by Avery Aster
“What about them?” she asked Tyler.
She caught sight of a small smile on his face. “Your neighbor? I’m sure you’ll meet up with him soon enough. Sean is there with him now.”
Him?
“He’s alone too?”
Tyler shook his head. “He came to reconnect with his soul mate. It’s a touching story, actually.”
The world soul mate hit her hard and reminded her what this weekend was really about.
“That’s nice.” She held on to the bag in her hand as she followed Tyler down the wood dock and onto the beach. The warm wind blew her hair until it was all tangled and she had to shield her eyes from the sand as it kicked up.
An enclosed white golf cart waited for them at the end of the dock. Lauren had to stifle her laughter as she watched Tyler try to climb inside. The man was a giant.
“Go ahead and laugh at my expense. Everyone else does too,” Tyler muttered.
“What is it you do here?” Lauren asked as they made their way towards a small path nestled in among the bushes. It was so well hidden that she wouldn’t have seen it if it weren’t for being in the cart.
“A bit of this and a bit of that. Whatever the Master asks, basically.”
“And how long have you and your brothers worked here?”
Tyler shrugged. “A few years now. It’s not a bad gig.”
Lauren thought about their wives and children. “Do you live here year round?”
He shook his head. “Some do, but not us. We have a complex on the mainland that we all share. We take shifts here, get weeks off at a time. It’s not bad.”
“What did you used to do before?” Lauren thought he’d probably been a bodybuilder.
“The army. All of us were. Sean just got out, a couple months ago, whereas Trev and I have been out a few years now.”
“It must be nice to have your family back together. I think I would be lost without mine so close.”
“Are you close with your sisters?”
Lauren nodded. “So close, we started our own company together. The youngest one does a lot of traveling, though, so I don’t see her as much as I would like to.”
Tyler stopped the vehicle by a set of doors and hopped out. Before Lauren could unbuckle her seatbelt, he was at her side and held his hand out for her to hold.
“You’ll have to make sure you all join us next year for our triplets get-together,” he said as they headed inside the main building.
Before Lauren could respond, she took a look around her and her jaw dropped. If she’d thought her little cottage was a dream come true, this place was a fairy tale. From the tall ceilings and chandeliers to the warm island pictures that lined the walls, everything about the entrance embraced her as warm and welcoming. She loved it.
If this was the side entrance, she couldn’t wait to see what the main entrance looked like.
Tyler led her down a hallway and stopped at a door with an ornate sign that indicated they were entering the spa area.
“This is as far as I go.” Tyler held the door open for her and waited for her to walk past him.
“Before I leave, this is for you.” Tyler grabbed a box off a side table from inside the room and handed it to her. It was a beautiful gold box wrapped with a soft chocolate brown ribbon. “Don’t open it until you are inside, though.”
She held it up and jiggled it a little, to see if she could guess what was inside.
“Do you know what it is?” she asked him.
Tyler shook his head. “Not a clue. Whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! The Master does love his surprises, so be warned.” He gave her a smile and then closed the door behind him.
Surprises? She loved surprises, when she was the one doling them out. Today had been all about surprises and the feeling was a bit overwhelming. Within a space of six hours, she’d been whisked away to a private island she’d always dreamed of visiting, fell asleep in a hammock in the most amazing cottage she’d ever stayed at, found the best chocolates she’d ever tasted beside her bed waiting for her, and was now about to be spoiled for an evening with a massage and private dinner.
Could this evening get any better?
* * *
She smiled at him.
Well, not at him, but towards him. At least, he thought it was towards him. It could have been directed at the man who stood beside her, but he preferred to think the smile was meant for him.
Except, she didn’t know he was there.
He itched to send a text to Paul, to ask for his advice on what to do next, but every time he went to send his message, he would delete it instead. He needed to man up and just do what needed to be done, follow his plan and not freak out. But when he saw her there, steps away from him...everything fell to pieces.
His plan. His goal. His heart.
After six long years of only remembering her smile, to see it again...she took his breath away. He knew he was being sappy, but damn it, he didn’t care.
“You’re a lucky man,” Sean said.
Sean had met him at the dock earlier when he’d landed and was here to bring him inland, thanks to the storm.
“I hope so,” Marc said.
“Everything is all set for tonight. She’s on her way to a massage and then will meet you for dinner.” Sean slapped him on the back and Marc winced from the impact. Compared to Sean, Marc was a bean pole. His six-foot muscular frame had nothing on Sean, or his brothers, from what he’d seen earlier.
“Thanks for doing that,” Marc said.
“Dude, I didn’t do anything. I’m just the messenger here.” Sean stood by the front door. “And we need to leave. I really don’t want to get caught when the rain hits.”
Marc followed him out the front door and down the dock.
“Where are we headed, anyways?” he asked.
“It’s tacky games night tonight and I figured you needed something to keep your mind off the time until dinner.”
“Games night?”
Sean nodded. “It’s fun and guests usually love it. Tonight it’s staff against guests and winners get a fondue party. I’m under strict orders to make sure we win, too.”
