Clara in the Caribbean (Clara Andrews Series - Book 6)

  Clara

  in the

  Caribbean

  Copyright © 2016 by Stacey Cartlidge

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For my mum.

  First my mother.

  Forever my friend.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  It doesn’t matter where you go in life, as long as you go to the beach…

  Chapter 1

  What am I doing? I must be crazy. I must have completely lost my mind. Rubbing my throbbing temples, I bounce Noah on my hip and flash the airport assistant a strained smile. A nine-hour flight with four babies, three immature adults and one very stressed out husband is not my idea of fun. Looking around the crowded airport, I try to remember why we are doing this. Just think of the beach, I tell myself. Just think of the sea breeze and the blissful feeling of warm sand beneath your feet…

  ‘No!’ Gina yells, snatching a passport out of Madison’s tiny hands. ‘How many times have I told you not to do that?’

  Obviously not happy at being told not to rip the pages out of her passport, Madison throws herself onto the floor and lets out an almighty scream. Lord, give me strength. We haven’t even checked-in and already I want to turn back and go home. You can probably tell from the chaos that this trip wasn’t planned all that well. To be honest, it wasn’t planned at all. In fact, it was only last week that our neighbours invited us to their villa in Barbados for a week of sunshine and cocktails. With Noah being so young, I was a little dubious about taking him on a long haul flight, but I have to admit that I had a hidden agenda.

  You see, my best friend, Lianna, has been having somewhat of a long distance relationship with a man she met whilst on a working holiday to the island last year. It sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Perpetual single woman finds love on the idyllic island of Barbados. It’s like the perfect little love story. Although if you know Lianna’s dating history as well as I do, you will be aware of why I am more than a little dubious over the whole affair. From numerous failed engagements to holiday romances gone wrong, Lianna really has been dealt a rough hand in the dating department. I have lost count of the amount of times I have heard her declare that she has found The One, only for it all to end in tears a matter of weeks later. Therefore, when Owen and Eve offered us the opportunity to join them at their villa for a week, we jumped at the chance of meeting Li’s mystery man.

  When I say we, I don’t just mean myself, Oliver and Noah, the Strokers decided to come along too. With Owen and Eve having a villa big enough to house the five thousand, it was pretty much a no brainer. For those of you who don’t know, the Strokers are some of our closest friends and as of last year, our new neighbours. Until a couple of years ago, Marc was my manager at Suave, a major shoe label in the fashion industry, which is coincidentally where I met Lianna. The three of us bonded over a love for Rioja and chicken kebabs and it wasn’t long before we became inseparable. Like all good things, our time at Suave came to an end and we all went our separate ways, sort of. Marc took his wife Gina and made the leap down under, Lianna set up her own interior design company, Periwinkle and I decided to move to the suburbs and start a family with my Texan husband, Oliver.

  Needless to say, it turned out the suburban lifestyle wasn’t for us and it wasn’t long before we returned to bustling London. No matter how hard I tried to adjust to the rural way of life, the buzz of the city was something that I just couldn’t leave behind. Surprisingly, Marc felt the same way and he returned to the UK a year after he left for Australia. In true Stroker style, they came back with a bump (literally) and baby Melrose was born a few months later. Melrose makes up the final member of the Stroker family, joining her older siblings, Madison and Marc Junior. Gina wasted no time in revealing that Melrose was named after the hotel where she was conceived. That baby girl doesn’t know how lucky she is that she wasn’t fertilized a few weeks earlier when they were staying at The Kooky Koala.

  ‘You’re next to me’ Lianna smiles happily and hands me a boarding pass, snapping me out of my daydream. ‘I asked them to put the Strokers on the row behind.’

  Looking over my shoulder at Madison who is still screaming hysterically, I breathe a sigh of relief and follow her through the airport. ‘Have you heard from Eve?’ I ask, dodging an irate couple who are arguing over their lost luggage.

  ‘I have.’ Lianna nods in response and flicks her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. ‘She called this morning. Honestly, she is so excited to see us.’

