Sweet Southern Nights
Sweet Southern Nights
Rochelle Alers
An Eaton too hot to deny The Kentucky clinic where Dr. Levi Eaton is volunteering is worlds away from his wealthy Pennsylvania roots. Still, the South has plenty of attractions—like his colleague’s captivating sister. Angela Chase is sexy, charming, and looking for fun, not commitment. That combination suits Levi just fine, until he begins to appreciate what lies beneath her Southern belle façade.Her fiancé’s betrayal destroyed Angela’s faith in men—and inspired a double life that would shock her prominent family. Hiding her true self from a man as charismatic as Levi isn’t so easy, and for once, she isn’t sure she wants to try. But without the courage to trust him with her secrets, their sultry Southern nights may soon be just a haunting memory…
An Eaton too hot to deny
The Kentucky clinic where Dr. Levi Eaton is volunteering is worlds away from his wealthy Pennsylvania roots. Still, the South has plenty of attractions—like his colleague’s captivating sister. Angela Chase is sexy, charming and looking for fun, not commitment. That combination suits Levi just fine, until he begins to appreciate what lies beneath her Southern belle facade.
Her fiancé’s betrayal destroyed Angela’s faith in men—and inspired a double life that would surprise her prominent family. Hiding her true self from a man as charismatic as Levi isn’t so easy, and for once, she isn’t sure she wants to try. But without the courage to trust him with her secrets, their sultry Southern nights may soon be just a haunting memory….
Angela’s eyes dropped
before Levi’s steady gaze.
She forced a smile. “You’re right.”
Cradling her face, Levi stared deeply into her eyes. “I can’t begin to presume to know what you’ve gone through, but I’m willing to help you get through this, Angela. I’m not your brothers or your father, so Robert Gaskin will be unprepared to deal with me running interference. Do you trust me?” he asked softly.
The word trust was like gall in Angela’s mouth. She’d trusted Robert and he’d deceived her. She’d trusted Savannah, and she also had deceived her. The only people she trusted were family members and now Levi was asking her to trust him. “Do I have a choice?”
He brushed a kiss over her parted lips. “No, you don’t. What I’m not going to do is lie to you. I like you. You’re pretty, intelligent, and you’re not snobby or uptight even though—”
“I’m an SB.”
“What’s an SB?” he asked.
“Southern belle.”
Smiling, Levi kissed her again, this one very different from the others they’d shared. His kiss was slow, surprisingly gentle and coaxing. It ended seconds later, leaving her mouth burning and wanting more.
ROCHELLE ALERS
has been hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today’s most prolific and popular African American authors of romance and women’s fiction.
With more than sixty titles and nearly two million copies of her novels in print, Ms. Alers is a regular on the Waldenbooks, Borders and Essence bestseller lists, regularly chosen by Black Expressions Book Club, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Emma Award, the Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.
She is a member of the Iota Theta Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and her interests include gourmet cooking and traveling. A full-time writer, Ms. Alers lives in a charming hamlet on Long Island.
Sweet Southern Nights
Rochelle Alers
Dear Reader,
Riddle: What do you get when the heroine is secretly a romance novelist?
Answer: Sweet Southern Nights.
There is a very good reason why Angela Chase—aka Angelina Courtland—believes in happily ever after for everyone but herself; however, that’s before she meets Dr. Levi Eaton. The question is, can the sexy pediatrician turn the serial dater into a real-life heroine worthy of her own happy ending?
Kentucky is the setting for Sweet Southern Nights, so put your feet up, grab a mint julep, rub shoulders with folks who think basketball is a religion and consider the first Saturday in May a holiday. Also look out for my next Eaton book, when Crystal Eaton finds herself involved with Joseph Cole-Wilson. This title promises drama and passion as two prominent families plan to add another branch onto their family tree.
Read, live and love romance.
Rochelle Alers
Contents
Chapter 1 (#u374b4033-b6e5-5dc1-9801-dadddfb4cd61)
Chapter 2 (#u23beb17f-58e4-5877-9d5d-36486eede8d4)
Chapter 3 (#u0db7b5ba-2e22-59ee-a10b-5b5d9eec971d)
Chapter 4 (#u725e0f14-5808-522d-9ba8-d7417e8174f2)
Chapter 5 (#u3ac1815d-c61e-5e28-a437-917d6d82685b)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1
“Levi, do you have anything planned for Sunday afternoon?”
Leaning back in his chair in the bar of the dimly lit restaurant, Levi Eaton stared at the foam-filled mug of draft beer. It was Friday night in the small Kentucky town less than half an hour from Louisville, and there wasn’t much else to do but hang out with the three men he’d come to regard as friends. He ordered a second round for everyone at the table even though he knew he should’ve gone home after the first.
He was scheduled to see patients the following day and needed to be alert, especially when dealing with infants and toddlers, many of whom needed booster shots and vaccinations. Unfortunately, in the rural community where Levi practiced medicine, insuring a child’s health was secondary to keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table for most families.
It had taken almost four months, but Dr. Duncan Chase had helped Levi make the transition from big-city doctor to small-town practitioner. In fact, the town of Maywood Junction was so small the school was one building connected by breezeways separating the kindergarten from the grade school, and the middle school from the high school.
Duncan Chase, an oncologist, had been involved in a national research study on the effects of the workplace on cancer-related illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control data revealed industrial-related cancers were unusually high in several Kentucky communities like Maywood Junction. And Duncan had received a federal grant to open a clinic there. Additional funding from the state had allowed him to add a staff of part-time doctors, including a pediatrician, an ob-gyn and a dentist. Duncan’s friend Levi had moved from New York to Kentucky to volunteer as the local pediatrician.
“What do you have in mind?” Levi asked.
Duncan Chase sipped the head of foam off his beer, and took a large gulp as he stared at Levi over the rim of his glass. “I’d like you to escort my sister to a family wedding.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the two other men at their table pushed back their chairs and stood up to leave.
“This is where I bid you gentlemen good night,” said Patrick Demorest, the dentist at the Maywood Medical Clinic. He dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “That should cover the tip.”
“Pat’s driving, so I’m outta here, too,” announced his twin brother, Andrew Demorest.
Levi sat up straight, staring as they quickly retreated. “Do they know something I should know?” There was a pause as Duncan stared into his mug. “What’s wrong with your sister?” Levi asked, shouting in order to be heard over the applause once the house band returned to the stage for a second set.
Lines fanned out around Duncan Chase’s large, dark brown eyes when he smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with her.”
Levi’s eyes narrowed. “If that’s the case, then why did Andy and Pat run out of here as if the hounds of hell were after them?”
Duncan glanced up, but didn’t meet Levi Eaton’s questioning gaze. “They have issues when it comes to Angela.”
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked again.
“Nothing, except…”
“Except what, Duncan?”
“Pat went out with Angela a couple of times and…”
“And what happened?” Levi asked when Duncan’s voice trailed off.
Duncan stared directly at Levi. He didn’t want to ruin his relationship with his colleague by asking him to escort his sister to a family wedding, but his mother had pressured him to find a date for Angela to avoid a possibly embarrassing situation. “Pat wanted more, and Angela didn’t.”
Levi gave Duncan a long stare. “Did more have anything to do with commitment?” He didn’t know why, but he felt like a police interrogator.
Duncan nodded. “Yes.” He held up a hand. “And before you ask, she does like men. She’s just not interested in becoming that involved.”
Levi took another swallow of his ice-cold beer. He was four months into his six-month commitment, providing care in the underserved community. His cousin, Dr. Mia Eaton-Chandler, had decided to practice medicine in West Virginia, but he’d decided his skills as a physician were better suited to a mining town in northwest Kentucky.
Duncan’s request reminded Levi that since he’d arrived in Kentucky, he’d only been on one date. Levi had been honest with the woman, telling her upfront that he couldn’t commit to a relationship since he planned to return to New York in a few months. Since she wanted marriage and children, they decided to part amicably.
He was scheduled to work from nine until two the next day, and his Saturday afternoons were usually spent picking up dry cleaning and shopping for groceries for the week. He saw patients on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and spent Sundays watching sports. He’d always been a fan of baseball and basketball. But since moving to Kentucky, he’d added football, tennis, golf and NASCAR. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he’d become a sports junkie.
“Where’s the wedding?”
Duncan carefully concealed a smile as he brought the mug to his lips. “Louisville,” he drawled, taking another swallow.
“I’ll think about it,” Levi replied.
Lowering the sudsy mug, Duncan set it on the scarred oak table. “How long do you intend to think about it, Levi? The wedding is in two days.”
Levi gave him a pointed look. He and Duncan Chase were the same age—thirty-six—but Duncan’s hair was prematurely gray. Despite that, Duncan was still one of Louisville’s most eligible bachelors. Tall, slender with masculine features in a tawny-brown face, his large, deep-set, gold-flecked brown eyes were his most arresting feature.
“I’ll let you know after I talk to your sister.”
“What’s there to talk about, Levi?”
He leaned across the small table. “Is she aware that you’re trying to set her up with a date?”
Duncan averted his gaze. “Not really.”
Levi smiled for the first time, angular lines creasing his lean jaw. “That’s what I thought.” He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket, took out his cell phone and handed it to Duncan. “Give me her phone number. I’ll call her and then I’ll let you know tomorrow if I’ll be her escort.” Although he hadn’t had an active social life since leaving New York, he also didn’t want to waste his day off spending time with a woman who was totally incompatible.
Duncan took the BlackBerry and added his sister’s name and number to Levi’s contacts. “When are you going to call her?”
“Tonight,” he said. Levi glanced at his watch. “Sorry, but it’s about time I leave so I can call her before it gets too late.” He retrieved his phone, reached into the pocket of his slacks and dropped a few more bills on the table. “Enjoy the music.” He stood and walked out of the restaurant.
The parking lot was quickly filling up with couples who’d come to The Rook for dinner, music and line dancing. He signaled to a driver in a late-model pickup that he was pulling out and could have his parking space. It was only nine-thirty—early enough for Friday date nights, but a little late for Levi. Even though his first appointment was at nine, he always arrived at least an hour early to go over patient charts.
Heading straight for his off-white BMW four-door sedan with NYMD vanity plates, he opened the door and slid in behind the wheel. He’d purchased the car a year ago and it still had that new-car smell. It had been years since he’d bought a new car, and Levi had taken a long time deciding whether he wanted another racy sports model or something different. For years he’d driven a two-seater Mercedes-Benz, but now that he was older he felt it was time to change his image. He was still a bachelor, but a bit more serious. Now, dating had taken a backseat to practicing medicine.
For whatever reason, Levi always felt more like a Philadelphian because of his family’s roots. Whenever he returned home for family reunions, or to celebrate a wedding, christening or a milestone birthday, it felt more like a homecoming, even though he now lived in a two-bedroom condominium in Mamaroneck, New York.
His younger brothers, who were married with children, constantly teased him about being marriage shy. But what they didn’t understand was that when it came to women, he’d always been very discriminating. He had a mental checklist, and intelligence and patience were his top priorities. Levi wanted someone who he could talk to, a relationship that went beyond sexual attraction. And patience was a necessity since doctor’s hours were never nine to five.
He wanted to get married and start a family, yet Levi knew he couldn’t begin that chapter of his life until he completed his obligations in Kentucky.
Angela Chase clicked on the print icon and watched the pages slide out into the paper tray. A slow smile tilted the corners of her mouth. She’d managed to complete ten pages of her latest novel in three hours. It was one of her better writing days. All she needed was another five thousand more words to finish the manuscript.
Lately the scenes and dialogue had been slow in coming. It wasn’t that she had writer’s block, but her characters seemed to have stopped talking to her. Before starting any new manuscript, Angela went through a carefully planned routine of setting up the plot, then reworking it until she could visualize every scene as if viewing a sequence of film frames. Next, she began the task of developing detailed sketches of her characters. Once she developed her characters, she began a chapter-by-chapter outline that resembled a storyboard.
No one, other than her aunt and her cousin Traci, who was also her business partner in their downtown Louisville gift shop, knew she moonlighted as a romance writer. Always a voracious reader, Angela began reading romance novels her first year of college. Her novels sometimes took priority over her class work. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d had to cram for an exam or stay up all night catching up on required reading because she hadn’t been able to put down a romance novel. What she refused to admit was that she’d become addicted to them. So much so, that after graduating she’d tried her hand at writing one. Her first attempt was not fit to print, but the fact that she’d completed it gave her the confidence she needed to try again.
It had taken more than four years to achieve something readable. But by the time she’d celebrated her twenty-eighth birthday, she’d become a published author. Her first novel had received lukewarm reviews, but it was the second one that had garnered the acclaim she’d hoped for as a writer. Using the pseudonym Angelina Courtland, she guarded her true identity like a double agent.
She usually kept a low profile. Although she answered reader emails, she didn’t have a website. She didn’t make public appearances or do book signings since her publicist had explained that Angelina Courtland was agoraphobic. The pretense that she was afraid to leave her home or be photographed only added to her mystique. She’d even had her attorney set up a holding company for her work so that her name never appeared on the copyright page of her novels. It wasn’t until after the publication of her second novel that she revealed her nom de plume to her cousin.
Traci thought Angela was delusional until she accidently read a draft of her novel on her computer. That was when Angela had sworn her cousin to secrecy. The two had always been confidantes, so Angela knew she could trust Traci not to tell anyone that she was a bestselling author.
What her readers didn’t know was that she did leave her home and that she actually had an active social life. The exception was when she was facing a deadline. And, she didn’t have to go very far for inspiration. She had five brothers, who were all single, as well as the men she dated to research her male characters. And for her heroines, she had her own experiences, as well as women friends and family to draw upon. But none of her characters had names of people she knew, and she only used snippets of their personalities in developing her characters.
Taking the pages she’d printed and a red pencil, Angela moved from behind her desk to a plush club chair with a matching ottoman. Light from a floor lamp provided enough illumination as she settled in to read what she’d typed:
His fingertips feathered down the length of her bare skin, his gossamer touch reminding Ericka of the gentle brush of a butterfly’s wings.
Does that sound too cheesy? Angela mused.
Her red pencil was poised to make changes when her cell phone rang, shattering the quiet. She reached for her cell phone. “Hi. This is Angela,” she answered, without glancing at the caller ID display.
“Is this Angela Chase?” came a deep voice on the other end of the line.
A slight frown etched on her forehead. “Who’s asking?”
“Levi Eaton.”
She went still. “Who are you and how did you get my number?”
There was a brief pause. “Your brother Duncan gave me your number, Miss Chase. I work with him at the clinic.”
There was another pause. “Why would he give you my number?”
“He said you needed an escort for a wedding on Sunday.”
It wasn’t until she felt the sharp twinge in her jaw that Angela realized she’d been gritting her teeth. It was something she did whenever she was stressed or at a loss for words. Her brother had no right! Duncan had no right to interfere in her social life! Her mouth gaped open when realization dawned. She was willing to bet her first born that her mother had asked Duncan to find a date for her.
“Duncan’s wrong. I don’t need an escort.”
“Look, Miss Chase, I don’t need to get involved—”
“It’s Angela,” she interrupted.
“As I was saying, Angela, I don’t need or want to get involved in any family fracas, but I did tell your brother I’d be willing to take you as a favor to him. I’m sorry if I bothered you.”
“Don’t hang up!” she practically shouted into the tiny mouthpiece. “Are you still there?” she asked after several seconds. A low chuckle caressed her ear.
“Yes, I’m still here. Have you changed your mind?”
Angela’s mind was in tumult. There was something about Levi Eaton’s voice she liked. And, if the rest of the man matched the voice, then he could at least be character development material for her novels.
“Yes, I have. I may have been a little too hasty. My brothers believe they know what’s best for me when it comes to my social life.”
“Are they usually right?”
Angela smiled. “Most times—no. Do you keep track of your sister’s love life?” she asked.
“No, I don’t. Because I don’t have a sister. Now that we’ve established that I’ll be your date for the wedding, I suggest we meet sometime tomorrow and talk so we’ll be on the same page come Sunday.”
I like his approach, she thought. The smile curving Angela’s lips reached her eyes. It was obvious Levi Eaton was a take-charge guy. He’d mentioned he worked with Duncan at the clinic.
“How did you come to know Duncan?” she asked him.
“That’s something we’ll discuss tomorrow.”
Her eyebrows lifted a fraction. Mysterious, she thought. “When and where do you want to meet?”
“I’m scheduled to see patients in the morning, so I won’t be able to get to Louisville until late afternoon. We can talk over dinner. You’re probably more familiar with the restaurants in Louisville than I am. Where would you like to eat?” Levi asked.
He’d answered one of Angela’s questions. Levi Eaton was a doctor. “I’d rather not go out. If people spot us together, then it’s going to generate a lot of questions. We can meet at my place.”
“What if I bring dinner?”
Angela laughed for the first time. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll cook.”
“I don’t want to put you out, Angela. I don’t mind bringing dinner.”
“I have to cook for myself, so making a little more definitely won’t put me out. Is there anything in particular you’d like?”
It was Levi’s turn to laugh. “No. Surprise me.”
Daring. “Maybe I should’ve asked if there is anything you’re allergic to, or if you have any dietary restrictions.”
“No and no.”
Angela gave Levi her address, listening intently as he repeated it. “Is seven too late for you?”
“No. Seven is perfect.”
She smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow at seven. Call me if you get lost trying to find my house.”
“That’s all right, Angela. My car has GPS navigation.”
She wanted to tell Levi that even with GPS people still weren’t able to find her house that easily since the area where she lived in the suburbs of Louisville was secluded with private roads and streets.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” Levi repeated.
“Levi?”
“Yes, Angela.”
“Thank you.”
A full-throated laugh came through the earpiece. “You’re quite welcome.”
Depressing a button, Angela ended the call. She didn’t know whether Levi was laughing at her. It wouldn’t be the first time one of her brothers had dared a man to go out with her. It was as if they had taken a concerted interest in her love life since her former fiancé eloped with her maid of honor the day before her wedding.
They would’ve hunted him down and beat him to a bloody pulp if she hadn’t convinced them it was better to find out that her fiancé was unfaithful before she’d married him. If she’d found out after they’d exchanged vows, then it might have been her who would have tried to pound the life out of him with a cast-iron frying pan.
It didn’t matter if Duncan wagered or paid Levi Eaton to be her date because come Sunday, it would be the first time in five years she would come face-to-face with the duplicitous pair who’d turned her life upside down.
Soft meowing caught her attention. Shifting on the chair, Angela saw the tiny, white-coated cat with gleaming blue-gray eyes staring up at her. To say the cat was spoiled was an understatement. “What do you want, Miss Divine?” The cat meowed in response, arching her back and stretching out her front paws. Putting the manuscript pages and pencil on the table, she leaned over and picked up her pet.
Angela knew Miss Divine could jump up onto her lap without any help, but she was training her to stay off the furniture. The exception was when she sat at her desk working during the day. Miss Divine would find a spot on the corner of the L-shaped desk and settle down to sleep as sunlight poured in through the skylight and French doors.
She was one of those rare cats who had learned that the kitchen, dining and living rooms were off-limits. Angela had resisted having a cat or dog because of the pet hair and dander. And she refused to resort to covering her furniture if Miss Divine decided to sit wherever she pleased. But once she saw the tiny kitten, she knew she had to have her.
“Well, Miss Dee, it looks as if you’re going to be on your own on Sunday,” she said as the cat stared back at her owner as if she understood what Angela had said. “As much as I tried to fight it, yours truly has a date for Yvette’s wedding.”
