Clara in America (Clara Andrews Series - Book 7) Read online

  ‘The hotel will have shampoo, towels and all that stuff.’ Oliver sighs, throwing an arm around my shoulders as we step out of the airport and into the warm evening air.

  Nodding in response, I try to force my lips into a smile. Let’s put our positive caps on. We’re in Florida! The fabulous Sunshine State! So what if we’re missing some creature comforts of home. This is Noah’s birthday treat; the least I can do is put on a brave face for his sake. Watching him twirl a handful of curls around his little fingers, totally oblivious to the pandemonium, I have to admit that Noah won’t be bothered in the slightest about the missing luggage. Reminding myself that I packed some of his things in the hand luggage, I start to feel a little better.

  ‘Don’t let it ruin the vacation.’ Oliver whispers, giving my hand an encouraging squeeze. ‘There’s nothing we can do, so let’s just try and make the most of it…’

  * * *

  Thank God for hotels. I’ve never been so grateful to see those mini toiletries in all my life. Seriously, complimentary shower gel never smelt so damn good. Why have I always taken these for granted in the past? Letting the warm water wash over my face, I tip back my head and rinse the last of the conditioner out of my hair. After a good night’s sleep I am feeling a little more positive about suitcase-gate. I say a little, because the thought of not having any make-up still makes my belly flip, but I’m beginning to come to terms with the situation. Reaching out for a towel, I wrap myself up like a fluffy marshmallow and pad over to the mirror. I might not have a fresh change of clothes, any moisturiser or my precious Frizz-Ease, but at least I don’t stink and that’s more than I could say last night.

  When we finally made it to our hotel yesterday, the annoyance of our lost suitcases was massively eased by the fabulousness that is Florida. I have to admit that before now, Orlando wasn’t a place that I’ve been desperate to visit, but from the very moment we picked up the car I found myself falling head over heels in love. I’m not completely sure what I expected from the Sunshine State, but this was not it. The bright lights, the buzz of exhilaration in the air and the all-encompassing magic of the place just consumed me as we sped along the highway. With my nose pressed firmly against the window I could easily be mistaken for an overly excited toddler on her way to see Mickey and Minnie. Orlando had most definitely redeemed itself.

  Looking at my reflection in the steamed up bathroom mirror, I splash some water on my face and reach for the complimentary hand wash. After using the tiny travel toothbrush in a poor attempt to clean my teeth, I roughly towel dry my hair and tug on yesterday’s worn leggings. Realising that they have the remnants of Noah’s supper on them, I let out a groan and throw open the bathroom door.

  ‘I haven’t got any pants!’ I wail, throwing myself down on the bed next to a smiling Noah. ‘What am I going to do?’

  Looking up from the room service menu, Oliver spins around to face me. ‘Can’t you just turn them inside out? I did.’

  ‘Eww! That’s disgusting!’ Shooting him a scowl, I bury my head in the pillow and let out a silent scream.

  ‘I’m sure it won’t kill you just for one day. They’re just panties…’

  ‘Not my knickers, Oliver!’ I hold up my stained leggings to emphasise my point. ‘My pants!’

  Even after all these years, the British/American translation barrier still rears its ugly head from time to time.

  ‘Oh.’ Letting out a chuckle, he pushes himself to his feet and scans the room for a moment before rifling through Noah’s outfits. ‘There’s gotta be something in here you can wear.’

  Obviously realising that I’m not going to fit into a toddler’s onesie, he turns his attention to my leggings and gives them a closer look. With sticky chocolate mousse down the leg and what appears to be the last of Noah’s strawberry milkshake on the bum, they aren’t in any condition to be worn.

  ‘Well, there’s a mall right up the street. Let’s go and buy you something pretty.’ Oliver grabs his wallet and holds out his hand for mine.

  ‘I can’t leave the hotel like this!’

  He flashes me a strained smile and I almost feel bad for kicking up a fuss.

  ‘Alright, give me five minutes…’

  Watching him disappear into the bathroom, the offending leggings in hand, I check my phone for any messages from the airline. Annoyance bubbles in my chest as I realise that I haven’t received a single email. So much for award winning customer service! Tossing my phone onto the bedside cabinet, I blow a raspberry on Noah’s stomach and ruffle his hair. At least one of us is dressed in a fresh set of clothes and ready to face the day.

