Her Old-Fashioned Doctor Read Free Page A

he was joking around about her age, and when he called her little girl , a heated spasm rocked her core, making her squirm in her seat. She looked at him, her lips slightly parted, as she tried to formulate a suitable response.
    She twirled her hair around one finger. “Well then, I guess that means I’m a very bad little girl,” she said, right as he took a sip of tea.
    His face reddened and he started coughing. He covered his mouth and turned as he got the outburst under control. Once he managed a few deep breaths, he regarded her accusingly. “You waited to say that right when I was taking a drink on purpose, didn’t you?”
    “Guilty as charged.”
    The waitress appeared and placed two steaming plates on the table. Melissa’s mouth watered as she looked at the gravy covered sandwich and fries. She pressed her lips together, hoping John hadn’t witnessed her drooling. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and that had been nothing more than a cup of coffee and a granola bar she’d grabbed at a convenience store.
    “Can I get ya’ll anything else?”
    “No thanks. We’re fine,” John said, winking at the older woman.
    Melissa thought John had a smooth manner about him. His southern drawl and easy-going nature drew her in. When he smiled, a slight dimple on his left cheek appeared, and she found it charming. Yes, he was a stranger, but he was a nice stranger, the nicest person she’d met in a long time. There was no harm in being friendly and having a pleasant dinner with him before she continued south.
    She forked a bit of the sandwich into her mouth and had to stifle a groan of pleasure.
    “Are you in college, Melissa?”
    “I just graduated from NYU.”
    “Major?”
    “Art History,” she answered, sadness panging in her chest. She’d wanted to go to an art institute, but her parents had been against it and insisted she attend NYU. “It’s not like you’re going to work anyway since you’ll be marrying Steven after graduation. But you’ll need a four year degree so no one thinks you’re a ninny,” her mother had said.
    “Art History,” John repeated, looking thoughtful. “Are you planning to go into teaching? Or work in a museum?”
    She kept her face neutral, or tried to at least, as she thought of a reply. Her handsome dinner date didn’t know it, but he was entering dangerous territory. She hadn’t even wanted to major in Art History, but she’d settled on it after her parents—and Steven—wore her down. The plan had always been for her to get a four year degree in something. The women in her family always did, just for the sake of getting a degree and looking smart, but upon graduation they became nothing more than ladies-who-lunch. She’d mentioned going back to school to Steven recently, and he hadn’t even listened to her. She loved creating things, mostly painting, and wanted to enroll in an art institute now that she was out from under her parents’ thumb, not get a Master’s Degree as he’d wrongly assumed.
    “Hey, why so sad?” John asked, drawing her from her thoughts.
    She flushed, upset she hadn’t succeeded in keeping the sadness from her face. She really didn’t want John’s pity. Poor little rich girl, he’d probably think. Everyone thought it the moment she complained about anything, especially the friends she’d made in college who didn’t come from money. “It’s nothing.” She forced a smile. “I haven’t found a job yet.”
    “What kind of job are you looking for?” Interest lit in his gaze.
    “Why do you ask so many questions?” she snapped.
    He rose an eyebrow at her in a scolding manner, and his stern expression made her squirm and feel instantly repentant for her tone. “I-I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to be rude. My life is a little complicated right now. I’m sort of trying to figure out the next step.”
    He leaned back, his face relaxing. A slight smile twisted his lips, and her attention was once again drawn to that damn