  Smiling in response, a frisson of excitement washes over me. If you would have told me a year ago that Eve and Owen Lake would have become such a big part of our lives, I never would have believed you. There was actually a time when I thought Eve was a home wrecking prostitute, but we don’t talk about that anymore. It’s one of those stories that you lock away in the back of your mind and try to erase from existence.

  If you are not already aware, the Lakes used to be our neighbours when we moved to the suburban village of Spring Oak. After dealing with more drama than the residents of Wisteria Lane, they decided that the suburbs weren’t for them either and they purchased the city centre apartment below ours. It’s true that a stupid case of Chinese whispers almost cost us our friendship, but things are now better than ever and since we moved back to the city our relationship with the Lakes has been rock solid.

  ‘I can’t wait for you to meet Vernon.’ Lianna sighs, her eyes sparkling brightly.

  ‘Mmm…’ Struggling with Noah as he fights to get down, I exhale loudly and shake my head in annoyance.

  For the past few weeks, all he has wanted to do is walk. Well, try to walk. Since he turned one, he has been determined to do things for himself. Even feeding time has become an epic battle as he tries (and fails) to use a spoon independently, resulting in a pureed potato catastrophe in the kitchen.

  ‘He is just… perfect.’ Lianna whispers, emptying the contents of her cosmetic box into a clear plastic bag. ‘I mean it this time. I have finally found The One.’

  Resisting the urge to point out that I have heard her say those same words at least ten times in the past, I scoop up Noah as we approach airport security. Oblivious to my ignorance, Li continues to wax lyrical about the new man in her life. Hearing a commotion behind me, I spin around to see a flustered trio in the form of Marc, Gina and Oliver. With each one carrying a different bawling child, they really do look comical. A smile spreads across my face as I watch Oliver attempt to make MJ laugh by turning him upside down and tickling his tummy. Letting out an ear piercing squeal, MJ laughs hysterically before reverting back to full blown brat mode.

  Not wanting to get dragged into the pandemonium, I hand Noah to Lianna and walk through the scanner. Thankfully, I managed to dodge the dreaded red light and proceed to collect my hand luggage from the conveyor belt. As I wait for the rest of our group to join us, I fiddle with my watch and laugh as Noah tugs on Lianna’s hair. Since we moved back to London, Noah a
nd Lianna have become the best of friends. Seriously, his little face lights up the second that he hears her voice. I wish I could say the same, but I have actually started to get a little worried about her lately.

  You see, Lianna has a habit of falling too hard, too fast and given that she has only ever spent a mere seven days with Vernon, I am right to be concerned that history is repeating itself all over again. In the way that only Lianna can, she has spent the last ten months Skype calling, Snapchatting and not that I want to think about it, but sexting. Obviously I want her to be happy, I just don’t want Li to get her feelings trampled on, again. Let’s face it, on paper Vernon Clarke does seem too good to be true. Born in Florida to Bajan parents, Vernon decided to make the move back to his homeland five years ago. Apparently, giving up his bank job to open up a beach bar in Barbados was the best thing he ever did. Vernon’s new business venture, The Hangout, is a laid back beach bar on a secluded part of the exclusive west coast. Frequented by locals and celebrities alike, it’s very easy to see why Li has fallen head over heels, not just for Vernon, but for Barbados as well. I should know, Lianna has bent my ear about it for so long now I feel like I have already been.

