by Lacey London
Unlike the section of beach down at the villa, this is more rugged, more unspoilt with natural imperfections that somehow make it more perfect. Strangely, the water in the bay is almost completely still, making a great contrast to the roaring waves back at the villa. Stopping to commit the scene to memory, I look out to sea and run my toes through the white sand. The sun bounces off the water, almost blinding me with the light. Watching Lianna saunter off ahead, I adjust Noah’s hat and strategically walk under the row of swaying palm trees. We approach a slightly rocky patch of sand and pause for a moment to watch a tiny crab hurriedly making his way back to the ocean. As Lianna snaps a photo of Gina and the crab, I continue walking ahead and discover that the bay curves around to the right.
Letting curiosity get the better of me, I pad along the sand until I can see around the corner. The sea breeze blows my hair into my face as I do a little jog, desperate to get a glimpse of The Hangout before Lianna realises that I am missing. Panting for breath, I lean against a palm tree as I spot the all-important building. There it is. The Hangout. Made entirely from wood with a straw roof, it is not at all what I was expecting. Unable to control myself, I pad along the sand for a closer look. Hammocks hang from the palm trees that line the entrance, tempting you to jump in and relax. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, I am about to investigate further when I hear footsteps coming from inside.
Dammit! Quickly turning on my heel I attempt to run back to the others, which isn’t as easy as it sounds when you are holding a chubby toddler.
‘Hey!’ A deep American voice hollers behind me. ‘Can I help you?’
Damn it.
The voice of the sea speaks to the soul…
Chapter 6
Suddenly frozen to the spot, I bite my lip in panic and slowly spin around. I know from the thousands of photographs I have seen that this six feet tall muscle machine in front of me is Vernon. Seeming to lose the ability to speak, I open and close my mouth repeatedly like a hungry goldfish.
‘Vern!’ Lianna squeals loudly, running past me and jumping into his huge arms.
Even with her ridiculously long legs, she looks like a tiny child in comparison to Vernon. Her statuesque frame is dwarfed by his huge physique, which is a first for Lianna. I shield my eyes from the sun and try to weigh him up. He’s bloody gorgeous, I know that much. With big brown eyes and a smile that would outshine any Hollywood superstar, it’s impossible to say he is anything less than perfect in the looks department. Showering him in kisses, Lianna seems to have forgotten that Gina and I are stood behind her. Finally tearing herself away, she jumps down onto the sand and entwines her hand with his.
‘This is Vernon.’ She declares, struggling to get her breath back.
‘Well, I got that.’ Gina cackles, rocking a sleeping Melrose in her baby sling.
‘You must be Gina.’ Vernon lets out a low laugh and holds out a hand. ‘Vernon Clarke, it’s a pleasure to meet you.’
Gina bats his hand away and leans in for a kiss on the cheek. Rolling my eyes, I offer my hand and give it a firm shake. It will take more than a dreamy body and a seductive accent to win me over.
‘I’m Clara and this is my son, Noah.’ I shoot him a thin smile and point to Noah. ‘It’s great to finally put a face to the name. I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘Likewise.’ Bending down, he holds out his hands to Noah, who unbelievably leans over to let him pick him up. ‘How’s it going little buddy?’
Staring at my son open mouthed, I feel genuinely shell shocked. Noah is so fussy about who he will go to; I cannot believe that he is giggling away with a complete stranger. Lianna stares at Vernon like she is going to burst with pride. I must admit, it is unusual to see a man be so comfortable around children when he doesn’t have kids of his own. Most guys run a mile at the mere mention of babies.
‘Can I get you ladies a drink?’ Vernon smiles widely and throws his free arm around Lianna’s shoulders. ‘Something to eat, maybe?’
I am determined to keep a clear head today so cocktails are off the menu, but my rumbling stomach would not be happy if I turned down the offer of breakfast.
‘I could eat.’ I return his smile as we walk across the sand towards The Hangout.
Lianna and Vernon walk a couple of strides ahead with Noah and I take the opportunity to get a moment with Gina.
‘Well?’ I whisper, holding my wild hair out of my face. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think he’s hot!’ She exhales dramatically and I hit her on the arm. ‘Gina! I’m being serious!’
