Lending Library

"Really? That's very impressive," Quinn told her.

"She also does the mowing when she's out of school."

Quinn bent down a little then said, "May I see your driver's license, please?"

Sadie giggle loudly then told her, "I can only drive a mower. Or a go-kart."

The go-kart reference made Quinn laugh, and when she did, Aidan saw a smile that was as beautiful as her face.

"No golf cart?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know? Dad? Can I drive a golf cart?"

"If we had one," her father said as Quinn asked them to have a seat.

"What could I get you for dessert?" Quinn asked. "We have chocolate ice cream..."

"Um, no. Sorry, Mom. We don't," Michelle said with an 'oops' kind of smile.

"We both love chocolate," Quinn said. "I believe we have some cheesecake."

"That we do have," her daughter said.

"I love cheesecake!" Sadie said.

"That sounds nice," Aidan told her.

"I'll get it, Mom. It's the least I can do."

Quinn laughed then said, "I'm just so fascinated to find someone—anyone—who enjoys the classics. Or is it just that particular book?"

"No. I'm a book nerd. I love to read, and the classics are my favorites."

"My dad majored in literature at The University of Florida," Sadie proudly announced.

"A fellow Gator! How wonderful!" Quinn replied with genuine delight.

"Michelle said you teach English, and I believe you told us where," Aidan said.

"I do and yes, I did," she said with a smile. "I'll be starting my 24th year, twenty of them at OPH."

Aidan tilted his head as he looked at her, his brain back at it, trying to make the numbers work.

"Twenty-fourth year, huh?" he asked.

"Yes. And, as you just heard, Michelle will be a second-year teacher," she said just as proudly.

"Oh. I...I guess I'm having a hard time believing you could possibly have been teaching that long," he said with a smile as he continued looking.

Her skin was soft and smooth and there were only the faintest creases around her eyes.

"Well, I'm taking that as a compliment," she replied with a smile of her own. "May I ask how long you've been doing landscaping?"

Michelle walked back in with dessert then asked if anyone would like coffee or a glass of wine. Or milk for Sadie.

"Yes, please," she said to milk while her father opted for coffee.

"Me, too, honey," Quinn said.

"Okay. Three coffees coming up. Cream and sugar, Aidan?"

"No, thank you. Black is fine."

"Sorry. To answer your question," Aidan continued, "I started landscaping in high school. I continued working during summer breaks then went to work full-time for the company I now own right after graduation twelve years ago."

He smiled then said, "As much as I love literature, there isn't a whole lot of money in it. Then again, I'll never get rich landscaping, but I do enjoy it, and I have someone else depending on me."

Sadie looked up at and smiled when he winked at her.

"She is such a lovely girl. And evidently very talented," Quinn said as she smiled back.

She looked at Sadie then asked her, "Do you enjoy reading?"

"I love to read!" she said immediately.

Quinn leaned closer then said, "Me, too!"

The coffee arrived within another minute or so, and the conversation took a back seat to the delicious dessert.

"This is so good!" Sadie said after taking a first bite.

Quinn laughed then said, "Don't tell anyone but I bought it at Outback."

"That's where we just ate!" Sadie told her.

Hmmm. "The coincidences are piling up fast around here!" Quinn said as Michelle sat down next to her.

"Yes, they are," Aidan agreed. "A love of good books, we're both Gators..."

"Me, too!" Michelle chimed in saying.

"Even better," Aidan said.

"And we all love Outback cheesecake!" Sadie said before her father could.

A round of polite laughter followed her comment before Quinn asked Aidan another question.

"Have you ever considered teaching?"

"No, not really. I have thought about it but only in passing."

"It doesn't appeal to you?"

"I don't think I'm cut out for dealing with the behavior. If I could do nothing but teach and only teach what interests me, I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it. But it's everything else that goes into it I would have a hard time with."

He paused then asked Quinn, "Have you always enjoyed your job?"

She smiled then said, "Not every day of every school year. Most of those bad days are directly attributable to what you just described. Bad behavior, sarcasm, snide remarks, and I've was even pushed around once."

Aidan winced and Sadie was shocked.

"Someone pushed you?" she asked, unable to believe that.

"Just once, honey. And it wasn't something that hurt me. But yes, I did get pushed once."

She looked back at Aidan then said, "But I do love the teaching part. I thoroughly enjoy putting a lesson plan together and watch it unfold accordingly. And when students 'get it', that's something I still find immensely rewarding."

"I'll just say I'm truly grateful to all teachers. Anyone who can spend their days around other people's children and enjoy it has my full support."

Quinn laughed then said, "You're a delightful young man, Aidan."

She smiled at Sadie and added, "With a very delightful daughter."

"What am I? Chopped livuh?" Michelle said trying to do an accent from New York or maybe New Jersey.

"What's chopped...livuh?" Sadie asked drawing another round of polite laughter.

