Page 23 of The Secret to a Southern Wedding

“Just a dozen. Ray wants to celebrate getting the promotion. It’ll be much needed with the baby coming.”

“That will help out.” She gestured to Imani. “You remember Imani, don’t you?”

The guy looked at her and grinned. “I do! Hey, Imani.”

Imani looked back at him and frowned. He did look familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where she recognized him from. “Um...hey. Sorry, I’ve been away for a while and I’ve forgotten some names.”

He laughed and waved a hand. “It’s no problem. I didn’t expect you to recognize me. I’m Kaden, but you probably remember me as—”

“Oh my God? Kaden!” Imani said with surprise. Kaden Sims had been in several of Imani’s classes, but Imani remembered Kaden as a she.

He shrugged. “That’s me. I transitioned about two years ago.”

“I’m happy for you.”

Kaden’s brows drew together. “Seriously?”

Imani nodded. “Seriously. I admire people who have the courage to be who they are and go after what they want. Not a lot of people do that.”

The tension around Kaden’s shoulders eased. “I appreciate that. Everyone around here hasn’t been as understanding.”

“Everyone should mind their own business.”

Linda pointed from Imani to Kaden. “Did you know Imani’s an obstetrician.”

Imani laughed. “Mom! You don’t have to announce it like that. Sorry, she’s really proud of me.”

Kaden’s eyes widened with excitement. “Will you be opening a practice here?”

“No, I’m just in town for the wedding.”

Kaden deflated. “Oh, I was hoping for someone more accepting here.”

Imani frowned. “Accepting?”

“I’m pregnant and Dr. Baker, the town’s only ob-gyn, refuses to see me. I have to drive two hours to Atlanta to find a doctor who’ll see me.”

“He won’t see you? How can he just refuse you care?” Imani said, indignant.

Kaden seemed momentarily surprised by her anger before answering. “Men can’t have babies. That’s what he told me.”

Imani had at least two transgender patients, one of whom she’d helped deliver a baby. After watching Halle lose her mother due to shitty medical care, she refused to be a doctor that sat by and let her patients suffer because of other people’s prejudices. To her, the safety of the child and the person carrying the child was more important than anything else. Making sure both lived was her mission.

“I’m sorry he won’t treat you. That’s unacceptable. Is the Atlanta doctor good?”

Kaden nodded. “She is and I love her, but it’s hard to commute. Too bad there aren’t more doctors like you around here.”

Her mom nodded. “Agreed. We need more doctors of the year around Peachtree Cove.”

Kaden’s eyes widened. “Doctor of the year?”

Imani waved off the words. “It’s just a title. I’m decent.”

“More than decent if you’re as accepting as you appear to be.” Kaden sighed then looked at Linda. “Well, enough of that. Do you have any arrangements already together?”

Linda nodded. “I do. Come over to the display and I’ll show you what I got.”

He nodded then looked at Imani. “Good to see you again, Imani.”

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