  Hearing the body scanners buzz loudly, I look up to see Gina being led away by a rather hunky male security officer. The man in question is causing quite a stir amongst the women in the queue and they’re not being very discreet in their admiration for him. Spotting a watch hanging out of her back pocket, I wave my arms around to get her attention. It wouldn’t surprise me if she has left that in there on purpose. Catching her eye, she flashes me a wink as a devilish smile plays on her lips. Taking Noah from Lianna, I try to stifle a giggle as Mr Dreamboat points to a row of waiting women. Obviously remembering that men aren’t allowed to body check women, Gina’s face falls as a busty, butch body inspector pulls on a pair of gloves and motions for her to follow her. Lianna clutches my arm as we burst into hysterics simultaneously. Well, I guess that back fired…

  * * *

  Looking out of the window, I shoot the air stewardess an apologetic smile as Noah sobs uncontrollably. Bless him. He has done so well. We are seven hours into the flight and he has slept for six of those. Looking over my shoulder, I am astounded to see that the Strokers are sound asleep. Taking up the entire middle row, Marc and his family are drooling away into their headrests. Even baby Melrose is enjoying forty winks as she snuggles happily into Gina’s arms. In spite of myself, I can’t help but feel envious. I have never been able to sleep on a plane. No matter how tired I am or how many glasses of fizz I drink, I am constantly aware that we are thirty thousand feet in the air and might plummet to our deaths at any given moment. Dramatic, I know.

  ‘Two hours to go!’ Lianna whispers, her voice filled with hope. ‘One hundred and twenty minutes. Seven thousand two hundred seconds…’

  ‘Alright!’ I laugh, passing her Noah. ‘I get it…’

  ‘Are you excited, Noah?’ She asks, holding him up so that he can see out of the window. ‘Your first time abroad! We’re going to build sand castles and swim with the turtles. You are going to love it.’

  Taking advantage of having my hands free, I snatch the drinks menu from the seat pocket in front of me and wonder if I can squeeze in another glass of wine before we land. Deciding that I can just about manage it, I press the buzzer and wait for the stewardess. It has been so very long since I last left the UK that I had almost forgotten just how much I have missed being in sunny climes. Don’t get me wrong, I love London. No, I adore London, but the feeling of sunshine on your skin is one that you just cannot put a price on. That incredible sensation of the salty sea breeze in your hair as you lay back and soak up those delicious rays. A smile plays on the corners of my mouth as a frisson of adrenaline bubbles in the pit of my stomach. Something tells me that this holiday isn’t going to be your typical sun, sea and sand escape…

  May you always have a shell in your pocket and sand in your shoes…

  Chapter 2

  ‘Has everyone got their bags?’ I yell above the commotion in the airport. ‘Yes? No?’

  ‘I think we’re good.’ Marc mumbles, grabbing MJ and throwing him onto his shoulders. ‘Which way is the exit?’

  Not having a clue how to get out of the building, we decide to follow the crowd and weave through the sea of buzzing people. Despite Lianna insisting that she knew exactly where she was going, she succeeded only in leading us to multiple dead ends. After such an early start, we are all beyond exhausted. Well, when I say we, I mean the adults. The children seem to have woken up full of the joys of spring and I am yet to decide whether or not that is a good thing.

  ‘I want to go to the beach!’ Madison squeals, running ahead through the airport. ‘Beach! Beach Beach!’

  Locking eyes with Gina, I try not to laugh as Madison proceeds to ask a tour guide which is the way to the beach. She really does have an unbelievable amount of confidence for a four-year-old. The elderly tour guide lets out a chuckle and hands Madison a balloon painted with the flag of Barbados. Thanking her for the kind gesture, Gina takes hold of Madison’s hand as Lianna marches on ahead.

  ‘Have we booked a mini bus?’ I ask Marc as we approach the exit. ‘I don’t even know where we’re going, do you?’

  Shaking his head in response, Marc hands me MJ in exchange for my suitcase. ‘Eve booked the transfer.’

  Leaving the men to deal with the transport, I hang back with Gina and the children.

  ‘My God, it is hot in here!’ Gina moans, tearing off her jeans to reveal a pair of pink hot pants.

  ‘Gina!’ I whisper angrily. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘What?’ She retorts, folding up her jeans and stuffing them into her handbag.

