Marrying the Millionaire (26 page)

Lifting her hair from her
neck, Kayla turned her back to him.
This
is so thoughtful
. Richmond draped the
beautiful diamond necklace around her neck, then tightened the
clasp. Letting her hair fall gracefully to her shoulders, Kayla
slowly turned around to reface the man she’d fallen in love with.
Not that she’d ever tell him until after he told her.

Richmond’s trailed a finger down her
chest to the sparkling diamond. “It looks beautiful on
you.”

Smiling, Kayla looked down at the
sparkling diamond lying on her chest. “It looks so
expensive.”

“
That’s because it is. I
want nothing but the best for you, Kay. You and your
son.”

“
I appreciate everything
you do for CJ and me.” Wishing there was some way she could repay
him for all his kindness, Kayla wrapped her arms around Richmond’s
waist and gave him a great big hug. Children giggling assailed her
ears as she pried herself from him. A few seconds later, Isabelle
and CJ came running from around the side of the house into the back
yard. Isabelle ran inside the house through the back door, and CJ
ran up to Richmond and hugged his leg.

Richmond patted CJ’s back. “Would you
like to play some baseball, CJ?”

“
Yes!” CJ ran and got the
baseball and bat lying on the ground and handed them to
Richmond.

Richmond pointed toward the tree.
“Stand over there,” he told CJ.

Watching Richmond play baseball with
CJ, Kayla’s fingers played with the diamond sitting at her throat.
Standing several feet away from CJ, Richmond showed him how to
position the bat to his shoulder. Richmond tossed the ball to CJ,
who swung so hard, he fell.

Kayla burst into laughter.

CJ’s head snapped back to look at
Kayla. “That’s not funny, Mommy.”

Biting back her laughter, Kayla forced
her lips to set in a straight line. “I’m sorry for laughing. Mommy
won’t laugh anymore.”

He tapped the bat on the
ground. “You better not.”
Alrighty, then.
Guess he told me.

Admiring how Richmond always found
time to squeeze CJ into his busy schedule, Kayla’s heart warmed.
Just yesterday, he’d taken CJ fishing. On Tuesday, he’d taken him
to play basketball. He’d even offered to give him free horseback
riding lessons along with Isabelle.

Richmond is too good to be
true. I hope this relationship lasts. Forever. Always.

Isabelle burst through the back door.
She put her tiny hands to the sides of her mouth and yelled,
“Dinner is ready!”

CJ dropped the bat and took off
running toward the house. Richmond grabbed Kayla’s hand, and the
two of them made their way inside Leslie’s mansion.

Sweet potato pie streamed up Kayla’s
nostrils as she and Richmond took their places at the long
rectangular table. As usual, Russell sat at one end of the table
while Leslie sat at the head. Richmond’s entire family, except for
his brother Dirk, was there.

Too bad her sister, Alana, couldn’t be
there. Thinking of how she missed her sister Alana, Kayla’s heart
balled. This year, Alana had decided to go to Virginia so she could
have Thanksgiving with her best friend’s family. Although Kayla
understood, she hated having to share her sister.

Feeling wistful, Kayla glanced at all
the many foods on the table. Leslie had cooked enough food to feed
an entire army. In the center of the table sat a big, fat,
Butterball turkey. Surrounding it was a ham, roast, macaroni and
cheese, collard greens, green beans, dressing, chick peas, sweet
potato casserole, creamed corn, cornbread, rolls, and rice
pilaf.

After Leslie said a beautiful
Thanksgiving Day blessing, Russell hefted the sharp blade from the
silver platter and started carving the turkey. Juices oozed from
the juicy meat.

“
Good job at cutting the
turkey, Russell,” Richmond said, smiling.

Russell looked at Richmond, then at
Kayla. “So tell me, when are the two of y’all getting
married?”

Richmond almost spit out the tea
inside his mouth. Ignoring Russell’s question, Richmond said to
Kayla, “Pass me the rolls, please.”

We’ve never talked about
marriage
, Kayla thought, passing Richmond
the bread.

Leslie sighed. “Didn’t I tell you
about getting in everybody’s business the last time they were
here?”

“
Be quiet, Leslie. Nobody
was talking to you.”

Leslie rolled her neck. “Well, I’m
talking to you.”

Russell dropped the knife beside the
turkey, then sat in his seat. “Well, I ain’t listening!” Slapping
his hands over his ears, he playfully stuck out his tongue at
Leslie.

Isabelle and CJ looked at each other
and burst into laughter. And so did everybody else.

Deep love filled Kayla’s heart as her
eyes roved around the table. Being with Richmond and his family
like this, she felt like their relationship was headed in the right
direction. Finally, she had friends in town that cared about her
and her son.

Several minutes later,
Kayla became full to the max, and she couldn’t eat another thing.
Watching everyone finish off their supper, she slouched in her
chair and was tempted to unbutton the button on her jeans. She
breathed outwardly, and the darn button popped loose, all on its
own.
That’s a darn shame. One day, I’m
going to lose my stomach.

Richmond’s cell buzzed. He dropped the
phone to his ear. Listening to the caller on the other line, his
mouth smiled. Hanging up, he said out loud, “Thanks for dinner,
Mom. Everything was delicious. I hate to cut our visit short, but
Gypsy Rose is about to deliver.” Richmond jumped to his feet as
Kayla’s hands flew over her mouth. Richmond tugged on her elbow,
gesturing her to come with him. “Let’s go, Kay.”

Minutes later, Richmond sped his Range
Rover up the gravel of the Equestrian. Ecstatic, Kayla hopped out
of the car and met Richmond at the front. Running hand in hand,
Richmond and Kayla chortled all the way to the stables like two
college kids.

