Can't Let Her Go

PRAISE FOR CAN’T RESIST HER “Heat sizzles between these two . . . Anyone looking for inclusive romance should check out this breezy contemporary.” —Publishers Weekly “This is a romance novel in which the plot outside of the relationship is also compelling, and that makes this book stand out.” —Library Journal “Kianna Alexander writes an amazing story about two very determined women—in love, at odds, and risking a lot on a second chance.” —Essence OTHER TITLES BY KIANNA ALEXANDER Stand-Alone Can’t Resist Her Carolina Built The Object of His Obsession The Wedding Secret Passionate Protectors Enticed Enchanted Enraptured Queen City Gents Lush Life Embraceable You Moonglow Stardust Sapphire Shores A Love Like This Love for All Time Forever with You Then Came You 404 Sound After Hours Redemption After Hours Attraction After Hours Temptation What Happens After Hours After Hours Agenda Millionaire Moguls A San Diego Romance The Southern Gentlemen Back to Your Love Couldn’t Ask for More Never Let Me Go The Roses of Ridgeway Kissing the Captain The Preacher’s Paramour Loving the Lawman The Roses of Ridgeway: The Complete Collection Electing to Love PHOENIX Files Darkness Rising Embrace the Night Midnight’s Serenade The Phoenix Files Trilogy Love’s Holiday Climax Creek A Passion for Paulina Seducing Sheri Vying for Vivian Adoring Ava Persuading Patrice Love and Life in Climax Creek: Volume One This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Otherwise, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Text copyright © 2023 by Eboni Manning All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542038454 (paperback) ISBN-13: 9781542038447 (digital) Front cover design by Faceout Studio, Molly von Borstel Back cover design by Faceout Studio, Amanda Kreutzer Cover illustration by Louisa Cannell For the girls, gays, and theys . . . For the culture . . . For the past, the present, and the future. Love is love, and love wins. ALWAYS. CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY EPILOGUE ABOUT THE AUTHOR CHAPTER ONE “You’re all set, Trey.” With one hand on the snap closure of the black vinyl cape, Patricia “Peaches” Monroe opened it, pulling the cape away from her client’s shoulders with her signature flourish. Trey ran a hand over his head while checking out his reflection in the mirror mounted over her station. An approving smile on his face, he said, “You really hooked me up, Peaches.” “Like always, bro.” After giving the cape a quick shake, she hung it on the hook near her mirror. “You know ol’ Peaches gonna get that hairline right and tight.” The interior of Fresh Cutz Fine Grooming was bustling with activity, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’d built the shop from the ground up, carefully overseeing every detail. She’d chosen the gray and cream paint on the walls, the sleek black textured-vinyl chairs with antiqued bronze finishing on the hydraulic base, and the black Formica countertops flecked with gold at each of the six barber stations. This place had existed in her mind long before it had in reality, and she loved to see it come alive each morning. Trey reached for his wallet and handed over a few bills. “Keep the change, homie. You earned it.” “Thanks, Trey. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” She slipped the money into the front pocket of her black-and-gold apron and waved to him as he left. After taking a rag from the sanitizer, she wiped her chair down, well aware of the cacophony around her. The buzz of clippers, the sports commentary blaring from the wall-mounted television, and the murmur of several conversations in progress were the background music for her task. The only places that came close to matching the noise level were the mall food court and the living room at her brother’s house when her three nieces were hopped up on sugar—usually provided by her. Once she’d allowed the sanitizer to dry a bit, she sat down in the chair, relishing being off her feet. She glanced at the two empty stations, where Zachariah “Stax” Stackman and Clyde, her part-time barbers, worked their shifts on Fridays and Saturdays. With today being a typical Wednesday, she was fully staffed with three other barbers and her shampooer slash receptionist. Hell, the only reason I’m here today is for my regulars who won’t let anyone else on staff cut their hair. Alonzo, her manager and the most experienced barber on her staff, called out to her from his station across from hers. “Yo, boss lady. You tired already?” His black slacks, apron, and charcoal-colored button-down covered a tall, slender frame. He had a salt-and-pepper afro, twinkling eyes, and a ready smile. She chuckled, grasping the end of the plastic pick she’d stuck in her blond-tipped curls earlier. After running it through to the ends of her hair, she replaced it. “No need to be on my feet right now, so I’m taking a load off.” “Trey was the last client on your schedule today, right?” That question came from Kev, one of her newer barbers. His long dreadlocks were wound into a bun atop his head, and he wore black jeans and a long-sleeved navy T-shirt under his apron. Working the clippers over his client’s nape, he added, “It’s not even lunch and you’re done for the day.” Looking between them, she said, “Yeah, I’m probably not gonna stay too much longer.