No Other Lover Will Do (27 page)

“You need to go back to her,” Alicia said. “Come on, Serena.”

Serena turned to Solomon and offered him a faint smile. “Thank you for protecting our girl.” She gave him a sisterly hug, then she and Alicia got into their cars and headed home.

Solomon walked into the house and found Kandace curled up on the sofa asleep. She moaned softly as if she was having a nightmare or reliving the real life nightmare that happened to them moments earlier. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. “Kandace.”

She jerked awake and uttered a quiet scream as Solomon pulled her into his arms. “The blood,” she muttered. “I keep seeing all of the blood.”

“Baby, it's all right. It's over and no one will ever hurt you again,” he said as Kandace clung tightly to him. “Let's get you to bed. Do you want to take a shower first?”

She shook her head. “I just need you to hold me,” she said as she rose to her feet. Her eyes zeroed in on the bloodstain on Solomon's shirt. “Don't you think you should have your shoulder looked at?”

“It's not bad. Besides, I'm more concerned about you, Kandace. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. But it is over,” he reassured her again. “I will never let anything or anyone else hurt you.”

As they headed up to the bedroom, Kandace felt safer. And when she got into bed and Solomon wrapped his arms around her, she felt secure.

For the next three days, the media descended on Kandace and Solomon with a relentless force. After the local stations revealed that Solomon Crawford was at the scene of Carmen's murder, the New York reporters came to Charlotte and camped out. And after the media discovered that Maurice Goings was the brother-in-law of one of the restaurant's owners, the frenzy intensified.

Luckily, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police ruled that Kandace was justified in killing Carmen, which put an end to all the legal questions surrounding Carmen's death and the restaurant was free to open. Police also linked Carmen to the death of Dr. Hovis Clarke and the murder of the housekeeper at Carolina Serenity. With each detail of what a monster Carmen was, Kandace's blood just ran cold.

Solomon walked in to the living room as Kandace was watching CNN reporters refer to his connection to Carmen's murder spree. He took the remote from the table and shut the TV off. “You need to get out of town,” he said.

“What?”

“I think you need another vacation,” Solomon said.

Kandace shook her head. “A vacation started all of this,” she reminded him.

Solomon cocked his head to the side and frowned at her. Kandace covered her face. “You know what I meant,” she said. “When is this going to be over? We released a statement and those damned reporters are still digging. What more do they want?”

“Unfortunately, this is a sexy story,” Solomon said as he sat on the sofa beside Kandace and pulled her into his arms. “It'll go away as soon as something else happens. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will knock this out of the headlines.”

“Damn, I forgot all about Thanksgiving,” she said. “This year we were supposed to have a dinner for the homeless and then we all were going to have a big dinner with everyone.”

“Where?” he asked, looking around Kandace's small home.

“At the restaurant. But now, I'm not sure.”

“Why not? I know it's hard right now, but you can't stay away from your dream because of what Carmen did. She was a sick woman and I'm sorry that she ever hurt you,” Solomon said. “But you can't let her overshadow all your good memories and what you've worked for.”

Kandace sighed. “You're right. Believe it or not, they used to have to pry me out of the restaurant.”

“And you haven't been back since this happened.”

“How can I? Every time I think about that place, I see Raymond and Carmen.”

Solomon stroked her cheek gently. “Then you need new memories there. Think about how much good you are going to do for the less fortunate. And I'll help you guys in anyway I can. I'll even be nice to your chef for a day.”

A small smile touched her lips and she patted Solomon on his knee. “How's your shoulder.”

“Fine,” he said. “At my appointment this morning the doctor said I should be ready for rehab next week.”

Kandace ran her hand across her face and leaned against Solomon's strong chest. “Will you go to the restaurant with me today?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said. “Anything you need.”

“Right now,” she said as she held tight to his arm, “I need you to hold me.”

“Always, baby,” Solomon said as he kissed her on the forehead.

A few hours later, Kandace and Solomon headed to Hometown Delights and much to their dismay, the press was waiting outside for them.

“Mr. Crawford, Mr. Crawford,” one of the reporters called out as he and his colleagues ran up to Solomon and Kandace. “How did you find out that Carmen De La Croix was living under an assumed identity?”

“Were you two lovers?” a female reporter yelled out as Solomon opened the door to the restaurant and ushered Kandace inside.

Kandace froze at the door. “This was a mistake,” she said as she turned to exit the restaurant, but Solomon stopped her.

“Either face this or a bunch of reporters. You're stronger than this. I know you are.”

