Stranded in Paradise (The Blake Boys Book 13)

by Rhonda Laurel

  She stepped onto the bus and took her seat. The brochure said they’d be seeing most of the island and had a two-hour layover at the casino. It was going to be a small group today. There were only nine people on the bus. The tour guide was taking a final head count and checking his clipboard.

  “Hi everyone, I’m Dave. I’ll be your tour guide for the day. We’re going to have a fabulous time. We just have one late comer and here he is now.” Dave stepped back to let the last person onto the bus.

  Autumn’s heart skipped a beat when Jared hopped on the bus. She scrambled around in her bag for her sunglasses and hat. Once she put them on, she tried to pretend she was looking out the window and maybe he wouldn’t notice her. But it didn’t work. He waved and when he reached the row, he plopped down next to her.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi. Funny running into you here.” She removed the accessories.

  “I know what you’re thinking.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Do you now?”

  “I didn’t plan this. It was a spur-of-the-moment sign up. So no need to call home.”

  She laughed. “I don’t know. Teri-Lyn’s powers are far-reaching.”

  He laughed too. “I agree.” The bus pulled off, jostling them both. Jared instinctively reached out and put his hand on her arm to steady her. “So how have you been enjoying your time off?”

  “I’ve been exploring the wonders of the island and staying out of your way. How about you?”

  “Keeping a low profile and reading the spy novel I brought.”

  “And don’t tell me, when you’re not hiding away like a hermit you check in with work?”

  “Guilty as charged.” He raised his hands in acknowledgment.

  “Couldn’t resist, could you?”

  “My resistance has been pretty low to many things lately.” He grinned. “But I did leave a new employee in charge to field calls until I return. She’s a cousin, but I still have an obligation to check in with her to make sure she won’t quit before I return. Oh, I have been jogging on the beach. And I got interior design ideas for Summer and Bo’s house.”

  “Good for you.” She smiled. She’d overheard a few of the women at the spa talking about a tall drink of water that jogged on the beach in the early morning. From their description, she suspected they were talking about him.

  A few minutes later the bus stopped. As they got off, Jared held out his hand to help her down off the bus. The guide went on about some battle that occurred there, but she really couldn’t hear because Jared was asking her a thousand questions about Summer and Bo’s wedding plans. They shuffled back on the bus for the next stop. Autumn took her time sitting down, hoping he’d get the hint and take another seat. Instead he waited for her to fuss with the chair. She didn’t continue the conversation they were having outside hoping he’d get the hint. This continued on for the next few stops, but he wouldn’t relent. He kept up with the chatter whether she liked it or not.

  “I know it will be a grand affair,” he said, “especially if you’re in charge of your sister’s special day.”

  “Well, it’s Bo’s day too,” she replied.

  “Men don’t care about that stuff. We just pray the woman we love will show up at the church and seal the deal so we can get on to more important things like the honeymoon. What does it mean for you to be on your own for the first time? I know the connection between twins is strong. My nephews taught me that. It must be quite an adjustment to share the person you’ve been closest to your whole life.”

  “I guess it’s like getting a divorce, except there’s no custody battle and I’m gaining a pretty awesome brother-in-law and his clan.” She gave him a knowing look. So he wanted to talk? OK. It was time to turn the tables on Mister No-Time-for-Distractions. “Why did you get divorced?”

  Jared was silent for a moment. “We grew apart.”

  “Textbook answer.”

  “Well—”

  The bus stopped and Dave announced they were at the casino. Autumn glanced at Jared, who looked relieved at the interruption. In addition to gambling, there was a row of quaint shops in the area, so she opted for shopping.

  “Good luck at the tables.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “I insist.” He smiled.

  Autumn glared at him. Jared didn’t know she was a professional shopper. He was going to need a full body massage by the time he got back to the hotel.

  Jared had been perfectly content bumming around the island with his book in his hand and sipping on the occasional drink at the cabana bar. He’d even put his phone on vibrate for a whole afternoon. Things were going great until he went to the hotel bar to grab dinner and saw Autumn having dinner with some jock-type jerk. It didn’t make any sense to him, but it made him mad seeing her sitting there, having a good time. She looked breathtaking in a strapless coral dress and her hair in a ponytail. The chemistry between the both of them was undeniable the other night, so why was she out with this idiot? So what if he inferred he’d be avoiding her like the plague. She’d just moved on to the next guy without a second thought.

  He saw her get her ticket for the tour earlier in the day and something in him felt compelled to get one too. He’d be around in case Mr. Sparkly Mouth got too handsy when he should have been looking at the scenery. Now he was following her around from shop to shop, schlepping her bags. She must have been getting everyone in the state of Texas a souvenir.

  His cell phone rang. He looked for somewhere to set the bags down. A light rain earlier in the day on this side of the island had left the ground wet. He finally spotted a bench, but the phone stopped ringing. It was probably his friend Derek Popovich. He’d left him a message that morning responding to his question about the renovation of the Slap Shot bar. Autumn came strolling out of a pottery shop with yet another bag.

  “Let me guess. Something else you just had to have.”

