Sweet Southern Nights. Rochelle Alers

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.