Kandace took a deep breath and walked forward. This was her restaurant. She and her friends had worked too hard, jumped through too many hoops to build this place and make it a success. She couldn't let Carmen rob her of that.

“Kandace?” Jade said as she appeared from behind the bar. “I'm glad you're here.”

“Hi,” Kandace said.

Jade rushed over to her and hugged her friend tightly. “I would've come by sooner, but Jaden is just getting better,” she said, then turned to Solomon and gave him a hug. “Thanks for getting her here.”

“How's the baby doing?” he asked as the trio walked over to the bar.

“All better and acting like his father. I had to sneak out of the house while they were both asleep,” Jade said as she pulled out three coffee cups. Kandace looked around the restaurant hoping that she wouldn't see Carmen's face or Raymond's dead body. Every shadow made her shiver. Then she felt Solomon's hand on her knee.

“You all right?” he asked.

Kandace smiled. “I'm getting there.”

Jade smiled at them. “The police finally cleared this place as a crime scene and Devon's been working hard on the dinner. I stole some corn bread.” Jade lifted a small aluminum pan from underneath the bar.

“He's going to get you,” Kandace said as she took a square of bread from the pan. Solomon took a piece of bread as well and as much as he didn't want to like it, it was delicious.

“I was thinking,” Jade said after she polished off a second piece of corn bread. “After Thanksgiving, we should have Antonio redo this place.”

Kandace nodded. “I like that idea.”

“Good, then you can tell Serena,” Jade said, then took a long sip of coffee.

“Tell me what?” Serena asked as she walked into the restaurant. “And I want you all to know that I got rid of those reporters.”

“Good job,” Solomon said. “Somebody named Antonio is going to redecorate the restaurant.”

Jade and Kandace looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. He shrugged, not knowing what the big deal was.

“What?!” Serena shrieked. “Have you all lost your damned minds? There are more contractors in Charlotte than Antonio Billups.”

Kandace crossed over to her friend and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “Why don't you just calm down. You can't deny that Antonio did a great job with this place the first time,” she said.

“Oh, shut up,” Serena said. “I know what you two are doing and I don't like it. Antonio doesn't want me and I'm sick of his mixed signals. Besides, who's going to pay for this renovation?”

“I will,” Solomon said.

Everyone looked at him. “We can't allow you to do that,” Serena said. “We've paid for everything in this restaurant and we're not…”

“Serena, I'm paying for it,” Solomon said with finality.

“And what? You get a stake in our restaurant?” Serena asked.

He furrowed his brows. “No, you just stay away from my chef in the mountains,” he said.

“What?” Jade asked.

“Nothing,” Kandace said. “Solomon, this is too much.”

“Nothing is too much for you,” he said.

“My God,” Serena groaned. “You two are getting just as sickening as Jade and James.”

Kandace rolled her eyes at her friend and sauntered over to Solomon and planted a huge kiss on his lips. “Thank you,” she said.

He winked at her and took another piece of corn bread. “You can really thank me later,” he said.

“So,” Serena said, “are we opening today or what?”

Jade looked at Kandace. “What do you think?” she asked.

Kandace sighed and looked thoughtfully at Solomon. He stroked her cheek and smiled. “You can do this,” he whispered.

“All right, let's do this. Otherwise Solomon might change his mind about paying for the redesign,” she said jokingly.

“I hope he does,” Serena muttered as she walked over to the bar and swiped Kandace's coffee cup and a piece of corn bread.

T
HANKSGIVING
D
AY

Solomon couldn't remember the last time he shared such an enjoyable Thanksgiving meal, despite the fact that his blood relatives weren't around the table and everyone sitting there was tired from serving over three hundred homeless families. Solomon was shocked that Maurice Goings and many of his Carolina Panthers teammates showed up and worked hard to feed the people. He'd kept looking for reporters to show up, but they hadn't. Maurice had told Solomon that he knew things were still raw for Kandace and he hadn't wanted to ruin her Thanksgiving plans by not showing up and helping out. Solomon knew he'd be cheering for the Panthers from now on as long as they weren't playing his beloved Eagles. Solomon had even buried the hatchet with Devon Harris. He totally understood why the guy was hung up on Kandace. She was the most beautiful woman in the world and if he'd allowed her to slip through his fingers, Solomon knew he'd want her back too. It was too late though, because Kandace Davis had done the impossible—she'd opened his heart to love. She'd erased the memories of the wedding that had fallen apart years ago. She'd replaced the faceless and nameless women he'd wasted so much time with. Solomon glanced at Kandace as she poured ice tea for everybody.

