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

  ‘Is that the boy?’ Gina teases, draping her legs over Marc’s knee.

  Li nods coyly and leans back in her seat. Oh, Lord. I have seen that infatuated look before and it never ends well. Keeping my opinions to myself, I flash her a smile and concentrate on my fizz. Palm trees whizz past the windows as I close my eyes and allow myself to savour the moment. It has been so long since I had a foreign holiday and I intend to enjoy every bloody second. Seven heavenly days of Bajan bliss lie ahead and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it if I tried…

  All I need is the sun, the sand and a drink in my hand…

  Chapter 3

  ‘Omg…’ I mumble, my eyes widening as I try to take in my surroundings.

  From the second the hummer came to a stop outside a set of huge electric gates, I have literally been jaw dropped. Seriously, my jaw has been hanging open for the last seven or eight minutes.

  ‘Well? What do you think?’ Eve asks, taking Noah from my arms for a cuddle.

  Not knowing what to say, I hold up my hands feeling totally lost for words. Apart from the fact that it had eight bedrooms, I actually didn’t know anything at all about Eve’s villa before we left the UK. Although looking around this place, I think it’s safe to say that nothing could have prepared me for this. Situated on a beautifully secluded lane, Dovedale House takes up a bigger plot than most football pitches. The grand pillars that greet you at the entrance are just a hint of the luxury that awaits you inside. From incredible chandeliers that glisten like diamonds to the magnificent marbled flooring that runs through the entire property, it’s clear for anyone to see that not a penny has been spared. I have to hand it to her, Lianna really did do a fantastic job on the refurbishment.

  ‘It’s unbelievable.’ I manage at last. ‘Thank you so much for inviting us.’

  Eve plays down my gratitude and leads the way outside. Following behind like a doting puppy, I resist the urge to squeal and raise my eyebrows at Gina. I can tell by the look on her face that she is equally as impressed. I mean, how could you not be? The huge open plan space and astonishingly high ceilings make you feel tiny in comparison and the fact that you can actually hear the ocean is just the icing on the cake. Grabbing Lianna by the arm, I pull her to one side and allow the others to continue on the tour.

  ‘Li!’ I squeal. ‘You never said that it was like this!’

  ‘What do you mean?’ She whispers, adjusting a stunning painting on the wall that is slightly off centre.

  ‘You know what I mean!’ My voice is a few decibels higher than I intend, but I can’t contain my enthusiasm. ‘This place is incredible!’

  It really is spectacular. The colossal kitchen, the spiral staircase, the fabulous fixtures and fittings… I feel like I have died and gone to Barbados heaven.

  ‘You haven’t seen anything yet.’ Lianna’s eyes sparkle as she grabs my hand and drags me through the house.

  Struggling to keep up with her, I almost trip over my own two feet as we tear through the living area. Coming to a stop at a set of huge glass doors, Li spins around to face me.

  ‘Close your eyes!’ She pulls the voile curtains closed ensuring that I can’t see what is outside.

  ‘What?’ I laugh, batting her hands away. ‘Why?’

  ‘Just do it!’ Li demands, covering my eyes with her hands.

  Not having any choice, I allow her to momentarily blind me. The last time I allowed her to blindfold me we ended up knee deep in mud being chased by a herd of sheep, but that’s another story all together.

  ‘Ready?’ She asks, swinging open the doors and pulling me outside.

  The sun shines down on my skin as we take a few steps forward before she whips away her hands, leaving me completely speechless. The beach! We are practically two strides away from the sea! The most beautiful, azure water that I have ever seen laps against the powder white sand, enticing you in with its gentle waves. Shielding my eyes from the powerful rays of the sun, I let out a gasp as I realise that the rest of our group have wasted no time in getting acquainted with their new surroundings.

  Tearing off their t-shirts, Owen and Oliver splash each other playfully as they run into the ocean. Obviously not wanting to wet her hair, Gina is sat under a parasol along with the children. If I could design my own little version of heaven, this is it.

  ‘Come on.’ Lianna giggles, kicking off her shoes and running across the sand.

  ‘I’ll race you.’

