Marrying the Millionaire (12 page)

One look at Zeke, and Chelsey’s face
split into a grin. “Hi, Zeke. Long time, no see.”

Zeke’s eyes clung to Chelsey’s face.
“Now ain’t that the truth. It’s been too long since I’ve dropped by
the Equestrian.” His eyes left Chelsey and swung over to
Richmond.

Richmond rounded the corner of his
desk, met Zeke in the center of his office, then threw his arms
about his best friend’s shoulders. “It’s good to see you, man,”
Richmond said, clapping Zeke’s back. “What brings you by
today?”

The two men released each other. Zeke
stated, “Oh, just in the neighborhood and thought I’d come by and
see how you were doing.”

“
That’ll be all, Chelsey,”
Richmond declared, realizing how smitten Chelsey was with
Zeke.

After Chelsey walked out of the room,
Richmond and Zeke did a lot of catching up on each other’s lives.
In his heart of hearts, he knew he could confide in Zeke, and if
needed, he could also confide in his good friend Braylon. Those two
men were like brothers to him.

Richmond closed the door, then plopped
down on the seat next to Zeke.

“
So how have you really
been?” Zeke asked, resting his arm on the curb of the
couch.

“
Actually, pretty good
under the circumstances.”

“
What
circumstances?”

Richmond blew out a deep breath.
“Spoke with Don the other day.”

Zeke snapped his fingers, as if trying
to jog his memory. “Don is the private investigator investigating
Salina’s death, right?”

“
Yeah.” Richmond pinched
the bridge of his nose. “He devastated me with some interesting
news. Don informed me Salina had purchased a prepaid cell phone,
and I never knew.” He cursed inside his head. “I thought the two of
us shared everything.”

Zeke shrugged. “Maybe she got it to
contact an old college friend. It could be she wanted to talk with
someone she knew you’d disapprove of.”

As he spoke about Salina’s secret, he
retained his affability, but there was a distinct hardening in his
heart. “No. That’s not it. I liked all her friends, and all her
family.”

Zeke’s eyes surveyed Richmond’s face.
“Well, do you suspect why she’d do such a thing?”

“
No,” Richmond lied. It’d
be a cold day in hell before he indulged his suspicions about
Salina having an affair to anyone. Other than Don, he didn’t dare
let the word ‘affair’ utter from his mouth. Whether it was an
emotional affair or at some point had been a sexual affair, the
mere fact that Salina may have been carrying on behind his back was
embarrassing.

Zeke crossed his legs at the knees. “I
know it’s hard, man, but try and stay positive. How’s Isabelle
doing?”

“
She’s fine. She’s here
now, taking riding lessons.”

Zeke’s face lit up. “Oh yeah? I’d love
to see her.”

“
She’ll be happy to see
you.” Richmond stood. “Come, I’ll take you to her.”

Walking side by side, Richmond and
Zeke crossed the green grass leading toward the horse trails.
Riding a horse with shiny brown fur, Isabelle steered the animal
around the circular dirt trail as Jason sat behind her, helping.
Kayla leaned on the white fence, watching his little one as she
took her riding lesson.

“
Who’s the woman?” Zeke
questioned.

“
That’s Isabelle’s
nanny.”

Stalking across the grass, Zeke’s head
jerked. “Nanny! She doesn’t look like a nanny to me. From here, she
looks fine as hell. There’s no way in hell I could have a nanny in
my house that looked like her and keep my hands to myself. Is she
single?”

Richmond chortled. “I think so, but
I’m not sure.”

Leave it to lover boy Zeke. He never
missed an opportunity to make a move on a beautiful, fine woman.
Deep down inside, Richmond hoped Zeke didn’t make a move on Kayla
because they wouldn’t make a good fit.

How’d you know?
his conscious spoke inside his head.

“
Who’s the kid with
her?”

“
Her son.”

Zeke groaned. “Look at the ass on her.
That body can make some man very happy.”

“
Cool it, Zeke. Don’t go
flirting with my employee.”

Zeke paused in his tracks. His eyes
narrowed speculatively. “Since when did you start caring about me
flirting with one of your employees? Hell, I flirt with Chelsey all
the time, and you’ve never said a word about that.” Smiling, Zeke
wagged a finger at Richmond. “Hot damn, you want Kayla for
yourself.” Laughing, he slapped Richmond hard on the
back.

Shaking his head, Richmond couldn’t
help but join in on Zeke’s bouts of hearty chuckles. “No. It’s
nothing like that. I’m not interested in Kayla.” Richmond began
walking.

“
You’re lying to yourself,
Richmond. Frankly, I think it’s about time you start dating again,
man. It’s a whole big world out here, and spending it alone can be
kind of lonely.”

“
Oh yeah? Well, when are
you going to settle down?”

Zeke laughed. “Never.”

Coming to a stop beside Kayla, the two
men laughed. When Richmond introduced Zeke to Kayla, Zeke’s eyes
flickered while absorbing her pretty face. Shaking her hand, Zeke
nodded.

“
Nice meeting you,
Kayla.”

Kayla’s lips curved into a dazzling
white smile, disturbing Richmond’s inner being. “It’s nice meeting
you, too, Zeke.” The very air around her seemed
electrified.

Richmond stooped down in front of CJ
and smiled. “Hey, little man. How’s your arm feeling?”

CJ glanced up at Kayla, then back at
Richmond. “Good. I’m not jumping off the toilet no
more.”

Richmond laughed. “That’s very smart
of you. Once your arm gets better, maybe you and Isabelle can jump
on her trampoline. How’s that?”

CJ shrugged. “What’s a
tramsozine?”

“
It’s a toy made for
jumping.” Richmond ruffled the hair on CJ’s head, then stood.
“How’d Isabelle’s ballet lesson go?”