“I'm sorry,” Homer said. “Is this Long Island ice tea? After all that work we did, we need some alcohol up in here.”

“That's the last thing you need,” James Goings said as he rocked his sleeping son. “Besides, Kenya and Jade can't drink.”

“So,” Serena said as she stood up and headed for the bar, “what's your pleasure, guys?”

“Can you pour yourself into a glass?” cornerback Davis Simmons called out.

Maurice kicked him under the table and shook his head at him, saying, “She will hurt you.”

“I want her to,” Davis said.

“No you don't,” Jade said as she placed a basket of fresh corn bread in the center of the table. “Just let it go.”

Davis stood up and followed Serena in to the bar area. Alicia shook her head. “He'll be back in five.”

“Four,” Jade said.

“Three,” Kandace said with a laugh.

“Damn,” the group heard Davis exclaim after hearing a loud smack.

“I tried to warn him,” Jade said.

“Defensive players don't listen,” Maurice said. “Hell, he should've known if Homer wasn't hitting on her that she wasn't to be messed with.”

“Why don't you take your daughter and change her?” Kenya said as she placed two trays of clam dressing on the table.

“Come on, Robi,” Maurice said as he lifted the little girl from her carrier seat and took her to the bathroom to change her.

“It isn't lost on any of us that we're serving and you guys are just sitting here,” Alicia said, then she took her seat. “I'm done.”

“Me too,” Kandace said as she sat down beside Solomon and pinched his thigh. “Get to work, baby.”

Davis slunk back to the dining room holding his jaw as the guys stood up and headed for the kitchen. James handed Jaden to Jade after she sat down, then he kissed her cheek. “We'll be back with the turkey,” he said.

As Solomon walked in to the kitchen, James grabbed him by his good shoulder. “Welcome to this crazy family,” he said.

“You know what,” Solomon said as he reached into his jeans pocket, “I'm ready to make it official.” He flashed James the four-and-a-half carat, emerald-cut diamond ring.

“Damn, that's blinding. You know, we're really going to hate you,” James said as he held the ring up. “The rest of those women are going to expect us to step up now.”

Solomon took his ring back and laughed. “Hey, my lady deserves the best. Besides, I'm going to have to knock her up to keep up with you and your brother.”

“That's the easy part,” James said as he took the turkey from the island and Solomon grabbed a pan of macaroni and cheese.

The men headed back to the dining room with the final parts of dinner and placed them on the table. Solomon was happy to see that Serena had brought a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and two bottles of ginger ale for the mothers.

“Are we ready to eat now?” Jade asked as she slipped Jaden into his carrier seat.

“Just a minute,” Solomon said, eliciting groans from Homer, Serena, and Davis. “I won't take up a lot of time, I swear.” He took Kandace's hand in his and kissed it. “I can't remember the last time that I celebrated Thanksgiving like this. Most people would think that I have a lot to be thankful for because of my business success, money, and stunning good looks.”

Maurice tossed a piece of corn bread at him. “Man, get to the damned point.”

“The point is,” Solomon said as he swatted the flying bread, “Kandace, I love you. I never thought that I would meet someone like you who challenged me, forced me to be real with her, and opened my world up to what a real love is, and I want to keep this feeling going for the rest of my life.”

Tears welled up in Kandace's eyes and she stood up to face Solomon. “Solomon,” she murmured, “I love you too.”

Jade leaned her head on James's shoulder and fought back her own tears. Kenya beamed and squeezed Maurice's hand. Alicia watched Solomon and Kandace with her elbows perched on the table. Serena just looked disinterested as she sipped her vodka sour.

“Kandace,” Solomon said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the engagement ring. “Will you marry me?”

She looked down at the large stone and took in a sharp breath. “Solomon,” she said as tears poured down her cheeks.

“I need an answer, babe,” he said as he took her left hand in his.

“Yes, yes, I'll marry you,” she said as he slipped the ring on her finger. Solomon hugged her tightly, then kissed her as if they were the only two in the room. Everyone at the table broke into applause, even Serena, who quickly wiped a stray tear from her eye.

“I love you so much,” he said as he let her go.

Kandace smiled brightly at her fiancé and stroked his cheek. “I hope you're ready for all this,” she said. “We're crazy all the time, not just during the holidays.”

“It doesn't matter, because I'm crazy in love with you,” he said.