‘Serious about what?’ Li calls over her shoulder.
My cheeks flush pink and I stammer over my words. ‘We were just saying that we are seriously hungry.’
She squints her eyes at me suspiciously as we step over the threshold. Thousands of twinkling lights surround the entrance, adding a touch of glitz to the driftwood sign that hangs over head. So simple, yet so successful in creating an air of elegance to the modest building. Taking off my sunglasses for a better look, I blink for my eyes to adjust them to the dark and scan the room. Wow! This place is seriously cool. The sand from the beach carries on inside and a funky chalkboard advises you that shoes aren’t compulsory. Following Lianna’s lead, I take a seat at the bar and look out over the water. I bet you get incredible views of the sunset from here. The way that she raved about this place I expected something much grander, but I totally understand what she means about it having an air of prestige. With luxury VIP booths and glossy Champagne menus on every table, I can completely appreciate why it is frequented by celebrities wanting to escape their hectic lifestyles.
Taking Noah from Vernon, I sit him on my lap and flash Lianna a wink. Bless her. She has been staring at me with bated breath for the past five minutes. I know that she is waiting for me to give her my opinion on whether Vernon passes the Clara test or not, but I haven’t made my mind up just yet. Yes, Noah bizarrely seems to have fallen in love with him and Gina was drooling the second that she laid eyes on him, but the jury is still out for me.
‘Wait there. I have someone that I would like you to meet.’ Vernon bangs his hand on the bar and disappears into the back.
Lianna’s brow creases in confusion as she watches him walk away. I am about to ask her what’s going on when he returns with a rather beautiful woman.
‘This is Stephanie, my new bar manager.’ He smiles proudly and takes a step back.
‘Hi, Stephanie!’ We say in unison, stretching our mouths into Joker worthy smiles.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you all.’ Holding her hand up in acknowledgment, Stephanie bows her head. ‘Welcome to Barbados.’
‘You finally found someone then!’ Lianna laughs, holding out her hand for a shake.
‘I did.’ He laughs quietly and a places a hand on Stephanie’s shoulder. ‘It wasn’t easy, but Stephanie is exactly what I was looking for.’
Stephanie smiles proudly and gives Vernon a wink. Wearing a sleek black trouser suit and a shiny new name badge she certainly looks the part. Taking in her pretty face, I immediately develop a bit of a girl crush. Her perfectly symmetrical features are framed with a mass of glossy curls, curls that I could only ever dream of achieving with my frizzy mane. She’s definitely a good face for the business, that’s for sure.
‘Vernon tells me that you’re all hungry? I’m going to get the chef to make you a traditional Bajan breakfast.’ With a flash of her pearly whites, she strokes Noah’s head before making her way into the kitchen.
For a moment we sit in silence until we can be sure that she is out of earshot.
‘I like her.’ Lianna whispers, nodding in approval. ‘I like her a lot.’
‘She’s great.’ He confirms, sliding onto a bar stool. ‘We’re lucky to have her. Now, what can I get you to drink?’
Gina picks up a Champagne menu and I roll my eyes. Any excuse for a glass of fizz. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her turn down the offer of bubbles, ever.
‘I’
ll just have a sparkling water, please.’ Noah starts to grumble and I stand up to let him toddle around.
‘You have to let Vernon make you a rum punch!’ Lianna squeals. ‘They are so good.’
‘Maybe after breakfast.’ I giggle, chasing after Noah.
‘I’ll have one.’ Gina pipes up, not missing a beat.
‘Alright.’ Vernon laughs, jumping over the bar. ‘One sparkling water and a rum punch.’
‘Make that two rum punches.’ Lianna smiles, twirling a strand of hair around her finger like a love struck teenager.
‘You can’t have one, you’re driving!’ I give her my best mum look and shake my head.
Sticking out her tongue, she jumps to her feet and readjusts her shorts. ‘Come on, I’ll give you the tour.’
Grabbing Noah before he can swallow a handful of sand, I hold him on my hip and follow Li back outside. Obviously not wanting to leave the bar, Gina stays put and waves us off. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I listen intently as Li runs through a typical day at The Hangout.
‘So, this is where we have the fish fry.’ She points to a patch of sand and I look at her dubiously. ‘It doesn’t look like much, but people come from all over the island on fish night.’
