Page 10 of Below the Barrel

I watch in horror as he gives Koa his key card and drops our suitcases to the ground before leaving us in the hallway alone.

“Great.” I huff, snatching my suitcase away from his vicinity. “Another place where I’m forced to see you.”

I see the flash of hurt cross his face as he stares back at me, but I don’t allow the guilt to creep in as I swipe my key card against my door and barrel into my room, slamming the door behind me. I press my back against the door and close my eyes, steadying my breathing until I hear his door close too.

I don’t enjoy hurting him. I know that he still has feelings for me, despite the fact that he broke up with me, but it’s the only way to keep that barrier up between us. I’m scared that if I’m nice, I’ll open the door on our relationship and let him back in. I promised myself during one of my pity party cry fest nights that I would never let him back in.

The vibration of my phone pulls me out of my thoughts. I push myself from the door and search for it in my purse, pulling it out to see Gabriel’s name written across the screen.

Gabriel:

Meet me in the lobby. Training starts today.

I groan as I stare at the text, letting my head fall back so that I’m staring up at the ceiling. After a nearly twenty-four-hour flight, all I want to do is take a quick shower and sleep away the rest of the day.

Maliah:

I think I’m going to skip today’s training. I feel a bit sick from the flight.

Gabriel:

There are no sick days on tour. See you in five minutes.

I clench my jaw as I stare down at his message. I have no idea how Zalea puts up with Gabriel’s tough guy façade, it pisses me off. If he wasn’t such a good coach, I would have been long gone.

Tossing my suitcase down, I zip it open and begin digging through my clothes until I find one of my workout sets. I quickly strip down and throw on the olive-green leggings and matching sports bra, before sliding my feet into my gym shoes and tying my hair back into a low bun. I grab my phone, key card, and water bottle before exiting my room only to find Koa leaving his room in his own workout clothing.

“I’m guessing Gabriel texted you too?” he mumbles.

I let out another frustrated sigh and, without a word, stomp down the hall towards the lobby, Koa in tow. When we reach the lobby, Gabriel is pacing around with a scowl on his face and his phone pressed to his ear. When he spots us, he hangs up and approaches us.

“I might get an important call during training that will require me to leave early, so let’s try to get as much done as we can in the meantime,” he grumbles.

Koa and I follow him down the hall and towards the empty onsite gym. He swipes his key card and unlocks the door to let us in. The hotel’s gym is impressive with its high ceilings and large windows that flood the room with bright sunlight. It doesn’t smell like a gym either, instead a fresh scent of eucalyptus subtly floats in the air.

I make my way inside, Koa following closely behind, and find a bench to toss my belongings on. The modern machines are organized impeccably around the room, practically glistening,and many of the machines have large screens with virtual workout options on display.

“Wow,” I whisper as I slowly turn in a circle, my eyes bouncing from the machines to the free weights, and separate rooms for yoga and spinning.

“It’s a bit of an upgrade from Saltwater Springs’ gym.” Gabriel smirks.

“That’s an understatement,” Koa says, dropping his things next to mine on the bench.

“Alright,” Gabriel clears his throat, “we only have an hour, so let’s get started.”

Over the next forty-five minutes, Gabriel has us doing deadlifts, bench presses, and weighted bar squats. Normally, this would be a piece of cake for me, except for the fact that he has Koa and I spotting each other.

I nearly drop the weighted bar when I accidentally rub against him during a squat. My eyes snap up to his and although his eyes are focused on the back of my head, I see the clench in his jaw and the pinch between his brows.

Great, he probably thinks you did that on purpose.

I could kick myself.

I’m careful to avoid his body as I rise back up, barely able to get the bar back on the rack. Koa reaches past me and helps me secure it in place before I step out from under it and walk towards the plethora of face towels at a nearby wall, without thanking him. I can’t thank him, even if I wanted to. My throat feels like it’s completely sealed shut after the electric currents I felt from the quick contact.

“Alright, for the last fifteen minutes, let’s go over Bells Beach and what to expect from the waves,” Gabriel says, as he wipes down the equipment we used.

“Bells Beach has a long and explosive right-hander that will really test your rail game skills, so stay focused,” he says, eyeingme. “It’s not a great wave for aerials so don’t bother with those, just focus on carving.”

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