Angela was more than willing to sit at the singles’ table, but somehow Duncan—no doubt at their mother’s urging—had recruited someone to be her date so Dianne Chase could save face. Her mother was the only one in her social circle whose daughter was unmarried. A society grande dame, she had been denied the chance to flaunt her status as mother of the bride when Angela’s wedding was abruptly called off. Of course, the fact that the groom had run off with the maid of honor made it all the more embarrassing.
“What my mother doesn’t realize is that I’m one of those women who happens to be quite content to be without a man in her life,” as she continued her dialogue with the cat. Miss Divine blinked, meowing softly in response. “I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, Miss Dee, because you don’t have a man in your life, either. Even if you did, I doubt whether anything would jump off because you can’t have any kittens.” She ran her fingertips over the smooth fur that felt like velvet. “If I hadn’t had you spayed, you probably would’ve had an adorable litter.”
No, she didn’t need a man. Not when she was able to live out her fantasies vicariously through her characters.
Chapter 2
Levi had spent a restless night wondering why he’d allowed himself to be set up on a blind date. The last time he’d been on one was his second year in college when he’d taken his roommate’s sister to her senior prom. Going to the prom with a college student as her date had appreciably elevated his roommate’s sister’s “geek” image. What her brother hadn’t realized was that his sister wasn’t a nerd, but really more of a freak. He was fortunate to have survived the night without being sexually assaulted. Of course, Levi didn’t tell his roommate about his sister, but it was the last time he’d agreed to go on a date with a woman without first meeting and talking to her.
It was after two o’clock before he’d come to the conclusion that he hadn’t been set up, but instead had willingly agreed to escort a woman to a wedding that was just a day away. Admittedly, his social life had been pretty much nonexistent over the past few months, and it was time he enjoyed a few hours of female companionship.
If Levi had been in New York, his free time would’ve been filled with dinners, parties, occasional trips to Philadelphia to see his relatives and having fun with his circle of friends in his off-hours. If he needed a date, all he had to do was call. He’d established a coterie of female friends who were willing to step in at a moment’s notice, and he was always quick to reciprocate whenever they needed an escort. He made certain never to blur the lines between friendship and intimacy. Women he counted as friends he didn’t sleep with. Those he’d slept with, he relegated to the past. When he ended a relationship, he never wanted to send mixed signals.
Levi planned to meet Angela Chase later that evening. He wanted to find out whether they both were on the same page in case someone asked how long they’d known each other or where they’d met. After all, the wedding guests were Angela’s friends and family and he didn’t want to do or say anything that would embarrass her.
His head popped up when he heard the knock on his office door. He stared at the receptionist-slash-secretary-slash-insurance claims manager as she peered through the slight opening. He turned off his tape recorder.
“Yes, Krista.”
“I just got a call from a mother who would like you to examine her son.”
Levi capped his pen, slipping it into the breast pocket of his lab coat. “What’s wrong with him?”
“She claims he fell out of the back of her dad’s old pickup and hurt his arm.”
“Tell her to bring him in.”
Office hours were over and he’d just finished updating notes for his last patients’ medical records. If he hadn’t been thinking about his dinner date with Angela Chase later that evening, he probably would have already left for the day. Ten minutes later Krista returned to tell him the patient was waiting in one of the examining rooms.
It took only a glance for Levi to know the boy was seriously injured, and would need X-rays. He gave the six-year-old a shot to minimize the pain, stabilized the limb with a splint and sling, and then called the local hospital to alert them that the boy’s mother was bringing him in, and that he needed emergency medical attention. He promised to fax over the incident report.
He ended the call, and then turned to stare at the young mother sitting on a chair cradling her son to her chest. The boy’s eyelids were fluttering. “Mrs. Godfrey, I want you to go and start up your car. I’ll carry Jeremy for you.”
Debra Godfrey stared up at the tall doctor with the friendly smile. Within minutes of bringing her son to the clinic, Dr. Eaton had managed to ease her son’s fears by asking him what his favorite cartoon was. When Jeremy said Sponge Bob Square Pants the pediatrician pretended to be one of the cartoon characters. It was enough to stop the flow of tears while Dr. Eaton deftly injected him with a painkiller so he could examine the child’s arm to better determine the severity of the injury.
Debra nodded as she bit her lip to stop it from trembling. “I… I don’t have enough gas in my car to make it to the hospital. “I’d hoped you would be able to take care of Jeremy’s arm here at the clinic.”
Levi gave the mother a reassuring look. Most of the patients who came to the clinic were hardship cases, living at or below the poverty level. Many were on Medicaid, and those who were uninsured were charged a nominal fee. He knew Debra Godfrey was the mother of three school-age children and had moved in with her parents after her husband was sentenced to an eight-year prison sentence for armed robbery. If she’d come into his New York office, Jeremy would’ve been x-rayed by a staff technician, an orthopedist would have set the child’s arm and fitted it with a lightweight cast. The fully staffed medical group offered an array of services including minor surgery.
“I’ll call Larry at the gas station and tell him to fill up your car.”
Debra’s eyes filled with tears. “I’ll pay you back soon as I get paid next week.”
Levi patted her hand. “Don’t worry about paying me back, Mrs. Godfrey,” he said, smiling in hopes of putting her at ease. “Just take care of your son.”
Reaching into the pocket of his lab coat, he took out his cell phone, scrolled through his contacts, and tapped the button for the gas station. It took less than a minute to relay his instructions to the station owner. Scooping up the boy, he carried him out to the parking lot, placed him gently on the passenger seat of the old pickup truck, and fastened the seatbelt, adjusting it to prevent further injury to his arm.
Levi watched as the taillights disappeared when Debra Godfrey drove away. Treating the child had meant he’d have little time to prepare for his meeting with Angela Chase. He didn’t want to read more into the blind date than just doing a favor for a colleague. He reasoned that this was only going to be a one-time thing.
Angela checked the table setting to make certain she hadn’t forgotten anything. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, she wanted dinner to be perfect. Maybe it had something to do with not having a man over for dinner in almost six months. It wasn’t as if she’d soured on the opposite sex. It was just that she didn’t trust men.
She’d decided to have dinner in the enclosed terrace. After making sure everything was perfect, she returned to the kitchen to check on the chicken that had marinated overnight. She opened the oven door and checked to see if the roast was fully cooked and perfectly browned. A smile tilted the corners of her mouth when tantalizing aromas wafted up to her nostrils. The stuffed bird was perfect for the cool late-spring evening.
Most nights when she returned home from work, she didn’t go into her home office to turn on her computer, but retreated to the enclosed back porch where she spent countless hours catching up with her pile of reading material or watching a movie.
Glancing at the clock on the oven, Angela lowered the temperature, closed the door and walked out of the kitchen to the staircase that led to the second floor of bedrooms. She had an hour before Levi Eaton arrived.
Stripping off her tank top, sweatpants and underwear, Angela covered her hair with a shower cap and then stepped into the stall in the en-suite bathroom. She turned on the shower spray and adjusted the water temperature. She squeezed a generous glob of her favorite bath gel onto a sponge and went about soaping her body.
As his gaze shifted from the map on the dashboard to the road in front of him, Levi decelerated. Apparently Angela was right. The roads were confusing. It was the third time the automated voice had recalculated his programmed route. After his last patient, he packed an overnight bag and a garment bag with the suit he’d planned to wear to the wedding, and drove fifteen miles from Maywood Junction to Louisville. He planned to check into a downtown hotel where he’d take advantage of the hotel’s full-service salon for a haircut and shave.
As he continued driving, a wooded area gave way to a paved road and a sign pointing the way to Magnolia Pines—a private residential community. The sun had set and the light from the nearly full moon reflected off the rails of the white fencing surrounding the property. The rails were a constant reminder that he was in horse country.
He’d come to Kentucky at the beginning of January and planned to leave at the end of June. And during his six-month stay, he’d made a promise to himself to attend a horse race. And his race of choice was the Kentucky Derby.
Reining in his thoughts, and remembering why he was driving along unlit roads in a Louisville suburb, Levi recalled the conversation he’d had with Duncan earlier that morning. He’d told him that he’d contacted his sister and would be meeting her for dinner tonight. Duncan seemed surprised that Angela had agreed to go out with him. But Levi didn’t want answers from his colleague, but rather from his sister. The outline of the gatehouse came into view, and Levi maneuvered up to the security gate as the guard slid back the window.
“Good evening, sir. May I help you?”
He nodded, smiling. “Good evening. I’m here to see Miss Angela Chase.”
“Your name, sir.”
“Levi Eaton.”
“I need to see your driver’s license, Mr. Eaton.”
Shifting in his seat, Levi removed a small billfold from his back pocket and handed his license to the guard. He drummed his fingers on the leather-wrapped wheel as he waited to be announced.
Angela stood in front of the full-length mirror, half an hour later, grimacing when she realized she looked like one of the heroines in her novels before her glamorous transformation. The white, man-tailored blouse, black cropped slacks and a pair of black patent high-heeled sandals were more appropriate for an afternoon luncheon than a dinner date.
A pair of pearl studs was the only jewelry she wore. Even her hairstyle was conservative. Instead of leaving it loose or in a ponytail, she’d pinned it into a chignon at the nape of her neck. She moved closer to the mirror and examined her bare face. She’d applied a moisturizer, lip gloss but nothing else. She went completely still when the distinctive buzzing from the intercom echoed through the house. She knew it was Levi Eaton—and he was early. Walking over to a wall panel, she punched a button on the intercom.
“This is Ms. Chase.”
“Miss Chase. Mr. Levi Eaton is here to see you.”
“You can let him in.”
Well, her blind date was about to see Angela Maxine Chase without any artifice. It would be a test to see if Dr. Levi Eaton was as superficial as most of the men she’d dated over the past three years. She left the bedroom, walked the length of the carpeted hallway to the staircase leading to the living room. She unlocked the door, opened it and came face-to-face with a man whose masculinity literally took her breath away.
To say the man standing on her front steps was tall, dark and handsome was an understatement. Angela hadn’t realized she was gaping until she saw his gaze shift from her eyes to her mouth. Opening the door wider, she gave him a bright smile.
“Please come in, Dr. Eaton.”
Levi’s expressive eyebrows lifted a fraction, and she wondered what was going through his mind. Now, she thought if his personality was as good as his looks, then Levi Eaton would definitely become the prototype for her next romance novel.
“Please, it’s Levi.”
Her smile grew wider as she extended her free hand. “And I’m Angela. Welcome.” Her fingers disappeared in his large grasp.
He handed her a decorative bag filled with wine. “I didn’t know what you were serving, so I bought a bottle of red, white and rosé.”
She peered into the bag. “You really didn’t have to bring anything.”
Levi smiled for the first time, attractive lines appearing in his lean face. “I guess it has something to do with home training. My mother would be mortified if I showed up at someone’s home empty-handed. At least the first time,” he added, his smile becoming a full grin.
Angela angled her head, staring up at the man who made her heart beat a little too fast for comfort. It had been a long time—at least five years—since she’d found herself slightly off balance. It hadn’t happened since she’d been introduced to Robert Gaskin. And if she could turn back the clock, Angela never would’ve given him a second glance. She opened her mouth to tell Levi that tonight would be the first and last time he would cross her threshold, but changed her mind when she remembered Levi was to be her date for her cousin’s wedding.
“Please come with me. It’ll be another twenty minutes before dinner is ready, so I thought we could take some time to become better acquainted,” she said instead.
Levi glanced around the alcove off the living room where two facing club chairs, one with a matching footstool, a low mahogany table with rosewood inlay and two floor lamps with Tiffany-style shades created an inviting and comfortable seating area. A decoratively carved credenza doubled as a bar, its surface covered with lead-crystal decanters filled with clear and amber-colored spirits.
He hadn’t known what to expect, but it wasn’t the young woman who appeared to be no nonsense and all business. What he did like was her natural, flawless face. Beyond her beauty, he didn’t know anything about her other than her name and that she lived in a sprawling, exquisitely decorated house in a gated community. Yet he was curious and wanted to know more about her.
A woman’s looks were not as important to him as her intelligence and femininity. Levi had come to the conclusion that he was somewhat old-school when it came to women. He wasn’t a chauvinist, but he liked women who were more traditional.
Angela suddenly turned and stared at him, her eyes large and her gaze unwavering in the flattering warm light. “Please sit down, Levi.”
“After you, Angela,” he said, smiling.
He waited for her to sit down, then followed suit, trying not to stare at her legs, which were stretched out and propped on a footstool. The soft light from the floor lamp spilled over Angela’s delicate features, and her serene expression reminded him of the female images in Renaissance paintings. Her rich golden-brown complexion was reminiscent of autumn leaves and his gaze lingered on her temptingly curved lips.
Angela was slender but with enough curves to get a man’s attention. If he had to describe her looks, Levi would have to admit that Angela Chase was easy on the eyes—very, very easy on the eyes.
He smiled. “I suppose you’d like to know a little something about me before our big date tomorrow.” The question was more of a statement.
Angela’s smile matched his, charming him with the gesture. “I’d like to know more than a little something about you.”
Levi sobered. “Ask me whatever you like.”
Settling back in the chair, she studied the man sitting only a few feet from her. His close-cropped hair, smooth jawline and dark suit, white shirt, striped navy and white silk tie and imported slip-ons bespoke exquisite taste and grooming.
“How old are you, and where were you born?”
“I’m thirty-six. Born in Philadelphia and grew up in Miami, Florida.”
I know you’re a doctor, but do you have a specialty?”
“Pediatrics.”
Angela’s expression did not change as she continued to stare at Levi, wondering why Duncan had neglected to tell her that he’d added a pediatrician to his staff. After he’d set her up with his part-time dentist, Patrick Demorest, she’d stopped visiting her brother in Maywood Junction to avoid Patrick. “Why did you decide to become a pediatrician?”
Levi stared at his hands. “I like children. Why do you ask?”
“If I had to take a guess as to your specialty, it wouldn’t have been pediatrics.”
“What did you think it would be?”
“I would’ve thought cardiology, or maybe obstetrics.”
“One ob-gyn in the family is plenty.”
“I take it you come from a family of doctors,” Angela said.
Levi nodded. “There are quite a few doctors, lawyers and teachers. What else do you want to know about me?” he asked.
“How long have you lived in Kentucky?”
He paused before saying, “I’m only here for six months.”
Angela sat up straight. “Why just six months?” she asked.
“When I was in med school I agreed to do community service and provide medical care to places like Maywood.”
“So, when your commitment is up you plan to return to Florida?”
“No. I live and work in a suburb just north of New York City.”
Angela digested this information. She usually spoke to Duncan several times a month, but he hadn’t said anything about Levi. The fact that Levi worked with her brother provided the perfect reason for why they were attending the wedding together.
“Perhaps you should tell me about yourself, Angela, and why it’s so important that your brother recruited me to be your date for tomorrow’s wedding,” Levi said, breaking into her thoughts.
“It’s not that I couldn’t get a date, but—”
“That’s obvious,” he interrupted, “because you’re beautiful, and I assume you’re quite intelligent.”
Her cheeks grew warmer. “Should I take that as a compliment, Levi?”
He shook his head. “No, Angela. It’s the truth.”
Angela knew she had to be careful with Levi Eaton. Very, very careful or she would find herself succumbing to his charisma and obvious sex appeal.
A slow smile ruffled the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”
Levi shook his head. “There’s no need to thank me.”
“My cousin is marrying the cousin of my ex-fiancé.”
Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “Is there bad blood between you and your ex?”
“No. The truth is I haven’t seen him in five years.”
“Is he married?”
Angela nodded. “Yes,” she confirmed after a pregnant pause.
“You need a date because you don’t want him to believe you’ve been pining away for him.”
She wanted to tell Levi that she hadn’t been pining away for Robert, since right after their canceled wedding she plunged back into the dating scene with a vengeance. It was only when she began writing in earnest that she’d slowed down so much that she hadn’t been on a date in months.
“I need you to dispel any idea he might have that I’m pining away for him since I’m still single.”
Levi’s expression remained impassive. “Are you single by choice?” he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.
Angela angled her head, offering him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Are you single by choice?” she asked, answering his question with one of her own.
“What makes you believe I’m single?” said Levi, asking her another question.
This time Angela’s smile spread over her face like bright rays of morning sun. “If you weren’t, or should I say if I were married to you, I doubt that I’d let you go away for six months without me. And I’d hope if you are married, you wouldn’t accept an invitation to escort other women.”
Levi leaned closer and gave her a prolonged stare. “Perhaps I’m more like your cheating ex than you think.”
She went completely still, as if she’d been hit by a bolt of lightning. A slow, uneasy panic seized Angela, making it virtually impossible for her to speak. Had Duncan told Levi the circumstances of her breakup with Robert even though he, along with everyone else in her family had sworn never to talk about it?
“What makes you think he cheated on me?”
“Did he, Angela?”
“Yes!” she spat out, annoyed that she’d allowed herself to dredge up the past. “Do you cheat on women?”
“No. And even if I were seeing someone, I still wouldn’t cheat. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, but I need to know what I’ll be dealing with if we encounter your ex,” Levi said apologetically.
“His name is Robert Gaskin.”
He gave Angela a smile he usually reserved for his patients. “We’ll be ready for Mr. Gaskin,” he said confidently.
Angela noticed he’d said we. It was the first time a man, other than her father and brothers, had offered to protect her. It was too bad she wasn’t looking for a man in her life, because Dr. Levi Eaton would’ve been the perfect candidate.
The grandfather clock in a corner of the living room chimed the hour. It was seven o’clock. She stood up as Levi rose to his feet with her. “Please excuse me, but I have to check on dinner.”
“Do you need help?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Do you cook?”
Levi winked at Angela. “I’ve been known to burn a few pots. Maybe next time we get together I’ll return the favor and cook for you.”
Angela stopped short, forcing Levi to bump into her. His hands went to her shoulders to steady her. He was close—close enough for her to feel his body heat, close enough to feel the whisper of his breath over her ear, and close enough to inhale the subtle masculine scent of his cologne.
“You want to go on another date?” Her query was a low husky whisper.
Levi’s gaze moved slowly over her face. “Why wouldn’t I? After all, you owe me one.”
She tilted her chin. “When will I have to pay up?”
“At my family reunion. We always get together over the Memorial Day weekend. This year it will be in Philadelphia.”
Angela shook her head. “You can’t just spring something like that on me at the last minute. I have a business to run.”
Levi dropped his hands. “What kind of business?”
“I operate a gift shop with my cousin in downtown Louisville.”
“Do you ever take a vacation?” he asked.
“Of course I do.”
“Do you have anything planned for that weekend?”
“My parents usually host a cookout that weekend.”
“Maybe we can work something out so that we’re able to attend both,” Levi suggested.
Angela’s smile reminded him of a high-wattage bulb. “Why don’t we wait until after the wedding to see if we can stand each other before we talk about a second date?”
“I’ll agree, but under one condition,” Levi said in a seductively deep voice.
Her smile faded. “What’s that?”
“Tell me how I can get a ticket to the Kentucky Derby.”
Angela waved her hand as if swatting away a fly. “That’s easy. You can come with me.”
Levi froze. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not. Come, Levi. I have to take the chicken out of the oven before it’s as dry as sandpaper.”
A smile curved Levi’s strong mouth as he stared at the swaying hips of the woman who was as charming as she was intriguing. Duncan was right. There was nothing wrong with his sister—at least not on the surface.
Chapter 3
Angela breathed an audible sigh when she opened the wall oven door to find the large roast chicken had cooked to a perfect golden-brown. “Is it okay?” Levi said, standing behind her.
