Rochelle Alers - Sweet Southern Nights

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.”