Marrying the Millionaire (30 page)

Skating alongside Isabelle, Richmond
smiled, then skated in her direction. “I’m getting too old for
this,” he said, rolling to a stop in front of her.

“
I don’t think so. You’re
doing quite well, if you ask me.”

Draping an arm around her shoulder, he
gazed out at the children and their parents. “Everyone is having
such a fabulous time. You did a great job, Kay.”

Kayla was glad to hear he was pleased.
“Thanks.”

“
You made Isabelle one very
happy little girl. I’m done with skating. These things are killing
my feet.” Richmond sat in the chair next to the DJ’s stand and
removed the skates from his big feet.

Sandella walked up to Kayla, carrying
Logan on her hip. “Did you really plan all of this by yourself,
Kayla?”

Smiling, Kayla nodded.
“Yes.”

“
Wow. How impressive? You
did a great job.” Sandella’s eyes transferred from Kayla’s face to
the ice skating rink. More specifically, her husband. “Look at
Braylon out there; he’s having more fun than the kids.”

“
I see. I’m glad you guys
are having fun.” Kayla pinched Logan’s cute cheek, and speaking
baby talk, she said, “In just a few more years, you’ll be able to
get out there and skate.” Smiling, Logan gurgled and bubbles formed
on her lips.

Kayla’s eyes roamed over the wide tent
in search of Chelsey, but she didn’t see her. “I’ll be right back.
I need to go find Chelsey so she can help me round up the guests
and get them inside the adjoining tent so we can sing Happy
Birthday to Isabelle.”

“
Oh, I can help with that,”
Sandella offered.

Kayla’s head tilted. “Are you
sure?”

“
Girl, yes.”

“
Thanks, Sandella. Are you
always this sweet?”

“
They say I’m as sweet as
those desserts I make.” Sandella switched Logan to her other hip,
then went to gather up the guests.

Going to get the “Frozen” ice cream
cake from the freezer inside the house, Kayla hastened out of the
tent, hiked up the front porch, and flung open the front door to
the house.

Stepping into the home smelling like
warm cinnamon, Kayla’s heart flopped. Her eyes spread wider than
the marsh behind Richmond’s home.

“
Stop acting like you’ve
seen a damn ghost.” Carson stood from the sofa, then walked over to
her. “Where’s my son?”

Swallowing, Kayla closed the door
behind her, then met Carson’s gaze head on. He’d said he was coming
to visit CJ this weekend, but hell, she didn’t believe him. He’d
said it a million times before, but had never actually showed up,
so this really surprised her. “How’d you get inside the
house?”

“
Some girl named Chelsey
let me in.” Carson looked the same. Medium brown complexion, black
hair cut close to his head, round, beady eyes; other than gaining a
few pounds, he hadn’t aged much.

“
Yes, Chelsey. I’ve been
looking for her.”

Carson’s eyes roamed heatedly over
Kayla’s body, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. Licking his
bottom lip, he looked like he wanted to lick her like a lollipop.
“You sure are looking good, Kayla. No, let me correct that; you are
looking fabulous. Done lost a lot of weight, I see.”

“
Thanks. Umm. CJ is outside
in the skating rink. We’re about to sing Happy Birthday to
Isabelle. Wait right here, I’m going to get the cake.” She hurried
to the freezer and hefted the cake. When she turned around, Carson
was staring right in her face. “Excuse me,” she said, rounding him
with the cake clenched tight in her hands.

His eyes took her face in. “Kayla,
after the party is over, I want us to go somewhere and have a
serious talk.”

“
Talk about what? Whatever
talking we have to do can be done right here or over the telephone,
like we always do.”

“
Please. Just meet me
somewhere. How about you let me take you to dinner?”

“
I don’t mean to be rude,
Carson; however, I’m not going to dinner with you.”
Now or ever.
“Whatever
you want to talk about can be done right here after the party is
over or on the phone. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get this
cake outside before it melts.”

“
God, I still love you. I
should’ve never let you go. You were the best thing that ever
happened to me. I want you back, Kayla.”