The look on Sean’s face made him laugh. “Strict orders? From who?”
“My pregnant wife. She’s been craving chocolate fondue for the past couple days now.”
Marc climbed into the golf cart that waited at the end of the dock. He was amazed at how quickly the wind had picked up.
“I thought Joely had said the storm shouldn’t hit the island?” Marc complained. He’d hoped to have dinner outside on the dock between both his and Lauren’s cottage. There was a nice little area behind them but the storm had kiboshed that idea.
Sean shrugged. “Looks like it’s only hitting this side, which is odd since it’s not a large island. But...you never know what will happen here.”
“What does that mean?” He’d heard that saying a few times now, or something similar.
“The island knows what you need. Don’t you feel it? The way it pulses around you? Almost like it’s alive.”
Marc raised his brows at that. Alive? The island? It was a landmass stuck in the middle of a large body of water. How would it know what he wanted or even needed?
“Don’t doubt, man. Don’t doubt. I’ve seen things happen here that wouldn’t—couldn’t—happen anywhere else. Trust me. The storm is here for a reason.”
“It had better be a good one. I had plans that involved dinner and watching the sunset right on that dock behind us.” Marc scoffed.
Sean only shook his head. “If tonight doesn’t work out better than you originally planned, I’ll...”
“Buy me a drink?” Marc guessed.
Sean chuckled. “Sure, if that works.” He pulled up to a side entrance of the massive castle and parked the cart. “We’ll go in this way, a lot faster and less chance of running into a certain somebody too early.” He winked at Marc before he led the way.
His body was a bundle of nerves, but
he attempted to keep his cool. It was difficult, though. In a little over an hour, he’d be face to face with Lauren, the girl his heart couldn’t let go.
He followed Sean down a hallway and out into a sheltered courtyard, and couldn’t get over the amount of people there. For some reason, he’d been under the impression the island wasn’t that busy this weekend but he should have known better.
“Crazy, right? With the storm, everyone is coming up to the mainland. Give it another hour or so and you won’t be able to grab a seat.” Sean led him over to a large table where his other brother and two women—he assumed the wives—all sat.
“Marc, this is Trev, and Tyler...” he glanced around and then shrugged, “will be here shortly.”
“He’s with Lauren still,” Trevor said. He stuck his hand out to Marc. “Good to meet you.
Marc looked from Sean to Trevor and back to Sean and caught the faint look of disapproval in Sean’s gaze.
“You’ve only got a little over an hour, so what do you say we get the games started?” Sean rubbed his hands together and looked about the room. “Ping-pong. Let’s go!”
Marc watched as Sean took off and shook his head. Ping-pong? Really?
“Be warned, he’s a fanatic when it comes to that ball and paddle,” Trevor said.
“How fanatic?” A man and his sport was never to be trifled with. Personally, he preferred rugby.
“Won state championship in high school and got a team started while stationed overseas a few years ago. The group is still going strong.”
Marc groaned. “What’s with guys and little balls? Give me a big one any day.” The moment he said it, he knew it came out wrong. “Rugby, dude. Rugby.”
Trevor slapped him on the back before he pushed him along to follow after Sean.
Marc was itching to do anything other than play Ping-pong, but it would probably be a good way to vent some steam, release some energy and waste time until after Lauren’s massage.
He checked over his shoulder to see whether Tyler had come in but he didn’t see the guy yet. Which worried him. They all knew the reason she was here, right? For him? Which meant, hands off, right?
But the thing was...Lauren didn’t know that. A sinking feeling hit him then. What if he were too late?
Maybe the massage had been a bad idea. Maybe he should have been the one to meet her when she first arrived? What had he been thinking? Why had he let Lexi and Paul talk him into spoiling her for a bit before he revealed himself?
How could he have been so stupid?
Chapter Six
She couldn’t move. She was literally glued to the bed and there was no way on God’s green earth she was moving from this spot.
The massage therapist had golden hands and knew all the right spots to work. She couldn’t believe how tense and tight she’d been and how amazing she felt right now. She tried to move her legs to the side but they were loose jelly. A giggle escaped before she could stop it.
Maybe she shouldn’t have had that extra glass of wine before the massage? She peeked at her fingers and smiled. That wine had been worth it because it meant she now had the prettiest shade of coral pink on both her fingers and toes.
“Do you need some help, ma’am?” There was a knock on the door.
“I can’t seem to get up,” Lauren called out. She giggled again. She knew how silly she must look but she didn’t care.
“This has been the best day of my life in a long, long time.” She smiled up at her miracle worker, who only shook her head, helped to adjust the sheet around her body and then pulled her up to a sitting position.
“Make sure you hydrate a lot before bed and tomorrow will be just as good.”
“Water. Right. I’m sorry we went over the allotted time.” Her pretty nails were worth it, though.
“Don’t you worry about it. You are my last client of the day and honestly, probably my most fun.” Her miracle worker smiled before she stepped back out into the hallway. “Oh, I placed some warmed up towels outside the shower doors for you. Enjoy your shower.”
