves through the face of a wave.

I lean forward, my eyes glued to the water. Maliah’s form is clean, confident. She paddles with power, and the second she catches another wave, she’s up and slicing across the surface. Her movements are fluid, each turn precise. She crouches low, tucking herself into a barrel, disappearing into the tunnel of water for a few seconds before the wave spits her out clean, leaving a spray of whitewater in her wake.

Griffin’s right behind her on the next wave, making it look effortless. His timing is perfect, just like I’ve seen him do a hundred times. He leans into the wave with a kind of fearlessness that only someone who’s conquered pain like his could pull off. He’s a damn powerhouse, accelerating as the wave curls over him, his body low and in control as he threads through the pocket.

“They’re killing it,” Eliana says, clearly proud.

It should be me out there with her. I shake my head, pushing the thought away. Maliah deserves this moment, and I’m not going to ruin it with my own frustrations. My eyes follow Maliah as they both begin their return to the shore, and I almost don’t notice the medic that approaches me just as she paddles in, her hair dripping wet and her face glowing from the adrenaline rush.

“Koa,” the medic says, “let’s take a look at your leg.”

I glance over at Maliah, who’s watching me with concern. She drops her board in the sand next to Eliana before walking over to join me as we head toward the medic tent. She’s quieter than usual, her smile from the competition quickly fading into something else.

Once we’re in the tent, the medic gets to work, carefully unwrapping the bandage around my leg. The relief of air hitting the skin is immediate, but the sight beneath the wrappings isn’t pretty. Most of the smaller cuts have closed, leaving behind pink, puffy lines where they once bled. The deeper ones, the ones that had been stitched still cling to scabs. The stitches have dissolved, but the skin’s fragile, healing over slowly.

“Looks like you’re healing well,” the medic says, inspecting my leg. “No more wrapping it. Just make sure to wash it carefully. Watch those scabs, though. If any of them open up, you’re risking infection.”

I nod, but my mind is elsewhere. Maliah stands off to the side, her arms crossed as she watches, still not saying much. There’s tension between us I can’t shake. Ever since the injury, things have felt off. She’s been distant, quieter than normal. I can’t help but wonder if she’s mad at me—if she blames me for almost screwing everything up. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. It is my fault.

The medic finishes up, gives me a pat on the shoulder, and lets us go. Outside the tent, Griffin and Eliana are waiting, both of them grinning.

“Dinner tonight,” Griffin says, clapping me on the back. “It’s our last night before we fly out tomorrow, so let’s do something nice. I know a spot.”

I glance at Maliah, who forces a small smile, but she doesn’t say much. I agree to dinner, hoping it’ll give us a chance to talk, to work through whatever this tension is between us.

The restaurant Griffin picked is a small, cozy place tucked away in the heart of Peniche. The kind of spot that feels like a hidden gem, with candlelight on every table and the faint sound of Portuguese music playing in the background. We’re seated at a booth near the back, away from most of the other diners.

Eliana and Griffin are chatting away, trading stories about the new Shredder Youth Team that Griffin’s been coaching. Maliah, on the other hand, is barely speaking. Every time I try to bring her into the conversation, she diverts it right back to Griffin or Eliana, as if she’s actively avoiding talking to me.

As I sit there, watching her laugh at something Griffin says, I force myself to push the thoughts aside, but I can’t help but feel like I’m losing her, little by little. And I have no idea how to stop it.

The food arrives and despite my anxiousness toward Maliah’s behaviour today, my mouth begins to water. Baked salted cod, and roasted mini potatoes sits on my plate but it smells so good that my stomach growls loudly.

“Hungry?” Eliana teases, cutting into the grilled chicken on her plate.

“Starving,” I reply, digging in without a second thought.

When we finally get back to the house, Griffin and Eliana head straight to their room, calling it a night after the long day. It’s just me and Maliah now, alone in the quiet living room. I’ve been waiting for this moment all night. For the chance to talk to her and figure out what’s going on.

Maliah walks over to the couch and sits down, staring out the window at the dark ocean. I take a deep breath and sit next to her. “We need to talk,” I say quietly, trying to ease into it.

She doesn’t look at me. “About what?”

“About Teahupo’o. About us. You’ve been different ever since the accident.”

Her body stiffens at the mention of Teahupo’o, and she finally turns to face me, her blue eyes blazing with frustration. “It’s my fault, Koa! I messed up the wave! If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t have gone out there and got yourself hurt. I cost us points, and you tried to fix my mistake. It’s my fault you’re hurt.”

I shake my head, already feeling the argument spiralling. “No, Mal, it wasn’t like that. You didn’t make me do anything. I made the decision to surf that peak because I wanted to. Even if your surf was perfect, I think I still would’ve gone over there and tried to surf that spot. I’ve been pushing myself my whole life, you know that. What happened was a stupid accident—nothing to do with you.”

Tears well up in her eyes, but she fights to keep them from falling. “You could’ve been seriously hurt, Koa. Or worse. How am I supposed to not feel responsible for that?”

Her words hit me hard. I can see the guilt eating her alive, the way she’s been carrying this weight since it happened. I move closer, taking her hand in mine.

“Listen to me,” I say firmly, “you didn’t force me to do anything. I made my own call out there. Surfing is dangerous, you know that. We take a risk every single time we hit the water. I’m fine. I’m here. I’ll heal. But I need you to stop blaming yourself.”

She stares at me, searching my face for something, her hand trembling slightly in mine. “What if I keep messing things up for us?”

I squeeze her hand tighter. “You’re not messing anything up. We’re a team, Mal. We’ve always been a team. And yeah, things get rough sometimes, but we figure it out. We always have.”

A tear finally slips down her cheek, and she wipes it away quickly, trying to pull herself together. I can see the guilt starting to crack, like maybe she’s starting to believe me. But there’s still a bit of hesitation.

“It wasn’t your fault,” I say again, softer this time, leaning in until our foreheads almost touch. “It’s not your fault, Princess. You need to let it go.”

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, her whole body relaxing for the first time in days. “Okay,” she whispers, her voice shaky. “Okay, I’ll try.”

I pull her into a hug, relief washing over me as I feel her finally lean into me, the weight between us finally lifted. And, for the first time in days, we’re back on the same page.

After a while, I pull back and smile at her. “Let’s do something fun tomorrow,” I say, trying to lighten the mood. “Griffin and Eliana are leaving in the morning, and we could use a break. What do you want to do?”

Maliah’s face brightens slightly, and she looks up at me with a small, hopeful smile. “Actually, I was thinking…maybe we could visit my father. He doesn’t live too far from here, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen him. The waves by his house are also insane.”

I freeze, my stomach dropping. Her father? Of all people…he’s the last person I want to see. Ever. My body tenses at the thought of facing him. The history between us isn’t exactly good. He’s never approved of me, and I’ve done nothing to change his mind. But when I look into Maliah’s eyes, that hopeful glint I haven’t seen in days…I can’t say no.

I nod slowly, forcing a smile. “Yeah, okay. If that’s what you want.”

Her eyes light up as she quickly grabs her phone and starts texting him to arrange everything. I lean back into the couch, watching her, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut.