Blair
Blair pulled her wavy black hair back into a ponytail as the ferry bounced its way toward the dock at Bear Ridge Resort. It was a beautiful, windy, sunny day, and the warm tropical sun beat down on Blair’s skin, giving her a shiver of pleasure she hadn’t felt in years. Part of her wished that Scarlett had been able to come with her, but then she knew that it would be easier to relax without Scarlett and Kurt acting all lovey-dovey around her for a week. Plus, she could just be herself and get to know her matches on her own terms, without Scarlett being “helpful.”
The ferry arrived at the dock, and Blair was surprised at how few people were on the beach. It was still early, but things were a lot quieter than the last time she was here. A few stray women were scattered around on towels sunbathing, and a few men lingered under the palm trees, but for the most part, it seemed liked things were super mellow this time around. Blair didn’t mind that terribly much; she just hoped her matches weren’t as sparse as the clientele appeared to be.
Blair walked from the beach and into the gorgeous main lobby area that housed the reception desk and opulent library. The tropical décor perfectly suited the resort and provided a homey feeling that made Blair feel instantly at ease, despite her jangled nerves. Blair approached the reception desk, and Ursula, Bear Ridge’s owner, was standing there happily to greet her.
“Blair Wilson, right? Welcome back to Bear Ridge Resort! We’re so happy to have you here! And you’re on our new Love Among the Palm Trees program! I think you’re going to be super happy with the service, Blair!”
Ursula was significantly perkier than Blair remembered; she was practically jumping up and down behind the desk. Blair just smiled as two men rushed up to take her bags, then disappeared out the back of the main hall. She must have registered a look of shock because Ursula smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry about that! They are just taking your things to your bungalow. We’re going to get you all set up in your room; then you can start going through your matches and arrange meetings with them.” The huge grin never left her face.
“I couldn’t help but notice that there weren’t a lot of people on the beach. Are things unusually quiet here this week? Did I pick a bad week to come?” Blair asked, her stomach rolling with nervousness.
“Oh, not at all! As a matter of fact, we’ve recently instituted some new policies that have guaranteed our little resort will be even more packed than usual. Previously, we only allowed one or two clans on the property at a time, to avoid any conflicts. But now, as long as clans booked for their vacation can prove they haven’t been involved in any altercations in the past, we welcome everyone! Of course, if there are any fights, the offenders will be removed from the island immediately. So, thanks to this new policy, you should have plenty of eligible men to choose from.”
Blair nodded, considering all of the possibilities inherent in meeting shifters from different clans. She had only met a few of the men from Kurt’s clan and hadn’t reacted to them one way or the other. So, she couldn’t help but hope her options would be wider than that. As she pondered, Ursula reached under the desk and pulled out a small smartphone, then handed it to Blair. Blair gave her a quizzical look.
“This is your device for checking out your matches! It’s connected to the resort Wi-Fi and will keep you notified of all messages you receive. When you get back to your room, just take a few minutes to get comfortable with it, check out your matches, then get out there and find the love of your life,” Ursula said in a sing-song voice.
Ursula walked Blair out of the main building and through a grove of palm trees, back to where all of the private bungalows overlooked the beach. Blair opted for the bungalow instead of the normal hotel rooms to add to her much-needed relaxation. The beach view from the bungalows was beautiful, so serene, that Blair felt all of the stress from her job starting to melt away the minute the salty sea air hit her skin.
They turned the corner, and Ursula opened the door to Blair’s bungalow, causing her breath to catch in her throat. She had forgotten how gorgeous they were, with a small kitchen, a huge plush bed, two flat-screen TVs, and a private patio that overlooked both the pool and the ocean. Once Ursula had left Blair to get settled, she immediately plopped down in a lounge chair on her patio and started scrolling through the app on the phone she was given.
As she scrolled, she found that all of her matches listed in alphabetical order, along with their photos, and what clan they belonged to. There were eight men or so listed, and they were all extremely attractive. Some looked like Kurt, buff and bearded, the kind of men you’d identify as a bear shifter from a mile away. Others were less obvious, men who looked like bankers or accountants. Blair didn’t really care either way. She just wanted to meet someone new who wouldn’t treat her like garbage.
She sent messages to a few of the matches which seemed to be active on the app, and they agreed to meet in the reception room for an afternoon drink. Blair quickly changed into a cute flowy skirt and a tank top, put on some sparkly sandals, and swept on some blush, then made her way back to the main resort house, hoping to meet the love of her life. When she got to the reception room, she found a handful of men, and women, all milling around, all looking as nervous as she felt.
Blair sat down on a blush, vintage sofa, and a waitress brought her a mojito, which she accepted gratefully. As she stared off at the wall, trying to figure out how to approach anyone, someone walked up to her. He was tall, and thin, with muscular arms and dirty blonde hair. His big blue eyes were slightly obscured behind wire-rimmed glasses, which made him cute in a nerdy way. He held out his hand, giving Blair a very formal handshake.
“You’re Blair, right? I’m Max. I think we were matched?”
Blair smiled warmly at Max and gestured for him to join her on the couch. “Lovely to meet you, Max. What do you do in your regular life?”
“I’m an accountant.”
Called that one, Blair thought as she forced a smile while Max talked about ledgers and tax forms until she thought she was going to fall asleep. She didn’t want to be rude because he was very nice, but there was no spark between them. Once the conversation came to a natural stopping point, after Max had done all the talking, Blair gave her empty glass a cursory shake.
“Well, looks like I need refill. I think I’m going to look into that. It was lovely talking to you, Max. Best of luck on the rest of your stay!”
Max pushed his glasses back up his nose and nodded politely as if he got the message. “You too, Blair.”
Blair sighed as she walked to the other side of the room and flagged down the waitress. The waitress promised to return with another drink as quickly as possible, and just as she walked away, Blair felt a huge hand squeeze her arm from behind. She turned and came face-to-face with the biggest man she’d ever seen in her life. His neck was almost the same width as his head, and his body was as big as three of her side-to-side, making him look like a professional wrestler. He was slightly balding, so his hair was cropped short, and he had a beard that covered his massive jaw. He was wearing a snug t-shirt and jeans that only made his long legs look longer. When he held out a hand to Blair, it practically swallowed hers whole.
“Blair! You’re even more lovely than your photo. My name is Vladimir!” His voice was deep and rich, and his accent was clearly Russian. Blair felt like she was practically shivering in his shadow.
“My word, you’re tall!” she said before she thought about it, but luckily, he laughed.
“That I am, Blair. I am a Kamchatka brown bear, from the Kuril Islands clan. This infernal warm weather is anathema to me, but it is hard to find women where I live. Many men, no beautiful ladies, like you. I am hoping to find a woman who doesn’t mind the cold, who will move with me to my homeland.”
Blair cringed. There was something interesting, and strangely comforting about Vladimir, but there was less than zero chance she would ever leave Boston for anywhere, let alone the Kuril Islands. But she didn’t w
ant to be rude.
“Well, Vladimir, I’ll be honest with you. While I don’t mind the cold, I am pretty happy in Boston and not sure I would enjoy being freezing all year long. However, I’d love to hear more about your life there!”
Blair and Vladimir talked for about an hour, and he was just as interesting as she imagined he’d be. But there was no question; she wouldn’t be packing up her designer luggage and moving to Russia anytime soon. So, when their conversation ended, Blair suggested they have a drink later as friends, which Vladimir readily agreed to, and then he wandered off in search of a heartier, snow-proof kind of gal. Blair sighed as she downed another mojito and found a spot in the corner where she could survey the rest of the men in the room.
A handful of the other men from her match list came up to her, introduced themselves, and made small talk for a moment or two. But absolutely no one made any impact on Blair, and by the time the final man came up to her, she was having trouble keeping a fake smile plastered on her face. This guy was perfectly nice, but she could tell right away that they’d have nothing in common. And she was right.
