The Doctor's Choice by J. D. Faver

cloudless now. Snow was melting and running off the mountains.
    “Wait until the wildflo wers are out. It’ll amaze you.”
    She turned to meet Breck’s grinning expression. “You really love it here, don’t you?”
    “Yes, I do,” he said. “As did my parents and their parents before them.” He swept her with a glance under dark lashes. “As will my children and their children.”
    “It must be nice,” she said, “having all that family, knowing what’s expected of you and being raised to take over the reins.”
    “It makes the choices easier,” he said. “I know you had a rough time, losing your parents and all, but you received a lot of support from Silky. Don’t you think you owe it to her to at least give it a try?”
    Cami swallowed hard. “That’s not fair,” she murmured.
    “I’ll be here to help you every step of the way.”
    “Are you sure you don’t just want to take Silky’s land and make it all into Ryan land?”
    “I owe it to Silky to help you become a successful rancher. ”
    “I’m a doctor,” she said.
    “Doctor-rancher,” he amended with a grin.
    “Give me a chance to make this decision without pressure,” she said. “If I give up my fellowship, I don’t want to regret it for the rest of my life.”
    “I won’t pressure you,” he said. “But I’m going to do my best to make you fall in love.”
    Cami jerked her head around, staring at him, open-mouthed.
    His gray eyes twinkled. “With the ranch.”
    She gave him a short, mirthless laugh. “Let’s return to the house.”
    They rode back to the ranch and stabled Gypsy. Breck loaded Cavalier into the trailer and drove away, leaving her feeling oddly alone.
    I’ve been alone most of my life, she thought. Why do I feel even more lonely when Breck leaves? she watched his truck make the turn onto the main road and then allowed the lace curtains to fall into place.
    Cami made a sandwich out of leftover ham and shared scraps with her furry companions. “I wonder if Silky was such a pushover for your big eyes.”
    Wh ile she rinsed her hands, the phone rang. “Cami Carmichael,” she answered.
    “It’s E.J. It’s good to hear your voice,” he said.
    She could hear his smile over the phone. “And yours, too.”
    “I’m hoping you’ve decided to have dinner with me tonight,” he said. “Please don’t disappoint me.”
    “I have a fiancé waiting for me in Houston, so I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to take me to dinner.”
    “Sometimes, dinner is just dinner,” he said. “I’d like the opportunity to get to know you better. We can make an early evening of it .” His voice was deep and rich.
    “Well” She hesitated.
    “Good, I’ll pick you up at seven.”
    “But” She heard the dial tone. “Well,” she said, feeling uncertain about her impending dinner date. Aunt Silky’s phone didn’t have caller ID so she had no idea how to call E.J. back and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. At least he was amusing and she couldn’t claim to have any other plans for the evening. She settled the receiver back in its cradle, certain that E.J.’s interest stemmed from Eldon’s desire to acquire her ranch. It might be pleasant and something soon forgotten when she got back to Houston.
    That evening she dressed in one of her new jeans and a soft blue angora sweater. The cowl formed a flattering drape around her face allowing just a little more skin to show than her other sweaters. Audrey Hepburn would have looked good in this sweater. Lacking Audrey’s swanlike neck, Cami thought she looked pretty good, anyway. Not that it mattered. She was engaged, after all.
    Involuntarily, she glanced at her left hand, the one without an engagement ring on it.
    E.J. showed up early, holding a huge bouquet of yellow roses.
    Cami grinned as she accepted the flowers. “They’re beautiful!” she said. What a nice surprise.” She led him inside and searched for a vase.
    Shadow lowered his head, a dee p growl rumbling