  She smirked and put on her sunglasses. “I saw something that would go nice in Cassidy and Channing’s house.”

  “Can you do me a favor and get my phone out of my pocket and retrieve that message? I’ve been waiting for a friend of mine to get back to me with final approval on some plans I sent him.”

  “Sure.”

  He smiled when she carefully eased her hand into his pants pocket, hoping she wouldn’t notice he was stiff as a board. She hit the voicemail app then put it on speaker for him. It wasn’t Derek returning his call. Jared froze when he heard Taylor’s voice.

  “Hi, Jared, it’s your favorite ex-wife. I was just checking to see how the vacation was going. I know I said I’d give you some time, but I wanted to know if you’ve given any further thought to my proposal. Anyway—” He dropped the bags and took the phone out of her hands and disconnected the voicemail playback.

  “Please don’t tell me you broke the porcelain doll I bought for your niece.” Autumn folded her arms across her chest.

  “Sorry.” He put the phone back in his pocket and inspected the bag with the doll. “No, it didn’t break.”

  “You and your ex-wife sound like you’re close.”

  He shrugged. “We’ve tried to be reasonable adults about the divorce and remain friends. She likes to keep in touch.”

  “Yes, she likes to call with mysterious propositions.” Autumn bit her lip.

  Out of nowhere, an older woman in hot pink culottes and a tie-dyed shirt approached them. “Would you like me to take a picture of you and your wife?”

  “We’re not married,” they said in unison.

  “My mistake. Could have fooled me.” The woman beamed.

  Jared looked at Autumn, who seemed to be looking past him. He turned around to see Dave waving at them. It was time to go. They rode back to the hotel in silence mainly because he was afraid she’d ask more questions about Taylor. When they got off the bus, he thought he’d take a chance.

  “Would you like to join me for dinner?” he asked.
/>   “Thanks, but I have plans.” She smiled.

  “Oh, with that muscle-head guy I saw you with at dinner the other night?”

  “Yes. His name is Graham.”

  “Like graham crackers?”

  “No, like I’m not a distraction.” She winked.

  He nodded. “I deserved that. Well enjoy and be safe.”

  “Wait. I have something for you.” She dug in one of the bags, retrieved an exquisite silk tie, and hung it around his neck. “I thought this would look good on you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “See you around.” She went off into the lobby.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Autumn fidgeted with the fuchsia sundress, hoping she’d made the right decision with her ensemble. She’d grown so accustomed to barging into Summer’s room for her opinion on little things that it felt strange to make up her own mind. She giggled when she thought of the incident a few months ago when she went into her sister’s room for their morning chat. She plopped on the bed and nudged her sister until she woke and they began talking about their plans for the day. It was a full fifteen minutes before Bo peeked from under the covers. She and Summer both laughed. Bo didn’t seem to mind, but that was when she’d first realized she had to respect the new boundaries that existed.

  It saddened her to think she couldn’t just barge into her sister’s room anymore. The last thing she wanted was to be an obvious third wheel. Perhaps that’s why the Blakes were pushing so hard to set her up with Jared. If she were busy with a love life of her own, Bo and Summer could have more time alone together. The matchmaking with Jared could have been a nice way of shooing her out of the picture.

  She declined an invitation from Graham to join him at a friend’s villa. But she did agree to dinner again. He was harmless enough and was a deterrent for other guys trying to hit on her. Satisfied with the finished product, she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs to the bell desk and asked about the boating tours. The pictures of the speedboat excursion had caught her attention. It seemed like an excellent way to see the entire island and get some scenic photos.

  She looked forward to having one day without Amber looking over her shoulder. She knew the Executive Desires staff liked to keep tabs to make sure the guests were enjoying themselves, but Amber was going overboard with the five-star treatment. She’d peeked out from under her mask at the spa to see what was taking the masseuse so long and there was Amber standing there in her pristine, expensive white linen suit asking her if she was having a good time. Paranoid that she’d just seen Amber come out of her office, Autumn asked for her ticket so she could skedaddle. The concierge informed her that all she needed to do was go to the dock and her name would be on the list. The bellman flagged a bicycle taxi for her as she soon as she stepped outside, and she was on her way. She reached into her bag and put on her sunglasses and tied her hair with a fuchsia wrap. She relaxed. There was no way she’d be running into a certain hunky architect today. For someone who didn’t want to be around her, he popped up everywhere.

  * * *

  Jared looked at his cell phone, tempted to turn it off. He’d made the mistake of turning it on to check messages for work and had another one from Taylor. He knew she was a woman of focus, that’s what made her an excellent surgeon. But today he was going to enjoy himself and that didn’t include talking to her. He ate an early breakfast and dashed out of the hotel to resist the urge to spy on Autumn. He thought about her constantly since they’d parted ways after the tour. He should have been kicking himself, running away from a beautiful woman. But it wasn’t like she was lonely for company. There was no shortage of suitors flocking to her, and that Graham guy was showering her with attention. So why did this upset him so? Because she had an infectious smile and eyes that sparkled like precious gems. She had a way about her that made him fantasize about kissing her senseless and endless days in bed. She was the kind of woman who could make a man forget about his priorities. Staying away from her was for the best. Too bad he wasn’t taking his own advice.

