Caribbean Crush (Under the Caribbean Sun) by Jenna Bayley-Burke
Authors: Jenna Bayley-Burke
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Chapter One
Oh, how the mighty had fallen. Antonnis Prinsen bounded down the clapboard stairs of the church, clutching his phone for dear life. Whatever matrimonial fever his brothers had caught, he didn’t want it infecting him. He needed contact with sanity, and since he was marooned on the slim Caribbean isle of Anguilla, his only hope was an internet connection.
Checking a map to make sure the island hadn’t floated into the center of the Bermuda Triangle became priority one. The last time he’d seen his brothers they’d been perfectly sane. Sensible. Thinking with the right head.
Now? One seemed thrilled to be getting married tomorrow—to someone he’d thought they all considered a sister. Johannes had turned into her yes man, and even uttered the words “Happy wife, happy life.” Antonnis shuddered again.
Their eldest brother had also fallen prey to the magic-pussy phenomenon. Harmannus was so taken he’d asked their father for their grandmother’s wedding rings. It seemed like a supreme cosmic joke.
Beneath the sparse shade of a mahogany tree, he leaned against the gnarled trunk and reconnected with civilization. As a kid he’d spent his summers escaping to Anguilla, surfing and sailing under the Caribbean sun. He hadn’t been back since he’d earned his MBA and returned home to the Netherlands to join his father’s property investment company, taking on the role of adult. His brothers had both bailed on the company a year later, having made enough money to retire to the sun-drenched island their godfather called home.
Not that he had anything against the women captivating his brothers. Sassy was the daughter of their godfather and he loved the brat like a sister. Holly was the put-together responsible type of woman he’d always respected. But his brothers had changed, and the loss tugged at him like the Grim Reaper’s staff.
The leaves rustled overhead as a hot breeze pushed its way across the island. Antonnis scrubbed his hand through his hair, wondering why he used to look forward to the heat. He hadn’t been able to keep a shirt on for more than an hour in the last two days, and forget pants. Or socks. Shorts and sandals were pushing it.
Birds chirped, bright-yellow blips darting through the sky and settling overhead. He looked up, making sure none of them had settled in within decorating distance. He’d learned that lesson the hard way. The animals on this island barely tolerated the humans, especially the marauding goats that ensured no one ever need use a lawn mower. He scanned the horizon, finding two specimens heading down the hill toward town. But what climbed the hill stole his attention.
“Janny, listen to me.” Kristin Taylor stood on her pedals, forcing the bike that last few yards up the low hill. “We’re in this wedding to support Sass. It has nothing to do with the Prinsens.”
“She’s marrying a Prinsen, and they’ll all be there. In one room.” The pain in her best friend’s voice carried through the earpiece she wore when cycling. “I just can’t.”
“You can. You’re stronger than you’re giving yourself credit for, Dr. Baird. When you promised Sass you’d be a bridesmaid, you knew who she was marrying.” When she’d called Janny, she’d expected her to be on the way. Not that anything was much of a drive on Anguilla. She reached the top of the hill and steered through the gravel parking lot of the oldest church on the island.
“I didn’t factor in two days’ worth of having to share space with all of them. And I can’t even have a drink because I’m on call. Can’t you just tell her I got pulled into an emergency?”
“If it were the truth, I would. Get the awkwardness over today, so tomorrow we can concentrate on being there for our friend, the bride. This is about her.” She maneuvered around a jalopy of a truck and two enormous luxury vehicles, one of them worth enough to buy her folks’ cottage twice over.
“I wish there was
Oh, how the mighty had fallen. Antonnis Prinsen bounded down the clapboard stairs of the church, clutching his phone for dear life. Whatever matrimonial fever his brothers had caught, he didn’t want it infecting him. He needed contact with sanity, and since he was marooned on the slim Caribbean isle of Anguilla, his only hope was an internet connection.
Checking a map to make sure the island hadn’t floated into the center of the Bermuda Triangle became priority one. The last time he’d seen his brothers they’d been perfectly sane. Sensible. Thinking with the right head.
Now? One seemed thrilled to be getting married tomorrow—to someone he’d thought they all considered a sister. Johannes had turned into her yes man, and even uttered the words “Happy wife, happy life.” Antonnis shuddered again.
Their eldest brother had also fallen prey to the magic-pussy phenomenon. Harmannus was so taken he’d asked their father for their grandmother’s wedding rings. It seemed like a supreme cosmic joke.
Beneath the sparse shade of a mahogany tree, he leaned against the gnarled trunk and reconnected with civilization. As a kid he’d spent his summers escaping to Anguilla, surfing and sailing under the Caribbean sun. He hadn’t been back since he’d earned his MBA and returned home to the Netherlands to join his father’s property investment company, taking on the role of adult. His brothers had both bailed on the company a year later, having made enough money to retire to the sun-drenched island their godfather called home.
Not that he had anything against the women captivating his brothers. Sassy was the daughter of their godfather and he loved the brat like a sister. Holly was the put-together responsible type of woman he’d always respected. But his brothers had changed, and the loss tugged at him like the Grim Reaper’s staff.
The leaves rustled overhead as a hot breeze pushed its way across the island. Antonnis scrubbed his hand through his hair, wondering why he used to look forward to the heat. He hadn’t been able to keep a shirt on for more than an hour in the last two days, and forget pants. Or socks. Shorts and sandals were pushing it.
Birds chirped, bright-yellow blips darting through the sky and settling overhead. He looked up, making sure none of them had settled in within decorating distance. He’d learned that lesson the hard way. The animals on this island barely tolerated the humans, especially the marauding goats that ensured no one ever need use a lawn mower. He scanned the horizon, finding two specimens heading down the hill toward town. But what climbed the hill stole his attention.
“Janny, listen to me.” Kristin Taylor stood on her pedals, forcing the bike that last few yards up the low hill. “We’re in this wedding to support Sass. It has nothing to do with the Prinsens.”
“She’s marrying a Prinsen, and they’ll all be there. In one room.” The pain in her best friend’s voice carried through the earpiece she wore when cycling. “I just can’t.”
“You can. You’re stronger than you’re giving yourself credit for, Dr. Baird. When you promised Sass you’d be a bridesmaid, you knew who she was marrying.” When she’d called Janny, she’d expected her to be on the way. Not that anything was much of a drive on Anguilla. She reached the top of the hill and steered through the gravel parking lot of the oldest church on the island.
“I didn’t factor in two days’ worth of having to share space with all of them. And I can’t even have a drink because I’m on call. Can’t you just tell her I got pulled into an emergency?”
“If it were the truth, I would. Get the awkwardness over today, so tomorrow we can concentrate on being there for our friend, the bride. This is about her.” She maneuvered around a jalopy of a truck and two enormous luxury vehicles, one of them worth enough to buy her folks’ cottage twice over.
“I wish there was
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