His Shock Valentine's Proposal. Amy Ruttan

had broken her father’s heart. He’d lost a son and wife in the same year.

      Now a daughter.

      Ever since she’d left Los Angeles her father had made it clear how disappointed he was in her, so she was the last person her father wanted to see. She was just a big failure.

      “Nice melons.”

      Esme shook her head and looked up to see Carson standing on the other side of the counter of cantaloupes.

      “What?” she asked in disbelief.

      He grinned and then rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, it was just a joke. You were staring so intently at the produce I thought you were trying to see through it.”

      Esme chuckled when she realized she had been staring at the cantaloupes for a long time. “Sorry, lost in thought. What’re you doing here? I thought you went to the co-op in Crater Lake?”

      “I usually do, but I was in town visiting a friend and remembered I needed a few things.” He walked around the produce counter to stand beside her. “I thought you usually shopped locally? I didn’t even know you had a car.”

      “I don’t. I took the bus down here.” She picked up a melon and sniffed it, hoping this would be the end of the conversation, that he would get the hint to walk away. Instead he lingered.

       Damn. Take a hint.

      Carson whistled. “That’s a pricey ticket to go grocery shopping.”

      Esme shrugged. “Didn’t have a choice.”

      “The local co-op is a choice.”

      “The prices here are better?”

      Carson smiled. “Why did you pose that in the form of a question? I doubt they’re low enough to justify the price of a bus ticket.”

      “Are you really going to sit here and lecture me about my shopping habits?”

      “No, but I can offer you a ride back to Crater Lake at the very least.”

       Say no.

      Only she couldn’t, because she really didn’t want to lug all her groceries on the passenger bus back up to Crater Lake. And after this one excursion she knew she’d either have to invest in a car or just pluck up the courage to shop at the co-op, because she obviously couldn’t avoid Carson even two towns away.

      “Thanks. I appreciate that.” She pushed her shopping cart away from the melons and Carson fell into step beside her.

      “I haven’t seen you around much,” Carson remarked.

      “I’ve been busy.”

      “I saw that Mrs. Fenolio is now one of your patients.”

      Esme sighed. “Are you going to start on me about stealing your patients again?”

      “No. I’m not. Honestly, I’m glad that she’s headed over to you. You seem to have more of a grasp of cardio-thoracic care.”

      Her heart skipped a beat.

       Oh, God. Had he found out?

      “Who told you that?”

      “I saw it with my own eyes, Esme. Only someone with cardio-thoracic knowledge would be able to perform that procedure in that kind of situation. I think you’ve done that more than once or even a couple of times.”

      He was really persisting about the procedure. He was digging for information, information she didn’t want to share. Information she wasn’t going to share. It was in her past. She was here to start a new life. She wasn’t that person any longer.

      “I must have really impressed you.”

      “Well … yes.” And he looked away quickly, rubbing the back of his neck again, as if he was embarrassed. As if he didn’t want to give her a compliment.

      “It was nothing. Now, about Mrs. Fenolio …”

      “She’s your patient now and you’re the expert.”

      “I’m not. Not really.”

       Liar.

      “Besides, she’s only moved over her cardio care to me. How long has she had that murmur?”

      “Do you really want to talk about this in a grocery store?” Carson asked as he picked up a loaf of bread and plunked it into her cart.

      “Since when am I buying you groceries?” Esme teased.

      “It’s my fee for taking you back to Crater Lake. You can buy me my sandwiches for a week.”

      Esme chuckled. “I’m so disappointed.”

      “Why?”

      “You’re a sandwich man.”

      “What’s wrong with liking sandwiches?” he asked.

      “Nothing per se, but I’m a bit of a foodie.”

      Carson snorted. “Right, I forgot you’re from Los Angeles.”

      “You don’t have to be from LA to be a foodie. You can be from small towns, too. Not that I expect many people from Crater Lake to have many options.”

      “What’re you talking about?” he asked.

      “Oh, come on. Ray’s is a fantastic Mom and Pop shop, but it’s hardly gourmet.”

      “We have gourmet in Crater Lake,” he said, sounding mildly insulted.

      Esme looked skeptical. “Do you?”

      “We do, but it’s a bit of a secret.”

      “A secret?”

      “Would you be interested in sampling a dinner there? I mean, since you’re such a gourmand.”