Smiling and moving to her left, she winked at him. “Take a look.”
“Hot damn! The girl can cook!”
“Bite your tongue! I don’t know what kind of women you’ve been hanging out with, but one thing I’ll readily admit is that yours truly can jam in the kitchen.”
Levi took a step, his chest only inches from Angela’s back. “The women I date usually don’t cook.”
“Don’t or can’t?” she asked.
He smiled. “Don’t.”
“How or where do you eat?”
“We make reservations, or I’ll cook for her.”
Shifting slightly, Angela stared up at Levi over her shoulder. The word keeper came to mind and she wondered why some woman hadn’t become Mrs. Levi Eaton, except, of course, if he was afraid of marriage. And, if he was, then he would fit quite nicely into her plans since she had no intention of ever getting married. In that moment Angela decided she would try to keep Levi around until he went back to New York—unless he decided otherwise. After all, he appeared to be every woman’s fantasy. He was gorgeous, intelligent and single. But, then she thought about Robert.
She saw Levi’s mouth moving before she realized he was talking to her. “I’m sorry, but my mind was elsewhere,” she apologized.
“I asked if you wanted me to help you bring anything to the table.”
Angela blinked as if coming out of a trance. “Yes. After I take the chicken out of the roasting pan you can take it out to the terrace.”
Taking off his suit jacket, Levi draped it over the back of one of the chairs in the breakfast nook. He then loosened his tie, unbuttoned and turned back the cuffs to his shirt. His gaze swept around the gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Double-wall ovens, two sinks, two dishwashers, a counter-depth refrigerator-freezer and a cook-top range and grill were a chef’s dream kitchen.
The house had quintessential Southern architecture with a wraparound porch, second story veranda, window shutters and a trio of ceiling fans on the front porch.
“Is there someplace that I can wash my hands?” he asked.
Angela pointed to a door at the far end of the kitchen. “There’s a half bath over there.”
She watched as he walked toward the bathroom. Even his walk was sexy. He didn’t walk or glide—he had a swagger. It was in that instant that she decided she was going to call on everything in her feminine arsenal to keep Levi Eaton around for as long as he remained in Kentucky. And if she and Levi became friends, then she would be more than willing to make the drive to Maywood Junction to see him. Having him around would assuage her mother’s concern that she was ruining her reputation by seeing a different man every few months.
The women in Dianne Chase’s social circle were quick to report that they’d seen Angela with a guy one week and another a month later, much to her mother’s consternation. Not only did Dianne have an unmarried thirty-something daughter, but none of her sons were married and she still wasn’t a grandmother. However, what her mother failed to realize, even after Angela informed her she wasn’t sleeping with any of the guys she dated, was that she didn’t really care about such salacious gossip.
Even though she told them on their first date that she had no intention of sleeping with them, that didn’t stop her dates from trying to change her mind.
Levi returned to the kitchen just when Angela was taking the chicken from the pan and placing it on a platter. He smiled when he saw that she’d put on a black pin-striped bibbed apron.
“Let me do that,” he offered, lengthening his stride until he was standing next to her. Lifting the rack from the roasting pan, he managed to slide the bird onto the platter with little or no effort. The tantalizing aromas titillated his nose. “What did you stuff it with?”
“Long-grain rice, raisins, finely diced apples and ground cinnamon.”
“It smells amazing.”
“It tastes amazing,” Angela confirmed. “I can’t take credit because it’s my aunt’s recipe. She threw a lot of dinner parties in this house, and her culinary style was to combine as many dishes into one that you can. She said if you’re serving chicken, then stuff it so you don’t have to prepare separate side dishes.”
Levi gave Angela an incredulous look. “You live here with your aunt?”
Angela laughed, the sound resembling the tinkling of a wind chime. “No. She now lives in a chateau in France’s wine country with her longtime lover. She gave me the house as a wedding gift.” She compressed her lips. “It was the only gift that I didn’t have to return.”
He heard the throatiness in her voice when she’d mentioned wedding gift. “Your aunt sounds like a colorful character.”
“Colorful wouldn’t begin to describe her. Folks around her called her everything but a child of God. And those were the compliments. They’d failed to realize she was her own woman who lived by her own set of rules. If something made Nicola Chase happy then she made everyone around her happy. If not, then stay out of her way.”
“It sounds as if you are quite fond of her.”
Walking over to the refrigerator, Angela took out bottles of chilled white and rosé wines. Using her shoulder, she closed the door. “I grew up wanting to be just like her, much to my mother’s horror.”
Resting his hip against the cooking island, Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you?”
“I wish.”
“Don’t you like how your life has turned out?”
“Please don’t get me wrong, Levi. I’m quite satisfied with my life. It’s other folks who don’t believe I am.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen. Levi followed with the platter as she led the way to the glass-enclosed sunroom. Charcoal-gray solar blinds provided privacy from prying eyes. When he’d followed the private road leading to Angela’s house, he noticed that it overlooked a lake surrounded by a copse of weeping willow trees.
His gaze swept over the room, the focus of which was a table covered in a white linen tablecloth with a black-and-white-striped runner, and set with china, crystal and sterling silver. White candles in varying heights flickered in crystal votives, hurricane lanterns and candelabras. Angela touched a wall switch and track lighting illuminated the space like starlight pinpoints, while soft music filled the room from concealed speakers.
He set the platter down on the table beside a vase of white and deep pink flowers. “This is very, very nice.”
Angela met his eyes across the table. “Thank you.”
Levi stared at Angela, whose face was illuminated by the soft light coming from the candles, his gaze moving slowly over her features as if committing everything to memory. He’d spent less than an hour with Angela and already he found her incredibly fascinating. She appeared conservative in her choice of attire, yet her home and furnishings were luxurious and exquisitely tasteful. She seemed reserved yet daring, somewhat of a contradiction.
“Who do you mean by others?”
“My mother in particular, and a few of my brothers would probably agree.”
“They’d like to see you married with children.”
She nodded. “What they don’t understand is that I’m quite happy being single. Aunt Nikki never married and she enjoys being a free spirit.”
“In other words she’s content to live with her lover rather than marry him.”
Angela gave Levi a mischievous smile. “She couldn’t marry him even if she wanted to.”
“He’s married.”
She nodded. “He and his wife have lived apart for more than two decades.”
“Why doesn’t he divorce her?” he asked.
“He would if his estranged wife wasn’t a devout Catholic. They live apart, but he supports her financially.”
Intrigued, Levi asked, “Did he and his wife have any children?”
“They had a son, but he drowned in a boating accident when he was a child.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Angela sighed audibly. “Yes, it is. He wanted my aunt to have a child, but she refused because she didn’t want to have a child out of wedlock. Excuse me. I have to go back and get the salad.”
Rounding the table, Levi pulled out a chair at one of the place settings. “Sit down. I’ll get it.”
“That’s all right. You’re my guest.”
Leaning over her head, Levi took a deep breath, breathing in the subtle fragrance of the perfume clinging to Angela’s body. The scent was like its wearer—subtle and sexy. “You cooked, so it’s only fair that I help out.”
“What if you open the wine and allow it to breathe while I get the salad and put the asparagus on the grill,” she countered in a soft, but stern tone.
Levi resisted the urge to salute Angela. Her refusal to let him help told him more than he needed to know about her. She was stubborn and controlling.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, reaching for the corkscrew opener resting on a folded napkin. “Are you rolling your eyes at me?” he asked when she rested her hands at her waist.
“I’m not old enough to be a ma’am.”
“How old are you?” he asked, removing the foil and inserting the corkscrew into the bottle of rosé.
“You should know better than to ask a woman her age.”
Levi lifted broad shoulders under his crisp white shirt. “It doesn’t matter. I can always ask Duncan.”
Angela rolled her eyes again. “Thirty-two,” she spat out, “and soon to be thirty-three.”
He winked. “That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
“What else are you going to ask Duncan about me?”
The soft pop of the cork was the only sound in the room as Levi and Angela stared at each other. “If I wanted to I would’ve had Duncan tell me everything about you before we met. He asked me to do him a favor and I said I would. I’m willing to be your date tomorrow, and the only thing I’m going to ask is that you do the same for me at my family reunion, since my mother will undoubtedly have some woman there for me to meet. She thinks it’s time I settled down and give her some grandchildren.”
Angela compressed her lips. “As long as we understand each other I think we’ll get along quite well. Excuse me, but I’m going to get the salad and grill the asparagus.”
“Angela,” Levi said as she walked away. She stopped but didn’t turn around. “I’d like to sit down and enjoy the food you’ve prepared without talking about us.”
“So what do you want to talk about?”
“Your aunt, sports, books, movies or TV for a start.”
She half-turned and smiled at him over her shoulder. “Thank you, kind sir, for giving me a choice,” she drawled in her best Southern accent.
Throwing back his head, Levi laughed, the rich sound echoing in the room. “You’re quite welcome, ma’am.”
Angela couldn’t remember when she’d spent a more enjoyable evening with a man. Not only was Levi a great listener, but he was also a wonderful conversationalist. They’d discussed sports. He’d seemed surprised that she was so knowledgeable about the subject, but after she’d explained that she’d grown up with five brothers and a father who were sports nuts, he’d understood completely.
Between forkfuls of food, washed down with the chilled wine, dinner was a comfortable and leisurely affair.
Levi raised his water glass. “When you talk to your aunt again, please let her know her roast chicken recipe is exceptional.”
Angela inclined her head. “I’ll definitely let her know.”
“How often do you speak to her?”
After dabbing the corners of her mouth with her napkin, she placed it beside her plate. Resting her elbow on the table, Angela cupped her chin in the heel of her hand, and stared at Levi through lowered lids. “There are times when I hear from her a couple of times of month, and then it’s like she disappears. Then out of the blue she’ll call me and explain that she’d jetted off to some exotic destination. If it’s not an African safari, then it’s shopping in Hong Kong. The highlight of one of her trips was snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. She laughs whenever I say I want to be like her when I grow up.”
Levi stared at her. “Are you?”
Angela smiled. “I’m halfway there.”
“How are you halfway there?”
“I work for myself and make my own hours. Aunt Nikki was a set designer for film and stage, and she told me I would never be completely happy until I worked for myself. I was a teacher when my cousin Traci, who’d been through a contentious divorce, moved from Frankfort to Louisville and asked me to go into business with her.”
Levi’s expressive eyebrows lifted when he asked, “What about teaching?”
“I gave it up. Traci’s paternal grandmother worked as a chef in a Frankfort country club and was a collector. Nowadays you’d call them hoarders. Whenever she catered private dinner parties, she’d ask her clients for their old china, stemware and silver in lieu of payment. The collection was so large and it took Traci three months to polish the silver and wash the china and stemware by hand. Then she hired an appraiser and after he gave her a figure, she decided to open a gift shop called the Garden Gate. We do quite well selling estate pieces, but most of the business comes from wedding registries. We carry Waterford, Lenox, Baccarat, Limoges plus a wide selection of wedding party gifts. Some of the items are what I consider luxuries.” A mysterious smile softened her mouth. “I splurge and treat myself to two crystal pieces each year—one for Christmas and the other for my birthday.”
Levi’s gaze went from her mouth to the vase and candleholders. “They’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “If you ever need a gift for a wedding or a baby shower let me know and I’ll give you the family discount.”
“I’m going to take you up on your offer because there’ve been a few newborns in the family this year.”
Angela traced the rim of her wineglass with a forefinger. The glow from the track lights and flickering candles flattered the planes of Levi’s face. His gentle manner, deep voice and effortless conversation made her feel as if she’d known him for weeks instead of hours. “Let me know when you’re free and I’ll give you a private showing.”
“I’m off on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays,” Levi quickly offered.
“The Garden Gate is closed on Sundays and Mondays.” Mondays were when she spent most of the day writing, and she rarely scheduled anything that day. Levi would be the exception. “When do you want to come in?”
“I’ll call and let you know.”
Angela was certain he’d heard her sigh of relief because she’d hoped to finish her manuscript by midweek. She normally would’ve indulged in a marathon writing session on Sunday and Monday. But her cousin Yvette’s wedding had forced her to change her plans.
“I’d prefer you come on Sunday, since Traci and I usually meet with consignment customers and prospective brides on Mondays.”
Leaning back in his chair, Levi studied the woman whose cooking skills were exceptional and who continued to amaze him. He found her guarded, much too guarded whenever she talked about herself.
“Where did you go to college?”
Angela picked up her wineglass and took a sip. “Spelman.”
“Why did you decide to go there?”
“My mother and grandmother were both Spelman alums. And you, Levi?”
“Howard, and then the University of Pennsylvania med school.”
Her brow furrowed. “If you were already at Howard why didn’t you go to med school there?”
“I gave it a lot of thought, but realized I wanted to be close to my family in Philadelphia.”
Angela sat up straight. “I thought you said you were from Miami.”
“My dad’s family is from Philadelphia. However, there are some Eatons who live in D.C., West Virginia, South Carolina and Texas now.”
“Is your father a doctor, too?”
Smiling, Levi shook his head. “No. He’s a judge.”
“So he likes putting away the bad guys.”
“He loves it.”
Angela’s eyes lit up in excitement when her mind churned with ideas. “Tell me about the Eatons, Levi.”
Levi took a surreptitious glance at his watch. It was after ten—much later than he thought. Somehow he’d lost track of time talking with Angela, and for him that was a good sign. “Perhaps I’ll tell you about them some other time. Besides, you know enough about me so that we won’t seem to be total strangers tomorrow.”
“What do I tell people when they ask how long we’ve been seeing each other?”
“We tell them the truth.”
“And that is?”
“We’ve just started dating.”
Angela nodded, wondering if that explanation would satisfy her mother. That was why she was always reluctant to introduce a man to her family—her mother in particular. She’d immediately launch into an interrogation. Her father was less concerned with her love life as long as word didn’t get back to him that some guy had caused her grief.
Benton Chase had wanted to personally go after Robert when he ran off with her maid of honor. It had taken everything for Angela to convince the men in her family not to inflict bodily harm on Robert Gaskin. She had always been a believer in “what goes around comes around.” If he cheated on her, he would eventually cheat on his new bride or she would cheat on him.
When Angela’s engagement had been announced, a collective sigh went up all over Louisville since she’d managed to snag one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. They were the perfect couple—the children of two of Kentucky’s most prominent African-American families. Uniting the Chase and Gaskin families was cause for celebration, and had Louisville buzzing.
However, what Angela didn’t know at the time was that her fiancé had been sleeping with her best friend, Savannah, who was to be her maid of honor. They’d managed to keep their relationship a secret until the night before she and Robert were to be married. A few hours after the rehearsal dinner, Robert had called to tell her that he and Savannah were flying to Las Vegas to marry, because they were expecting.
What had surprised Angela most was that she didn’t cry. Pain, humiliation and anger had rendered her emotionless. It was as if all of her feelings were suppressed, and as her life unfolded she seemed to be just going through the motions.
She shifted in her chair when she heard soft meowing. Miss Divine had emerged from her hiding place in the laundry room. Pushing back his chair, Levi stood up. “I didn’t know you had a kitten.” He stared at the tiny white feline with splotches of dark brown fur. Her eyes were blue-gray, and her nose was pink and black, with a long tail that was darker brown than the rest of her body.
“Miss Divine is not a kitten. She’s almost four.”
Levi approached the cat as she sat still, watching him come closer. “Is she the runt?”
“Miss Dee is not a runt!”
He gestured at Miss Divine. “What else can she be, Angela? She’s no bigger than a six-month-old kitten.”
Angela walked over to her cat. And when she leaned over to pick her up, Miss Divine scooted to sit between Levi’s legs. “Come here, baby,” she said, beckoning her closer. Miss Divine responded by rubbing her face against the leg of Levi’s trousers.
“Why you little traitor,” she gasped when Levi picked her up.
Levi rubbed a finger over the soft fur. “She knows I like cats.”
Angela rolled her eyes. “Miss Dee is usually skittish around strangers. Whenever the doorbell rings she runs and hides.”
“I’ve never seen a full-grown cat this small.”
“She’s what is called a Singapura. The breed originated from feral cats that lived in the drains of Singapore. Because they’re quite scarce in the States, they are very expensive. I heard that an owner of a male Singapura was offered ten thousand dollars from a breeder.”
“That’s incredible.” He smiled when the cat purred loudly. “You came to see who’s taking up your mama’s time, didn’t you, Miss Divine?” He winked at Angela. “Do you think she’s a little jealous?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Levi.” He gave her a smile that made her heart stop, and then start up again much too quickly.
“You wouldn’t say that if I took her home with me.”
Angela let out a gasp. “You wouldn’t!”
He winked at her. “I would if you let me.”
“That’s not happening. I would’ve thought you were a dog lover, not cats.” Levi angled his head and stared at Angela as she stared up at him. It was the first time he noticed that her head only came to his shoulders, even though she was wearing heels. He was six-two, and if he had to guess, Angela was at least eight inches shorter than him in her bare feet.
“I like dogs, too. But cats are different. They’re more independent and completely unpredictable. You have to walk dogs, play fetch, and they hog up the space on the sofa when you’re trying to watch a game. I doubt whether this little darling weighs more than six pounds.”
“She weighed four pounds during her last visit to the vet.”
His gaze shifted to the cat purring contently in his arms. “She likes me.”
“I like you, too. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you live with me.”
Without warning, Levi’s expression became stoic. “Did I ask if I could live with you?”
Her face reddened, the color settling in her cheeks. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”
Levi handed Miss Divine to Angela. “You can cradle your baby, while I clear the table.”
Angela shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. There’s not much to clean up.”
He smiled, but the expression did not reach his eyes. “You cook, I clean.”
She wanted to tell him not to push his luck, but decided better of it. After all, there was more than one way to skin a cat. Sorry, Miss Dee, she thought. There was something about Levi Eaton that reminded her of the male characters in her romance novels—pushy, arrogant, and oozing with enough sex appeal to earn an R-rating. Smiling sweetly, she said, “Leave everything on the countertop and I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay,” he agreed.
Twenty minutes later, she stood on the front porch with Levi. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Levi took a step closer, cradled her face, dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers.
She froze, and then relaxed as he deepened the kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He was there and then he was gone. Angela stood watching the taillights of his car fade into the darkness. Steadying her shoulders, she closed the door and locked it. It wasn’t until after she’d cleaned up the kitchen, put everything away and extinguished the candles that Angela finally admitted that Levi Eaton was exactly what she needed to put to rest any notion that she’d been pining for Robert Gaskin. She’d never been one to seek revenge, but this was one time she was looking forward to it.
Spending time with Levi had convinced Angela that she was more than ready to face her past and finally put it behind her.
Chapter 4
The telephone on the bedside table rang twice before Angela raced over to answer it. “Hello,” she said, trying to catch her breath.
“Hey, you. Do you still need a date?” asked a familiar voice.
“What have you done now, Traci?”
“Nothing.”
Cradling the cordless receiver between her chin and shoulder, Angela returned to the en suite bathroom. “I’m going to put you on speaker while I put on my makeup.”
“Okay.”
Sitting down at the vanity, she picked up a small sable brush and deftly applied shadow over her eyelid. “Talk to me, Traci.”
There was a brief pause before Traci’s voice came through the speaker. “Reggie’s brother said that he’s willing to be your date for the wedding if you can’t find anyone else to go.”
Angela groaned, still unable to understand why her cousin continued to date her ex-husband. Although she’d always liked Reggie, it was his brother that she could only take in small doses. His ego was as large as his waistline.
“Thanks for looking out, but I have a date.”
“Who is he?”
