by Lisa Jackson
“I’ve tried that,” he reminded her, irritated by her thoughtless response.
Martinique grabbed his hand. “Kendrick, listen to me. You have got to get up, clean yourself up and go after her. I don’t care what her parents say, you have got to give it all you’ve got and you can’t stop. You got to make them understand that no matter what they say, she’s going to be your wife.”
Kendrick reared back at Martinique’s take-charge approach. He found it surprising that she was championing the very woman whom she had considered competition a few months ago.
“It can’t be that easy.”
“Have you ever tried?” she asked, sipping her water. “What happened to the driven Kendrick Thompson that I knew?”
Kendrick shrugged. “I guess he got old.”
“Whatever!” Martinique huffed. “He’s in there and it’s up to you to revive him. Pull out that Steeler spirit if you have to.”
Kendrick smiled. “You think it will work?”
She nodded emphatically. “Hell, yeah. Besides, women like that kind of stuff. It lets us know you really care.”
His expression softened. “Thanks, Martinique.”
She shook her head. “No problem. I just need you to take care of your bride so that I can finish doing my job.” She stood up and kissed him on the forehead. “I’m envious of Kaycee.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because she has a good man,” she said and patted his shoulder.
“Thanks, Martinique,” he called behind her.
As soon as she left, the first thing he did was get on the cell phone and call his barber. Martinique was right. He’d come this far and he wasn’t about to let his future slip through his hands so easily.
The doorbell rang incessantly.
Kaycee, who was upstairs watching television, glanced at the clock on the nightstand and wondered who could be coming by at eight o’clock at night. She quickly dismissed it as one of her brothers coming by to see her parents and lay back down on the bed.
The bell rang again just as Katherine reached for the knob.
She was surprised to find Kendrick standing there again.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I want my wife!” he told her firmly.
“She is not your wife,” Katherine dryly replied.
“She will be,” he replied. “May I come in?”
Katherine paused for a moment and realized she didn’t want a repeat of his last visit with him yelling through the door, especially not at this hour. Reluctantly, she undid the screen door and let him pass through.
“Thank you, Katherine,” he said gratefully.
Katherine led him into the living room where he took a seat.
“Who’s at the door, Kat?” Russell called from the family room in the back.
“I think you need to come out and see!” she replied.
The second Russell rounded the corner, his eyes narrowed in response. “What are you doing here?” he bellowed.
Kendrick stood up. “Wait, Russell, let’s talk like men.”
“I don’t want to hear a damn thing you have to say!” Russell replied. “Now get out of my house.”
“Russell, I’ve lived with the guilt of Vickie’s death for years because I believed it was my fault. I wish I could take it all back, but I can’t. I begged her not to come to Alabama, but you know how stubborn she was. She was determined.”
“Why didn’t you try to call us?”
“Russell, I was away in Alabama, the only way I could call her was by pay phone. If I’d known things would turn out that way, I would have called.”
By now Kaycee had recognized Kendrick’s voice and had rushed downstairs. Almost immediately, she could smell his presence. His aftershave was a pleasant memory. Her heart ached to hold him, but she knew that the conversation taking place had to be over before she could talk to him. She sat on the steps to listen.
“You killed my sister,” Russell accused him. “First you hurt her then you killed her.”
“Look man, I’m sorry that I got involved with her. I really am, but I can’t change that. All I can do is do right by Kaycee.”
“Over my dead body!”
“Russell!” Katherine shouted.
“Man, do you honestly believe that I would give my blessing to you after what happened?”
Kendrick nodded.
Russell laughed, smacking his knee. “Man, you are crazy.”
“I am,” Kendrick replied. “If crazy means coming this far for the woman I love, then I’m crazy.”
“Kendrick, why Kaycee?” Katherine asked warily. “She’s young enough to be your daughter. Why not marry a woman your own age?”
“Katherine, when my wife died seven years ago, I thought I was done with relationships. I didn’t think my heart could love anyone on that level again, but then I met Kaycee. She’s charming, beautiful and intelligent. We connected right away, like we’d known each other forever.
“I realized she was younger than me and believe me, I tried to keep my distance, but every day signs kept popping up telling me that we were supposed to be together.”
“I don’t want to hear this!” Russell boomed and turned his back.
“Please, hear me out,” Kendrick pleaded.
Katherine nodded for him to continue.
“Kaycee is an exceptional woman. When she came to work with me at my restaurant, she came with a lot of fresh ideas that I wasn’t even open to at first, but that is how she is. She can turn the heart of her greatest challenger and her love is pure. She doesn’t try to push her opinions on others, she doesn’t place stipulations on you, she just loves unconditionally and that’s how she won my heart.”