  Watching her sprint into the waves, squealing loudly as she goes, I burst into laughter and follow her lead. Tossing her sunglasses onto the sand, she pushes Owen into the water before hiding behind Oliver for safety. Looking around, I realise that we are on our own secluded section of the beach. Glistening water stretches out as far as the eye can see, making you feel totally marooned in paradise. Removing my socks, I peel off my leggings and stride into the ocean. The warm waves lap against my legs and my whole body tingles from head to toe. This is out of this world. How much does a place like this cost? Five million? Ten? Just thinking about numbers that big makes my head hurt.

  As Lianna wraps her arms around my shoulders, a huge waves knocks us both off our feet. Laughing hysterically, we attempt to get up before deciding to stay right where we are. The water washes over our bodies as we float on our backs, staring up at the beautiful blue sky ahead. This is paradise. It really, really is. A pelican swoops down into the water, causing Lianna to scream wildly and the rest of the group to burst into hysterics. Taking in the picture perfect scene, I find myself thinking, if this did cost ten million pounds it was worth every single penny…

  * * *

  Draping my legs across Oliver’s lap, I clink my glass against his and breathe in the salty sea breeze. I must be on my third delicious glass of rum punch and each one tastes better than the last. After our impromptu dip in the ocean earlier, Eve instructed her chef (yes, chef) to whip us up some dinner. Unbelievably, James produced a stunning three course meal that wouldn’t look out of place at any Michelin starred restaurant. Just thinking about the fabulous flying fish and scrumptious salt bread makes my mouth water uncontrollably. Who knew that bread could taste so good?

  Chewing on the end of my straw like a hungry beaver, I pull my beach towel tightly around my body and look out at the black water. Apart from the laughter coming from our group, the entire beach has fallen into a dark silence. Enjoying the sensation of the sea breeze on my skin, I look down at my rosy shins. Just a couple of hours of fun in the sun has left my pale English skin tinted a rather embarrassing shade of pink. No surprise there. I knew I should have had a quick dousing of St. Tropez before we left the UK. Eyeing up Lianna’s golden glow enviously, I excuse myself to check on the children. Even though the sun went down hours ago, the tiles are still warm under my feet as I pad along the veranda and into the villa. Slipping into one of the downstairs bedrooms, I use the screen of my phone for light and poke my head into the cot. Bless him. Noah is totally wiped after such a long day and is snoozing away happily with his arms above his head, just like his daddy does. Quickly snapping a photo on my phone, I peek into the other two cots at MJ and Melrose before covering Madison with a blanket. Four sleeping angels. There really isn’t anything more beautiful in the entire world than sleeping children. Checking that the baby monitor is working correctly, I make my way back outside and stretch out on a lounger.

  ‘What are we talking about?’ I ask, reaching down for my glass.

  ‘Lianna’s boyfriend.’ Gina whispers, flashing me a wink.

  ‘Oh…’ I shoot Lianna a smile and scratch my ankle. Damn mosquitoes. ‘When do we get to meet the infamous Vernon?’

  Smiling coyly, Li twists a strand of blonde hair around her finger and sighs dramatically. ‘Soon…’

  ‘Soon?’ Gina yells. ‘When is soon? Tomorrow? The next day? When?’

  ‘Give the girl a break.’ Eve laughs, throwing an arm around Lianna’s shoulders.

  ‘That’s easy for you to say.’ Gina scoffs. ‘You’ve alr
eady met him!’

  Suddenly remembering that it was Eve who introduced Li to Vernon, I roll onto my side and get ready for the interrogation.

  ‘I have…’ Eve teases, flashing Lianna a wink. ‘And I am pleased to say that he is just lovely.’

  Gina squeals loudly and claps her hands together. ‘I need all the details.’

  Sensing that they are in for a whole lot of girl talk, Owen, Oliver and Marc excuse themselves and escape to the games room, leaving us four women alone.

  ‘Well…’ Eve kicks off her sandals and smacks her lips together. ‘Owen and I met Vernon Clarke a few years ago when we hired The Hangout for Owen’s birthday. He is such a genuine man. He really, really is.’

  Lianna nods in agreement and digs out her mobile. ‘I know you have already seen it, but this is him.’

  Gina takes the handset and squints at the screen. ‘Wow!’ She mouths, before holding up the screen for me to see. ‘Very nice.’