“You’ll see,” she said cryptically as she carefully outlined her lids with a smoky-colored eye pencil.
“Come on, Ang, give me a hint.”
Angela leaned closer, checking her handiwork in the lighted makeup mirror. She smiled. She hadn’t lost her touch. There was a time when she wore makeup every day. But once she began working in the gift shop, her makeup routine was a light dusting of face powder, one coat of mascara and a tinted lip gloss. She still had a standing appointment every week to have her hair and nails done, but shadow and eyeliner were for special occasions.
“Don’t think you’re going to badger me until I tell you. You’re going to have to wait like everyone else to see who I bring. Now, please hang up so I can finish putting on my makeup. I’ll see you and Reggie in about an hour.”
“Should I tell Reggie’s brother that you don’t want him to pick you up?”
Angela shook her head. There were times when she thought Traci played dumb because she didn’t like making men feel insecure, when in fact her cousin was a genius. Two years her junior, Traci had married and divorced not once, but twice—Reggie was her first—and swore she’d never marry again. Nevertheless, her cousin liked being in a relationship.
“Tell him thanks, but no thanks. I have a date.”
“Okay. What are you wearing?”
She smiled. “You’ll have to wait and see that, too.”
“I hope it’s real sexy, Ang, because I want Robert to realize what he lost.”
“Robert Gaskin made his bed, and now he’ll just have to lie in it. Look, cuz, I have to go if I’m going to be ready when Levi gets here.”
“Levi. Now that’s a name you don’t hear too often. Personally I like biblical names. They always sound so strong and masculine.”
Angela exhaled a deep breath. She knew if she didn’t get off the phone with Traci she wouldn’t be ready when Levi arrived. She still had to get dressed. “Bye, Traci. We’ll talk later.”
“Do you know if Yvette put us at the same table?” Traci asked, prolonging the conversation.
“Yes. I told her I wanted us seated together.”
“Okay, then I’ll see you later.”
“Later, Traci.” Angela ended the call, and concentrated on finishing her makeup.
Adjusting the light surrounding the vanity mirror, she surveyed her face under the flattering glow. Her makeup was subtle, and her eyes were dramatic with a smoky look. She turned off the lights, washed her hands and dried them. She walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to the dressing area where her dress and matching day coat hung from a padded hanger.
Taking off her robe, she slipped into a pair of midnight-blue bikinis, a halter-top bra and sheer pantyhose. She had just put on her dress and slipped her foot into one of the blue-suede, peep-toe pumps when the intercom rang at the same time as the clock on the fireplace mantel chimed on the half hour.
“Levi.”
His name unconsciously slipped past her parted lips. A smile spread across her face as she tried to recall everything about him—the deep, soothing timbre of his voice, the sexy-looking lines that creased his sharp jawline whenever he smiled, and the way he angled his head whenever he’d listened to something she said. He was perfect—perfect enough that she could easily see him as Mr. Right Now.
Pushing the speaker button on the intercom, she said, “This is Ms. Chase.”
“Are you expecting Mr. Eaton?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Thank you, Ms. Chase.”
Angela put on her other shoe and then picked up her lightweight coat and evening purse. She made her way down the staircase, carefully navigating the steps in her four-inch heels. She walked across the living room floor, opened the entry door and stared out the storm door, watching for Levi’s car. The weather had cooperated for her cousin’s wedding. Afternoon temperatures were expected to reach the high sixties without a chance of rain. The sky was bright blue with a few puffy clouds.
She felt something soft brush against her leg and looked down to find Miss Divine sniffing the black silk bow on her shoe. “Not the shoes, Miss Dee. I left you food and water, so I know you’re not hungry.”
Her head popped up when she saw the sunlight reflected off the car as it approached the driveway to her house. She shooed Miss Divine away from the door, activated the alarm system and locked the door. Angela approached Levi’s car as he came to a stop, and got out to meet her. There was no mistaking his surprise when he greeted her.
Angela’s eyelids fluttered. Levi looked strikingly handsome in a dark blue tailored suit that looked as if it had been custom-made for his tall, slender physique. A white shirt with French cuffs, a royal blue Windsor-knotted silk tie, and black wingtip shoes made him look as if he’d stepped off the pages of a men’s fashion magazine. She felt her heartbeat kick into overdrive as he closed the distance between them. Her high heels put the top of her head level with his nose.
She tiptoed and pressed her cheek to his. “How are you?”
Turning his head slightly, Levi pressed his mouth to the column of her scented neck. “Wonderful.” Reaching up, he cradled her face in his hands, his eyes moving slowly over her features. “You look incredible.” He couldn’t disguise the approval in his voice.
Angela Chase was a chameleon. Gone was her natural look and casual attire, and in its place was a stunning femme fatale. The curly hairstyle framed her delicate features, falling a few inches beyond her shoulders. Large, wide-set eyes highlighted in subdued hues of dark-colored eye shadow met his direct gaze. He managed to curb a smile when he noticed mascara had added length and volume to her lashes. False eyelashes had always been his pet peeve with women. He disliked women who were fake-looking, but instead used makeup to enhance their natural beauty. His gaze traveled from her face to the diamond studs in her ears and lower to her legs in sheer stockings that displayed the perfection of shapely calves and slender ankles. His eyebrows lifted when he saw the dark blue, peep-toe heels with a black bow that adorned her delicate feet.
“Thank you,” she said, demurely lowering her gaze. She didn’t know why, but she wanted him to find her attractive. It’d been so long since she’d found herself attracted to a man.
“Are you going to be able to dance in those?”
Angela smiled, bringing his gaze to her parted lips. “Do you dance?” she asked, answering his question with a question.
“Of course I dance.”
She winked at him. “If that’s the case, then we’ll see how well I can dance in my heels.”
Levi leaned closer. “Is that a challenge, Angela?”
“Do you want it to be, Levi?”
Pressing his mouth to her left ear, he breathed a kiss. “I’ve never backed down from a challenge,” he whispered.
Angela laughed softly. “Neither have I.”
Standing back, Levi stared at the woman who unwittingly had captured him in a spell of desire. The few hours they’d spent together the night before had only served to whet his appetite and his curiosity.
He knew her old fiancé would be at the wedding, and that he’d cheated on her, but to Levi there was cheating and then there was cheating. There was having an affair with another woman, and then there was cheating with your partner’s friends and family. The former he could rationalize somewhat, but he drew the line when it came to friends and family.
He knew what it was like to be cheated on. During his junior year at Howard, he learned that the girl he’d been sleeping with was also seeing four or five other guys on campus. Of course, it made him wary of the opposite sex, but it didn’t ruin his social life. The truth was he liked women and they liked him. Yet, he was never one to take advantage of a woman. He readily admitted he wasn’t ready for marriage or to become a father. And most of the women he’d dated appreciated his honesty.
Angela had asked him if he liked a challenge, and he’d said yes because she was a challenge—a very beautiful and complicated challenge. He took her hand in his, and led her around to the passenger side of the car.
“Are you ready for this?” he whispered.
“Only if you have my back, Levi,” Angela answered.
“That’s something you don’t have to worry your beautiful head about, because I have your back and your front.”
“That’s a lot, Levi,” she deadpanned.
“Haven’t you realized yet that you’re a handful, Angela?”
“No.” Angela ducked her head and slid into the black leather seat.
Levi rounded the sedan, slipped in beside her and secured his seat belt. He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. They were going to a wedding—a celebration—and he planned to spend the time enjoying her company, not arguing with her.
He’d driven past the gatehouse, heading back to the local road when he took a quick glance at Angela staring out the side window. “You’re going to have to tell me how to get there.”
She turned, staring at the gold monogrammed cufflinks. She met his eyes for a second before he turned his gaze back to the road. “Stay on this road for two miles, then you’ll see marker pointing the way to Manor Oaks. When you come to the stop sign, make a left. The property is about a quarter mile from there.”
Levi glanced at Angela again, this time at her long legs that stretched from the mid-thigh hemline of her dress and ended at her heels. “Are you a guest of the bride or the groom?” he asked, pressing a button on the steering wheel to turn on the radio. He had to say something to avert his attention from the woman sitting inches from him. Levi still couldn’t believe her startling transformation. For a moment he hoped she’d dressed that way for him and not to make her ex jealous. Regardless, he was happy to be her date.
“The bride is my first cousin. She and her fiancé, Craig, are high school sweethearts who’ve broken up and reconciled so many times that when they finally sent out wedding invitations no one believed them.”
“Don’t you think starting out in such a shaky relationship doesn’t bode well for marriage?”
Angela let out an audible sigh. “I hope not. Yvette is such a drama queen. If something doesn’t go her way she resorts to histrionics. Originally I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. Eventually I gave her an ultimatum: either she cooperated or I was out.”
Levi smiled. “Did she change?”
“She was okay for about a week, then she threw a mother of a tantrum and I bowed out. Yvette begged and pleaded, but I refused to give in. There is just so much verbal abuse I’ll take, even if it’s from family. She’d asked my cousin Traci, but she also declined. And knowing Traci she would’ve punched Yvette out. In the end she decided to have her twin sister as her only attendant.”
“What’s Robert’s connection to the groom?”
Angela groaned inwardly. She didn’t want to talk about Robert. Not today. It was enough that she would see him again after five years.
“He’s his cousin.”
Levi took another quick glance at his passenger. Her expression was as neutral as her tone. “What’s up with the women in your family marrying these guys?”
“You don’t understand,” Angela said.
“If it didn’t work out with you and Robert, why would your cousin believe it would work for her and Craig?”
“Craig isn’t a cheater.”
“Cheating isn’t the only thing that can…” Levi’s words trailed off when he spied the stately gleaming white mansion in the distance. Red-jacketed valets were parking cars as wedding guests arrived at the antebellum Greek revival mansion with its massive columns that supported the upper floor.
Slowly, he maneuvered behind a black, late-model Lexus and within seconds a parking attendant raced over to his door as Levi lowered the driver’s side window. Levi got out of the car and gave the valet, who didn’t look old enough to have a driver’s license, his keys. The attendant handed Levi a red ticket, then put another one on the dashboard. “I’ll take it from here, sir.”
Levi opened the back door, reached for his jacket in the backseat, slipped it on, and walked around the BMW to help Angela out of the car. One blue-suede pump touched the ground, then the other, as he gently eased her up.
Curving an arm around her waist, he pulled her close to his side. Lowering his head, he brushed a light kiss over her lips, aware that she’d be shocked by the public display of affection. Her breath caught.
“Are you ready?”
Angela quickly recovered. “I was born ready,” she answered, her voice filled with confidence.
They followed several couples up the stairs and into the expansive entryway of the landmark mansion. The house and surrounding three-hundred-acre estate had once belonged to one of the wealthiest tobacco-growing families in the county. Light from a massive chandelier reflected off the highly polished marble floor. Baskets and vases of white flowers in every variety lined the walls, which were covered in oyster-white silk fabric.
The cocktail hour was scheduled for two, the wedding ceremony for three, immediately followed by a reception that was to take place in another part of the mansion.
An elderly woman dressed in black approached them. “May I please take your coat?” she asked Angela.
She smiled. “Yes.” The word was barely off her tongue when Levi helped her out of her coat, and handed it to the woman who gave him a yellow ticket. With her back to him, Angela felt Levi go completely still when he stared at her dress. “What’s the matter, sweetie?” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder.
Leaning in close, Levi pressed his mouth to her ear. “Sweetie’s wondering where the rest of your dress is.”
Extending her arms, Angela pirouetted on her toes, allowing him to view the front and the back of her dress. The halter dress clung to her body like a second skin, the soft swell of breasts visible above the décolletage whenever she took a breath.
She smiled a sexy moue. “Halters always have a bare back.”
Levi’s fingers splayed at the small of her back as they stood in the foyer. “I couldn’t imagine what you were hiding under your coat, but I wasn’t expecting to see so much of you.”
Angela noticed his strained expression. “It’s not that low cut.” Looping her arm over his, she said, “Didn’t you tell me that you had my back and my front?”
“No comment,” he said under his breath. “Let’s go inside.”
She had got not only his attention, but also that of the men milling around the entryway as they stared, slack jawed at her lithe figure.
Levi escorted her through the throng waiting to enter one of the three ballrooms in the historic mansion. A string quartet played softly, as white-jacketed waiters circulated with trays of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. Bartenders at portable bars set up at opposite ends of the ballroom were busy mixing and pouring drinks.
The light from half a dozen chandeliers reflected off the precious gems that adorned the ears, necks, wrists and the manicured fingers of the women in attendance. It was as if Louisville’s most prominent African-Americans had come out to see and be seen. Levi saw Duncan standing off to the side next to a pretty, petite, dark-skinned woman with short, curly hair clinging to his arm. He recognized her as one of Maywood Junction’s schoolteachers.
“Come with me, Levi. I want to introduce you to my mom and dad.”
He followed Angela as she led him across the ballroom to where a tall, attractive fashionably dressed couple stood talking quietly to another couple. When the woman turned slightly he smiled, knowing what Angela would look like in three decades. Her mother was stunning!
Levi stood beside her as Angela hugged her mother and kissed her father before she acknowledged the other couple. He forced back a grin when her father raised his eyebrows after looking at the back of Angela’s dress. She whispered something in her father’s ear, and his gaze shifted to Levi.
Angela reached for Levi’s hand. “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Levi Eaton. Levi, these are my parents, Benton and Dianne Chase.”
“I’m honored to meet you,” Levi said, shaking Dianne’s hand before repeating the gesture with Benton.
Tall and slender with coppery skin and snow-white thinning hair, Benton narrowed his deep-set dark eyes and stared at Levi. “You’re an Eaton?”
Levi nodded. “Yes, I am,” he said proudly.
The older man squinted slightly behind the lenses of his glasses. “You look a lot like Solomon Eaton.”
He smiled. “He’s my father. Do you know him?”
Resting a hand on Levi’s shoulder, Benton led him away from his wife and daughter. “I met your father a couple of years ago when we got together for a fundraising golf tournament in Palm Springs. I’d heard through the grapevine that the president wanted to appoint him to the federal circuit court. I was sorry to hear Solomon declined. It’s not often someone of your father’s stature turns down a position like that. Forty years ago black judges were as scarce as hen’s teeth—especially in the South.”
“Are you a judge?” he asked Benton.
“Yes.”
Levi managed to mask his surprise behind an impassive expression. “I expected you to talk to me about dating your daughter, not talk about my father.”
Benton waved in a dismissive gesture. “I promised myself I would stop commenting on the men Angela dates. It’s a lost cause. She claims she doesn’t want to be involved with any of them.” He shook his head. “The only thing I can do is hope for the best for my baby girl.”
“Hey, Dad, Levi,” said a familiar voice. Levi turned to find Duncan standing behind them. “I see you’ve met the best pediatrician I’ve ever had the honor of working with.”
Benton’s smile was dazzling. “So, you’re a doctor?” He patted Levi’s shoulder. “How do you like working in Maywood Junction?”
“It’s a lot different from my New York practice.”
“You should see him with the kids, Dad. He’s incredible. I don’t know what we’re going to do when he leaves in a few months.”
Levi felt slightly uncomfortable. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Levi said.
“You’re thinking about…” Duncan was interrupted when Dianne and Angela joined them. His eyes swept over Angela’s revealing dress. “Who are you trying to hurt in that getup?”
Dianne shot her oldest son a stern look. “Duncan, please.”
Levi shifted his position, wrapping an arm around Angela’s waist. “I happen to like what she’s wearing,” he said defensively.
Angela flashed a Cheshire cat grin. Tilting her head, she smiled into Levi’s laughing eyes. “Why thank you, sweetie.”
Duncan wasn’t amused. “I just hope sweetie doesn’t have to bust a few jaws tonight.”
Shaking her head, Dianne managed a brittle smile. “Levi, you’re going to have to excuse my son. There are times when he can be a little overprotective of his sister.” She looped her arm through Duncan’s. “By the way, where’s your pretty little girlfriend?” Her voice changed, becoming syrupy sweet.
Duncan’s dark mood vanished when he smiled. “Myla went to the ladies’ room.”
Resplendent in black silk and brilliant diamonds, Dianne Hitchcock Chase patted her coiffed hair. “Now that the weather is warmer I’d like to have a little something at the house next Sunday. Duncan, I’d like you to bring Myla.” She smiled at Angela. “Of course I’d love for you and Levi to join us.”
Angela met Levi’s gaze. “Levi and I will have to talk about it.”
He shook his head. “I promised Angela I would cook for her next Sunday, but there’s always the following Sunday. We’ll be there, won’t we, darling?”
At that moment Angela wanted to drive the heel of her shoe into his foot, but thought better of it. She was accustomed to making decisions in her relationships, but apparently she’d underestimated her date. He was as good at playing the game as she was.
She gave her mother a plastic smile. “You can count on us being there.” She dug her nails into the palm of Levi’s hand. “Do you mind getting me something to drink?”
A slight frown furrowed his smooth forehead. “What would you like?”
“Surprise me,” she drawled facetiously.
Her eyes narrowed when she glared at his departing figure. Angela felt as if she was losing control, that it was as if Levi could read her mind and had flipped the script. She’d promised to take him to the Derby, but still hadn’t agreed to go to Philadelphia for his family reunion. Now he’d invited himself to Sunday dinner with her family.
Duncan carefully observed the exchange between his sister and Levi, and winked at Angela. “Play with fire and you’ll get burned, Sis,” he whispered in her ear.
“Go find Myla,” she countered.
Grabbing her hand, Duncan led her away from earshot of their parents. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I need you to tell me the truth.” Angela nodded. “Do you like Levi?”
“What’s there not to like. He’s perfect but…”
“But what, Ang?”
She averted her gaze. “You know I don’t want to get involved.”
“Neither does Levi.”
“How do you know that?”
Duncan leaned closer. “Levi was seeing someone, but he broke it off when she wanted more than friendship.”
Angela stared at her brother. “Are you saying he’s only interested in a platonic relationship?”
“Look, Sis. Levi and I don’t have detailed conversations about who we do or don’t sleep with. But he’s told me that he doesn’t want a permanent relationship. What I do know is that he’s a good guy and the kids love him, and you’re both looking for the same thing.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “Why are you playing matchmaker?”
“Because I hear that you’re still going out with losers. The best way to get over Robert is to date a decent guy. Excuse me, but I have to look for my woman.”
Angela stared as her brother walked away, her eyes landing on the one person she loathed seeing again standing only a few feet away.
Chapter 5
Angela felt a shiver run up her spine. Recovering quickly, she tilted her chin defiantly as the man with whom she’d once planned to spend her life came face-to-face with her. To say that time had not been kind to Robert Gaskin was an understatement. He was only thirty-eight, but appeared much older. There was a sallow undertone to his light brown face. His shoulders were rounded, and what had been a thick head of hair was now thinning. She noticed a slight puffiness under his eyes and a gauntness that belied fatigue. His suit hung from his body as if his six-foot frame had shrunken.
Karma is a bitch, she thought, as she suppressed a smile. But her sense of triumph turned to shame when the possibility that maybe Robert was sick suddenly occurred to her. That was something she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. The anger she thought she would’ve felt dissipated in an instant as Angela stared impassively at the man she believed she’d been in love with.