Annoyed by Carson’s mere
presence, Kayla felt like someone had fisted her heart when he’d
uttered those dumb words, talking about he wanted her back. Stupid
fool. It’d be a cold day in freaking hell before she
EVER
took Carson Terrell
Crawford back!

“
Look, Carson. Let’s get
one thing straight right here and right now. I’m not interested in
you now, nor will I ever be. I’m happily dating someone right now,
and he and I are planning a future together.”

“
Oh, you are? Well, just
remember one thing…I’m CJ’s daddy.”

“
I know you’re his daddy,
Carson. I’m looking forward to you being in his life more. Thanks
for coming today.” Tempted to shove the damn cake in the idiot’s
face standing before her, she offered him a bland smile instead,
then headed outdoors.

“
Where’s your bathroom?”
Carson asked just as she stepped out the kitchen into the
foyer.

“
Down the hallway to the
right,” Kayla yelled back over her shoulder before opening the
front door.

RICHMOND HID IN THE CORNER
off the kitchen, listening to everything that jerk Carson had said
to Kay. The nerve of that bastard to show up at his home and try
and make a move on his lady. Resentment knotted his stomach for the
irresponsible asshole. Just as Carson exited the kitchen, Richmond
collided into him on purpose. The force of the bump caused Carson
to stumble back-
ward.
He done tried me.

Struggling to keep his emotions in
check, to keep from stomping on Carson’s fucking neck, Richmond’s
hands turned to fists. Giving him an affronted frown, his lips
pinched together. Certain his eyes had turned to tiny looking, evil
slits, he glared at the ugly dude in front of him.

“
Carson, right?” Richmond
asked, fully aware that it was sorry Carson standing in front of
him.
What in the hell did Kay ever see in
him?
Not that he was cocky or anything,
but he’d beat this little scrimp’s ass and wouldn’t even think
twice about it.

“
Yeah, I’m Carson. And who
are you?”

Biting his back molars,
Richmond cleared his throat. “I’m the man of the house…Richmond
Spaulding.” Carson extended his hand to Richmond’s, and all he did
was look down at it. “Normally I’d shake my guest’s hand, but
because I’m a matter of fact kind of man,
a real man
, I’m not going to shake
yours.”

Carson’s head jerked. “I can tell by
the look on your face and your tone that you have a problem with
me, man. I just came here to see my son and—”

“
And you tried to make a
move on my woman. Inside my goddamn house. I heard you. You tried
me. Disrespected my place of living. After you see CJ today, I want
you to leave and don’t ever show your face around here again. CJ
has a new daddy.” Richmond thumbed himself in the chest.
“Me.”

Carson’s face contorted as anger
flickered his eyes. He swung. Richmond caught his fist, twisted his
arm behind his back, and put him in a chokehold. Pressing his
strong grip into Carson’s Adam’s apple, Richmond spat, “Graduated
at the top of my martial arts class. Earned a black belt. Studied
the art of ass kicking in China under famous Bruce Zen. Please
think twice before fucking with me. This is a warning; you won’t
get another one.” Releasing his neck, Richmond gave Carson a hard
shove, and he plummeted to the floor.

Clutching his neck and coughing while
on his knees, Carson glanced up at him. “Gone, man. I ain’t got
nothing but re—” He couldn’t seem to stop coughing. “But respect
for you.”

Glaring down at him, Richmond took a
step forward. He snorted. “You better not breathe a word of this to
Kayla. If you do, I’m going to make your life a living hell. Just
like you did hers and CJ’s. Just like you still do hers and CJ’s.
Just so you know, don’t worry about making your child support
payments. She has me now and don’t need your money.” Richmond
turned on his heels and walked through the den. He pulled open the
sliding glass door. Without turning around to look at the scumbag,
he uttered, “By the way, don’t use my bathroom. Piss outside.” His
tone sounded cold and calculating even in his own ears, but he
didn’t give a damn. He’d lost one woman inside this house, and he’d
be damned if he lost another.

Finally, he turned his head to look at
Carson.