  Having been subjected to hundreds of images of the handsome Vernon over the past twelve months, I am extremely aware of exactly what he looks like. Don’t get me wrong, at six feet tall with muscles bigger than Wladimir Klitschko and flawless black skin, he isn’t exactly bad to look at, but it’s going to take a little more than a muscular body to convince me that he is the man for Lianna.

  ‘What makes you so sure that he is The One?’ Gina purrs, leaning down and running her fingers through the sand.

  Pretending not to listen, I walk along the veranda and enjoy the sound of crickets chirping happily. We haven’t even been here for twenty-four hours and already I can feel the stresses of the daily grind melting away. As much as I love summer time in England, nothing can compare to the tropical climate of the Caribbean.

  ‘Well?’ Gina presses, as Lianna sighs heavily.

  ‘I don’t know…’ Li breathes. ‘I really don’t.’ Eve and Gina exchange confused glances as Lianna stares at a photo of Vernon on her phone. ‘Although I do know that I want him today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of my life.’

  ‘Awwh!’ Eve whispers, holding a napkin under her eyes as Gina smiles widely. ‘You two are made for each other. I can just feel it.’

  Glancing over my shoulder at a sentimental Lianna, I find myself hoping that Vernon feels the same way. She really has been hit with a serious case of the love bug. Listening to her gush about finding the perfect man, I wouldn’t be surprised if she floats right out of her seat. My mother always told me that the higher you fly, the harder you fall and I really don’t want to be the one to catch her if this all goes belly up.

  A round of applause drifts out from the villa and Eve decides that’s her cue to go and see what the boys are doing. As Lianna and Gina follow her inside, I take a moment to enjoy a few deep breaths of the warm fresh air. There’s something about being on a tropical island that makes you fall in love with life again. It makes you realise that perhaps life isn’t about avoiding risks, maybe it’s about finding out what it is that makes you truly happy and not stopping until you get it…

  Dream higher than the sky and deeper than the ocean…

  Chapter 4

  Peeling open my eyes, it takes me a moment to realise that I am not in my own bed and another thirty seconds to remember that I am not even in my own country. It’s safe to say that the enormous four poster bed that Oliver and I have been snoozing in is a little different to our bed back home. Stretching out my legs, I roll over to see the sun shining brightly through the open window. Not wanting to disturb Oliver, I slip out of bed and pad across the room. The gentle rustling of palm trees entices me out onto the balcony as Noah starts to stir in his cot. Plucking him up, I plant a kiss on his nose before padding over to the huge double doors. Lifting the sheer curtain, I throw open the doors and smile widely as the warmth of the morning sun washes over me.

  Taking a seat on a plush quilted lounger, I position Noah in the shade and look out to sea. The shimmering rays of sunlight dance on the crisp blue water, creating a sparkling display as far as the eye can see. From my position on the balcony, I can see a few early birds setting up under a palm tree. Obviously not wanting to miss a second of the beautiful morning sun, they strategically lay down their towels before smothering one another in tanning oil. Ouch, I think to myself. That is going to hurt tomorrow. Just like any holiday destination, the beach starts to fill up quickly. Feeling thankful that we have our own secluded section of the beach to play on, I scoop up Noah and head back inside.

  Leaving the door open so that the unmistakable sound of waves crashing against the shore drifts into the room, I drop down onto the bed and give Oliver a gentle nudge. Placing Noah onto Oliver’s stomach, I stifle a laugh as he crawls up to Oliver’s head and tugs on his hair playfully.

  ‘I think Noah is telling you that it’s time to get up.’ I whisper, pushing myself to my feet.

  Stretching his mouth into a lazy smile, Oliver takes Noah and blows a raspberry on his stomach. As usual, Noah bursts into a fit of giggles and squeals like a piglet at feeding time. After kissing both of them on the nose, I twist my hair up into a messy ballerina bun and slip into the bathroom. I didn’t really see much of the en-suite last night, as by the time that we crawled into bed it was almost 2am. Pushing open the heavy wooden door, I let out a gasp as I take in the exquisite marble wet room.

  ‘Wow…’ I breathe, running a finger along the sleek black tiles.