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Rochelle Alers
An Eaton too hot to deny The Kentucky clinic where Dr. Levi Eaton is volunteering is worlds away from his wealthy Pennsylvania roots. Still, the South has plenty of attractions—like his colleague’s captivating sister. Angela Chase is sexy, charming, and looking for fun, not commitment. That combination suits Levi just fine, until he begins to appreciate what lies beneath her Southern belle façade.Her fiancé’s betrayal destroyed Angela’s faith in men—and inspired a double life that would shock her prominent family. Hiding her true self from a man as charismatic as Levi isn’t so easy, and for once, she isn’t sure she wants to try. But without the courage to trust him with her secrets, their sultry Southern nights may soon be just a haunting memory…
An Eaton too hot to deny
The Kentucky clinic where Dr. Levi Eaton is volunteering is worlds away from his wealthy Pennsylvania roots. Still, the South has plenty of attractions—like his colleague’s captivating sister. Angela Chase is sexy, charming and looking for fun, not commitment. That combination suits Levi just fine, until he begins to appreciate what lies beneath her Southern belle facade.
Her fiancé’s betrayal destroyed Angela’s faith in men—and inspired a double life that would surprise her prominent family. Hiding her true self from a man as charismatic as Levi isn’t so easy, and for once, she isn’t sure she wants to try. But without the courage to trust him with her secrets, their sultry Southern nights may soon be just a haunting memory….
Angela’s eyes dropped
before Levi’s steady gaze.
She forced a smile. “You’re right.”
Cradling her face, Levi stared deeply into her eyes. “I can’t begin to presume to know what you’ve gone through, but I’m willing to help you get through this, Angela. I’m not your brothers or your father, so Robert Gaskin will be unprepared to deal with me running interference. Do you trust me?” he asked softly.
The word trust was like gall in Angela’s mouth. She’d trusted Robert and he’d deceived her. She’d trusted Savannah, and she also had deceived her. The only people she trusted were family members and now Levi was asking her to trust him. “Do I have a choice?”
He brushed a kiss over her parted lips. “No, you don’t. What I’m not going to do is lie to you. I like you. You’re pretty, intelligent, and you’re not snobby or uptight even though—”
“I’m an SB.”
“What’s an SB?” he asked.
“Southern belle.”
Smiling, Levi kissed her again, this one very different from the others they’d shared. His kiss was slow, surprisingly gentle and coaxing. It ended seconds later, leaving her mouth burning and wanting more.
ROCHELLE ALERS
has been hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today’s most prolific and popular African American authors of romance and women’s fiction.
With more than sixty titles and nearly two million copies of her novels in print, Ms. Alers is a regular on the Waldenbooks, Borders and Essence bestseller lists, regularly chosen by Black Expressions Book Club, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Emma Award, the Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.
She is a member of the Iota Theta Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and her interests include gourmet cooking and traveling. A full-time writer, Ms. Alers lives in a charming hamlet on Long Island.
Sweet Southern Nights
Rochelle Alers
Dear Reader,
Riddle: What do you get when the heroine is secretly a romance novelist?
Answer: Sweet Southern Nights.
There is a very good reason why Angela Chase—aka Angelina Courtland—believes in happily ever after for everyone but herself; however, that’s before she meets Dr. Levi Eaton. The question is, can the sexy pediatrician turn the serial dater into a real-life heroine worthy of her own happy ending?
Kentucky is the setting for Sweet Southern Nights, so put your feet up, grab a mint julep, rub shoulders with folks who think basketball is a religion and consider the first Saturday in May a holiday. Also look out for my next Eaton book, when Crystal Eaton finds herself involved with Joseph Cole-Wilson. This title promises drama and passion as two prominent families plan to add another branch onto their family tree.
Read, live and love romance.
Rochelle Alers
Contents
Chapter 1 (#u374b4033-b6e5-5dc1-9801-dadddfb4cd61)
Chapter 2 (#u23beb17f-58e4-5877-9d5d-36486eede8d4)
Chapter 3 (#u0db7b5ba-2e22-59ee-a10b-5b5d9eec971d)
Chapter 4 (#u725e0f14-5808-522d-9ba8-d7417e8174f2)
Chapter 5 (#u3ac1815d-c61e-5e28-a437-917d6d82685b)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1
“Levi, do you have anything planned for Sunday afternoon?”
Leaning back in his chair in the bar of the dimly lit restaurant, Levi Eaton stared at the foam-filled mug of draft beer. It was Friday night in the small Kentucky town less than half an hour from Louisville, and there wasn’t much else to do but hang out with the three men he’d come to regard as friends. He ordered a second round for everyone at the table even though he knew he should’ve gone home after the first.
He was scheduled to see patients the following day and needed to be alert, especially when dealing with infants and toddlers, many of whom needed booster shots and vaccinations. Unfortunately, in the rural community where Levi practiced medicine, insuring a child’s health was secondary to keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table for most families.
It had taken almost four months, but Dr. Duncan Chase had helped Levi make the transition from big-city doctor to small-town practitioner. In fact, the town of Maywood Junction was so small the school was one building connected by breezeways separating the kindergarten from the grade school, and the middle school from the high school.
Duncan Chase, an oncologist, had been involved in a national research study on the effects of the workplace on cancer-related illnesses. The Centers for Disease Control data revealed industrial-related cancers were unusually high in several Kentucky communities like Maywood Junction. And Duncan had received a federal grant to open a clinic there. Additional funding from the state had allowed him to add a staff of part-time doctors, including a pediatrician, an ob-gyn and a dentist. Duncan’s friend Levi had moved from New York to Kentucky to volunteer as the local pediatrician.
“What do you have in mind?” Levi asked.
Duncan Chase sipped the head of foam off his beer, and took a large gulp as he stared at Levi over the rim of his glass. “I’d like you to escort my sister to a family wedding.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the two other men at their table pushed back their chairs and stood up to leave.
“This is where I bid you gentlemen good night,” said Patrick Demorest, the dentist at the Maywood Medical Clinic. He dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “That should cover the tip.”
“Pat’s driving, so I’m outta here, too,” announced his twin brother, Andrew Demorest.
Levi sat up straight, staring as they quickly retreated. “Do they know something I should know?” There was a pause as Duncan stared into his mug. “What’s wrong with your sister?” Levi asked, shouting in order to be heard over the applause once the house band returned to the stage for a second set.
Lines fanned out around Duncan Chase’s large, dark brown eyes when he smiled. “There’s nothing wrong with her.”
Levi’s eyes narrowed. “If that’s the case, then why did Andy and Pat run out of here as if the hounds of hell were after them?”
Duncan glanced up, but didn’t meet Levi Eaton’s questioning gaze. “They have issues when it comes to Angela.”
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked again.
“Nothing, except…”
“Except what, Duncan?”
“Pat went out with Angela a couple of times and…”
“And what happened?” Levi asked when Duncan’s voice trailed off.
Duncan stared directly at Levi. He didn’t want to ruin his relationship with his colleague by asking him to escort his sister to a family wedding, but his mother had pressured him to find a date for Angela to avoid a possibly embarrassing situation. “Pat wanted more, and Angela didn’t.”
Levi gave Duncan a long stare. “Did more have anything to do with commitment?” He didn’t know why, but he felt like a police interrogator.
Duncan nodded. “Yes.” He held up a hand. “And before you ask, she does like men. She’s just not interested in becoming that involved.”
Levi took another swallow of his ice-cold beer. He was four months into his six-month commitment, providing care in the underserved community. His cousin, Dr. Mia Eaton-Chandler, had decided to practice medicine in West Virginia, but he’d decided his skills as a physician were better suited to a mining town in northwest Kentucky.
Duncan’s request reminded Levi that since he’d arrived in Kentucky, he’d only been on one date. Levi had been honest with the woman, telling her upfront that he couldn’t commit to a relationship since he planned to return to New York in a few months. Since she wanted marriage and children, they decided to part amicably.
He was scheduled to work from nine until two the next day, and his Saturday afternoons were usually spent picking up dry cleaning and shopping for groceries for the week. He saw patients on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and spent Sundays watching sports. He’d always been a fan of baseball and basketball. But since moving to Kentucky, he’d added football, tennis, golf and NASCAR. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he’d become a sports junkie.
“Where’s the wedding?”
Duncan carefully concealed a smile as he brought the mug to his lips. “Louisville,” he drawled, taking another swallow.
“I’ll think about it,” Levi replied.
Lowering the sudsy mug, Duncan set it on the scarred oak table. “How long do you intend to think about it, Levi? The wedding is in two days.”
Levi gave him a pointed look. He and Duncan Chase were the same age—thirty-six—but Duncan’s hair was prematurely gray. Despite that, Duncan was still one of Louisville’s most eligible bachelors. Tall, slender with masculine features in a tawny-brown face, his large, deep-set, gold-flecked brown eyes were his most arresting feature.
“I’ll let you know after I talk to your sister.”
“What’s there to talk about, Levi?”
He leaned across the small table. “Is she aware that you’re trying to set her up with a date?”
Duncan averted his gaze. “Not really.”
Levi smiled for the first time, angular lines creasing his lean jaw. “That’s what I thought.” He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket, took out his cell phone and handed it to Duncan. “Give me her phone number. I’ll call her and then I’ll let you know tomorrow if I’ll be her escort.” Although he hadn’t had an active social life since leaving New York, he also didn’t want to waste his day off spending time with a woman who was totally incompatible.
Duncan took the BlackBerry and added his sister’s name and number to Levi’s contacts. “When are you going to call her?”
“Tonight,” he said. Levi glanced at his watch. “Sorry, but it’s about time I leave so I can call her before it gets too late.” He retrieved his phone, reached into the pocket of his slacks and dropped a few more bills on the table. “Enjoy the music.” He stood and walked out of the restaurant.
The parking lot was quickly filling up with couples who’d come to The Rook for dinner, music and line dancing. He signaled to a driver in a late-model pickup that he was pulling out and could have his parking space. It was only nine-thirty—early enough for Friday date nights, but a little late for Levi. Even though his first appointment was at nine, he always arrived at least an hour early to go over patient charts.
Heading straight for his off-white BMW four-door sedan with NYMD vanity plates, he opened the door and slid in behind the wheel. He’d purchased the car a year ago and it still had that new-car smell. It had been years since he’d bought a new car, and Levi had taken a long time deciding whether he wanted another racy sports model or something different. For years he’d driven a two-seater Mercedes-Benz, but now that he was older he felt it was time to change his image. He was still a bachelor, but a bit more serious. Now, dating had taken a backseat to practicing medicine.
For whatever reason, Levi always felt more like a Philadelphian because of his family’s roots. Whenever he returned home for family reunions, or to celebrate a wedding, christening or a milestone birthday, it felt more like a homecoming, even though he now lived in a two-bedroom condominium in Mamaroneck, New York.
His younger brothers, who were married with children, constantly teased him about being marriage shy. But what they didn’t understand was that when it came to women, he’d always been very discriminating. He had a mental checklist, and intelligence and patience were his top priorities. Levi wanted someone who he could talk to, a relationship that went beyond sexual attraction. And patience was a necessity since doctor’s hours were never nine to five.
He wanted to get married and start a family, yet Levi knew he couldn’t begin that chapter of his life until he completed his obligations in Kentucky.
Angela Chase clicked on the print icon and watched the pages slide out into the paper tray. A slow smile tilted the corners of her mouth. She’d managed to complete ten pages of her latest novel in three hours. It was one of her better writing days. All she needed was another five thousand more words to finish the manuscript.
Lately the scenes and dialogue had been slow in coming. It wasn’t that she had writer’s block, but her characters seemed to have stopped talking to her. Before starting any new manuscript, Angela went through a carefully planned routine of setting up the plot, then reworking it until she could visualize every scene as if viewing a sequence of film frames. Next, she began the task of developing detailed sketches of her characters. Once she developed her characters, she began a chapter-by-chapter outline that resembled a storyboard.
No one, other than her aunt and her cousin Traci, who was also her business partner in their downtown Louisville gift shop, knew she moonlighted as a romance writer. Always a voracious reader, Angela began reading romance novels her first year of college. Her novels sometimes took priority over her class work. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d had to cram for an exam or stay up all night catching up on required reading because she hadn’t been able to put down a romance novel. What she refused to admit was that she’d become addicted to them. So much so, that after graduating she’d tried her hand at writing one. Her first attempt was not fit to print, but the fact that she’d completed it gave her the confidence she needed to try again.
It had taken more than four years to achieve something readable. But by the time she’d celebrated her twenty-eighth birthday, she’d become a published author. Her first novel had received lukewarm reviews, but it was the second one that had garnered the acclaim she’d hoped for as a writer. Using the pseudonym Angelina Courtland, she guarded her true identity like a double agent.
She usually kept a low profile. Although she answered reader emails, she didn’t have a website. She didn’t make public appearances or do book signings since her publicist had explained that Angelina Courtland was agoraphobic. The pretense that she was afraid to leave her home or be photographed only added to her mystique. She’d even had her attorney set up a holding company for her work so that her name never appeared on the copyright page of her novels. It wasn’t until after the publication of her second novel that she revealed her nom de plume to her cousin.
Traci thought Angela was delusional until she accidently read a draft of her novel on her computer. That was when Angela had sworn her cousin to secrecy. The two had always been confidantes, so Angela knew she could trust Traci not to tell anyone that she was a bestselling author.
What her readers didn’t know was that she did leave her home and that she actually had an active social life. The exception was when she was facing a deadline. And, she didn’t have to go very far for inspiration. She had five brothers, who were all single, as well as the men she dated to research her male characters. And for her heroines, she had her own experiences, as well as women friends and family to draw upon. But none of her characters had names of people she knew, and she only used snippets of their personalities in developing her characters.
Taking the pages she’d printed and a red pencil, Angela moved from behind her desk to a plush club chair with a matching ottoman. Light from a floor lamp provided enough illumination as she settled in to read what she’d typed:
His fingertips feathered down the length of her bare skin, his gossamer touch reminding Ericka of the gentle brush of a butterfly’s wings.
Does that sound too cheesy? Angela mused.
Her red pencil was poised to make changes when her cell phone rang, shattering the quiet. She reached for her cell phone. “Hi. This is Angela,” she answered, without glancing at the caller ID display.
“Is this Angela Chase?” came a deep voice on the other end of the line.
A slight frown etched on her forehead. “Who’s asking?”
“Levi Eaton.”
She went still. “Who are you and how did you get my number?”
There was a brief pause. “Your brother Duncan gave me your number, Miss Chase. I work with him at the clinic.”
There was another pause. “Why would he give you my number?”
“He said you needed an escort for a wedding on Sunday.”
It wasn’t until she felt the sharp twinge in her jaw that Angela realized she’d been gritting her teeth. It was something she did whenever she was stressed or at a loss for words. Her brother had no right! Duncan had no right to interfere in her social life! Her mouth gaped open when realization dawned. She was willing to bet her first born that her mother had asked Duncan to find a date for her.
“Duncan’s wrong. I don’t need an escort.”
“Look, Miss Chase, I don’t need to get involved—”
“It’s Angela,” she interrupted.
“As I was saying, Angela, I don’t need or want to get involved in any family fracas, but I did tell your brother I’d be willing to take you as a favor to him. I’m sorry if I bothered you.”
“Don’t hang up!” she practically shouted into the tiny mouthpiece. “Are you still there?” she asked after several seconds. A low chuckle caressed her ear.
“Yes, I’m still here. Have you changed your mind?”
Angela’s mind was in tumult. There was something about Levi Eaton’s voice she liked. And, if the rest of the man matched the voice, then he could at least be character development material for her novels.
“Yes, I have. I may have been a little too hasty. My brothers believe they know what’s best for me when it comes to my social life.”
“Are they usually right?”
Angela smiled. “Most times—no. Do you keep track of your sister’s love life?” she asked.
“No, I don’t. Because I don’t have a sister. Now that we’ve established that I’ll be your date for the wedding, I suggest we meet sometime tomorrow and talk so we’ll be on the same page come Sunday.”
I like his approach, she thought. The smile curving Angela’s lips reached her eyes. It was obvious Levi Eaton was a take-charge guy. He’d mentioned he worked with Duncan at the clinic.
“How did you come to know Duncan?” she asked him.
“That’s something we’ll discuss tomorrow.”
Her eyebrows lifted a fraction. Mysterious, she thought. “When and where do you want to meet?”
“I’m scheduled to see patients in the morning, so I won’t be able to get to Louisville until late afternoon. We can talk over dinner. You’re probably more familiar with the restaurants in Louisville than I am. Where would you like to eat?” Levi asked.
He’d answered one of Angela’s questions. Levi Eaton was a doctor. “I’d rather not go out. If people spot us together, then it’s going to generate a lot of questions. We can meet at my place.”
“What if I bring dinner?”
Angela laughed for the first time. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll cook.”
“I don’t want to put you out, Angela. I don’t mind bringing dinner.”
“I have to cook for myself, so making a little more definitely won’t put me out. Is there anything in particular you’d like?”
It was Levi’s turn to laugh. “No. Surprise me.”
Daring. “Maybe I should’ve asked if there is anything you’re allergic to, or if you have any dietary restrictions.”
“No and no.”
Angela gave Levi her address, listening intently as he repeated it. “Is seven too late for you?”
“No. Seven is perfect.”
She smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow at seven. Call me if you get lost trying to find my house.”
“That’s all right, Angela. My car has GPS navigation.”
She wanted to tell Levi that even with GPS people still weren’t able to find her house that easily since the area where she lived in the suburbs of Louisville was secluded with private roads and streets.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” Levi repeated.
“Levi?”
“Yes, Angela.”
“Thank you.”
A full-throated laugh came through the earpiece. “You’re quite welcome.”
Depressing a button, Angela ended the call. She didn’t know whether Levi was laughing at her. It wouldn’t be the first time one of her brothers had dared a man to go out with her. It was as if they had taken a concerted interest in her love life since her former fiancé eloped with her maid of honor the day before her wedding.
They would’ve hunted him down and beat him to a bloody pulp if she hadn’t convinced them it was better to find out that her fiancé was unfaithful before she’d married him. If she’d found out after they’d exchanged vows, then it might have been her who would have tried to pound the life out of him with a cast-iron frying pan.
It didn’t matter if Duncan wagered or paid Levi Eaton to be her date because come Sunday, it would be the first time in five years she would come face-to-face with the duplicitous pair who’d turned her life upside down.
Soft meowing caught her attention. Shifting on the chair, Angela saw the tiny, white-coated cat with gleaming blue-gray eyes staring up at her. To say the cat was spoiled was an understatement. “What do you want, Miss Divine?” The cat meowed in response, arching her back and stretching out her front paws. Putting the manuscript pages and pencil on the table, she leaned over and picked up her pet.
Angela knew Miss Divine could jump up onto her lap without any help, but she was training her to stay off the furniture. The exception was when she sat at her desk working during the day. Miss Divine would find a spot on the corner of the L-shaped desk and settle down to sleep as sunlight poured in through the skylight and French doors.
She was one of those rare cats who had learned that the kitchen, dining and living rooms were off-limits. Angela had resisted having a cat or dog because of the pet hair and dander. And she refused to resort to covering her furniture if Miss Divine decided to sit wherever she pleased. But once she saw the tiny kitten, she knew she had to have her.
“Well, Miss Dee, it looks as if you’re going to be on your own on Sunday,” she said as the cat stared back at her owner as if she understood what Angela had said. “As much as I tried to fight it, yours truly has a date for Yvette’s wedding.”
Angela was more than willing to sit at the singles’ table, but somehow Duncan—no doubt at their mother’s urging—had recruited someone to be her date so Dianne Chase could save face. Her mother was the only one in her social circle whose daughter was unmarried. A society grande dame, she had been denied the chance to flaunt her status as mother of the bride when Angela’s wedding was abruptly called off. Of course, the fact that the groom had run off with the maid of honor made it all the more embarrassing.