Lauren sat there, hunched over, not really wanting to move any more than she had to, but then her stomach grumbled and she knew if she didn’t eat something soon, she’d pay for it later. The small plate of cheese she’d munched on earlier with her wine really hadn’t cut it and considering she hadn’t had much to eat all day...no wonder the wine went straight to her head.
She hopped off the bed and the sheet pooled at her feet before she headed into the shower just off the room. The hot water rained down over her relaxed muscles. She leaned up against the tiled walls and let out a long breath. How was she supposed to get out of here and make it to dinner?
It took awhile, but she managed to crawl her way out of the shower and get dressed. She was thankful that the summer dress she’d thrown in to the bag fit her properly. How they managed to find her clothes that fit her hourglass figure was beyond her. She normally had a hard enough time trying to find something to fit her hips and thighs while accommodating her larger than preferred chest.
“I hear you’re all done.” Tyler’s voice was on the other side of the door and Lauren’s stomach flip-flopped at his voice. She stuck her feet in her sandals, grabbed her bag and opened the door, a huge smile on her face.
“That was amazing.” She leaned against the wall.
“You look amazing,” was all Tyler said. He held out his arm and she reached for it. “Ready for dinner?”
Her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I’ve been looking forward to this meal since you mentioned it.” The only question, in her mind, was whether she would be eating alone or with a certain muscular Greek god that could take her mind off what this whole weekend was about.
She preferred option two. She didn’t want to think about Marc. Not anymore. It was time to let him go, time to move past the hope she harbored deep inside.
Who was she kidding? Despite the sweet smiles, and the feel of his muscular arms beneath her hand, she’d trade this hunk for Marc any day. If the island really knew what she needed, it would have brought Marc to her.
“Why the frown?” Tyler stopped outside a set of white French doors. A warm glow emanated from behind the soft white curtains that covered the glass on the other side.
She shrugged. “No reason, other than this dinner signifies the end to an amazing day.”
“What if it wasn’t the end, but rather the beginning to something you’ve always dreamed about?”
Lauren just looked at him, not bothering to respond.
“The island knows what you want and need...”
She laughed. “Then the island should know I’m wanting something chocolate for dessert and then a warm breeze while I lay in the hammock tonight.”
“Just wait and see.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Leave your heart open, okay?”
Puzzled, Lauren watched Tyler as he walked away from her. She was really going to have dinner by herself, on this island where supposedly her dreams were to come true? Really? Whoever planned this day for her forgot one tiny tidbit of information. She hated eating alone. There was nothing worse than being alone at a table surrounded by couples who whispered sweet promises to each other.
She had half a mind to walk away and find her own way down to her cottage for the night when she remembered the promise of chocolate. And the fact she wasn’t sure how to navigate the maze Tyler had walked her into.
With a sigh, she turned the knob on the door and pushed it open.
The warm glow in the room surrounded her, the soft music that played danced around her but it was the sight in front of her, or rather the person, that made her already weak knees give out until she crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Marc was here. He couldn’t be. That couldn’t be him. Could it?
Whomever it was, he rushed over to her and knelt down.
Neither one said anything. Lauren couldn�
�t. Her mouth had gone dry and all she could think was why. Why?
“Hello, beautiful,” Marc said to her.
Marc. It was really him. She would know his voice anywhere, because it still whispered to her in the middle of the night, even now, after six years of believing she wasn’t enough for him.
She smiled and raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek. It was really him.
“I’ve missed you,” Lauren whispered. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and then struggled to get up.
With her hands firmly enclosed in Marc’s, he helped her up off the ground and they both stood there, their hands clasped, small smiles on their faces as they stared at each other.
“I take everything back that I thought about this island. I love it,” Lauren said.
Marc’s eyes lit up and he pulled her close. “I can’t believe you’re here. Really here.” His gaze traveled over her face and she loved the way he appeared to be memorizing everything about her.
It had been six years. She wasn’t as young, or as skinny as she had been back then. There were a few wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and her skin didn’t glow like it used to. Did he notice?
“I...” they both said at the same time, stopped and then said it again before they laughed.
“You go,” Lauren said.
Marc shook his head. “No, you.”
They were at a stalemate and Lauren loved it. Happiness flooded her soul and she couldn’t believe he was here, in the flesh. That it was his skin touching hers, his presence that filled her up...him.
Her hungry stomach beat them both as it growled loud enough to fill the room. Lauren winced before she looked behind Marc at the table and noticed the basket of bread there.
“Are you here to have dinner with me?” What a silly question, and yet...she was afraid to take anything for granted right now. It felt like a dream come true, having him here. But not all dreams ended with a happy ending.
“I thought that would be a nice way to end your day, if that’s okay?”
She felt a bit tongue-tied. What was she to say? Ask him how he’d been? Why he’d been silent for six years? Why he stood her up and never contacted her? Why he was here, now?