  ‘Stop!’ He yells, fighting for his freedom frantically.

  A McDonald’s advert flashes up on the television and he lets out a little squeal, making me jump in my seat.

  ‘Yes, Noah. I’m hungry too.’ Thank God we kept our money in the hand luggage or this situation could be ten times worse. ‘Five minutes and we will go and get breakfast, OK?’

  ‘OK.’ He mumbles, chewing on his fingers to show me just how hungry he is.

  The sun shines through the window and I can’t help but smile, despite the unfortunate circumstances. I don’t believe there’s a person in the world that doesn’t have their spirits lifted by the sight of a clear blue sky. Sunshine makes everything seem a little bit better, doesn’t it? Pulling back the luxurious drapes, I run my fingers along the embellished hemline and let them fall to the ground in a series of perfect pleats. In the chaos of last night, I haven’t even told you just how marvellous our hotel is. From the moment we arrived in a frazzled haze, the concierge went above and beyond to do everything they could to make our stay that little bit more comfortable. Brittany, the beautiful young girl who checked us in, was appalled at discovering the airline had lost our suitcases and made it her personal mission to ensure we weren’t left stranded. Making a mental note to pass my appreciation on to her manager, I press my nose against the glass and look down at the streets below.

  The view from up here really is spectacular. From golf courses and lakes to rollercoasters and swimming pools, you could stand here all day and still notice something else. It’s like watching a silent movie, one where you don’t have a clue what’s going to happen next, but you just know it’s going to be something amazing. The bathroom door creaks open and I spin around to see a flustered Oliver tossing my leggings into the bin.

  ‘Oliver!’ I yell, running across the room and snatching them up. ‘What are you doing?’ Noticing that they are now covered in a sticky green slime, I drop them back into the bin and push past him for a towel. ‘Eww! What happened?’

  ‘I tried to use the bathroom products to clean them…’ Letting out a sigh, he shrugs his shoulders and pulls off his t-shirt. ‘Here, just wear this.’

  I take the t-shirt from him and lean over to stop Noah from rolling off the bed. ‘And what do you expect me to do with this, exactly?’

  Oliver rubs his face and I notice his stomach grumbling loudly. ‘Can you please just wear it while we go to the mall?’

  Turning it over in my hands, I hold it against my body and screw up my nose. ‘If I wear this, what will you wear?’

  He scans the room for a moment before reaching for his jacket and zipping it all the way up to his chin. Looking down at the t-shirt dubiously, I tug it over my head and wander into the bathroom, laughing as I take in my reflection.

  ‘I can’t go out like this! I look ridiculous!’

  Popping his head around the door frame, he takes off his belt and wraps it around my waist. ‘It covers your ass; it will do for a half hour until we can get to the store.’

  I stare into the mirror, quickly realising that I don’t really have any choice in the matter. I can either lose my dignity and venture out wearing nothing more than my husband’s slept in t-shirt or I can stay in the room and trust Oliver to buy me something suitable. Yes, the dignity is going to have to go. Tugging at the hem, I let out a groan and grab my handbag. Just keeping smiling an
d hopefully no one will notice the crazy British chick who is wandering around Orlando minus her pants. Noah looks down at my bare legs and laughs hysterically, only adding to my misery.

  ‘You look silly!’ He cries, pointing and laughing loudly.

  I lock eyes with Oliver who annoyingly joins in with Noah’s laughter. Not knowing what to else to do, I allow my face to break into a smile.

  ‘Let’s just get out of here…’

  Laughter isn’t just the best medicine.

  Sometimes it’s the only option.

  Chapter 5

  ‘When you said go crazy, just how crazy are we talking?’ I pluck another dress from the rail and toss it into our already overflowing basket.