"Whatever," she said, shaking her head before taking another bite of cheesecake.

They chatted for another fifteen minutes or so and slowly savored the dessert as they did.

"Well, we've probably taken up enough of your evening," Aidan said during a lull in the conversation.

"No. Not at all," Quinn told him. We invited you in, and this has been very pleasant. Please don't rush off on our account."

"That's very kind of you, but we have school tomorrow, and..."

"Yay for school!" Sadie said causing Quinn's eyes to open wide.

"I love school!" the girl told her. "And I get to see all of my friends."

"Ah, yes. That is one of the best parts about it, huh?" Quinn said with a smile.

"But I don't get to see my best friend until he comes to pick me up."

"I've never put Sadie in daycare. I let her stay in the truck with the AC running while I work so she can do her homework."

"And then when I finish I help my Dad until we go home," Sadie explained.

Quinn knew why Sadie couldn't be left at home by herself and had no desire to mention that when they were having such a good time. When Sadie did, she was more than a little surprised.

"My mom died three years ago, so I can't stay at home by myself yet after school."

There was no sadness in her voice, she was just a young girl sharing a fact and trying to be a part of the conversation.

"I know, honey. I'm so sorry."

"Me, too, but my daddy loves me enough for two people," she said sounding like she was repeating something her father had told her.

"I try," her dad said before saying to Sadie, "Come on, kiddo. Let's get ready to go home."

Sadie thanked Quinn for the cheesecake and Michelle for serving it.

"You are so well mannered, too!" Quinn said before telling her she was very welcome.

"Yes, thank you so much. That was delicious," Aidan made sure to say.

"It was so nice meeting you. I've always dreamed of meeting a real-life Edmond Dantes. Were I ten years younger..."

Aidan laughed politely then said, "I'm not going to even try and guess your age, but you look amazing no matter what that number might be."

"I see where Sadie gets her manners from," Quinn said with a smile. "And thank you for saying that."

Aidan shook his head then said, "No. I'm very serious. I'm 34 and you can't be that much older than me. And yet you obviously have a daughter who's out of college so..."

"And I've taught for 23 years. So add that to my daughter's age, and you'll be very close," Quinn said before he could finish, still smiling happily.

"I have no reason to doubt you," Aidan said. "Well, until I look at you. Then, none of that makes sense."

"Oh, listen to you!" Quinn said.

"I told you my mom was beautiful, right?" Michelle reminded him.

"You did. I just had no idea how beautiful," he said again.

"Okay, you're going to make me blush," Quinn said, even though she never did. She was just genuinely enjoying his kind words and yes, she was very much aware of just how good looking he was, too.

"My dad is very handsome," Sadie said, surprising everyone, but no one more than her father.

Her dad grimaced but both women said, "She's right about that."

"And he's single," Sadie said again.

"Okay. That's it for us!" Aidan said a little more loudly as he gently nudged his daughter toward the door.

"Well, I think it's very sweet that she cares so much about her daddy," Quinn said in Sadie's defense.

"I do care, and I don't want him to be lonely," she told Quinn.

"Did you put something in the cheesecake?" Aidan teased before saying to Sadie, "and I'm not lonely, remember?"

"Dad? I don't count," she told him as they stood in the foyer.

"Um, sorry, but yes you do. You count for everything to me, and don't you forget that."

Sadie smiled at her dad who leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

As they all walked out on the porch Michelle asked Sadie to show her what they did to the lending library box.

"Come on!" the little girl said as she reached for her hand.

"Sorry," Quinn told Aidan. "I believe my daughter has the same idea as yours. She's just a bit more subtle."

"Ah, okay. I was wondering what she wanted to see all of a sudden when we repainted it days ago."

"I do apologize, Aidan. The only positive thing I can say is I love that my daughter is still concerned about me."

"I agree. I'd be lost without Sadie."

"Oh, I know what you mean. Michelle's been my rock and my best friend through thick and thin. And, well, I have to admit she's right about one other thing, too."

Aidan raised his eyebrows in anticipation of an answer but didn't speak.

"Well, you are a very attractive man, and I have to admit I've thoroughly enjoyed our exchanging notes. I don't suppose that will continue now that the bloom is off the rose so to speak."

"I hope you don't mean that in the 'now that you've met me' sense," he told her.

"Let's be honest. It's one thing to pretend and imagine. It's quite another to do so once you know the truth. And now you know I'm no Mercédès Mondego."

"If I had more time I'd dispute that point," Aidan told her with a smile. "I will say, though, that I'm no Edmond Dantes."

Quinn laughed then told him, "I will definitely dispute that. You're every bit as handsome as Jim Caviezel who played Dantes in the movie remake."

"I'll take your word for that, but I was referring to the Count's fortune. In that respect I'm nowhere even remotely close."

"That would be near the bottom of my concerns were there any possibility of, you know, you and I ever..."

