Carlisle took his time getting into the building, hoping Esme would have crossed his path from his purposeful procrastination. Even though it took him abnormally long to get inside it wasn't long enough.

With a quiet sigh, he headed inside and prepared for the day ahead of him. Carlisle's eyes lifted to a diagram of the circulatory system, courtesy of Dr. William Harvey, that described briefly how the heart propelled blood to travel around the body.

Without realizing it, Carlisle drew his tongue across his teeth before migrating to another part of the office building.

His eyes shifted to the window now and he saw her. Esme. Her bouncy brown curls gave way to her face and while she attempted to smile to the woman next to her, Carlisle could see the strain in her features.

She's tense, he knew. The night before her worry quite literally radiated from her body and matched his own.

When she passed by the first window, Carlisle found his eyes shifted to the next one and waited as he stared outward in an attempt to see her one more time.

Esme took a breath through her nose and side glanced at the door where Carlisle worked. She turned her head completely when they crossed by the second window and thought she caught a glimpse of him inside.

Just as quickly, her eyes fell down to the gravel road beneath her shoes and she kept walking.

"I pretended I hurt my foot one time to go see him," the young woman beside her confessed in a whisper.

Esme whipped her head in the woman's direction and a small smile spread across her face. "What?" She asked, mildly amused and just a tad bit jealous.

"Dr. Cullen," her friend motioned to the office and Esme looked back again. "He's handsome. And unmarried."

Unmarried, Esme thought with a small smirk. It was at least a little flicker of hope.

"Of course I'm married now. This was before I met Harold," the woman went on.

"And Dr. Cullen still hasn't married?" Esme wondered aloud, trying not to blush or sound interested.

"Not that I'm aware of. He's at that office until all hours of the night."

Not *all* hours of the night. Esme thought of their brief interaction by the cliffs. It made her want to speak with Carlisle again. A passing thought of a fake injury crossed through her mind but she didn't want to approach him on a lie. It didn't feel right even if the act was rather innocent.

"I suppose no one here has caught his eye yet."

Esme arched her neck until they had fully passed by the old, brick building. Long beyond the sight of Dr. Cullen's office she thought of him.

Would there be another chance encounter? Could I speak with him again? Should I drop into the office and say hello? Is that appropriate? Is it forward or suggestive? Is it wrong?

Questions highlighted Esme's morning. The afternoon was even heavier in her own mind.

Did I miss an opportunity to prolong our conversation? Would we ever have a chance to speak like that again? Did I make a mistake by not extending an invitation for him to stay?

And then there was that small bout of hope..

He doesn't have a wife. Maybe he was interested. He was a kind man. I could see it. I could tell. He seemed hesitant to leave.. I think. Maybe I could just say hi to him.. or thank him. Thank him for what?

Esme's inner monologue was consuming her. She knew she was over analyzing the short interaction with Carlisle Cullen. The night before she hadn't. She had only focused on the good; the feelings of happiness and hope that someone else was, indeed, good in their little town. And handsome and intriguing. It was hard not to add the latter in her mind.

By the day's conclusion she was out of things to worry about; though she had to admit it was nice to focus on worries outside of the hangings and death. She got to feel anxious about something a little more.. enjoyable. And with that, she decided it was overall a positive feeling to conclude the day.

As she passed by the doctor's office one last time, Esme glanced in the direction of the brick structure again.

Carlisle Cullen.. his name rang in her mind and she smiled to herself before turning back in the direction she was heading. It was right then that she screamed aloud when she bumped directly into someone.

"Oh my.." Esme's hand came over her mouth and then her eyes widened when she realized it was Carlisle who she had bumped into. "Dr. Cullen.." she could feel her face grow hot. Not only was she staring in the direction of his place of employment but now she had walked right into him because of it.

"Esme Platt.." Carlisle tipped the corner of his mouth up into a smile and swallowed hard. "We keep running into each other."

"I'm.. I'm so sorry." Esme hesitated to back away as they stood close from the mild collision. Still, she knew she was in his personal space. At the same time he appeared to have the same thought and they both stepped back.

"I wasn't looking where I was going," Carlisle confessed. "It's my fault."

"Neither was I." She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. After a brief moment of silence she decided to try to prolong their conversation. "So.. will I see you at the cliffs again?" Her face grew hot again as the question rolled off her tongue.

Carlisle sensed her heart rate pick up. He could hear it beating rapidly and could almost taste the blood that filtered into her cheeks. Her pupils had dilated just slightly but to him they were the size of beach balls. Her natural reaction.. flustered him.

A genuine smile took over his face now and Esme smiled back. "I think you should let me walk you there.. or back.. if you go. You never know what's lurking in the woods." Said the vampire, Carlisle added in his mind.

"I would like the company." Esme knew her words were bold now. She hadn't intended to say them. They just came out.

Carlisle's Adam's Apple shifted in his throat though he didn't look away. "I, uh.."

"If you don't want to-"

"No," he urgently cut her off, "I.." Carlisle thought a moment, "Why don't I go home and wash up. I'll come back and give three knocks on the door. You'll know it's me."

Esme felt a burst of excitement pass through her. "That would be.. great." She smiled and felt relieved when he smiled back again.

"I'll see you soon." Carlisle glanced toward his office now. "I just have to go lock up."

Esme followed his eyes. "Of course. Take your time." She didn't want to sound pushy. Inside, however, she was losing her mind over the man.

Carlisle nodded. "Get home safely."