“What my mother doesn’t realize is that I’m one of those women who happens to be quite content to be without a man in her life,” as she continued her dialogue with the cat. Miss Divine blinked, meowing softly in response. “I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, Miss Dee, because you don’t have a man in your life, either. Even if you did, I doubt whether anything would jump off because you can’t have any kittens.” She ran her fingertips over the smooth fur that felt like velvet. “If I hadn’t had you spayed, you probably would’ve had an adorable litter.”
No, she didn’t need a man. Not when she was able to live out her fantasies vicariously through her characters.
Chapter 2
Levi had spent a restless night wondering why he’d allowed himself to be set up on a blind date. The last time he’d been on one was his second year in college when he’d taken his roommate’s sister to her senior prom. Going to the prom with a college student as her date had appreciably elevated his roommate’s sister’s “geek” image. What her brother hadn’t realized was that his sister wasn’t a nerd, but really more of a freak. He was fortunate to have survived the night without being sexually assaulted. Of course, Levi didn’t tell his roommate about his sister, but it was the last time he’d agreed to go on a date with a woman without first meeting and talking to her.
It was after two o’clock before he’d come to the conclusion that he hadn’t been set up, but instead had willingly agreed to escort a woman to a wedding that was just a day away. Admittedly, his social life had been pretty much nonexistent over the past few months, and it was time he enjoyed a few hours of female companionship.
If Levi had been in New York, his free time would’ve been filled with dinners, parties, occasional trips to Philadelphia to see his relatives and having fun with his circle of friends in his off-hours. If he needed a date, all he had to do was call. He’d established a coterie of female friends who were willing to step in at a moment’s notice, and he was always quick to reciprocate whenever they needed an escort. He made certain never to blur the lines between friendship and intimacy. Women he counted as friends he didn’t sleep with. Those he’d slept with, he relegated to the past. When he ended a relationship, he never wanted to send mixed signals.
Levi planned to meet Angela Chase later that evening. He wanted to find out whether they both were on the same page in case someone asked how long they’d known each other or where they’d met. After all, the wedding guests were Angela’s friends and family and he didn’t want to do or say anything that would embarrass her.
His head popped up when he heard the knock on his office door. He stared at the receptionist-slash-secretary-slash-insurance claims manager as she peered through the slight opening. He turned off his tape recorder.
“Yes, Krista.”
“I just got a call from a mother who would like you to examine her son.”
Levi capped his pen, slipping it into the breast pocket of his lab coat. “What’s wrong with him?”
“She claims he fell out of the back of her dad’s old pickup and hurt his arm.”
“Tell her to bring him in.”
Office hours were over and he’d just finished updating notes for his last patients’ medical records. If he hadn’t been thinking about his dinner date with Angela Chase later that evening, he probably would have already left for the day. Ten minutes later Krista returned to tell him the patient was waiting in one of the examining rooms.
It took only a glance for Levi to know the boy was seriously injured, and would need X-rays. He gave the six-year-old a shot to minimize the pain, stabilized the limb with a splint and sling, and then called the local hospital to alert them that the boy’s mother was bringing him in, and that he needed emergency medical attention. He promised to fax over the incident report.
He ended the call, and then turned to stare at the young mother sitting on a chair cradling her son to her chest. The boy’s eyelids were fluttering. “Mrs. Godfrey, I want you to go and start up your car. I’ll carry Jeremy for you.”
Debra Godfrey stared up at the tall doctor with the friendly smile. Within minutes of bringing her son to the clinic, Dr. Eaton had managed to ease her son’s fears by asking him what his favorite cartoon was. When Jeremy said Sponge Bob Square Pants the pediatrician pretended to be one of the cartoon characters. It was enough to stop the flow of tears while Dr. Eaton deftly injected him with a painkiller so he could examine the child’s arm to better determine the severity of the injury.
Debra nodded as she bit her lip to stop it from trembling. “I… I don’t have enough gas in my car to make it to the hospital. “I’d hoped you would be able to take care of Jeremy’s arm here at the clinic.”
Levi gave the mother a reassuring look. Most of the patients who came to the clinic were hardship cases, living at or below the poverty level. Many were on Medicaid, and those who were uninsured were charged a nominal fee. He knew Debra Godfrey was the mother of three school-age children and had moved in with her parents after her husband was sentenced to an eight-year prison sentence for armed robbery. If she’d come into his New York office, Jeremy would’ve been x-rayed by a staff technician, an orthopedist would have set the child’s arm and fitted it with a lightweight cast. The fully staffed medical group offered an array of services including minor surgery.
“I’ll call Larry at the gas station and tell him to fill up your car.”
Debra’s eyes filled with tears. “I’ll pay you back soon as I get paid next week.”
Levi patted her hand. “Don’t worry about paying me back, Mrs. Godfrey,” he said, smiling in hopes of putting her at ease. “Just take care of your son.”
Reaching into the pocket of his lab coat, he took out his cell phone, scrolled through his contacts, and tapped the button for the gas station. It took less than a minute to relay his instructions to the station owner. Scooping up the boy, he carried him out to the parking lot, placed him gently on the passenger seat of the old pickup truck, and fastened the seatbelt, adjusting it to prevent further injury to his arm.
Levi watched as the taillights disappeared when Debra Godfrey drove away. Treating the child had meant he’d have little time to prepare for his meeting with Angela Chase. He didn’t want to read more into the blind date than just doing a favor for a colleague. He reasoned that this was only going to be a one-time thing.
Angela checked the table setting to make certain she hadn’t forgotten anything. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, she wanted dinner to be perfect. Maybe it had something to do with not having a man over for dinner in almost six months. It wasn’t as if she’d soured on the opposite sex. It was just that she didn’t trust men.
She’d decided to have dinner in the enclosed terrace. After making sure everything was perfect, she returned to the kitchen to check on the chicken that had marinated overnight. She opened the oven door and checked to see if the roast was fully cooked and perfectly browned. A smile tilted the corners of her mouth when tantalizing aromas wafted up to her nostrils. The stuffed bird was perfect for the cool late-spring evening.
Most nights when she returned home from work, she didn’t go into her home office to turn on her computer, but retreated to the enclosed back porch where she spent countless hours catching up with her pile of reading material or watching a movie.
Glancing at the clock on the oven, Angela lowered the temperature, closed the door and walked out of the kitchen to the staircase that led to the second floor of bedrooms. She had an hour before Levi Eaton arrived.
Stripping off her tank top, sweatpants and underwear, Angela covered her hair with a shower cap and then stepped into the stall in the en-suite bathroom. She turned on the shower spray and adjusted the water temperature. She squeezed a generous glob of her favorite bath gel onto a sponge and went about soaping her body.
As his gaze shifted from the map on the dashboard to the road in front of him, Levi decelerated. Apparently Angela was right. The roads were confusing. It was the third time the automated voice had recalculated his programmed route. After his last patient, he packed an overnight bag and a garment bag with the suit he’d planned to wear to the wedding, and drove fifteen miles from Maywood Junction to Louisville. He planned to check into a downtown hotel where he’d take advantage of the hotel’s full-service salon for a haircut and shave.
As he continued driving, a wooded area gave way to a paved road and a sign pointing the way to Magnolia Pines—a private residential community. The sun had set and the light from the nearly full moon reflected off the rails of the white fencing surrounding the property. The rails were a constant reminder that he was in horse country.
He’d come to Kentucky at the beginning of January and planned to leave at the end of June. And during his six-month stay, he’d made a promise to himself to attend a horse race. And his race of choice was the Kentucky Derby.
Reining in his thoughts, and remembering why he was driving along unlit roads in a Louisville suburb, Levi recalled the conversation he’d had with Duncan earlier that morning. He’d told him that he’d contacted his sister and would be meeting her for dinner tonight. Duncan seemed surprised that Angela had agreed to go out with him. But Levi didn’t want answers from his colleague, but rather from his sister. The outline of the gatehouse came into view, and Levi maneuvered up to the security gate as the guard slid back the window.
“Good evening, sir. May I help you?”
He nodded, smiling. “Good evening. I’m here to see Miss Angela Chase.”
“Your name, sir.”
“Levi Eaton.”
“I need to see your driver’s license, Mr. Eaton.”
Shifting in his seat, Levi removed a small billfold from his back pocket and handed his license to the guard. He drummed his fingers on the leather-wrapped wheel as he waited to be announced.
Angela stood in front of the full-length mirror, half an hour later, grimacing when she realized she looked like one of the heroines in her novels before her glamorous transformation. The white, man-tailored blouse, black cropped slacks and a pair of black patent high-heeled sandals were more appropriate for an afternoon luncheon than a dinner date.
A pair of pearl studs was the only jewelry she wore. Even her hairstyle was conservative. Instead of leaving it loose or in a ponytail, she’d pinned it into a chignon at the nape of her neck. She moved closer to the mirror and examined her bare face. She’d applied a moisturizer, lip gloss but nothing else. She went completely still when the distinctive buzzing from the intercom echoed through the house. She knew it was Levi Eaton—and he was early. Walking over to a wall panel, she punched a button on the intercom.
“This is Ms. Chase.”
“Miss Chase. Mr. Levi Eaton is here to see you.”
“You can let him in.”
Well, her blind date was about to see Angela Maxine Chase without any artifice. It would be a test to see if Dr. Levi Eaton was as superficial as most of the men she’d dated over the past three years. She left the bedroom, walked the length of the carpeted hallway to the staircase leading to the living room. She unlocked the door, opened it and came face-to-face with a man whose masculinity literally took her breath away.
To say the man standing on her front steps was tall, dark and handsome was an understatement. Angela hadn’t realized she was gaping until she saw his gaze shift from her eyes to her mouth. Opening the door wider, she gave him a bright smile.
“Please come in, Dr. Eaton.”
Levi’s expressive eyebrows lifted a fraction, and she wondered what was going through his mind. Now, she thought if his personality was as good as his looks, then Levi Eaton would definitely become the prototype for her next romance novel.
“Please, it’s Levi.”
Her smile grew wider as she extended her free hand. “And I’m Angela. Welcome.” Her fingers disappeared in his large grasp.
He handed her a decorative bag filled with wine. “I didn’t know what you were serving, so I bought a bottle of red, white and rosé.”
She peered into the bag. “You really didn’t have to bring anything.”
Levi smiled for the first time, attractive lines appearing in his lean face. “I guess it has something to do with home training. My mother would be mortified if I showed up at someone’s home empty-handed. At least the first time,” he added, his smile becoming a full grin.
Angela angled her head, staring up at the man who made her heart beat a little too fast for comfort. It had been a long time—at least five years—since she’d found herself slightly off balance. It hadn’t happened since she’d been introduced to Robert Gaskin. And if she could turn back the clock, Angela never would’ve given him a second glance. She opened her mouth to tell Levi that tonight would be the first and last time he would cross her threshold, but changed her mind when she remembered Levi was to be her date for her cousin’s wedding.
“Please come with me. It’ll be another twenty minutes before dinner is ready, so I thought we could take some time to become better acquainted,” she said instead.
Levi glanced around the alcove off the living room where two facing club chairs, one with a matching footstool, a low mahogany table with rosewood inlay and two floor lamps with Tiffany-style shades created an inviting and comfortable seating area. A decoratively carved credenza doubled as a bar, its surface covered with lead-crystal decanters filled with clear and amber-colored spirits.
He hadn’t known what to expect, but it wasn’t the young woman who appeared to be no nonsense and all business. What he did like was her natural, flawless face. Beyond her beauty, he didn’t know anything about her other than her name and that she lived in a sprawling, exquisitely decorated house in a gated community. Yet he was curious and wanted to know more about her.
A woman’s looks were not as important to him as her intelligence and femininity. Levi had come to the conclusion that he was somewhat old-school when it came to women. He wasn’t a chauvinist, but he liked women who were more traditional.
Angela suddenly turned and stared at him, her eyes large and her gaze unwavering in the flattering warm light. “Please sit down, Levi.”
“After you, Angela,” he said, smiling.
He waited for her to sit down, then followed suit, trying not to stare at her legs, which were stretched out and propped on a footstool. The soft light from the floor lamp spilled over Angela’s delicate features, and her serene expression reminded him of the female images in Renaissance paintings. Her rich golden-brown complexion was reminiscent of autumn leaves and his gaze lingered on her temptingly curved lips.
Angela was slender but with enough curves to get a man’s attention. If he had to describe her looks, Levi would have to admit that Angela Chase was easy on the eyes—very, very easy on the eyes.
He smiled. “I suppose you’d like to know a little something about me before our big date tomorrow.” The question was more of a statement.
Angela’s smile matched his, charming him with the gesture. “I’d like to know more than a little something about you.”
Levi sobered. “Ask me whatever you like.”
Settling back in the chair, she studied the man sitting only a few feet from her. His close-cropped hair, smooth jawline and dark suit, white shirt, striped navy and white silk tie and imported slip-ons bespoke exquisite taste and grooming.
“How old are you, and where were you born?”
“I’m thirty-six. Born in Philadelphia and grew up in Miami, Florida.”
I know you’re a doctor, but do you have a specialty?”
“Pediatrics.”
Angela’s expression did not change as she continued to stare at Levi, wondering why Duncan had neglected to tell her that he’d added a pediatrician to his staff. After he’d set her up with his part-time dentist, Patrick Demorest, she’d stopped visiting her brother in Maywood Junction to avoid Patrick. “Why did you decide to become a pediatrician?”
Levi stared at his hands. “I like children. Why do you ask?”
“If I had to take a guess as to your specialty, it wouldn’t have been pediatrics.”
“What did you think it would be?”
“I would’ve thought cardiology, or maybe obstetrics.”
“One ob-gyn in the family is plenty.”
“I take it you come from a family of doctors,” Angela said.
Levi nodded. “There are quite a few doctors, lawyers and teachers. What else do you want to know about me?” he asked.
“How long have you lived in Kentucky?”
He paused before saying, “I’m only here for six months.”
Angela sat up straight. “Why just six months?” she asked.
“When I was in med school I agreed to do community service and provide medical care to places like Maywood.”
“So, when your commitment is up you plan to return to Florida?”
“No. I live and work in a suburb just north of New York City.”
Angela digested this information. She usually spoke to Duncan several times a month, but he hadn’t said anything about Levi. The fact that Levi worked with her brother provided the perfect reason for why they were attending the wedding together.
“Perhaps you should tell me about yourself, Angela, and why it’s so important that your brother recruited me to be your date for tomorrow’s wedding,” Levi said, breaking into her thoughts.
“It’s not that I couldn’t get a date, but—”
“That’s obvious,” he interrupted, “because you’re beautiful, and I assume you’re quite intelligent.”
Her cheeks grew warmer. “Should I take that as a compliment, Levi?”
He shook his head. “No, Angela. It’s the truth.”
Angela knew she had to be careful with Levi Eaton. Very, very careful or she would find herself succumbing to his charisma and obvious sex appeal.
A slow smile ruffled the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”
Levi shook his head. “There’s no need to thank me.”
“My cousin is marrying the cousin of my ex-fiancé.”
Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “Is there bad blood between you and your ex?”
“No. The truth is I haven’t seen him in five years.”
“Is he married?”
Angela nodded. “Yes,” she confirmed after a pregnant pause.
“You need a date because you don’t want him to believe you’ve been pining away for him.”
She wanted to tell Levi that she hadn’t been pining away for Robert, since right after their canceled wedding she plunged back into the dating scene with a vengeance. It was only when she began writing in earnest that she’d slowed down so much that she hadn’t been on a date in months.
“I need you to dispel any idea he might have that I’m pining away for him since I’m still single.”
Levi’s expression remained impassive. “Are you single by choice?” he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper.
Angela angled her head, offering him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Are you single by choice?” she asked, answering his question with one of her own.
“What makes you believe I’m single?” said Levi, asking her another question.
This time Angela’s smile spread over her face like bright rays of morning sun. “If you weren’t, or should I say if I were married to you, I doubt that I’d let you go away for six months without me. And I’d hope if you are married, you wouldn’t accept an invitation to escort other women.”
Levi leaned closer and gave her a prolonged stare. “Perhaps I’m more like your cheating ex than you think.”
She went completely still, as if she’d been hit by a bolt of lightning. A slow, uneasy panic seized Angela, making it virtually impossible for her to speak. Had Duncan told Levi the circumstances of her breakup with Robert even though he, along with everyone else in her family had sworn never to talk about it?
“What makes you think he cheated on me?”
“Did he, Angela?”
“Yes!” she spat out, annoyed that she’d allowed herself to dredge up the past. “Do you cheat on women?”
“No. And even if I were seeing someone, I still wouldn’t cheat. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, but I need to know what I’ll be dealing with if we encounter your ex,” Levi said apologetically.
“His name is Robert Gaskin.”
He gave Angela a smile he usually reserved for his patients. “We’ll be ready for Mr. Gaskin,” he said confidently.
Angela noticed he’d said we. It was the first time a man, other than her father and brothers, had offered to protect her. It was too bad she wasn’t looking for a man in her life, because Dr. Levi Eaton would’ve been the perfect candidate.
The grandfather clock in a corner of the living room chimed the hour. It was seven o’clock. She stood up as Levi rose to his feet with her. “Please excuse me, but I have to check on dinner.”
“Do you need help?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Do you cook?”
Levi winked at Angela. “I’ve been known to burn a few pots. Maybe next time we get together I’ll return the favor and cook for you.”
Angela stopped short, forcing Levi to bump into her. His hands went to her shoulders to steady her. He was close—close enough for her to feel his body heat, close enough to feel the whisper of his breath over her ear, and close enough to inhale the subtle masculine scent of his cologne.
“You want to go on another date?” Her query was a low husky whisper.
Levi’s gaze moved slowly over her face. “Why wouldn’t I? After all, you owe me one.”
She tilted her chin. “When will I have to pay up?”
“At my family reunion. We always get together over the Memorial Day weekend. This year it will be in Philadelphia.”
Angela shook her head. “You can’t just spring something like that on me at the last minute. I have a business to run.”
Levi dropped his hands. “What kind of business?”
“I operate a gift shop with my cousin in downtown Louisville.”
“Do you ever take a vacation?” he asked.
“Of course I do.”
“Do you have anything planned for that weekend?”
“My parents usually host a cookout that weekend.”
“Maybe we can work something out so that we’re able to attend both,” Levi suggested.
Angela’s smile reminded him of a high-wattage bulb. “Why don’t we wait until after the wedding to see if we can stand each other before we talk about a second date?”
“I’ll agree, but under one condition,” Levi said in a seductively deep voice.
Her smile faded. “What’s that?”
“Tell me how I can get a ticket to the Kentucky Derby.”
Angela waved her hand as if swatting away a fly. “That’s easy. You can come with me.”
Levi froze. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not. Come, Levi. I have to take the chicken out of the oven before it’s as dry as sandpaper.”
A smile curved Levi’s strong mouth as he stared at the swaying hips of the woman who was as charming as she was intriguing. Duncan was right. There was nothing wrong with his sister—at least not on the surface.
Chapter 3
Angela breathed an audible sigh when she opened the wall oven door to find the large roast chicken had cooked to a perfect golden-brown. “Is it okay?” Levi said, standing behind her.
Smiling and moving to her left, she winked at him. “Take a look.”
“Hot damn! The girl can cook!”
“Bite your tongue! I don’t know what kind of women you’ve been hanging out with, but one thing I’ll readily admit is that yours truly can jam in the kitchen.”
Levi took a step, his chest only inches from Angela’s back. “The women I date usually don’t cook.”
