Sweet Southern Nights Read online

  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.