Chapter Five
Austin
Austin’s stomach lurched as the ferry rocked back and forth next to the dock. He couldn’t tell if it was the boat ride itself or his nerves about being trapped on this island for the next week. After an hour of calming himself down, his friends had finally convinced him to go with them to Mystic Breeze Resort. As the ferry was tied to the dock and Austin and his clan waited to disembark, Austin took in the sights. As much as he hated to admit it, the island was beautiful. Perfect white sand beaches lined the shoreline. The island itself was shaped into a private cove, creating a picturesque backdrop that Mystic Breeze Resort was now famous for. Austin smiled hesitantly. If he could avoid all of the relationship-building activities, and all of the women, he might actually like this place.
Austin’s smile faltered when his eyes left the beautiful scenery of the cove and focused on the beach near the dock. Several towels were laid out, and what looked like hundreds of women in skimpy bathing suits were lying out in the sun. The ferry’s horn sounded, and all of the women had turned to see the guys arrive. Austin looked at them and breathed in a heavy sigh. Callie’s face pushed its way into his thoughts. How could he open up to any of these women when all he could think about was her?
With the ferry finally tied to the dock, Austin and his clan walked off and into the beating sun. Austin took a deep breath in and smelled the salty air. Just concentrate on the little things, he thought. The ocean breeze calmed his nerves slightly, and he followed his friends towards the resort. At the end of the dock stood a petite brunette with a pixie cut. She looked to be in her mid thirties, but her beaming smile helped mask her age. When Austin reached her, she quickly extended her hand.
“You must be Austin Donnelly,” the woman said. “I’m Pearl, the owner of Mystic Breeze Resort. We are so excited to have your clan stay with us this week.”
Too bad you won’t be seeing me much this week, Austin thought. Maybe he could mysteriously come down with a horrible case of food poisoning and wouldn’t be able to attend any of the activities. That way he could hide in his room and his friends mates could let off some steam. Austin gave her a forced smile that didn’t fully reach his eyes. Pearl gave him the once-over, and he could tell by the look on her face that she was trying to get a read on him. Being an owner of a matchmaking resort must have made her very observant, Austin thought. Austin held his breath, hoping she would not be able to see all of the emptiness inside him. An awkward silence fell between them. Logan nudged Austin lightly in the ribs.
“Uh, yeah, we are happy to be here as well,” Austin said gruffly. Pearl assessed him quickly and her smile faltered a bit. Shit, she can tell, Austin thought. Logan cleared his throat behind Austin. Austin quickly stepped aside and let Logan take the reins.
“I’m Logan,” Logan said as he turned up his characteristic charm. Pearl’s beaming smile returned to her face and she shook his hand.
“I have to be honest,” Logan said. “I have been following your story as you created this place, and I have to say that I am very impressed with this whole operation you have created.” Logan placed his hand on Pearl’s shoulder, and she beamed with happiness.
Thank God for Logan, Austin thought. He always had a way of getting Austin out of his fumbles when it came to women.
The women on the beach had slowly started to move closer to the dock to scope out the guys. A petite blonde caught Austin’s eye and smiled and waved at him seductively. A small voice in Austin’s head told him to smile back at her, but his body wouldn’t allow him. Even though she was pretty, he would just hurt her in the end like all the rest. Austin stared back at her and her smile quickly faltered. She looked away, hoping to get away from Austin’s depressing gaze.
“Why don’t I show you all to your rooms?” Pearl said, and she motioned for the clan to follow her to the resort.
The guys followed Pearl from the dock up a sandy path that led to the resort. Moving away from the shoreline, the path turned and palm trees covered them. When they reached the entrance of the resort, Austin let out a low whistle. The main building was massive. It had a red Polynesian-style roof, and there was a small waterfall that rushed over rocks, leading into a small pond. A bridge led them to the entrance, and Austin slightly smiled when he saw the koi fish swimming through the pond. Callie would have loved this place, he thought.
Austin walked inside through a set of large double swinging doors that led into a large lobby with several comfortable-looking chairs and couches. All the décor of the resort had a Polynesian theme that fit perfectly with the resort’s surroundings. The lobby area turned into a restaurant and bar at the back of the building, which overlooked the water. To the right was the registration desk, and down a hallway Austin could see what looked like a secluded library.
“All of the rooms are private bungalows,” Pearl said. “They can be accessed by walking out those large doors near the back of the restaurant. They each have their own dock with ladders that take you directly into the water.”
Logan hit Austin on the shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows. He leaned in and whispered into his ear, “The place isn’t half bad, huh?”
“It is paradise, I will give you that. But I’m not too sure how much I will be participating in the activities.” Logan gave Austin a look, but Austin just rolled his eyes and followed Pearl to the reception desk.
“We have several amenities at the resort for you to choose from as well,” Pearl said. “We have nightly mixers for our guests, and several water sports and excursion options for you to choose from. We do require that you partake in at least one excursion or mixer while you are here, because during those activities you will have a chance to meet several of the women who have come to our resort because you are here.”
Austin didn’t really care what the resort required. He had paid them to stay here, so he would do as he pleased.
Pearl handed them each a room key. “Here are the keys to your bungalows,” she said. “If you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to ask one of our staff or find me personally.” Pearl looked directly at Austin, “I want you all to find happiness here.” Austin winced under her stare. It wasn’t a seductive stare, like she wanted him, but more of a motherly one filled with pity. In the few minutes since they had arrived at the resort, he could tell that Pearl could already see his demons. He hated people feeling pity for him. He quickly snatched the key from her hand and stalked away to find his bungalow, which he planned to remain in the entire time that they were at the resort.