The room was quiet. When neither of the two responded, Kendrick took that as his cue to continue.
“I asked Kaycee to marry me because I love her. I would prefer that I have your blessing before we get married, but know that I don’t intend to drag things out. She is a good woman and she deserves a proper wedding.”
By this time the tears were flowing down Kaycee’s face. He’d come for her, and he was willing to stand up against her parents to get their blessing. Her heart filled with joy.
Russell’s shoulders heaved and tears fell down his face. Katherine gently rubbed his back.
“Kendrick, thank you for telling us how you feel about our daughter. We already know how special she is and apparently she feels the same way about you. Knowing this, what kind of people would we be if we stood in the way of your love?”
He sighed with relief that the wall of resistance had come down. Clasping his hands in a prayerful gesture he lowered his head.
“Can you please, please tell me where I can find your daughter?”
“All you have to do is turn around,” Katherine calmly replied.
Quickly, Kendrick did an about-face to find Kaycee standing there crying silently. Slowly he approached her and raised his hand to her face to wipe away her tears with his fingertip. Smoothing his palms down her arms he caught her hands in his own where he weaved his fingers through hers.
“I missed you,” he whispered.
“I missed you, too.”
He stood back and opened his arms, inviting her back into his world and she stepped into his strong embrace, knowing that she would never walk out again.
“I love you, Kaycee,” he whispered to her, moving his lips against hers. “I won’t stop, can’t stop loving you.”
Epilogue
The six-bedroom house was located on ten acres of land about an hour outside of the city. Kaycee and Kendrick fell in love with the sprawling property immediately. It was perfect. In addition to the house, there was a guest house out back, a barn and a corral that Kendrick planned to fill with cows, chickens and horses respectively.
It was truly a fairy tale come true for Kaycee. Who would believe that just two years ago, she was putting up with crap at Carrington Financial and now she would be shoveling it on her own
property! However, she loved every bit of her new life.
From the master bedroom upstairs, she could see several cars lining the long driveway. The guests were arriving for the combined housewarming and homecoming taking place downstairs. She smiled back at her husband who was adjusting his clothes.
“Looks like everyone is here,” she announced.
He walked up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist and began to nibble playfully on her neck.
“How much longer do we have?” he asked.
“Just another week,” she informed him.
“I don’t know if I can wait that long,” he informed her.
“Truth be told, I’m not sure if I can, either,” she replied, turning around to kiss him. Kendrick’s hands skimmed up her hips and onto her full breasts when a soft knock on the door interrupted them.
“Yes!” Kaycee called out.
“Kaycee, everyone is here,” her mother announced.
Hand in hand, the Thompsons exited their suite. Waiting in the hallway were Katherine and Russell with two bundles in their hands.
“Thanks, Mom, thanks, Dad,” Kaycee said kissing them both as she took one and Kendrick the other. They exchanged hugs.
“Katherine, Russell, I’m very happy that you could make it,” Kendrick announced, hugging them both.
It took awhile for Russell to come around, but he eventually did. He realized he wasn’t right and asked Kendrick to forgive him. Not only because it was the right thing to do but also because of Kaycee. It was important to him to restore their relationship. He was not only hurt about the situation with his sister, but he had to admit that he was afraid of losing his daughter to another man.
The four of them descended the stairs and went into the massive family room where all of their family and friends were located.
“Welcome to our new home!” Kaycee exclaimed. “And now for the grand finale.”
At the same time, she and Kendrick removed the covering over the bundles they were holding to reveal two small babies.
“Everyone, say hi to our sons Kaydon Richard and Kuyler Russell.”
Oohs and aahs filled the room, making Kaycee smile with joy. Bianca muscled her way to the front like a bratty four-year-old. Although she had seen the babies at the hospital when Kaycee gave birth, she was determined to see her baby brothers again.
“They look just like me!” she shouted over her shoulder.
Everyone laughed.
Kaycee knew the reality of her being Bianca’s stepmother was hard for Kendrick’s daughter to swallow, but the two had promised to take things day by day.
Kaycee looked up at Kendrick beaming with pride and joy. She beckoned for him to draw nearer and when he did, she kissed him sweetly.
“I love you so much!”
“I love you,” he added.
For the first time since she had launched out to find herself, Kaycee felt she could say that she had finally found what she was looking for.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0137-2
CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
Copyright © 2007 by Lisa Harrison Jackson
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