Page 65 of Below the Barrel

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.

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