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be it. You figure out the hours and let me know. And call me Jack.”
    She seemed to contemplate the idea for a moment, as if deciding whether to do it. Suddenly, her face relaxed into a dazzling smile. “All right. Is this an example of your overbearing behavior?”
    He couldn’t help grinning. “Believe me, I can do better. Much better.”
    “I can buy some of the supplies we need at a supermarket,” she said, ignoring his reply, “but most of it has to be sterile.”
    “I can’t let you do that, Melanie. You don’t have a car. I’ll call my supplier and read the order to him. If you can come around noon tomorrow to receive it, we should be in good shape, thanks to you.”
    “All right, but if there’s a problem, call me.”
    Together, they finished taking inventory in about an hour. It occurred to him that she might be late for school. “What time is your class, Melanie?”
    She glanced at her watch. “Six-fifteen. Oh, my goodness. I’d better go. Can you close up?”
    “Sure.” He phoned the taxi company. He was glad that he’d opened an account with the car service. “Are you going home first?” She nodded. He walked her out to the taxi. “Take her home, and then wait and take her to Towson University.”
    “Yes, sir,” the driver said.
    Jack looked at Melanie to thank her, but the expression on her face nearly weakened his knees. She may have been grateful, but her facial expression said something more intimate. “Thank you…. I…uh…thanks.”
    He started back inside to close up the office but turned when he felt a tug at his hand. He looked down and saw a little girl of about five years old.
    “Hi, Doctor. My mama sent you this.” The child handed him a plastic bag. He took it and hunkered beside her. “Tell your mama thanks. What’s your name?”
    “Keshani Jordan. That’s my mama leaning out the window.” She pointed across the street.
    “Oh, yes, Keshani. I remember you. You’re feeling better?”
    She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
    He looked up, saw the child’s mother, smiled and waved. The woman waved back, and he waited until the little girl crossed the street and went into the house. The bag didn’t weigh much, and he couldn’t imagine what was inside. He placed it on his desk, opened it and saw six exquisitely embroidered linen place mats with matching napkins. He looked through the names and addresses of his patients until he located Norma Jordan. He saw the address and made a note to write her a letter of thanks. He looked at the inventory list, phoned in the necessary items to his supplier, got on his Harley and headed home.
    What a day it had been. He looked forward to Vernie’s smile and a warm greeting and a good meal. What was missing was a woman’s sweet warmth. He needed love as he’d never needed it before.
     
    Melanie jumped out of the taxi, went inside the house and raced up the stairs. She dressed quickly and grabbed her purse and schoolbag. Downstairs, she took a frozen pizza from the freezer, turned on the oven to preheat, set the table for her father, locked the front door and ran to the waiting taxi.
    “That was quick,” the driver said, “but you didn’t have to break your neck. The doc put it on his tab.”
    She hardly heard him. If her father had been at home to make his demands, she might have missed school in spite of Jack Ferguson’s kindness. Jack. Such a strong, masculine name, and oh, how it suited him, she thought. Don’t go there, her common sense preached, but she already knew that ignoring Jack Ferguson would take more willpower than she had just yet. If he weren’t so kind and so gentle, despite his bossiness, not thinking of him would still be difficult. Lord, that man was something to look at.
    When she’d walked into his office and gotten her first look at him, she had nearly swallowed her tongue. Her body had even warned her, Girl, just give him whatever he wants. Don’t even bother to try holding back. It’s useless. Thinking of