Within minutes, he was telling her about his rock collection, and the mold spores he studied at his job. Blair nodded politely for as long as she could before she pulled the same drink rattling move and excusing herself. Once she was safely out of the earshot of the last guy, she grabbed the waitress so hard she startled her.
“Bar. Now. Please.”
The waitress laughed. “Why don’t you come with me? I have to head that way to restock my drinks. I’ll just drop you off there.”
Blair sighed with relief. “Thank you,” she responded, trying not to hug the tiny blonde woman. They walked across the main hall to a huge, outdoor glittering bar, full of tiki torches and palm trees. A handful of people milled around, fruity drinks in their hands as they flirted in the warm firelight. The waitress gave Blair a reassuring smile.
“Can you take it from here?”
Blair winked at her. “As long as they have scotch, I’ll be just fine.”
The waitress left Blair with another laugh, and Blair made her way to the bar with slumped shoulders and disappointment clouding her whole demeanor. Once she found a bar stool, she waved at the bartender for a scotch and soda to drown her rapidly-building sorrows.
Was it really possible that she could come all this way and meet absolutely nobody? She thought as stared ahead gloomily, not noticing the bear of man who took a seat just a few stools down from her.
Chapter 4
Declan
Declan walked into the bar at Bear Ridge Resort, anxious for a glass of scotch and an excuse to do nothing but get drunk and stare at the wall. He had arrived at Bear Ridge just an hour ago, sullen and brooding, with a chip on his shoulder that could have housed an entire family of small woodland creatures. Kurt had dropped him off at the airport that morning after an entirely silent car ride, and his last words had been,
“Find a mate, or don’t come back.”
Declan had stewed the entire flight, and when he got to Bear Ridge, he stalked off the ferry in the direction of the main building, apparently scaring off the few women who were lingering on the beach. A small woman with a blonde pixie cut and a pink string bikini took a step toward him, and he instinctively scowled at her to such an extreme extent that she took ten steps back, then rushed away to her towel. Smooth move, Casanova, Declan thought as he made his way to check in. You keep reacting to women like that, and you’re going to have to shift permanently and become a tropical bear.
When Declan got inside the main building, Ursula, the owner of the resort was waiting for him. But her sunny smile disappeared at the sight of him, and he almost felt guilty about it.
“Mister O’Shea! Lovely to see you. Is everything okay? Was the ferry ride over unsatisfactory?”
Declan took a long breath and tried to gain control of his foul mood and temper. “Everything was fine, thank you. I’m just a bad flier, and I hate traveling.”
Ursula regained her pleasant expression and retrieved a phone from under the desk. “Well, we will do everything in our power to make up for that, Declan! Kurt arranged everything for your stay and booked you our finest bungalow. Your package also includes several excursions, as well as our weekend VIP brunch, so I think you’re going to have a very good time. This is the device that will keep you connected with all of your matches while you’re here; please take some time to get acquainted with it, and then you can start arranging to meet your matches!”
Declan took the phone with a forced smile.
“And if I don’t message the matches? Can I just approach women I want to talk to?”
“Oh… well…” Ursula looked flustered. “Of course, that is your prerogative, Declan. But we’ve worked very hard to match you with the women best suited to your personality. We really do recommend that you contact only the ones suggested to you by our app. I think you’ll find that they more than meet your expectations.”
Declan forced back an eye-roll. When a man hurried up to take his suitcase, Declan grabbed it back with a growl. “I’ve got it.” The man jumped back a foot, then hurried off in the other direction without another word. When Declan turned back around, Ursula was eyeing him suspiciously.
“Mister O’Shea, you are aware of our policy on shifting, correct?”
He was aware. Kurt had jammed the updated brochures in his hand before he left, so he’d had plenty of reading material on the plane ride over. “Yes, I know. I assure you, I will not cause any trouble while I am here, even when I feel the overwhelming urge to do so. I don’t want to cause any problems for my clan, should another one of us need to come here in the future. I’m an ass, but I’m not that big of an ass.”