‘Really?’ I ask, not convinced.
‘Really.’ She repeats seriously. ‘And it’s not just locals, the press are always sniffing around to get a glimpse of the VIP clients.’
‘That’s amazing.’ I concede, unable to hide how impressed I am. ‘Did you see anyone famous when you were here?’
‘Unfortunately not, but just last week Vernon sent me photos of Brad and Ang! They hired the entire place just for the two of them!’ Her eyes sparkle and I completely understand why.
‘Wow!’ Brad and Ang! I think I would pass out if I saw Brad and Ang. ‘Amazing! Where’s next on the tour?’
‘Well…’ She looks around and bites her lip. ‘The hammocks here are where the customers watch the sunset, but you have to get here early or you won’t get one.’
Taking Noah from me, she climbs into a hammock and rocks it gently, laughing as he squeals with delight.
‘So…’ She takes a deep breath and looks down at the sand. ‘What do you think?’
I try to perch on the hammock next to her and jump up when it nearly capsizes. ‘I like him and you seem to certainly like him.’
‘I don’t just like him, Clara. I love him.’
Pursing my lips together, I resist the urge to tell her that I can’t understand how you can love someone after just seven days.
‘I know what you’re thinking. How can I love someone after just seven days? But it isn’t just seven days. Vern and I have talked on the phone every day for the past year.’ I look her in the eye and keep my opinions to myself. ‘We have spoken about everything from marriage to children. This is it, I know it.’
‘Marriage? How would that even work?’ I ask, kicking myself as her face falls in disappointment.
‘We would make it work.’ Her voice is small and I can tell that I have hurt her feelings.
Forcing myself to smile encouragingly, I spin around as Vernon appears on the decking and waves us over.
‘I think our drinks are ready.’ I grab Noah and hold out my hand to help her up. ‘We had better get in there before Gina gets her grubby paws on them.’
I hold Noah on my hip as we make our way back inside in complete silence. I feel bad about not being more positive, but it just seems so farfetched. Is Lianna going to move to Barbados? Is Vernon going to move to London? Neither option is feasible, so I really don’t understand how she thinks this is going to pan out. Holding out my hand for hers I give it a friendly squeeze as we take our seats at the bar.
‘How’s the rum punch?’ I ask Gina, who is slurping away at her cocktail happily.
‘Fabulous.’ She holds out the glass, but the stench of alcohol on her breath is enough to make me decline.
Unlike Noah, Melrose has been snoozing since we got here. Snuggled into her baby sling, she is completely oblivious to her surroundings. Gina doesn’t know how lucky she is that all three of her children can sleep through a category five hurricane. I wish I could say the same for Noah, unfortunately he has the ability to hear a penny drop from three rooms away.
Flashing Stephanie a smile as she breezes past with cutlery and glasses, I pass Noah over to Lianna.
‘If you would like to retire to the booth, ladies. Your breakfast is coming.’ She winks cheekily and rubs her hands together.
Licking my lips as my stomach rumbles loudly, I slide into the plush booth and take a sip of my water. How people leave the house without breakfast in the morning is beyond me. As Gina tears herself away from the bar and it’s tempting drinks menu, I peek at Vernon and Li from behind my glass. You would never believe that they have spent just seven measly days together prior to this. It’s amazing to think that they are so comfortable around each other. They certainly look loved up, that’s for sure. Anyone would think that they were newlyweds from the way that they are carrying on. The little voice in the back of my mind reminds me that love and lust are two very different things, I just hope that she isn’t confusing the two.
Gina slides in next to me and unties Melrose’s baby sling before expertly transforming it into a mini sleeping bag. Placing the sleeping baby in the booth opposite, she strokes her head gently and smiles before collapsing into her seat. I am about to quiz her about Vernon when Stephanie reappears with steaming plates of food. My mouth stretches into a smile as she places bowls and platters onto the wooden table.
‘OK…’ Stephanie claps her hands together and smiles. ‘We have flying fish, eggs, onions, peppers and plantain. Enjoy.’
I eye up my plate greedily and pick up a fork. As usual, Noah wants feeding first and I chop up a piece of fish and inspect it for bones. Expecting him to spit it straight back out, I am surprised when he screws up his hands into little fists and shrieks with delight.