  This is my idea of heaven. Anyone who knows me is aware of just how much I love a soak in the tub and this isn’t just any old bathroom. The chandelier that hangs proudly in the centre of the room sparkles like crazy as the sunlight bounces off the delicate crystal. Resisting the urge to touch it, I grab a towel from the rack and pad over to the shower. The shower, if you can call it that, is made from the most beautiful stained glass and could easily hold five or six people. I have never seen anything quite like it in my life.

  Not having a clue how to turn the damn thing on, I resort to jabbing idly until a powerful stream of water floods out of the enormous shower head. Letting out a squeal as it pounds into my back, I tip my head back and allow the warm water to wash over my face. Gentle reggae music seeps into the bathroom from the open window and I dance around in the shower happily. The sun is shining, Bob Marley is playing and there’s a rum punch on that beach with my name written all over it. I think it’s safe to say that today is going to be a good day…

  * * *

  ‘What the hell is that thing?’ Lianna giggles, digging out her phone to snap a photo of Gina and her frankly ridiculous hat.

  ‘It’s fabulous and you know it.’ Gina fires back, smothering Melrose in sun cream. ‘Fashion is not meant to be understood by everyone.’

  ‘Oh, please.’ Li scoffs. ‘Carrie Bradshaw you most certainly are not.’

  Handing Melrose to Marc, Gina takes the bottle of cream and chases Lianna around the veranda. Watching the two of them scream like a pair of school girls, I check my beach bag for all the essentials. Not that it really matters if we forget anything, we are only two strides from the ocean after all.

  ‘How was breakfast?’ Eve asks, stepping outside in a stunning pink kaftan. ‘I hope James looked after you?’

  ‘It was delicious.’ I gush, licking my lips as I think back to our frankly amazing breakfast. ‘James is a superstar. I think I have fallen a little bit in love with him.’

  Let’s face it, how could you not fall in love with a hot Bajan man who makes you Eggs Benedict whilst you sip on a cold glass of bubbles? Eve chuckles and pulls on her Givenchy sunglasses. With Eve attending a yoga class down on the beach every morning, she wasn’t around to enjoy breakfast with us. For a fleeting moment I did think of joining her, but doing a downward facing dog in thirty-degree heat isn’t my idea of a relaxing holiday activity.

  Hearing a flapping sound behind me, I spin around to see Oliver and Owen dressed head to toe in snorkel gear.

  ‘Well, I guess you two have got plans for today.’ I look down at their gia
nt flippers and laugh loudly.

  ‘We most certainly have.’ Owen confirms happily, tying his underwater camera to his wrist. ‘Fancy joining us, Marc?’

  Taking a sip from my bottle of water, I try to hide my smile. I already know what his answer is going to be.

  ‘I think I’ll sit this one out.’ He forces a yawn and scoops up Madison who is tearing around on the sand in her princess armbands.

  ‘You sure?’ Owen asks. ‘There’s some incredible fish right here in the bay.’

  Shaking his head in response, Marc grabs Gina’s beach bag and pads off across the sand. Catching Gina’s eye, I apply a thick layer of cream to Oliver’s back before waving him and Owen off on their underwater adventure. Watching them stroll towards the ocean, I smile proudly and snap a photo of them on my phone. Poor Marc. It’s no secret between his closest friends that Marc can’t swim. I first discovered this on an impromptu visit to Spain many years ago. Whilst Lianna and I spent an afternoon belly flopping into the infinity pool, Marc stayed firmly glued to his lounger. It took him a good couple of years to admit that he has a fear of water. Apparently, a near catastrophic lilo malfunction is to blame for this irrational anxiety over getting his hair wet. No matter how much encouragement Li and I have given him over the years, nothing at all has tempted him to try and face his fears.

  Popping a pair of baby sunglasses on Noah, I hold him on my hip and follow Gina and Melrose down to the water. The breeze blows my hair gently as we walk, providing a great relief from the sweltering heat. Looking over my shoulder for Lianna, I smile as I realise that she has stopped to build a spontaneous sandcastle with MJ. With her hair in a rustic fishtail braid and a quirky cut out swimming costume, she looks like a different person to the Lianna of late.