Free A Night to Remember by Adrienne Basso Page B

face. “My remarks were rude and totally uncalled for. Please forgive me.”
    â€œOkay.” Eleanor turned the car handle and scrambled to climb out of the car. Anything to put some distance between herself and Joshua.
    Then she felt the pressure of his strong grip on her forearm, forestalling her exit. She raised her head to stare at him and instantly saw regret darken his eyes.
    â€œThe house is beautiful. I guess I had forgotten.” He ran his fingers impatiently through his hair. “I’m feeling very unprepared for this visit and it isn’t fair taking it out on you.” He opened his door and got out, making his way around to her side.
    Eleanor couldn’t begin to understand why he felt the need to be prepared to meet his father and his father’s wife, but she appreciated his apology.
    â€œWell, if you’re feeling unprepared you can only imagine how I feel,” Eleanor replied lightly, picking up the thread of conversation as Joshua assisted her out of the Porsche.
    He paused and tilted his head. A small, sexy smile tugged at his lips. “I have no doubt that you’ll impress the hell out of them.”
    Eleanor groaned at the outrageous flattery and fell in step beside him. “You have no idea how much I want to believe you,” she whispered softly, as they walked to the wide entrance doors.

Five
    They didn’t get very far. After taking only a few steps toward the house, they saw those gorgeous wide double doors suddenly open. A couple stepped outside. Eleanor immediately recognized the woman as Rosemary Phillips. If anything she was prettier than her publicity photo, which Eleanor thought was most remarkable, since she had walked past many an author at a book signing because she had naively expected her to at least resemble her photograph.
    Rosemary was probably close to sixty years old but certainly didn’t look it. Her hair, a frosted blond, was cut short and full and framed her slender face artfully. She had large, expressive eyes, high cheekbones, very few wrinkles, and the most beautiful complexion Eleanor had ever seen.
    Standing beside her, hovering in an almost protective manner, was Joshua’s father. Although he was a handsome man, Eleanor could discern little resemblance between father and son. The older Barton’s face was longer and narrower than his son’s, his features sharper and more angular. Yet upon closer inspection she noted that physically the two men were very similar—tall, broad-shouldered, and well built.
    Though their faces were not alike, there was more than a hint of masculine pride and confidence in their expressions that was so similar it spoke of the blood ties between the older and younger man.
    There was no welcoming smile on Warren Barton’s face. He watched their approach silently, with brows drawn together over sharp, shrewd eyes. Eleanor thought longingly of the smothering hugs and kisses she always received from her widowed mother and vowed to call her mom the moment she returned home.
    Beside her, Joshua walked rigidly. His obvious tension made her even more nervous. Taking a deep breath for courage, Eleanor forced one foot in front of the other while her eyes darted anxiously between the two people standing so imposingly together.
    Rosemary and Warren made a very attractive pair, fit, trim, tanned, and dressed in elegant, casual clothes that said wealthy in a rather understated fashion. Yet Eleanor couldn’t help but think, Where is that famous Southern hospitality you always hear about? Honestly, would it kill them to at least smile?
    â€œAbout time you got here,” Warren Barton suddenly bellowed. “I expected you two hours ago. We’ve been holding luncheon, but who knows what it will taste like now.”
    Joshua stopped dead in his tracks. “Hello, Father,” he said coolly. “Sorry about lunch. We’ve already eaten. And if I remember correctly, I told you