Ursula looked at him as if she isn’t quite so sure about that. “Mmm-hmm. Just the same. Maybe review that policy when you get back to your room. And once you’re settled in, by all means, please avail yourself of our fantastic bars and restaurants! I’m sure you can schedule some meetings with your matches there.”
She may as well have been shouting “HINT HINT” at Declan. He knew that the rules were there for a reason, but rules had never been his thing, and he wasn’t sure he was going to start abiding them now. Once he had his key, he hurried to luxury bungalow, which was located right on the edge of the water, dropped off his stuff, and hightailed it right for the bar.
Once he got to the outdoor bar, which was covered in so many twinkle lights and tiki torches he thought he might throw up, he found an inconspicuous barstool and gestured for the bartender’s attention. When the bartender ignored him in favor of a leggy redhead, Declan felt his bear getting restless, and annoyed. He was afraid if he didn’t get a few drinks in him immediately, the bear would start to get antsy, thanks to all of them women flocking around them. So, he cleared his throat, which ended up coming out more like a growl, and everyone in the bar turned and looked at him. Declan forced on a congenial smile.
“Um, bartender. Scotch, if you please. Straight up.”
The bartender nodded nervously and immediately set about getting Declan his drink. He was so focused on the liquor; he barely noticed the persistent buzzing of his phone in his pocket. When the bartender returned with the glass, Declan drank it down in one, quick gulp.
“Another, if you don’t mind.”
The bartender gave Declan a concerned eyebrow but did as he was asked. At that moment, the buzzing of the phone became too much to ignore, forcing the agitated shifter to finally confront the reality of why he was at Bear Ridge, to begin with. He pressed a few minutes and was suddenly inundated with messages.
Kathy: Hey sexy! Wanna meet up?
Lana: What r u up to, handsome?
Marissa: Could you BE any more gorgeous?
Sasha: Bungalow 14. I’m waiting for you.
Declan just laughed and shoved the phone back in his pocket. It wasn’t that the women messaging him weren’t sexy; they were. But the woman he’d pick as his mate wasn’t going to m
essage him some clumsy come-on or try to lure him in right away with sex. She would be confident, alluring, smart, sexy. She would be…
About 5’8, with curvy full hips, long wavy black hair, hazel eyes, and a laugh that filled up the room.
Unexpectedly, Declan couldn’t look anywhere else except at the gorgeous woman sitting at the other end of the bar. She was talking to a waitress, sipping what looked like scotch on the rocks, and laughing with a smile so big and bright, Declan felt his heart slowly start to melt. Even his bear was aware of her, and he started stirring, egging Declan on to get off his ass and speak to her. She’s alone, dummy. What harm can it do?
The bartender came back with Declan’s second drink, and he leaned over and whispered, “Whatever that lady is drinking, send her another one.” The bartender barely suppressed a sigh as he went back to work, and Declan got up from his stool. When he walked up to her, she didn’t seem to notice him, so he decided to be clever.
“I couldn’t help but notice your glass was almost empty.”
The bartender’s timing was perfect, and he arrived with a fresh scotch, which he handed to the woman. She nodded to the bartender gratefully, then turned to Declan.
“That it was. Have we met before? You look oddly familiar.”
Her voice was like music, and suddenly all Declan could think about was making her sing in his bed.
“I would remember meeting someone like you. I’m Declan. And you are?”
She blushed and brushed her hair out of her face. “Blair. I don’t think you were listed among my matches, Declan. I feel like I would have noticed you.”
Declan shrugged and pointed at her phone. “What does that thing know about what people need? It’s just a piece of glass and plastic. Not flesh and blood.”
Blair took a sip of her scotch and grinned at Declan, which made his stomach do flip-flops. “While I don’t disagree with you, Declan, you have to admit that you came here for a reason. Is there anything wrong with giving the system a proper chance?”
Furever Always (Furever Series) Page 23
