The Doctor's Choice by J. D. Faver Page B

to a higher gear. “There’s the diner, the steakhouse or the Mexican restaurant. I was thinking the steakhouse.”
    “Sounds like a good cho ice.”
    He pulled in at a restaurant with only a few other vehicles parked in front. He opened her doo r and held out his hand to her.
    She hesitated before placing her hand in his. He looked like a Hollywood film idol and he sounded so sincere, yet she had been warned about the elder Kincaid. Could this apple have fallen far from his tree?
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    The steaks were delicious and the lack of customers probably accounted for the excellent service.
    E.J. was amusing and asked her many questions involving her education and upbringing. He was familiar with the private school she’d attended in Dallas. His own rearing had taken a parallel course, except he’d gone to a pricey parochial school and been raised mostly by his mother because Eldon Kincaid had spent the majority of his son’s childhood chasing oil wells all over the southwestern United States.
    By the end of the meal, Cami felt a lot more comfortable with E.J. Kincaid. She’d learned that he harbored some sort of resentment towards Eldon. As best, she could surmise it had to do with unresolved abandonment issues and the fact that his mother had recently died of complications secondary to liver disease.
    “So, how do you happen to be here in Langston?”
    “I was summoned.” He leaned on his elbows as the waiter picked up their empty plates. “Would you like something else?”
    “No, thanks. I’m stuffed. What d o you mean, you were summoned?”
    “The old man insisted that I join him here in Hell’s half acre. He said I should put my fancy education to use by working for his corporation as CFO.”
    “Chief Financial Officer?” She gazed at him across the table, allowing a smirk to take possession of her face. “And I’m supposed to believe that the CFO of Kincaid Corporation has no interest in acquiring my property?”
    “I’m drawing a paycheck from my father’s company , but I have little interest in it. It’s going to blow the old man’s mind when I take off. I’m saving my money. I plan to use it to open my own business back in Dallas.”
    “Wow! That’s quite a plan. Don’t you want all of your father’s stuff?”
    “Nope. If he wants to disown me, I can handle it.” He met her smirk with one of his own. “I heard you were thinking about walking away from your inheritance. Why shouldn’t I?”
    “Don’t ask me? I’m neck deep in my own conundrum.”
    He threw his head back and laughed heartily. “I don’t think there’s another person here in Langston who could use the word conundrum in a sentence.”
    A picture of Breck’s face with his intelligent gray eyes sprang, unbidden, to her mind. “Oh, I imagine there are a couple of people who could.”
    E.J. drove her home and walked her to her door. He grinned at her. “I enjoyed your company, Cami. I hope we can do this again.”
    “E.J., I had a great time. I’m probably not going to be here that much longer, but if you like, we can go out again.”
    “I would like.” He leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
    “Thanks for the roses and a lovely evening,” she said.
    “The pleasure was all mine.” E.J. crossed the porch and climbed into his vehicle. He gave her a little wave as he drove off.
    She entered the house and had to face Shadow. “Yes, I went out with a Kincaid.”
    Shadow coc ked his head and whined softly.
    She rubbed his ears and set about getting ready to retire for the evening. She moved the bouquet of roses to the center of the dining room table, smiling as she turned off the lights and climbed the stairs with Shadow as her escort.
    #
    Sunday morning, the telephone awoke her. She groped for her robe and struggled to an upright position. She bumped into the door and made her way into Aunt Silky’s room, the location of the nearest telephone.
    S he slid across Aunt Silky’s yellow satin