Kayla tossed her hair behind her
shoulder. “It went well. After she finished with dance, I took her
home for lunch, and her nap. Then we came here.”

Good, she’s sticking to
Isabelle’s schedule.
He had the distinct
feeling if he hadn’t hired Kayla, it would’ve been a big
mistake.

“
Whoa boy. Whooaaa.” A
voice came from the direction of the woods, and Richmond knew
exactly who it belonged to—his father, Russell. Supposedly retired,
Russell dropped by the Equestrian on a regular basis. Too much, if
you asked Richmond.

Richmond turned just in time to see
Russell and his horse surface from the woods out into the open.
Riding his favorite prized black stallion, Russell steered the
horse over to where he, Zeke, CJ, and Kayla stood. Sporting a long
sleeve white shirt, jeans, a cowboy hat, and brown cowboy boots,
his father smiled, then clambered down from the horse.

“
Well, howdy,
folks.”

Zeke slapped hands with his father.
“Long time, no see.”

Russell smiled. “Yes. It’s been a
while, Zeke. How are the women treating you?”

Zeke slid his hands inside the pockets
of his jeans. “Great, like always.”

Russell’s eyes diverted from Zeke’s
face to Kayla’s. “And who’s this pretty young lady?”

Kayla smiled. “I’m Kayla, Isabelle’s
nanny.”

Russell held out his hand for a
handshake, and when Kayla took it, he brought her hand up to his
lips and kissed it.

Fucking bastard. He loves
himself some young girls. Well, he won’t get his hands on this
one.

Kayla’s eyes narrowed as she kept them
focused on his father’s face. “You look so familiar,” she said, her
round eyes roaming over Russell’s face.

An indefinable emotion shone in
Russell’s eyes as he looked at Kayla. “Oh yeah?”

“
Yes.” Pursing her lips
together, Russell’s brows scrunched. Kayla’s eyes widened with a
lighter brown. “I know. I think you were friends with my
grandfather.”

“
What’s your grandfather’s
name?” Russell questioned.

“
Leroy. Leroy Van Buren.
He’s deceased now.”

Russell smiled. “Sorry. I’ve never
heard of a man named Leroy Van Buren.”

Kayla’s gleeful expression turned taut
and derisive. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” Kayla
confirmed.

“
Russell. But you can call
me Russ, or Big Daddy if you like.”

Richmond’s chest strained tight.
“Watch it, Russell.”

Russell shrugged, then removed his
cowboy hat from his head. Looking at Richmond, his brows hitched.
“What? All my friends call me Big Daddy, so why can’t
she?”

Zeke laughed.

After Jason dismounted the horse, he
clenched Isabelle’s hips and lowered her to the ground. Smiling,
Isabelle ran towards them. Sounding winded, Isabelle swiped an
errant bang from her face.

“
Daddy! I had fun with CJ
today, and with Ms. Kayla, too. Can they spend the
night?”

Richmond looked down at Isabelle and
placed a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, Pumpkin. Ms. Kayla is an adult,
and I’m sure she doesn’t want to spend the night with you. She has
her own house to go home to.”

Isabelle’s bottom lip curled under.
Folding her arms across her chest, she glanced up at Kayla.
“Please, Ms. Kayla? Can you and CJ spend the night with me? Pretty
please?”

Tilting her head, Kayla smiled. “I
don’t mind, but it’s up to your father, sweetheart.”

Zeke interjected. “Why, I think
that’ll be a great idea if Kayla and CJ spent the
night.”

Knowing that Zeke was trying to play
matchmaker, Richmond groaned internally. But Zeke could forget it.
After the stunt Salina had pulled behind his back, he’d have to be
a damn fool to get involved with and trust a beautiful woman. For
Isabelle’s sake, Kayla could spend the night, but that’s as far as
it’d go.

“
You really don’t mind?”
Richmond asked Kayla.

Kayla’s hair brushed her face as she
shook her head. “No, I don’t mind at all. It’ll be fun for both of
them.”

Richmond exclaimed out loud, “Then I
guess it’s settled. Kayla and CJ are spending the
night.”

“
Yay!” CJ and Isabelle
yelled synchronously.

What in the hell have I
gotten myself into?
Richmond thought,
gazing into Kayla’s gentle pupils.

THE DISTRAUGHT MURDERER WALKED INSIDE
the office and closed the door. On edge about today’s earlier
events, he removed the photo from the wall hiding his secret vault
and laid the big painting on the floor. Mashing the numerical code
into the keypad, his mind thought of Kayla and how she seemed so
innocent. So likeable. Sure enough, she was beautiful.

The hidden vault built into the wall
bleeped, then clicked open. Beside the killer’s diary lay the
letter that Salina had given him to give to Richmond in the
occurrence he ever found out he was the one that’d murdered his
wife. Along with the letter addressed to Richmond was a video of
Salina.

Salina wanted me to kill
her.

Guilt churned the killer’s stomach as
he reached inside the safe to grab his diary. A diary he regretted
having. A diary he prayed no one would ever find out about. It’d
kill Richmond if he ever knew he’d murdered his wife, Salina. If
anyone ever found out his secret, all hell would break loose on
Hilton Head Island and he’d spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Rotting in prison.

I can’t let that
happen.

Holding his diary in his hand, he shut
the door to the vault, hefted a pen from the desk holder, then
flopped down in his favorite recliner.

Opening his diary, vivid images of the
night he’d murdered Salina entered his mind. Pain stabbed his
aching heart. Dread filled his soul. Guilt weighted his shoulders
like heavy stones.

With the tip of the ink pen
touching the sheet of paper inside his diary, his soul felt dark
and insolent.
May you rest in peace,
Salina. And may you mind your own business, Kayla.