“Don’t or can’t?” she asked.
He smiled. “Don’t.”
“How or where do you eat?”
“We make reservations, or I’ll cook for her.”
Shifting slightly, Angela stared up at Levi over her shoulder. The word keeper came to mind and she wondered why some woman hadn’t become Mrs. Levi Eaton, except, of course, if he was afraid of marriage. And, if he was, then he would fit quite nicely into her plans since she had no intention of ever getting married. In that moment Angela decided she would try to keep Levi around until he went back to New York—unless he decided otherwise. After all, he appeared to be every woman’s fantasy. He was gorgeous, intelligent and single. But, then she thought about Robert.
She saw Levi’s mouth moving before she realized he was talking to her. “I’m sorry, but my mind was elsewhere,” she apologized.
“I asked if you wanted me to help you bring anything to the table.”
Angela blinked as if coming out of a trance. “Yes. After I take the chicken out of the roasting pan you can take it out to the terrace.”
Taking off his suit jacket, Levi draped it over the back of one of the chairs in the breakfast nook. He then loosened his tie, unbuttoned and turned back the cuffs to his shirt. His gaze swept around the gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Double-wall ovens, two sinks, two dishwashers, a counter-depth refrigerator-freezer and a cook-top range and grill were a chef’s dream kitchen.
The house had quintessential Southern architecture with a wraparound porch, second story veranda, window shutters and a trio of ceiling fans on the front porch.
“Is there someplace that I can wash my hands?” he asked.
Angela pointed to a door at the far end of the kitchen. “There’s a half bath over there.”
She watched as he walked toward the bathroom. Even his walk was sexy. He didn’t walk or glide—he had a swagger. It was in that instant that she decided she was going to call on everything in her feminine arsenal to keep Levi Eaton around for as long as he remained in Kentucky. And if she and Levi became friends, then she would be more than willing to make the drive to Maywood Junction to see him. Having him around would assuage her mother’s concern that she was ruining her reputation by seeing a different man every few months.
The women in Dianne Chase’s social circle were quick to report that they’d seen Angela with a guy one week and another a month later, much to her mother’s consternation. Not only did Dianne have an unmarried thirty-something daughter, but none of her sons were married and she still wasn’t a grandmother. However, what her mother failed to realize, even after Angela informed her she wasn’t sleeping with any of the guys she dated, was that she didn’t really care about such salacious gossip.
Even though she told them on their first date that she had no intention of sleeping with them, that didn’t stop her dates from trying to change her mind.
Levi returned to the kitchen just when Angela was taking the chicken from the pan and placing it on a platter. He smiled when he saw that she’d put on a black pin-striped bibbed apron.
“Let me do that,” he offered, lengthening his stride until he was standing next to her. Lifting the rack from the roasting pan, he managed to slide the bird onto the platter with little or no effort. The tantalizing aromas titillated his nose. “What did you stuff it with?”
“Long-grain rice, raisins, finely diced apples and ground cinnamon.”
“It smells amazing.”
“It tastes amazing,” Angela confirmed. “I can’t take credit because it’s my aunt’s recipe. She threw a lot of dinner parties in this house, and her culinary style was to combine as many dishes into one that you can. She said if you’re serving chicken, then stuff it so you don’t have to prepare separate side dishes.”
Levi gave Angela an incredulous look. “You live here with your aunt?”
Angela laughed, the sound resembling the tinkling of a wind chime. “No. She now lives in a chateau in France’s wine country with her longtime lover. She gave me the house as a wedding gift.” She compressed her lips. “It was the only gift that I didn’t have to return.”
He heard the throatiness in her voice when she’d mentioned wedding gift. “Your aunt sounds like a colorful character.”
“Colorful wouldn’t begin to describe her. Folks around her called her everything but a child of God. And those were the compliments. They’d failed to realize she was her own woman who lived by her own set of rules. If something made Nicola Chase happy then she made everyone around her happy. If not, then stay out of her way.”
“It sounds as if you are quite fond of her.”
Walking over to the refrigerator, Angela took out bottles of chilled white and rosé wines. Using her shoulder, she closed the door. “I grew up wanting to be just like her, much to my mother’s horror.”
Resting his hip against the cooking island, Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you?”
“I wish.”
“Don’t you like how your life has turned out?”
“Please don’t get me wrong, Levi. I’m quite satisfied with my life. It’s other folks who don’t believe I am.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen. Levi followed with the platter as she led the way to the glass-enclosed sunroom. Charcoal-gray solar blinds provided privacy from prying eyes. When he’d followed the private road leading to Angela’s house, he noticed that it overlooked a lake surrounded by a copse of weeping willow trees.
His gaze swept over the room, the focus of which was a table covered in a white linen tablecloth with a black-and-white-striped runner, and set with china, crystal and sterling silver. White candles in varying heights flickered in crystal votives, hurricane lanterns and candelabras. Angela touched a wall switch and track lighting illuminated the space like starlight pinpoints, while soft music filled the room from concealed speakers.
He set the platter down on the table beside a vase of white and deep pink flowers. “This is very, very nice.”
Angela met his eyes across the table. “Thank you.”
Levi stared at Angela, whose face was illuminated by the soft light coming from the candles, his gaze moving slowly over her features as if committing everything to memory. He’d spent less than an hour with Angela and already he found her incredibly fascinating. She appeared conservative in her choice of attire, yet her home and furnishings were luxurious and exquisitely tasteful. She seemed reserved yet daring, somewhat of a contradiction.
“Who do you mean by others?”
“My mother in particular, and a few of my brothers would probably agree.”
“They’d like to see you married with children.”
She nodded. “What they don’t understand is that I’m quite happy being single. Aunt Nikki never married and she enjoys being a free spirit.”
“In other words she’s content to live with her lover rather than marry him.”
Angela gave Levi a mischievous smile. “She couldn’t marry him even if she wanted to.”
“He’s married.”
She nodded. “He and his wife have lived apart for more than two decades.”
“Why doesn’t he divorce her?” he asked.
“He would if his estranged wife wasn’t a devout Catholic. They live apart, but he supports her financially.”
Intrigued, Levi asked, “Did he and his wife have any children?”
“They had a son, but he drowned in a boating accident when he was a child.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Angela sighed audibly. “Yes, it is. He wanted my aunt to have a child, but she refused because she didn’t want to have a child out of wedlock. Excuse me. I have to go back and get the salad.”
Rounding the table, Levi pulled out a chair at one of the place settings. “Sit down. I’ll get it.”
“That’s all right. You’re my guest.”
Leaning over her head, Levi took a deep breath, breathing in the subtle fragrance of the perfume clinging to Angela’s body. The scent was like its wearer—subtle and sexy. “You cooked, so it’s only fair that I help out.”
“What if you open the wine and allow it to breathe while I get the salad and put the asparagus on the grill,” she countered in a soft, but stern tone.
Levi resisted the urge to salute Angela. Her refusal to let him help told him more than he needed to know about her. She was stubborn and controlling.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, reaching for the corkscrew opener resting on a folded napkin. “Are you rolling your eyes at me?” he asked when she rested her hands at her waist.
“I’m not old enough to be a ma’am.”
“How old are you?” he asked, removing the foil and inserting the corkscrew into the bottle of rosé.
“You should know better than to ask a woman her age.”
Levi lifted broad shoulders under his crisp white shirt. “It doesn’t matter. I can always ask Duncan.”
Angela rolled her eyes again. “Thirty-two,” she spat out, “and soon to be thirty-three.”
He winked. “That wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
“What else are you going to ask Duncan about me?”
The soft pop of the cork was the only sound in the room as Levi and Angela stared at each other. “If I wanted to I would’ve had Duncan tell me everything about you before we met. He asked me to do him a favor and I said I would. I’m willing to be your date tomorrow, and the only thing I’m going to ask is that you do the same for me at my family reunion, since my mother will undoubtedly have some woman there for me to meet. She thinks it’s time I settled down and give her some grandchildren.”
Angela compressed her lips. “As long as we understand each other I think we’ll get along quite well. Excuse me, but I’m going to get the salad and grill the asparagus.”
“Angela,” Levi said as she walked away. She stopped but didn’t turn around. “I’d like to sit down and enjoy the food you’ve prepared without talking about us.”
“So what do you want to talk about?”
“Your aunt, sports, books, movies or TV for a start.”
She half-turned and smiled at him over her shoulder. “Thank you, kind sir, for giving me a choice,” she drawled in her best Southern accent.
Throwing back his head, Levi laughed, the rich sound echoing in the room. “You’re quite welcome, ma’am.”
Angela couldn’t remember when she’d spent a more enjoyable evening with a man. Not only was Levi a great listener, but he was also a wonderful conversationalist. They’d discussed sports. He’d seemed surprised that she was so knowledgeable about the subject, but after she’d explained that she’d grown up with five brothers and a father who were sports nuts, he’d understood completely.
Between forkfuls of food, washed down with the chilled wine, dinner was a comfortable and leisurely affair.
Levi raised his water glass. “When you talk to your aunt again, please let her know her roast chicken recipe is exceptional.”
Angela inclined her head. “I’ll definitely let her know.”
“How often do you speak to her?”
After dabbing the corners of her mouth with her napkin, she placed it beside her plate. Resting her elbow on the table, Angela cupped her chin in the heel of her hand, and stared at Levi through lowered lids. “There are times when I hear from her a couple of times of month, and then it’s like she disappears. Then out of the blue she’ll call me and explain that she’d jetted off to some exotic destination. If it’s not an African safari, then it’s shopping in Hong Kong. The highlight of one of her trips was snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. She laughs whenever I say I want to be like her when I grow up.”
Levi stared at her. “Are you?”
Angela smiled. “I’m halfway there.”
“How are you halfway there?”
“I work for myself and make my own hours. Aunt Nikki was a set designer for film and stage, and she told me I would never be completely happy until I worked for myself. I was a teacher when my cousin Traci, who’d been through a contentious divorce, moved from Frankfort to Louisville and asked me to go into business with her.”
Levi’s expressive eyebrows lifted when he asked, “What about teaching?”
“I gave it up. Traci’s paternal grandmother worked as a chef in a Frankfort country club and was a collector. Nowadays you’d call them hoarders. Whenever she catered private dinner parties, she’d ask her clients for their old china, stemware and silver in lieu of payment. The collection was so large and it took Traci three months to polish the silver and wash the china and stemware by hand. Then she hired an appraiser and after he gave her a figure, she decided to open a gift shop called the Garden Gate. We do quite well selling estate pieces, but most of the business comes from wedding registries. We carry Waterford, Lenox, Baccarat, Limoges plus a wide selection of wedding party gifts. Some of the items are what I consider luxuries.” A mysterious smile softened her mouth. “I splurge and treat myself to two crystal pieces each year—one for Christmas and the other for my birthday.”
Levi’s gaze went from her mouth to the vase and candleholders. “They’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “If you ever need a gift for a wedding or a baby shower let me know and I’ll give you the family discount.”
“I’m going to take you up on your offer because there’ve been a few newborns in the family this year.”
Angela traced the rim of her wineglass with a forefinger. The glow from the track lights and flickering candles flattered the planes of Levi’s face. His gentle manner, deep voice and effortless conversation made her feel as if she’d known him for weeks instead of hours. “Let me know when you’re free and I’ll give you a private showing.”
“I’m off on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays,” Levi quickly offered.
“The Garden Gate is closed on Sundays and Mondays.” Mondays were when she spent most of the day writing, and she rarely scheduled anything that day. Levi would be the exception. “When do you want to come in?”
“I’ll call and let you know.”
Angela was certain he’d heard her sigh of relief because she’d hoped to finish her manuscript by midweek. She normally would’ve indulged in a marathon writing session on Sunday and Monday. But her cousin Yvette’s wedding had forced her to change her plans.
“I’d prefer you come on Sunday, since Traci and I usually meet with consignment customers and prospective brides on Mondays.”
Leaning back in his chair, Levi studied the woman whose cooking skills were exceptional and who continued to amaze him. He found her guarded, much too guarded whenever she talked about herself.
“Where did you go to college?”
Angela picked up her wineglass and took a sip. “Spelman.”
“Why did you decide to go there?”
“My mother and grandmother were both Spelman alums. And you, Levi?”
“Howard, and then the University of Pennsylvania med school.”
Her brow furrowed. “If you were already at Howard why didn’t you go to med school there?”
“I gave it a lot of thought, but realized I wanted to be close to my family in Philadelphia.”
Angela sat up straight. “I thought you said you were from Miami.”
“My dad’s family is from Philadelphia. However, there are some Eatons who live in D.C., West Virginia, South Carolina and Texas now.”
“Is your father a doctor, too?”
Smiling, Levi shook his head. “No. He’s a judge.”
“So he likes putting away the bad guys.”
“He loves it.”
Angela’s eyes lit up in excitement when her mind churned with ideas. “Tell me about the Eatons, Levi.”
Levi took a surreptitious glance at his watch. It was after ten—much later than he thought. Somehow he’d lost track of time talking with Angela, and for him that was a good sign. “Perhaps I’ll tell you about them some other time. Besides, you know enough about me so that we won’t seem to be total strangers tomorrow.”
“What do I tell people when they ask how long we’ve been seeing each other?”
“We tell them the truth.”
“And that is?”
“We’ve just started dating.”
Angela nodded, wondering if that explanation would satisfy her mother. That was why she was always reluctant to introduce a man to her family—her mother in particular. She’d immediately launch into an interrogation. Her father was less concerned with her love life as long as word didn’t get back to him that some guy had caused her grief.
Benton Chase had wanted to personally go after Robert when he ran off with her maid of honor. It had taken everything for Angela to convince the men in her family not to inflict bodily harm on Robert Gaskin. She had always been a believer in “what goes around comes around.” If he cheated on her, he would eventually cheat on his new bride or she would cheat on him.
When Angela’s engagement had been announced, a collective sigh went up all over Louisville since she’d managed to snag one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. They were the perfect couple—the children of two of Kentucky’s most prominent African-American families. Uniting the Chase and Gaskin families was cause for celebration, and had Louisville buzzing.
However, what Angela didn’t know at the time was that her fiancé had been sleeping with her best friend, Savannah, who was to be her maid of honor. They’d managed to keep their relationship a secret until the night before she and Robert were to be married. A few hours after the rehearsal dinner, Robert had called to tell her that he and Savannah were flying to Las Vegas to marry, because they were expecting.
What had surprised Angela most was that she didn’t cry. Pain, humiliation and anger had rendered her emotionless. It was as if all of her feelings were suppressed, and as her life unfolded she seemed to be just going through the motions.
She shifted in her chair when she heard soft meowing. Miss Divine had emerged from her hiding place in the laundry room. Pushing back his chair, Levi stood up. “I didn’t know you had a kitten.” He stared at the tiny white feline with splotches of dark brown fur. Her eyes were blue-gray, and her nose was pink and black, with a long tail that was darker brown than the rest of her body.
“Miss Divine is not a kitten. She’s almost four.”
Levi approached the cat as she sat still, watching him come closer. “Is she the runt?”
“Miss Dee is not a runt!”
He gestured at Miss Divine. “What else can she be, Angela? She’s no bigger than a six-month-old kitten.”
Angela walked over to her cat. And when she leaned over to pick her up, Miss Divine scooted to sit between Levi’s legs. “Come here, baby,” she said, beckoning her closer. Miss Divine responded by rubbing her face against the leg of Levi’s trousers.
“Why you little traitor,” she gasped when Levi picked her up.
Levi rubbed a finger over the soft fur. “She knows I like cats.”
Angela rolled her eyes. “Miss Dee is usually skittish around strangers. Whenever the doorbell rings she runs and hides.”
“I’ve never seen a full-grown cat this small.”
“She’s what is called a Singapura. The breed originated from feral cats that lived in the drains of Singapore. Because they’re quite scarce in the States, they are very expensive. I heard that an owner of a male Singapura was offered ten thousand dollars from a breeder.”
“That’s incredible.” He smiled when the cat purred loudly. “You came to see who’s taking up your mama’s time, didn’t you, Miss Divine?” He winked at Angela. “Do you think she’s a little jealous?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Levi.” He gave her a smile that made her heart stop, and then start up again much too quickly.
“You wouldn’t say that if I took her home with me.”
Angela let out a gasp. “You wouldn’t!”
He winked at her. “I would if you let me.”
“That’s not happening. I would’ve thought you were a dog lover, not cats.” Levi angled his head and stared at Angela as she stared up at him. It was the first time he noticed that her head only came to his shoulders, even though she was wearing heels. He was six-two, and if he had to guess, Angela was at least eight inches shorter than him in her bare feet.
“I like dogs, too. But cats are different. They’re more independent and completely unpredictable. You have to walk dogs, play fetch, and they hog up the space on the sofa when you’re trying to watch a game. I doubt whether this little darling weighs more than six pounds.”
“She weighed four pounds during her last visit to the vet.”
His gaze shifted to the cat purring contently in his arms. “She likes me.”
“I like you, too. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you live with me.”
Without warning, Levi’s expression became stoic. “Did I ask if I could live with you?”
Her face reddened, the color settling in her cheeks. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that.”
Levi handed Miss Divine to Angela. “You can cradle your baby, while I clear the table.”
Angela shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. There’s not much to clean up.”
He smiled, but the expression did not reach his eyes. “You cook, I clean.”
She wanted to tell him not to push his luck, but decided better of it. After all, there was more than one way to skin a cat. Sorry, Miss Dee, she thought. There was something about Levi Eaton that reminded her of the male characters in her romance novels—pushy, arrogant, and oozing with enough sex appeal to earn an R-rating. Smiling sweetly, she said, “Leave everything on the countertop and I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay,” he agreed.
Twenty minutes later, she stood on the front porch with Levi. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Levi took a step closer, cradled her face, dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers.
She froze, and then relaxed as he deepened the kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He was there and then he was gone. Angela stood watching the taillights of his car fade into the darkness. Steadying her shoulders, she closed the door and locked it. It wasn’t until after she’d cleaned up the kitchen, put everything away and extinguished the candles that Angela finally admitted that Levi Eaton was exactly what she needed to put to rest any notion that she’d been pining for Robert Gaskin. She’d never been one to seek revenge, but this was one time she was looking forward to it.
Spending time with Levi had convinced Angela that she was more than ready to face her past and finally put it behind her.
Chapter 4
The telephone on the bedside table rang twice before Angela raced over to answer it. “Hello,” she said, trying to catch her breath.
“Hey, you. Do you still need a date?” asked a familiar voice.
“What have you done now, Traci?”
“Nothing.”
Cradling the cordless receiver between her chin and shoulder, Angela returned to the en suite bathroom. “I’m going to put you on speaker while I put on my makeup.”
“Okay.”
Sitting down at the vanity, she picked up a small sable brush and deftly applied shadow over her eyelid. “Talk to me, Traci.”
There was a brief pause before Traci’s voice came through the speaker. “Reggie’s brother said that he’s willing to be your date for the wedding if you can’t find anyone else to go.”
Angela groaned, still unable to understand why her cousin continued to date her ex-husband. Although she’d always liked Reggie, it was his brother that she could only take in small doses. His ego was as large as his waistline.
“Thanks for looking out, but I have a date.”
“Who is he?”
“You’ll see,” she said cryptically as she carefully outlined her lids with a smoky-colored eye pencil.
“Come on, Ang, give me a hint.”
Angela leaned closer, checking her handiwork in the lighted makeup mirror. She smiled. She hadn’t lost her touch. There was a time when she wore makeup every day. But once she began working in the gift shop, her makeup routine was a light dusting of face powder, one coat of mascara and a tinted lip gloss. She still had a standing appointment every week to have her hair and nails done, but shadow and eyeliner were for special occasions.