Hurrying up to Gypsy Rose’s stall,
Kayla’s heart beat like drums inside her chest. Jason stood over
Gypsy Rose as she lay on her side inside the stall, trying to give
birth. “She’s doing well,” Jason said. “I’ll let you take over from
here,” he told Richmond, then began heading out of the
barn.

“
Thanks, Jason.”

Richmond and Kayla entered
the stall. Wanting to get a close-up look, Kayla stood to Gypsy
Rose’s rear. Bouts of air poofed from the horse’s opening, kicking
up the dirt beneath its long, hairy tail and behind.
Whoa!

Richmond stooped down by the horse’s
side and started rubbing her back. “You’re doing good,
Gypsy.”

Just as Kayla stooped closer to Gypsy,
a set of foal’s feet plunged from her opening. Richmond rounded to
the back of Gypsy, grabbed the foal’s feet, and gently pulled. The
brown foal slipped from Gypsy’s womb and slid onto the
ground.

Kayla felt her eyes stretching as she
stood. Amazed, she covered her heart. “That was the most amazing
thing I’ve ever seen. Is it a girl or a boy?”

Still crouching down beside Kayla,
Richmond confirmed, “It’s a girl.”

“
She’s beautiful. What are
you going to name her?”

“
Gypsy is very special to
me, and so is her newborn. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to name
her Kay Diamond. Kay after you, and Diamond after the piece of
jewelry I gave you on this special Thanksgiving Day.”

Kayla crouched down in
front of Richmond, circled her arms around his neck, and leaned her
head on his shoulder. “I think Kay Diamond is the perfect name for
her.”
Mmm, I love him so much. If only he
was in love with me, too.

WITH THANKSGIVING OUT OF THE way,
Christmas and Isabelle’s birthday were quickly approaching and
Kayla’s to do list was two miles long. Going over her to do list
inside her head, Kayla stood at the wide bay window inside
Richmond’s family room, gazing out at the marsh. Gosh, she’d known
Richmond for four months now, and they’d been going strong since
the first day they’d met. He trusted her so much, he’d insisted she
plan Isabelle’s birthday party.

Isabelle wanted a party based on the
“Frozen” movie theme. Kayla had watched the movie so much with
Isabelle and CJ, she now knew the words to the songs by heart. When
she’d called Richmond earlier to ask if he was okay with the
“Frozen” theme, he’d said yes and had jumped off the phone quicker
than she could blink her eyes, making her wonder what was so urgent
to cause him to hang up so quickly. Maybe someone came inside his
office.

What a privilege it was to be able to
enjoy a view such as this one every day. A man standing inside a
boat on the marsh positioned a fishing pole over his shoulder, then
threw the line into the water. Needing some fresh air to clear her
mind about the way Richmond had been so distraught over the last
few days, Kayla pulled open the door off the deck and walked
outside.

Ever since Richmond had received that
phone call the day they went shopping for Isabelle’s birthday
present, from time to time he seemed like he had a lot on his mind.
One moment he’d be just as happy as happy could be, then the next
moment he’d seem so cold and distant.

The afternoon air bristled her face.
Birds flapped their wings over the marsh then started flying
towards the river.

“
Kayla! Kayla!” At the
sound of Richmond’s shouting voice, she whirled and darted back
inside the house. “Isabelle! Kayla! CJ!”
Oh, Lordy what’s wrong?
Heart
thumping in her throat, scared out of her mind, she scurried
towards the living room.

Reaching the staircase, she spotted
Isabelle and CJ running down the stairs. Terrified by the sound of
Richmond’s voice, she rushed inside the living room with the
children by her sides to find him grinning with a big Christmas
tree over his shoulder. “Where do you think I should put
this?”

Trying to calm her nerves, Kayla
placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart and pointed. “Put it
in front of the window.”

Isabelle and CJ excitedly jumped up
and down. Isabelle asked, “Daddy! Daddy! When is Santa
coming?”

Richmond responded in a hearty tone,
“In a few weeks. What do you want for Christmas,
Isabelle?”

Isabelle’s face brightened as she shot
her finger in the air. “A mommy!”

Richmond’s lips set in a tight,
straight line. “Why don’t you make another Christmas wish,
Pumpkin.”

Isabelle put her hands on her hips.
“How come?”

Richmond placed the tree in front of
the window, then squatted. Patting his thigh, he said, “Come here,
Pumpkin.” When Isabelle reached him, he picked her up and placed
her on his leg. “You already have a mother. She’s in Heaven.
Besides, Santa probably can’t find you another mother.”

Isabelle cupped Richmond’s cheeks and
put her forehead to his. “Can’t Ms. Kayla be my mommy?”

CJ’s low giggles filled the room.
“Isabelle said Santa Claus gon’ bring me a daddy. Mommy, do I still
have a daddy?”

Ohlordyjesus.
“Of course you still have a daddy, CJ.”
He’s just a pitiful excuse for a
daddy.

Richmond broke the silence in the
room. “All right. All right. Enough of this mommy and daddy stuff.
Ask Santa to bring you some toys or something. Anybody in the mood
for decorating the tree?” He pushed to his feet.

“
I am!” Isabelle
shrieked.

“
Me, too!” CJ
shouted.

Isabelle asked, “Daddy, can Killer
come help decorate the tree, too? I think he’s tired of living in
Mommy’s room.”

Richmond’s heartfelt chuckle bounced
off the walls inside the living room. “Of course he
can.”

Kayla ran her hand through
her hair.
Isabelle wants me to be her
mother.
Geez. Kids ask the darndest things
sometimes
. “Where are the
decorations?”

“
Outside in the truck. I
bought some new ones. I’ll be right back.”