  Shooting me a glare, Oliver holds Noah on his hip and shakes his head in frustration. ‘The cases are back on Wednesday, just keep that in mind…’

  Now that he mentions it, I guess I have got a little carried away. The mortification of people seeing me in nothing more than my husband’s crinkled t-shirt soon melted away when I stepped into the store and stumbled across the most amazing selection of clothing I’ve ever seen. Gorgeous dresses, stunning swimsuits and frankly fabulous shoes fill the shelves and some have even made it into my basket. I don’t know how. They must have literally thrown themselves off the rails. Attempting to cram in another swimsuit, I decide to have a quick rethink about just how much I will need to see me through the next couple of days. Crouching down, I take a moment to carefully consider each item.

  ‘Jeez, Clara!’ Oliver hisses, the vein on the side of his head visibly throbbing. ‘Can you hurry it up a little? I’m melting here!’

  Suddenly remembering that Oliver has to keep his jacket zipped up because I am wearing his only t-shirt, I quickly shove a handful of dresses back onto the display and make my way over to the checkout. Taking Noah from Oliver, I step to the side as he whips out his wallet. Thankfully, we managed to bag Noah’s baby essentials from the pharmacy next door and Oliver bought all he needed whilst I was getting carried away in the women’s section. Watching the numbers rack up on the screen, I try to remember what the exchange rate is. Ouch! However much it is, I didn’t expect the total to amount to, well, that.

  ‘Tax.’ Oliver groans, literally reading my mind.

  ‘Oh…’ I mumble, biting my lip and hoping I look cute enough that he doesn’t yell at me. ‘Come on, Noah, let’s go and wait outside.’

  Smiling at the assistant who is eyeing up my outfit uncertainly, I take his hand and lead him out into the sunshine. The sky is a stunning shade of blue, highlighting the tips of the rollercoasters that stand proudly in the distance. Shielding my eyes from the bright rays, I walk along the pavement and eye up the delicious looking menu at the restaurant next door. Other than a pathetic cereal bar, we haven’t had a bite to eat all day and I think I can safely say that we are all more than ready for some lunch.

  Just as I am salivating over the yummy sounding dishes, Oliver appears behind us, his arms laden with bags.

  ‘That is the first and last time we are going to shop on this vacation.’ He gives me a stern stare as a couple of teenagers walk past with balloons.

  Before I can stop him, Noah’s eyes light up and he points at the balloon excitedly. ‘Mummy! Balloon!’

  ‘OK...’ Taking another glance at the bright yellow balloons, I notice they are from the burger joint across the street.

  ‘Burger?’ I ask Oliver, not noticing that he is already heading in that direction. ‘Are we going to take the car?’

  ‘No. Let’s chuck these bags in the trunk and we’ll walk over.’ Tossing the bottle of water that he is drinking into a bin, he beckons me to follow him.

  Being very aware that the car is all the way around the other side of the building, I pluck up Noah and resist his struggles to get down. We will get there a whole lot faster without having to wait for Noah to throw a tantrum.

  Finally making it to the car, I wait for Oliver to toss the bags into the boot. A sudden breeze ruffles my hair and I look up to see that the once blue sky has clouded over. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that I was back in London. Taking hold of Noah, Oliver throws him onto his shoulders and takes my hand in his. At last we can start to enjoy our holiday. Breathing a sigh of relief, I allow Oliver to lead us across the enormous car park.

  Too busy admiring a passers-by’s glossy handbag, I almost don’t notice the first drops of rain that slip down the back of my neck. Screwing up my nose, I spot Noah rubbing his little face looking equally as confused.

  ‘Was that rain?’ I ask Oliver, as another huge droplet lands on the tip of my nose. ‘It was, wasn’t it?’

  Nodding in agreement, he quickens his pace and looks up at the clouds. ‘We better hurry…’

  Before he can finish the sentence, the heavens open and raindrops the size of bullets fall from the sky.

  ‘What the hell?’ Attempting to shield myself from the thundering downpour, I let out a yelp as a shower of hail stone fires down on us.

  Within seconds my hair is drenched and Oliver’s t-shirt clings to my body like a soggy second skin. This is insane! Not being able to see more than a couple of feet in front of me, I cling to Oliver’s jacket as he practically throws us across the street and into the restaurant. With my soaked hair clinging to my face and Oliver’s t-shirt on the verge of being see-through, I can only imagine what I must look like. Taking a glimpse around, I am surprised to see that no one has even looked up from the plates. Turning my attention to Noah, I grab a napkin from the stand of condiments and dry off his face. Shaking his curls so that wet droplets shower the other customers, he lets out a cute giggle. At least he can see the funny side.