  The sun felt good beaming down on his skin. The staff was prepping for the speedboat tour that was supposed to leave at ten. He was habitually early, but he seemed to be the only person lining up for the excursion, and the boat would fit twenty-five people easily. He boarded and took a seat. The boat was rocking gently with the waves and it felt so soothing he closed his eyes. It was a truly peaceful moment until he heard a commotion coming from the back of the boat. Maybe more guests were arriving. He turned around to see Autumn boarding the boat, and of course there were two men breaking their necks to help her. The second she stepped on the boat, Gustavo, the captain, complimented Autumn on the sundress she wore, and she responded in kind with a bright smile and the whimsical giggle he’d become familiar with over the last few days. But that smile faded when she laid eyes on him.

  “Hello, Autumn. This is quite a surprise,” Jared said as he approached.

  “You.” She squinted at him. “Like the tour bus surprise? I smell a rat.”

  “Good to see you too.”

  “I think you’re stalking me.”

  He smirked. “I could say the same about you.”

  “I selected this trip myself an hour ago. So before you start yammering about someone scheming to spend time with you, get a grip.”

  “Well, I booked this trip last night before I turned in for the evening. Maybe in between the dancing and drinking with Graham, you saw me talking to the concierge and asked about my plans.” He folded his arms over his chest.

  “Do I look like I need to follow a man around?”

  “Yet, we keep running into each other.”

  The captain announced they should take a seat.

  “I thought we agreed that I was an unwanted distraction to you,” she huffed.

  “Perhaps. But both of us showing up here on our own accord shows we think alike, just a bit.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? What am I thinking about now?”

  “I’m a gentleman. I wouldn’t use such language in front of a beautiful lady.” He grinned.

  * * *

  They zipped around the island in the speedboat. There was no bad view of the place. But Jared was more interested in Autumn looking absolutely ravishing in her sundress than in taking photos. Gustavo made a turn and drove away from the shore, toward a tiny island in the distance. It was so small it looked like a reasonably large wave would swallow it up. As they neared it, it became clear it was bigger than he thought and had more topographical features. It had a few more hills, and he could see a cabin sitting atop it, which could be accessed by the stone steps that led the way up the small hill.

  “We’re going to stop here for a while and do some exploring,” Gustavo said as he shut off the engine.

  “Cool,” Autumn replied.

  “Is this part of the resort?” Jared asked.

  “Yes, the resort owns this property. It’s normally reserved for…special clientele who want privacy, but there’s no one here.”

  “Oh. Sounds mysterious,” Autumn mused.

  “The best view is at the top of the hill. It’s a great photo op of the surrounding areas.” He motioned to the camera hanging around Autumn’s neck. “You go take some pictures. I’ll stay aboard and do some paperwork.”

  “Sounds good,” Jared replied.

  “Ms. Waverly, you’re wearing very pretty sandals, but I’m afraid the rocks can be treacherous. You should probably hold Mr. Reed’s hand on the way up to make sure you don’t fall.”

  “I can handle—”

  “Thanks for the head’s up, Gustavo.” Jared clasped her hand.

  He had a good six inches on her, so he was mindful to keep his steps smaller, but Autumn wasn’t being cooperative. He could tell she was swaying and moving out of sync with him on purpose. OK, maybe she didn’t want him to lead, but that was no reason to risk an injury. The sandals she wore were nice, but they weren’t made for the rocky terrain of the path.

  He st
opped. “You’re not wearing sensible shoes for this trek. Either we walk together or I carry you.”

  She glared at him. “I’d like to see you try. And don’t you dare try to pick me up. I took Sam’s self-defense class and I will karate chop you.”

  “Martial arts skills or not, I am not letting you cut your foot because you’re stubborn,” he countered and continued to walk with her.

  “Yeah, well you’re bossy,” she replied.

  “Being stubborn is worse. It’s a more manipulative way of being bossy. You don’t budge from some ridiculous stance and end up making anyone who wants peace to move around you and bend to your will.” He flashed a smile.

  Well that sent her into a tailspin. While Autumn fired back at how ridiculous his theory was, she kept in step with him as they winded up the hill path. When she finally took a breath for the next portion of her speech, they’d reached their destination.

  On top of the hill was a pleasant surprise. The terrain became smoother and a path of carefully placed stones led to a small bungalow surrounded by palm trees and banana leaf plants. The open porch was fitted with net fencing to keep the insects at bay. There was a hammock in the corner and an open roasting pit a few feet away from a dining table and chairs.

  “Well, isn’t this cozy,” Jared mumbled.

  “Let’s see what’s inside.” She moved past him and opened the door.

  The interior was just as impressive. It was decorated with exquisite furniture and state-of-the-art appliances.

  “I would have gone with a brighter color but nice nonetheless,” he said.

  “You just can’t turn it off, can you?”

  The faint sound of the boat’s engine caught their attention. They hurried to the edge of the deck and saw the boat heading back to the main island.