“Don’t think you’re going to badger me until I tell you. You’re going to have to wait like everyone else to see who I bring. Now, please hang up so I can finish putting on my makeup. I’ll see you and Reggie in about an hour.”
“Should I tell Reggie’s brother that you don’t want him to pick you up?”
Angela shook her head. There were times when she thought Traci played dumb because she didn’t like making men feel insecure, when in fact her cousin was a genius. Two years her junior, Traci had married and divorced not once, but twice—Reggie was her first—and swore she’d never marry again. Nevertheless, her cousin liked being in a relationship.
“Tell him thanks, but no thanks. I have a date.”
“Okay. What are you wearing?”
She smiled. “You’ll have to wait and see that, too.”
“I hope it’s real sexy, Ang, because I want Robert to realize what he lost.”
“Robert Gaskin made his bed, and now he’ll just have to lie in it. Look, cuz, I have to go if I’m going to be ready when Levi gets here.”
“Levi. Now that’s a name you don’t hear too often. Personally I like biblical names. They always sound so strong and masculine.”
Angela exhaled a deep breath. She knew if she didn’t get off the phone with Traci she wouldn’t be ready when Levi arrived. She still had to get dressed. “Bye, Traci. We’ll talk later.”
“Do you know if Yvette put us at the same table?” Traci asked, prolonging the conversation.
“Yes. I told her I wanted us seated together.”
“Okay, then I’ll see you later.”
“Later, Traci.” Angela ended the call, and concentrated on finishing her makeup.
Adjusting the light surrounding the vanity mirror, she surveyed her face under the flattering glow. Her makeup was subtle, and her eyes were dramatic with a smoky look. She turned off the lights, washed her hands and dried them. She walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to the dressing area where her dress and matching day coat hung from a padded hanger.
Taking off her robe, she slipped into a pair of midnight-blue bikinis, a halter-top bra and sheer pantyhose. She had just put on her dress and slipped her foot into one of the blue-suede, peep-toe pumps when the intercom rang at the same time as the clock on the fireplace mantel chimed on the half hour.
“Levi.”
His name unconsciously slipped past her parted lips. A smile spread across her face as she tried to recall everything about him—the deep, soothing timbre of his voice, the sexy-looking lines that creased his sharp jawline whenever he smiled, and the way he angled his head whenever he’d listened to something she said. He was perfect—perfect enough that she could easily see him as Mr. Right Now.
Pushing the speaker button on the intercom, she said, “This is Ms. Chase.”
“Are you expecting Mr. Eaton?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Thank you, Ms. Chase.”
Angela put on her other shoe and then picked up her lightweight coat and evening purse. She made her way down the staircase, carefully navigating the steps in her four-inch heels. She walked across the living room floor, opened the entry door and stared out the storm door, watching for Levi’s car. The weather had cooperated for her cousin’s wedding. Afternoon temperatures were expected to reach the high sixties without a chance of rain. The sky was bright blue with a few puffy clouds.
She felt something soft brush against her leg and looked down to find Miss Divine sniffing the black silk bow on her shoe. “Not the shoes, Miss Dee. I left you food and water, so I know you’re not hungry.”
Her head popped up when she saw the sunlight reflected off the car as it approached the driveway to her house. She shooed Miss Divine away from the door, activated the alarm system and locked the door. Angela approached Levi’s car as he came to a stop, and got out to meet her. There was no mistaking his surprise when he greeted her.
Angela’s eyelids fluttered. Levi looked strikingly handsome in a dark blue tailored suit that looked as if it had been custom-made for his tall, slender physique. A white shirt with French cuffs, a royal blue Windsor-knotted silk tie, and black wingtip shoes made him look as if he’d stepped off the pages of a men’s fashion magazine. She felt her heartbeat kick into overdrive as he closed the distance between them. Her high heels put the top of her head level with his nose.
She tiptoed and pressed her cheek to his. “How are you?”
Turning his head slightly, Levi pressed his mouth to the column of her scented neck. “Wonderful.” Reaching up, he cradled her face in his hands, his eyes moving slowly over her features. “You look incredible.” He couldn’t disguise the approval in his voice.
Angela Chase was a chameleon. Gone was her natural look and casual attire, and in its place was a stunning femme fatale. The curly hairstyle framed her delicate features, falling a few inches beyond her shoulders. Large, wide-set eyes highlighted in subdued hues of dark-colored eye shadow met his direct gaze. He managed to curb a smile when he noticed mascara had added length and volume to her lashes. False eyelashes had always been his pet peeve with women. He disliked women who were fake-looking, but instead used makeup to enhance their natural beauty. His gaze traveled from her face to the diamond studs in her ears and lower to her legs in sheer stockings that displayed the perfection of shapely calves and slender ankles. His eyebrows lifted when he saw the dark blue, peep-toe heels with a black bow that adorned her delicate feet.
“Thank you,” she said, demurely lowering her gaze. She didn’t know why, but she wanted him to find her attractive. It’d been so long since she’d found herself attracted to a man.
“Are you going to be able to dance in those?”
Angela smiled, bringing his gaze to her parted lips. “Do you dance?” she asked, answering his question with a question.
“Of course I dance.”
She winked at him. “If that’s the case, then we’ll see how well I can dance in my heels.”
Levi leaned closer. “Is that a challenge, Angela?”
“Do you want it to be, Levi?”
Pressing his mouth to her left ear, he breathed a kiss. “I’ve never backed down from a challenge,” he whispered.
Angela laughed softly. “Neither have I.”
Standing back, Levi stared at the woman who unwittingly had captured him in a spell of desire. The few hours they’d spent together the night before had only served to whet his appetite and his curiosity.
He knew her old fiancé would be at the wedding, and that he’d cheated on her, but to Levi there was cheating and then there was cheating. There was having an affair with another woman, and then there was cheating with your partner’s friends and family. The former he could rationalize somewhat, but he drew the line when it came to friends and family.
He knew what it was like to be cheated on. During his junior year at Howard, he learned that the girl he’d been sleeping with was also seeing four or five other guys on campus. Of course, it made him wary of the opposite sex, but it didn’t ruin his social life. The truth was he liked women and they liked him. Yet, he was never one to take advantage of a woman. He readily admitted he wasn’t ready for marriage or to become a father. And most of the women he’d dated appreciated his honesty.
Angela had asked him if he liked a challenge, and he’d said yes because she was a challenge—a very beautiful and complicated challenge. He took her hand in his, and led her around to the passenger side of the car.
“Are you ready for this?” he whispered.
“Only if you have my back, Levi,” Angela answered.
“That’s something you don’t have to worry your beautiful head about, because I have your back and your front.”
“That’s a lot, Levi,” she deadpanned.
“Haven’t you realized yet that you’re a handful, Angela?”
“No.” Angela ducked her head and slid into the black leather seat.
Levi rounded the sedan, slipped in beside her and secured his seat belt. He opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. They were going to a wedding—a celebration—and he planned to spend the time enjoying her company, not arguing with her.
He’d driven past the gatehouse, heading back to the local road when he took a quick glance at Angela staring out the side window. “You’re going to have to tell me how to get there.”
She turned, staring at the gold monogrammed cufflinks. She met his eyes for a second before he turned his gaze back to the road. “Stay on this road for two miles, then you’ll see marker pointing the way to Manor Oaks. When you come to the stop sign, make a left. The property is about a quarter mile from there.”
Levi glanced at Angela again, this time at her long legs that stretched from the mid-thigh hemline of her dress and ended at her heels. “Are you a guest of the bride or the groom?” he asked, pressing a button on the steering wheel to turn on the radio. He had to say something to avert his attention from the woman sitting inches from him. Levi still couldn’t believe her startling transformation. For a moment he hoped she’d dressed that way for him and not to make her ex jealous. Regardless, he was happy to be her date.
“The bride is my first cousin. She and her fiancé, Craig, are high school sweethearts who’ve broken up and reconciled so many times that when they finally sent out wedding invitations no one believed them.”
“Don’t you think starting out in such a shaky relationship doesn’t bode well for marriage?”
Angela let out an audible sigh. “I hope not. Yvette is such a drama queen. If something doesn’t go her way she resorts to histrionics. Originally I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. Eventually I gave her an ultimatum: either she cooperated or I was out.”
Levi smiled. “Did she change?”
“She was okay for about a week, then she threw a mother of a tantrum and I bowed out. Yvette begged and pleaded, but I refused to give in. There is just so much verbal abuse I’ll take, even if it’s from family. She’d asked my cousin Traci, but she also declined. And knowing Traci she would’ve punched Yvette out. In the end she decided to have her twin sister as her only attendant.”
“What’s Robert’s connection to the groom?”
Angela groaned inwardly. She didn’t want to talk about Robert. Not today. It was enough that she would see him again after five years.
“He’s his cousin.”
Levi took another quick glance at his passenger. Her expression was as neutral as her tone. “What’s up with the women in your family marrying these guys?”
“You don’t understand,” Angela said.
“If it didn’t work out with you and Robert, why would your cousin believe it would work for her and Craig?”
“Craig isn’t a cheater.”
“Cheating isn’t the only thing that can…” Levi’s words trailed off when he spied the stately gleaming white mansion in the distance. Red-jacketed valets were parking cars as wedding guests arrived at the antebellum Greek revival mansion with its massive columns that supported the upper floor.
Slowly, he maneuvered behind a black, late-model Lexus and within seconds a parking attendant raced over to his door as Levi lowered the driver’s side window. Levi got out of the car and gave the valet, who didn’t look old enough to have a driver’s license, his keys. The attendant handed Levi a red ticket, then put another one on the dashboard. “I’ll take it from here, sir.”
Levi opened the back door, reached for his jacket in the backseat, slipped it on, and walked around the BMW to help Angela out of the car. One blue-suede pump touched the ground, then the other, as he gently eased her up.
Curving an arm around her waist, he pulled her close to his side. Lowering his head, he brushed a light kiss over her lips, aware that she’d be shocked by the public display of affection. Her breath caught.
“Are you ready?”
Angela quickly recovered. “I was born ready,” she answered, her voice filled with confidence.
They followed several couples up the stairs and into the expansive entryway of the landmark mansion. The house and surrounding three-hundred-acre estate had once belonged to one of the wealthiest tobacco-growing families in the county. Light from a massive chandelier reflected off the highly polished marble floor. Baskets and vases of white flowers in every variety lined the walls, which were covered in oyster-white silk fabric.
The cocktail hour was scheduled for two, the wedding ceremony for three, immediately followed by a reception that was to take place in another part of the mansion.
An elderly woman dressed in black approached them. “May I please take your coat?” she asked Angela.
She smiled. “Yes.” The word was barely off her tongue when Levi helped her out of her coat, and handed it to the woman who gave him a yellow ticket. With her back to him, Angela felt Levi go completely still when he stared at her dress. “What’s the matter, sweetie?” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder.
Leaning in close, Levi pressed his mouth to her ear. “Sweetie’s wondering where the rest of your dress is.”
Extending her arms, Angela pirouetted on her toes, allowing him to view the front and the back of her dress. The halter dress clung to her body like a second skin, the soft swell of breasts visible above the décolletage whenever she took a breath.
She smiled a sexy moue. “Halters always have a bare back.”
Levi’s fingers splayed at the small of her back as they stood in the foyer. “I couldn’t imagine what you were hiding under your coat, but I wasn’t expecting to see so much of you.”
Angela noticed his strained expression. “It’s not that low cut.” Looping her arm over his, she said, “Didn’t you tell me that you had my back and my front?”
“No comment,” he said under his breath. “Let’s go inside.”
She had got not only his attention, but also that of the men milling around the entryway as they stared, slack jawed at her lithe figure.
Levi escorted her through the throng waiting to enter one of the three ballrooms in the historic mansion. A string quartet played softly, as white-jacketed waiters circulated with trays of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. Bartenders at portable bars set up at opposite ends of the ballroom were busy mixing and pouring drinks.
The light from half a dozen chandeliers reflected off the precious gems that adorned the ears, necks, wrists and the manicured fingers of the women in attendance. It was as if Louisville’s most prominent African-Americans had come out to see and be seen. Levi saw Duncan standing off to the side next to a pretty, petite, dark-skinned woman with short, curly hair clinging to his arm. He recognized her as one of Maywood Junction’s schoolteachers.
“Come with me, Levi. I want to introduce you to my mom and dad.”
He followed Angela as she led him across the ballroom to where a tall, attractive fashionably dressed couple stood talking quietly to another couple. When the woman turned slightly he smiled, knowing what Angela would look like in three decades. Her mother was stunning!
Levi stood beside her as Angela hugged her mother and kissed her father before she acknowledged the other couple. He forced back a grin when her father raised his eyebrows after looking at the back of Angela’s dress. She whispered something in her father’s ear, and his gaze shifted to Levi.
Angela reached for Levi’s hand. “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Levi Eaton. Levi, these are my parents, Benton and Dianne Chase.”
“I’m honored to meet you,” Levi said, shaking Dianne’s hand before repeating the gesture with Benton.
Tall and slender with coppery skin and snow-white thinning hair, Benton narrowed his deep-set dark eyes and stared at Levi. “You’re an Eaton?”
Levi nodded. “Yes, I am,” he said proudly.
The older man squinted slightly behind the lenses of his glasses. “You look a lot like Solomon Eaton.”
He smiled. “He’s my father. Do you know him?”
Resting a hand on Levi’s shoulder, Benton led him away from his wife and daughter. “I met your father a couple of years ago when we got together for a fundraising golf tournament in Palm Springs. I’d heard through the grapevine that the president wanted to appoint him to the federal circuit court. I was sorry to hear Solomon declined. It’s not often someone of your father’s stature turns down a position like that. Forty years ago black judges were as scarce as hen’s teeth—especially in the South.”
“Are you a judge?” he asked Benton.
“Yes.”
Levi managed to mask his surprise behind an impassive expression. “I expected you to talk to me about dating your daughter, not talk about my father.”
Benton waved in a dismissive gesture. “I promised myself I would stop commenting on the men Angela dates. It’s a lost cause. She claims she doesn’t want to be involved with any of them.” He shook his head. “The only thing I can do is hope for the best for my baby girl.”
“Hey, Dad, Levi,” said a familiar voice. Levi turned to find Duncan standing behind them. “I see you’ve met the best pediatrician I’ve ever had the honor of working with.”
Benton’s smile was dazzling. “So, you’re a doctor?” He patted Levi’s shoulder. “How do you like working in Maywood Junction?”
“It’s a lot different from my New York practice.”
“You should see him with the kids, Dad. He’s incredible. I don’t know what we’re going to do when he leaves in a few months.”
Levi felt slightly uncomfortable. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Levi said.
“You’re thinking about…” Duncan was interrupted when Dianne and Angela joined them. His eyes swept over Angela’s revealing dress. “Who are you trying to hurt in that getup?”
Dianne shot her oldest son a stern look. “Duncan, please.”
Levi shifted his position, wrapping an arm around Angela’s waist. “I happen to like what she’s wearing,” he said defensively.
Angela flashed a Cheshire cat grin. Tilting her head, she smiled into Levi’s laughing eyes. “Why thank you, sweetie.”
Duncan wasn’t amused. “I just hope sweetie doesn’t have to bust a few jaws tonight.”
Shaking her head, Dianne managed a brittle smile. “Levi, you’re going to have to excuse my son. There are times when he can be a little overprotective of his sister.” She looped her arm through Duncan’s. “By the way, where’s your pretty little girlfriend?” Her voice changed, becoming syrupy sweet.
Duncan’s dark mood vanished when he smiled. “Myla went to the ladies’ room.”
Resplendent in black silk and brilliant diamonds, Dianne Hitchcock Chase patted her coiffed hair. “Now that the weather is warmer I’d like to have a little something at the house next Sunday. Duncan, I’d like you to bring Myla.” She smiled at Angela. “Of course I’d love for you and Levi to join us.”
Angela met Levi’s gaze. “Levi and I will have to talk about it.”
He shook his head. “I promised Angela I would cook for her next Sunday, but there’s always the following Sunday. We’ll be there, won’t we, darling?”
At that moment Angela wanted to drive the heel of her shoe into his foot, but thought better of it. She was accustomed to making decisions in her relationships, but apparently she’d underestimated her date. He was as good at playing the game as she was.
She gave her mother a plastic smile. “You can count on us being there.” She dug her nails into the palm of Levi’s hand. “Do you mind getting me something to drink?”
A slight frown furrowed his smooth forehead. “What would you like?”
“Surprise me,” she drawled facetiously.
Her eyes narrowed when she glared at his departing figure. Angela felt as if she was losing control, that it was as if Levi could read her mind and had flipped the script. She’d promised to take him to the Derby, but still hadn’t agreed to go to Philadelphia for his family reunion. Now he’d invited himself to Sunday dinner with her family.
Duncan carefully observed the exchange between his sister and Levi, and winked at Angela. “Play with fire and you’ll get burned, Sis,” he whispered in her ear.
“Go find Myla,” she countered.
Grabbing her hand, Duncan led her away from earshot of their parents. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I need you to tell me the truth.” Angela nodded. “Do you like Levi?”
“What’s there not to like. He’s perfect but…”
“But what, Ang?”
She averted her gaze. “You know I don’t want to get involved.”
“Neither does Levi.”
“How do you know that?”
Duncan leaned closer. “Levi was seeing someone, but he broke it off when she wanted more than friendship.”
Angela stared at her brother. “Are you saying he’s only interested in a platonic relationship?”
“Look, Sis. Levi and I don’t have detailed conversations about who we do or don’t sleep with. But he’s told me that he doesn’t want a permanent relationship. What I do know is that he’s a good guy and the kids love him, and you’re both looking for the same thing.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “Why are you playing matchmaker?”
“Because I hear that you’re still going out with losers. The best way to get over Robert is to date a decent guy. Excuse me, but I have to look for my woman.”
Angela stared as her brother walked away, her eyes landing on the one person she loathed seeing again standing only a few feet away.
Chapter 5
Angela felt a shiver run up her spine. Recovering quickly, she tilted her chin defiantly as the man with whom she’d once planned to spend her life came face-to-face with her. To say that time had not been kind to Robert Gaskin was an understatement. He was only thirty-eight, but appeared much older. There was a sallow undertone to his light brown face. His shoulders were rounded, and what had been a thick head of hair was now thinning. She noticed a slight puffiness under his eyes and a gauntness that belied fatigue. His suit hung from his body as if his six-foot frame had shrunken.
Karma is a bitch, she thought, as she suppressed a smile. But her sense of triumph turned to shame when the possibility that maybe Robert was sick suddenly occurred to her. That was something she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. The anger she thought she would’ve felt dissipated in an instant as Angela stared impassively at the man she believed she’d been in love with.
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Rochelle Alers
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: An Eaton too hot to deny The Kentucky clinic where Dr. Levi Eaton is volunteering is worlds away from his wealthy Pennsylvania roots. Still, the South has plenty of attractions—like his colleague’s captivating sister. Angela Chase is sexy, charming, and looking for fun, not commitment. That combination suits Levi just fine, until he begins to appreciate what lies beneath her Southern belle façade.Her fiancé’s betrayal destroyed Angela’s faith in men—and inspired a double life that would shock her prominent family. Hiding her true self from a man as charismatic as Levi isn’t so easy, and for once, she isn’t sure she wants to try. But without the courage to trust him with her secrets, their sultry Southern nights may soon be just a haunting memory…