“Of course,” Gabriel said, walking them back to the main lobby. “Feel free to wander the grounds. Aside from this main building and our spa facility, there’s a yoga center, gym, outdoor challenge course, a few meditation areas, three pool facilities, and of course our guest housing.”
“You have what? Three hundred acres?” Carmichael asked.
“Four hundred, actually,” Gabriel replied, pride gleaming in his eyes. “There’s quite a bit that’s still undeveloped, and we have an extensive network of hiking trails. We allow guests to explore on their own, but we also offer guided hikes. The sunrise hike is one of our most popular activities. Our grounds are extensive, but I’ll set up an official tour for your group tomorrow morning. With our golf carts, it won’t take up too much time.”
“Appreciate that,” Xander said, glancing around the lobby. The décor was classic Pacific Northwest. Exposed wood, stone, and metal. A black marble fountain featuring orcas and other marine wildlife was the focal point of the lobby and provided a soothing white noise.
“I’ll see you both tomorrow. Please feel free to get some dinner or drinks after you check out the place. On me, of course. We have a few different dining options on our campus, but I suggest the Orca Moon Lounge. Not only is it our most relaxed dinner environment, but after the incident today, I imagine most of the guests will be there... mingling.”
“You mean trying to get the scoop on what went down,” Carmichael said with a smirk.
Gabriel shrugged as he walked backward to his office. “You didn’t hear that from me, gentlemen.”
Xander chuckled and lifted his chin. “See you tomorrow.”
Once Gabriel was out of eyesight, Carmichael turned to him. “Divide and conquer?”
Xander nodded. “I’ll head toward the guest cabanas and look around down there. You check out the main lodge and common areas.”
“Meet up at the Orca Moon Lounge in thirty? Crawford said they have a burger there that’s his favorite.”
Xander grinned. Micha Crawford was a mutual friend from the gym who was also the head chef at the Pacific View’s Watermark Restaurant. If Crawford said it was his favorite, the burger had to be damn near perfection. “Count me in. Meet back in thirty.”
After walking the resort’s guest villas and bungalows, Xander was beyond impressed with the facility. He knew the place could accommodate up to three hundred guests, but the way everything was laid out gave it a very private, intimate feel.
Stepping into the Orca Moon Lounge, he scanned the room. A full bar took up the opposite end of the room, with sets of low tables to the left along the windows, clusters of couches and overstuffed chairs in the middle, and high-top tables to the right.The place was crowded, and there was definitely a buzz to the room.
He spotted Carmichael seated on the left end of the bar with a pretty blonde and chuckled. Of course Carmichael had found a woman to chat up. While the guy was solid and an excellent teammate, he was an absolute and unapologetic man-whore. They all gave him as much shit as they could about it. Not that the ribbing fazed the guy. Not at all.
In a lot of ways, Carmichael reminded Xander of himself when he’d been younger. God knew, back when he’d been pushing thirty, he’d had a similar the-more-the-merrier attitude when it came to women. But as he’d gotten older, the excitement of being with a different woman every weekend had worn off. Now that he was knocking on forty, recreational fucking held zero appeal. Yeah, he’d dated here and there and had his fair share of friends-with-benefits arrangements over the last few years, but even that had become tedious. For the most part, he preferred his own company. Playing the get-to-know-you game, being on his best behavior, having to share stories about his past—none of that was for him. Especially since he knew it would lead nowhere.
He didn’t do relationships. He wasn’t built for them. As an intensely private person, women were an entanglement he wanted no part of.
Instead, Xander was happy to give his friend shit. He assumed Carmichael would become more discerning one of these days, but maybe not.
He strode to the bar and slapped his friend on the shoulder. “Can I join you guys?”
“Of course,” Carmichael said, turning to him. With a shit-eating grin, he gestured to the woman beside him. “Xander, this is Hazel. Hazel, my colleague Xander Bonetti.”
She extended her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ve seen you around at the gym.”
Shaking her hand, he nodded. Now that she’d mentioned it, she looked vaguely familiar.
As he pulled out a barstool, Carmichael and Hazel returned to their conversation, and the bartender dropped a coaster onto the bar in front of him.
“Hi there,” she said. “What can I get you?”
Glancing at the bartender, he did a double take at the intensity of her stare. Tingles prickled the back of his neck. He narrowed his eyes and waited. The woman had something to say. What? He had no clue.
“So how about this?” She lowered her voice and leaned toward him. “You see that woman in the hallway? The one talking with golf douche?”
He followed her gaze and spotted the woman in question. Petite. Long dark hair. Attractive. And currently being cornered by some guy who towered over her.
Anger began to simmer in his gut. Men who preyed on women were scum. Men who used their size to intimidate women? Even bigger pieces of shit. Pieces of shit that needed to be taught a lesson. And he was happy to be the one to dole out those lessons.
“She’s a friend of mine who’s had a really shit day. To top it all off, she’s had to deal with that asshole for way too long tonight. If you can go and pretend that you’re her boyfriend, your dinner and drinks are on me.”
A growl rumbled in Xander’s chest as he watched the other man grab her by the wrist. He stood as she yanked her hand away and headed in their direction. “Dinner and drinks won’t be necessary,” he muttered to the bartender. “What’s her name?”