  Did she really travel in two layers of clothes? Shaking my head in disbelief, I take out my map and attempt to fan my face. Her usually glossy black hair is stuck to her face and the once perfect foundation is now streaming down her full cheeks. As ridiculous as she looks stripping off in the airport, I can’t help but wish that I had done the same. To say that I am melting in my skin tight leggings and trainers is an understatement.

  Peeling off Noah’s cardigan, I tie my own jacket around my waist and check my watch. Due to the time difference it is still only early afternoon, meaning that we have plenty of time to get settled in at the villa before the sun goes down.

  ‘Is it too early for a rum punch?’ Gina asks, eyeing up a passer-by’s drink mournfully.

  Seemingly overhearing our conversation, the drink holder spins around and points to his cup. ‘You’re in Barbados! It’s never too early for rum…’

  ‘I think you got your answer!’ I laugh, waving off the friendly holiday maker and picking up Noah.

  ‘I think I did…’ Gina gasps, taking off her sunglasses for a better look at the hunky gentleman.

  ‘Oi!’ I giggle, slapping her on the arm. ‘Marc’s right outside.’

  ‘A bit of window shopping never hurt anyone.’ She winks wickedly before bursting into a fit of giggles.

  ‘What are you shopping for, mummy?’ Madison asks, tugging off her shoes and throwing them onto the floor.

  Fighting the urge to laugh, I raise my hand in acknowledgment as Oliver appears in the window and beckons us outside.

  ‘I think the car must be here.’ I yawn loudly and attempt to gather the children together.

  With Noah on one hip and MJ on the other, I leave Gina to get the girls and make my way outside. As soon as we step out of the building the heat from the sun washes over me. Popping on my sunglasses, I breathe in the fresh air and take in my surroundings. The sky is a stunning shade of blue, with pristine white clouds expertly scattered along the horizon. Huge palm trees line the roadside, giving you a glimpse of what lies ahead. A tingle of excitement runs through me as I enjoy the sensation of the warm sun on my skin. Suddenly the long haul flight seems totally worth it. I would fly for an entire week if it meant I would arrive here at the other end.

  Spotting Mar
c waving his arms above his head, I clutch the boys tightly and motion for Gina to follow suit.

  ‘Where’s the transfer?’ I ask, looking around in confusion.

  Following Marc’s gaze, I turn around to see a giant pink Hummer parking behind a fleet of taxis. He can’t be serious!

  ‘Don’t you just love Eve?’ He laughs loudly and proceeds to carry our cases over to the waiting vehicle.

  Eve! Of course! A hot pink hummer is not so strange now that I know Eve is behind it. Wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead, I follow Marc and Oliver across the road. The sun is high in the sky, giving out a glorious warmth that is unmistakably Caribbean sunshine. Feeling the skin on my neck start to tingle, I suddenly worry that the children should be wearing sun cream. Handing Noah and MJ to Oliver, I rifle through my suitcase for my Piz Buin. Successfully locating a bottle in a mountain of bikinis, I line up the kids and give them a good dousing of the white paste before buckling them into their seats.

  ‘Is this bubbly?’ Gina squeals, clapping her hands together excitedly as she pulls open a tiny fridge to reveal numerous bottles of very expensive fizz.

  ‘This is Eve that we’re talking about!’ Lianna laughs loudly as she climbs into her seat. ‘Of course it’s bubbly!’

  Accepting a frosty glass of fizz, I pull a funny face at Noah as the driver turns on the radio and pulls out onto the open road. Relaxing reggae music floats out of the speakers as we speed along, causing Madison to throw a little party in her car seat. Thankfully, the air conditioning kicks in immediately and I breathe a sigh of relief. I cannot wait to get out of these sticky clothes. Flying in a pair of leggings is suddenly seeming like a pretty stupid idea. Glancing over at Gina, who is relaxing in her shorts and flip flops, I give in and kick off my trainers.

  Lianna’s phone pings loudly and she immediately snatches her handbag to retrieve the handset. Jabbing frantically at the screen, a ridiculous smile spreads across her face as reads the text. You can practically see love hearts floating around her head.