Cupping his neck in his hand, Carson
staggered to his feet and walked up to him. “This is so uncalled
for.”

Richmond stepped to the side so Carson
could walk around him.

Carson stepped onto the deck, glanced
back at him, and dismounted the steps. When his feet hit the
ground, he scurried toward the trees. Apparently barely making it,
he jerked his jeans down past his hips and peed in the
trees.

“
Richmond!” his father
Russell shouted, stalking inside the family. “They need you outside
under the tent. We’re about to sing Happy Birthday to Isabelle.”
Standing by his side, Russell spotted Carson pulling up his jeans.
“Who’s that?”

“
Nobody important. Kayla’s
ex-husband.”

Russell’s brows lifted. “Did he just
piss in the trees?”

“
Yes.”

“
Why on Earth would he do
something like that when there’s a restroom right in here?”
Richmond shrugged. “Please don’t tell me that the two of you had
words.”

“
Worse. I tried to choke
the shit out of him.”

Disturbed, his father’s eyes turned
darker. “I’m going to give you some advice, son, and I hope you
take it. First of all, don’t be fighting over a woman. There’s
plenty of women out there besides Kayla. And if you don’t remember
nothing I tell you, always remember this: Carson and Kayla is going
to always have a special bond because they share a child together.
Now let that sink in your skull. If he’s interested, let that man
be a part of CJ and Kayla’s life. Like it or not, CJ deserves to
know Carson.”

Observing Russell’s facial expression,
Richmond folded his arms across his chest. “How do you know his
name?”

A blank expression rushed to Russell’s
face. “Huh?”

“
You said his name was
Carson. How do you know his name?”

Russell shook his head adamantly. “I
must’ve overheard Kayla say it or something while at dinner. Hell
if I know. Maybe CJ told me.”

While growing up, Richmond’s
relationship with his father had always been an unusual, distant
one. When younger, sometimes he’d lay in his bed at night, wishing
they were closer. However, over the years, as he’d continuously
cheated on his mother too many times to count, they’d grown farther
and farther apart. Unlike his brothers Suade and Dirk, he
remembered the nights when his mother would sit by the windowsill
waiting for Russell to come home. And when he never did, she’d cry
herself to sleep.

However, although he was a lousy
husband and just an okay father, he’d always been a great
grandfather to Isabelle and a dear friend to his late wife, Salina.
With that being said, perhaps it was time for him to loosen up on
Russell and try and build a better relationship with the old man
for once and for all.

“
I’ll think about what you
said. Now let me hurry up and get back outside before Isabelle
makes her birthday wish and blows out the candles.”

Russell stayed put. “I’ll stay here
and make sure Carson don’t steal anything.”

“
Good idea, Dad.”
Dad?
He hadn’t addressed
Russell as ‘Dad’ since he was around eleven.

For the first time in a long time,
they looked at each other and smiled in earnest.

“
You haven’t called me Dad
in years,” he uttered, sniffling. “It warms my heart to hear you
say it, son.”

Richmond arrived back outdoors just in
time to capture Isabelle’s guests standing around the table singing
Happy Birthday to her. Standing between Kayla and his mother,
Isabelle’s brown cheeks glowed as she looked up at him, then back
at the blue cake in front of her. The glittering candles on the
tall “Frozen” birthday caked looked like sparkles.

Glancing around the room at
the excitement on everyone’s face, Richmond couldn’t have been more
pleased with the outcome of his Pumpkin’s fifth birthday party. And
he owed it all to Kay.
Kay’s my
woman,
he thought
,
his mind drifting back to Carson
and the way he’d had to choke him just a few moments ago.
Bet he learned a valuable lesson.

“
Time to make a wish and
blow out the candles,” Kayla said, interrupting his train of
thought about Carson.

Happier than he’d ever been, Richmond
hefted Isabelle in his arms and held her over the cake. Closing her
eyes, his precious baby girl made a wish, then blew out the
candles. Applause erupted in his ears. “Did you make a wish,
Pumpkin?”