Page 34 of Beyond The Break

“Dinner will be ready in an hour,” he mumbles, his expression darkened as he walks out of the bathroom, leaving the door open behind him. I watch him retreat down the stairs before I close the washroom door and stare at myself in the mirror.

“What the fuck just happened and why was it so hot?” I ask out loud before a shiver runs up my spine.

Australian indie musicflows up the stairs from the kitchen, making me curious enough to go check out what’s going on. My hair is semi-dry and tied up in a loose bun. As I reach the final step, I spot the rest of the team crowding the kitchen island as they fill their plates with food before taking a seat at the dining table.

My stomach growls as the scent of baked salmon surrounds me when I enter the kitchen. Salmon has always been my go-to order at restaurants. It’s hard to mess up a Salmon dish, so it’s always the safest option. I make way over to where Maliah and Kairi stand adding salad to their nearly overflowing plates.

Before moving here, I hadn’t realized just how much athletes eat. It doesn’t surprise me anymore though, not after seeing how intensely they practice. They burn off the calories each time they surf.

“What’s the special occasion?” I ask.

“Fin wanted to make up for ruining our night the other day,” Maliah replies.

She smiles down at the colorful food spread along the kitchen island. I see the salmon that calls my name, along with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a large salad bowl.

“Griffin made all of this?” I grab the last plate from the counter and begin adding food to it.

“Yup, he has a talent for cooking.” Kairi winks at me.

She still thinks something is going on between Griffin and I and takes every opportunity to wingman him.

I bite back my laugh. “I’m convinced you must think Griffin is in love with me.”

“Maybe he is. He ran up to you like a knight in shining armor. I always thought those guys only existed in books,” she sighs wistfully, patting whatever romance book she has tucked under her arm.

“I don’t think people fall in love that quickly in the real world.” I lean against the counter. “I also wouldn’t go as far as painting him as a hero.”

Maliah’s forehead creases. “Was he mean to you when we left?”

I shake my head side to side, forcing a neutral expression.

“You better tell us if he was. We’ll kick his ass,” she continues, waving her fork in his direction threateningly.

I laugh in playful disbelief before starting to fill up my own plate with food. They wait for me to finish before we walk over to the dinner table and take a seat beside each other on the opposite side of the guys.

As I look down at my plate, my stomach tightens from the hunger. The beautifully baked maple salmon lays on my plate, waiting for me to take a bite out of it. Using my fork, I pick up a piece and place it in my mouth, holding back a moan as the flavors melt on my tongue.

A secret talent for cooking … I wonder what else he’s good at.

I raise my eyes toward him, and choke on my food when I realize he’s watching me with a dark expression. Kairi and Maliah both pat my back frantically as I continue coughing. With the way he stares at me, it feels as if he can read my mind.

I hate the way my body reacts to him because aside from being extremely good looking, he’s been a mindfuck so far. Igive him an unimpressed onceover after I finish coughing before returning my attention to the girls.

“He definitely has a crush on her,” Kairi whispers, “look at how he’s staring at her, I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“Who are we talking about?” I ask loudly, causing them both to jump as they look over at me.

“You, actually,” Maliah admits, straightening her back, “and him,” she waves her fork towards Griffin’s direction, who’s discussing upcoming competitions with the boys.

“He definitely has a crush on you,” Kairi whispers as she leans into me.

“Definitely not.” I shake my head before I shove a forkful of mashed potatoes into my mouth.

There’s no way Griffin has a crush on me. They weren’t there the day I arrived at The Shredder House; they didn’t see all the ways he tried to get rid of me, but I did, and Griffin has made it very clear that he wants nothing to do with me. He would probably throw a party if I quit, which is why I refuse to. I can’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he ran me out of this place.

“Then why is he still watching you?” Maliah whispers.

I raise my gaze back up and all the hairs on my neck stand when I realize he is, in fact, still staring at me. I narrow my eyes at him and watch as his lips curve upward in a delicious smile.

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