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line of his mouth bent a little, but it straightened almost immediately. “As a matter of fact, you interest me very much. But I think a friendship with you would take more energy than I’m willing to expend. I suppose that hurts your feelings?”
    She told him the truth. “No. I’m just disappointed, that’s all.”
    â€œAre you? Why?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t think that can matter to you. And I don’t want to keep you from your work.”
    She saw his smile the instant before he smothered it. “You’re smooth, aren’t you, Hope?”
    Smooth? Her mouth fell open and she shook her head slowly. If he thought she was unruffled, then he was way past mistaken and halfway to shockingly ignorant.
    â€œSo you want to go to dinner with me?” He hugged the clipboard and waited.
    Hope’s eyebrows drew together. Hadn’t they already established that? She blinked at him. “Is that a renewed invitation or mere idle curiosity?”
    His mouth twitched again. He was definitely amused.
    Hope didn’t try to hide her frustration. “Look, Dr. Hartman, I have accepted your rejection. Shouldn’t you be getting back to your work?”
    He ignored the question and asked one of his own. “How about seven-thirty tonight?”
    Her breath caught in her throat. Was he actually smiling?
    â€œAre you free?” he persisted. He was smiling.
    Openmouthed, Hope stared, uncharacteristically speechless.
    â€œJust nod your head,” he suggested. He waited until she did that, then he reached for his pen and pulled asmall tablet from another pocket. His tone was businesslike. “Address and phone number?”
    Still dazed, Hope gave them.
    â€œI have some patients to see right now,” said the doctor briskly. “I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.”
    â€œBut, Dr. Hartman, are you positive that you really—”
    He held up a hand to silence her. “The name is Charles, remember?”
    At last Hope’s irrepressible sense of humor rescued her. “I remember nothing of the kind,” she declared pertly. She flashed him a wicked grin. “I’ll see you tonight, Charlie.”

Chapter Three
    F eeling like a naughty child, Hope raided her mother’s jewelry box, liberating Grace Evans’s wedding pearls from their midnight-blue velvet pouch. Although she had permission to wear the necklace, Hope had never done so.
    She fastened the diamond-studded clasp behind her neck and leaned over, twisting awkwardly until she saw herself in the tiny mirror inside the lid of the satin-lined box. Not satisfied with the view, she went to the bathroom mirror for a better look. There she flipped her dark, loose hair away from her shoulders and admired the way the pearls lay against the jewel neckline of her simple charcoal-gray dress.
    Blessed with clear skin and blue eyes, Hope rarely wore makeup. But she slicked on a bit of lip color before returning to her own bedroom to check her reflection in a full-length mirror.
    She heard movement behind her. “Bob, you won’t believe this,” she said into the mirror, “but I actually have a date.” She flicked a piece of lint off one of her shortsleeves. “Well, not a real date, but a man is taking me to dinner. And it doesn’t mean anything at all, so don’t you dare give me that worldly-wise look of yours.”
    When the doorbell rang Hope was ready to go. Or would be, just as soon as she located her other black pump. On a single three-inch heel she limped to the living room and opened the front door. “I’m glad to see you,” she said artlessly, standing aside and allowing Charles to enter. “I was a little afraid you wouldn’t come.”
    â€œI said I would, didn’t I?” he asked irritably.
    The prickly physician didn’t scare her at all. Having grown up with four older brothers, Hope was used to men and their moods.