The Doctor's Sleigh Bell Proposal. Susan Carlisle

he was having a hard time not liking her. And she was certainly nice to look at. Too much so.

      Marco and his crew had the tent erected in no time and were working on setting up tables as Chance directed the van driver into place.

      Ellen came to stand beside him. “Good morning. Michael said I should see you about my duties.”

      “Did you sleep well?”

      Her brows drew together as if she was unsure of his motive for asking. “Actually, I did. Thanks for asking.”

      “You’re going to need that rest because we have a long, full day ahead of us. We all kind of do what’s needed when needed. The lines are blurred between the doctors and nurses here. So you’ll know what supplies we have and where they are stored. Why don’t you supply each station with bandages, suture kits, saline bottles and antiseptic? Any basic working supplies you are familiar with.”

      “Will do.”

      “Under no circumstances do you open the locked box behind the seat of the van without permission. There’s a prevalent drug problem here and we have to be careful drugs are not stolen. There’s only one key and I have it. If you need something you must see me.”

      “I understand.”

      “When you’re finished putting out supplies you’ll be needed to work triage. People are already lining up.”

      * * *

      A steady stream of patients entered the tent over the next four hours. Karen worked with him and she seemed comfortable with all he’d asked her to do. He’d had little time to check on Ellen. When he had, she’d been either leaning over, intently listening to a patient, or in a squatting position, speaking to the mother of a child.

      At noon the patients dwindled to nothing. Chance stepped outside the tent, hoping for a breeze. Ellen walked toward him.

      “Are we done here?”

      Chance let out a dry chuckle and waved his hand to discourage a fly. “Not by a long shot. Everyone stops for lunch. We’ll start over with twice the number in an hour. Marco should have our food ready. Get something to eat and drink then take a moment to rest.”

      With the back of her hand Ellen pushed away the strand of hair sticking to her forehead. Some of it remained and Chance was tempted to reach out and help her. He resisted the urge. Getting involved on a personal level even with something as benign as moving her hair wasn’t going to happen.

      “You can wash up behind the tent. Remember what I said about not straying from the area.” He turned and walked off toward Michael, who had just exited the clinic. Watching out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ellen headed round the tent.

      “The new crew is really working out,” Michael said when Chance reached him.

      “Yeah.”

      “Ellen seems especially capable.”

      “She won’t last long.”

      “Why? Because she’s blonde and beautiful?” Michael said drily.

      “That has nothing to do with it.”

      “Sure it does. They aren’t all Alissa. I have a feeling this one might surprise you.”

      Chance huffed. “It won’t matter. She’ll do her six weeks and we’ll have to train someone else. Just see to it you don’t get too attached.”

      Michael grinned and raised his brows. “Me? Get attached? But there’s nothing wrong with a little fun.”

      “Just don’t let it affect the clinic work.” Michael was a good guy but Chance didn’t need any personal relationship getting in the way of work. He knew first-hand how emotional upheaval could make the working situation difficult. It had been his own issue with his wife and the affair that she had been having with his colleague that had done it last time. He’d lost all the staff and had almost had to give up the clinic altogether. The only way he had survived had been to push forward and devote all his off time to finding new funding for the clinic.

      “Have I ever?” Michael said, his grin growing to a smile.

      They both knew it had. Michael was known for showing the young female members a good time while they were in Honduras. For some reason Chance didn’t like the idea of him doing so with Ellen. “Let’s get some lunch before patients start lining up again. I noticed they are coming in by the canoe load now. In the future we need to think about setting up near rivers so that more people will have access.”

      Michael’s look sobered. “We need to think about where we’re going to get some major support so that we can build a permanent building to work out of.”

      “I know. I’m going to have to go to the States soon and start doing some fund-raising.” Chance didn’t like the dog and pony show he seemed to have to put on for all the wealthy potential donors to get money but understood the necessity. Give them a good time and they would give was the motto. Still, it was so little in the face of so much need.

      Sympathy filled Michael’s voice. “But you hate the idea.”

      “I’m more about the work and less about begging for money.”

      “Maybe it’s time to find someone who’ll handle fundraising full time.”

      Chance had tried before but nothing had worked out. “I need to check on a couple of things and I’ll get lunch.” Michael headed round the tent and Chance entered the clinic to find Ellen replenishing supplies. “What’re you doing? I thought I told you to get some lunch and rest.”

      “Marco didn’t have everything set out yet so I came to check on the supplies and get things ready for this afternoon.”

      “I appreciate what you’re doing but I’ve seen people burn out pretty quickly here.”

      She looked at him. “Doctor, I can assure you that I am nowhere near being burned out.”

      “It sneaks up on you.”

      For a moment she gave him a speculative look. “Is that what has happened to you?”

      The statement seared him. “What do you mean?”

      “You seem to care about these people but at the same time don’t welcome the people who come to help you. You’ve been trying to run me off from the minute I got here.”

      Anger rose in him. Was he letting the past boil over that much? “I have not. There’s not enough help as it is. Why would I discourage anyone?”

      “I’m wondering the same thing.”

      “I want you to know the facts. And you don’t seem the type cut out for this kind of work.”

      “And you have decided this by...” she cocked her head “...the clothes I wear, the color of my eyes, my shoes?”

      “Your age. Your looks. You attitude. In my experience someone like you only comes to a place like this as a lark, running from something, looking for adventure or to prove something.” She flinched. So he had touched a nerve. What had brought her here?

      “Why, Dr. Freeman, I do believe you’re a bigot. And it must be nice to be all-knowing. It doesn’t matter what you think. The real question is have you had any problems with the work I have done so far?”

      She had a way of cutting to the point. He hadn’t. In fact, he’d been surprised at her knowledge and efficiency. He said nothing.

      “That’s what I thought. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll get that lunch you think I need so badly.” She stalked out of the tent.

      Wow, there might be more to the blonde bombshell than he’d given her credit for. Had he really been that tough on her? Unfair? She had certainly stood up to him. Been a capable doctor. Maybe he should cut her some slack.

      By the time Chance had made it to the