‘Oh, you like Bajan food?’ Stephanie laughs loudly and strokes his chin. ‘This one can come again.’
Thanking her for the food, I lock eyes with Lianna and beckon her over. If she doesn’t put Vernon down soon her food is going to go cold.
‘How is it?’ Vernon asks, picking up a piece of fish and tossing it into his mouth.
‘Fantastic.’ Gina swoons, digging in like she hasn’t had a decent meal in months. ‘The best food I’ve have had since we arrived. Just don’t tell James!’
‘James?’ Vernon asks, throwing an arm around Lianna’s neck. ‘Who’s James?’
‘The chef back at the villa.’ Li explains, still not touching her food. ‘He’s very good, but not as good as Patricia.’
‘I will be sure to let Pat know that.’ He laughs and motions for Lianna to sit down. ‘Sit. Eat.’
She looks up at him with eyes like saucers and immediately dives into her meal.
‘Aren’t you eating?’ I ask, realising that he hasn’t got a place setting.
Shaking his head in response, he grabs a bar stool and sits down. Thankfully, Lianna takes control of the conversation meaning that I can concentrate on enjoying my food. Feeding pieces of fish to Noah, I listen intently as Vernon fills Lianna in on just how hard it was to secure his new bar manager. Apparently, for the past five years Stephanie has worked for a rival restaurant further down the beach. After many, many terrible interviews with prospective candidates, Vernon decided that he would try and tempt Stephanie with a huge pay rise. Ethical? Probably not. But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.
Suddenly deciding that he doesn’t want to eat any more, Noah lets out a screech and kicks his little legs in protest. Resting him on my lap, I attempt to quieten him down as to not disturb the others.
‘Let me take him.’ Vernon stands up and holds out a hand for Noah. ‘Wanna go see the ocean?’
Staring at him in silence, Noah considers his options for a moment before lifting his arms in the air for Vernon to pick him up. Wat
ching the two of them walk away, I smile fondly and return to what’s left of my meal.
‘Isn’t he just great with kids?’ Li sighs dramatically and plucks a piece of coconut bread from the bowl in front of her.
‘Does he have any of his own?’ Gina asks, taking a slurp of her drink and leaning back in his seat.
‘No.’ Lianna shakes her head. ‘He was married before, but children just never happened for him.’
My ears prick up at the mention of him being married before, she has kept that one quiet. Not wanting to be judgemental, I dab my mouth with a napkin and push away my plate.
‘When are you going to introduce him to the others?’ I probe, very aware that they will be back at any moment and I might not get another chance to ask.
‘Possibly tomorrow. Owen and Eve already love him, so just Marc and Oliver to win over now.’ She chews on the end of something that looks like a banana and smiles. ‘That’s presuming that he gets your seal of approval?’ She looks between myself and Gina, her smile momentarily frozen.
‘I think he’s great.’ Gina smirks. ‘I really do. Handsome, friendly, great with kids… what’s not to like?’
Turning her attention to me, I feel her eyes burning into the side of my head. ‘Clara?’
I pause for a moment and look out to sea, carefully choosing my words before I open my mouth. Hearing Noah laugh as Vernon tosses him up into the air, I already know my answer.
‘Well… I guess he’s alright.’
Lianna squeals loudly and claps her hands together. ‘Really?’
‘Really.’ I shrug my shoulders and flash her a wink. ‘Besides, if he is willing to put up with you, he can’t be all that bad…’
Just the smell of the beach is enough to make me fall in love…
Chapter 7
Putting a freshly bathed Noah down for a sleep, I rub some moisturiser into my pink shoulders and slip on a simple maxi dress. With Oliver in the shower, I have a good thirty minutes to get myself ready before dinner will be served. After our yummy breakfast earlier I didn’t think that I could eat another bite, but a few hours of sunbathing at The Hangout has given me quite the appetite. Stretching out on the bed, I crank up the air conditioning and take the opportunity to close my eyes for a moment. Now that I have met Vernon I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. All that stress and worrying about him being bad for Lianna has melted away. I don’t think I have ever met a person before who is as genuine and sincere as Vernon Clarke.