  ‘Well, I am glad you find it funny.’ I mutter, smiling apologetically at the scowling customers.

  A rather glamorous blonde lady wearing a fifties style dress grabs a couple of menus and strikes up a conversation with Oliver. Too concerned over the state of my bedraggled appearance, I leave them to talk and tug on the sleeve of the t-shirt self-consciously. Just when I think this holiday is looking up I am literally attacked by the weather. It seems that a holiday to Orlando is a rollercoaster in itself.

  Letting out an exasperated sigh, I slide into a red booth opposite Oliver and sit Noah next to me. Now that I have had the chance to look around, I realise that this place is actually really cool. From the monochrome tiled floor to the funky retro bar stools and stripy tablecloths, you would be forgiven for thinking that you had stepped back in time.

  ‘Burger!’ Noah yells, taking the menu and banging it on the table happily.

  ‘Sounds good to me, buddy.’ Taking off his wet baseball cap and dropping it onto the table, Oliver stretches his arms over his head and yawns loudly.

  ‘Me too.’ I mumble, not even bothering to look at the menu.

  The pretty waitress from earlier reappears at our table and I look up at her with a smile.

  ‘What can I get you guys?’ Puling a notepad out of her apron, she quickly scribbles down our order before handing Noah a pack of crayons and a colouring book.

  ‘Say thank you.’ I prompt him, stroking his cheek gently.

  Looking up at the waitress, Noah’s cheeks flush a bright shade of pink and he buries his face into my stomach.

  ‘He’s shy.’ I explain, as Noah refuses to make eye contact with anything other than my muffin top. ‘Thank you so much.’

  Once the pretty lady has sashayed out of sight, Noah pulls himself up and gets to work at scribbling on the page.

  ‘So…’ Oliver says, resting his elbows on the table. ‘What do you think of Orlando?’

  Trying to find the right words I look out of the window at the heavy rain, not really knowing what to say. ‘It’s not quite as I expected.’

  ‘What did you expect?’ He fires back, not missing a beat.

  Suddenly feeling a little flustered, I twist my hair up into a bun and let it fall down around my shoulders. ‘I don’t really know. Sunshine for a start!’<
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  ‘It’s just a little shower.’ Taking my hand in his, he gives it a squeeze before letting go. ‘It will blow over in no time at all.’

  Not being convinced in the slightest, I raise my eyebrows as Noah shows me his masterpiece. ‘Wow!’ I breathe, trying to work out what on earth it is. ‘What is it?’

  ‘You and my dinosaur.’ Noah smiles proudly and points to the messy black squiggle on the page.

  ‘Well done, Noah.’ I can’t help but laugh as a different waitress appears with our drinks. ‘Now draw Daddy.’

  Eyeing up the incredible strawberry milkshake, I pull it towards me and take a huge gulp. That’s ridiculously good. Watching the red syrup drip down the side of the glass, I try not to think how many calories are in it and gulp it down.

  ‘Look, I know this vacation hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but my parents will be here tomorrow and we get the cases back on Wednesday.’ Flashing me a wink, Oliver clinks his glass against mine as Noah demands a taste too.

  Mentally kicking myself for making Oliver feel bad, I force myself to smile and nod in agreement. It’s not his fault that our cases got mislabelled and the sun didn’t want to come out and play, is it?

  ‘Alright.’ A chirpy American accent trills. ‘Two Big Bacon Burgers and a Kickin’ Kid’s Burger.’ Placing the enormous plates onto the table, she produces a dozen sauces before dashing off to another table.

  My mouth salivates as I pick up a chip and dunk it into a mound of ketchup. It might not be the most refined meal in the world, but right now I wouldn’t want anything else. Just as I am about to tuck in to the giant burger, the rain suddenly stops and a ray of sunshine floods into the restaurant. Catching Oliver’s eye, he gives me a look that says I told you so before getting stuck in to his meal.