"Isn't there?" he asked. "A possibility?"

Quinn smiled then said, "You majored in literature, but you also know basic math quite well, Aidan. It's no secret I'm, well, quite a bit older than you, and because you are such a good looking guy, I would have to say the answer is clearly 'no'."

"Dad? Are you coming?" Sadie called, interrupting their conversation.

He waved at his daughter then said, "I know we just met, Quinn, but we have something in common that's very important to us."

"Classic literature?" she said even though she knew that's what he meant.

"No. Outback cheesecake," he said with a straight face.

Quinn laughed loudly enough that she covered her mouth and looked around as though her neighbors might be offended at the noise.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist," Aidan told her. "But seriously, couldn't we at least, I don't know, maybe get together sometime and maybe see...what other books we both love?"

Quinn stood there just looking at him for a few seconds then, against her better judgment said, "You know what? I think that might be nice."

"Really? Okay. I'll um...I'll call you, if that's all right."

She smiled sweetly then said, "That...that also sounds very nice. Yes, please do."

"Dad! Are you coming?" they heard again.

Aidan used his thumb to point over his shoulder toward the mailbox as he said, "I think that's my cue to leave now."

Quinn laughed quietly then told him what a genuine pleasure it had been meeting him and his daughter.

Aidan thanked her, returned the compliment then said, "I had a really nice time tonight, Quinn."

She smiled yet again then told him, "I did, too. This was very enjoyable."

"Well, okay. I need to run, but I will definitely call you. Soon."

"I'll look forward to it, Aidan. Have a wonderful evening."

She looked down the sidewalk, waved to Sadie then told her, "It was lovely meeting you, Sadie."

"You, too!" she called back as she also waved goodbye.

Michelle told them both how glad she was they'd gotten together, and Aidan said the same to her.

Then he leaned closer and said, "Oh, your mom said she knows what you're doing."

Michelle laughed, looked up at her mom, then told him, "She's mentioned 'her Dantes' several times, Aidan. I know you could date anyone you want, and my mom probably isn't one of those women, but I can't help but think you two have a lot in common."

He smiled then told her, "That's true. We do. And just so you know, I'm glad you gave us a few minutes to talk privately."

Michelle didn't reply, but she did smile and wished both Aidan and Sadie a pleasant evening before heading back up the sidewalk.

"Aidan said you saw right through me," Michelle told her mom with a smile as she stepped onto the porch.

"Oh, please. You couldn't have been more obvious, honey."

"Okay, but did it work?"

"Work? What do you mean—'work'?" her mom asked not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing it had.

"You know exactly what I mean, and you know I only want you to be happy. Right, Mom?"

They waved goodbye as their visitor's car drove off then went back inside. Michelle stayed for another hour and just before she left, her mom spilled the beans.

"Now don't get any wild ideas, okay?" Quinn began.

"About?"

"Well, Aidan asked if I might like to get together sometime to maybe discuss other books we enjoy as much as The Count of Monte Cristo."

"Mom! That's so great!" her daughter said as she put her arms around her mother and hugged her.

"What's that all about? It's just sitting down to talk. It's not even a date. Okay?"

"Uh-huh. Sure. Okay. Whatever you say, Mom. No date. Just talking."

Michelle's eyes were dancing and there was a huge smile on her face.

Quinn shook her head as a way of minimizing her daughter's runaway enthusiasm then said, "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, Mom. And even if it isn't a date, I'm very happy for you," she told her.

"Ugh! Go home, daughter of mine!" her mom said.

The telltale smile her mother was trying to hide said it all. It didn't mean romance was in the air, but it was obvious her mom was looking forward to seeing her handsome landscape professional again.

Michelle hugged her again then kissed her on the cheek and said, "Love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, honey," Quinn said sincerely, thankful beyond words to have her in her life.

On their way home Sadie asked, "Dad? Are you mad at me?" when he hadn't said a word since they got in.

"What? Mad at you? No. Why would you even think that?" he replied.

"Well, because I kept hinting around about you being single and..."

"And?" her father asked.

"And I know you're lonely. You always tell me you're not, but I know you are. And that makes me sad," Sadie told him as she looked him while he drove.

He reached over for her hand and squeezed it then smiled.

"I know, honey. But grownups have to decide who they like and go out with. But I'm not mad, okay?"

"Okay," she said with a smile. "But do you at least like her a little bit?"

"Like her? Like who?" he asked pretending he had no idea.

"You already told me Michelle was too young, so the only other person is her mom," Sadie informed him. "So...duh."

"Oh. Okay. You must mean Quinn."

"Yes. Quinn. She's really nice, and she's very pretty. So don't you like her even a little bit?"

Aidan looked over at his daughter then said, "Sure. I like her. But not like that."

"Oh," Sadie said, the disappointment obvious.

"But we are going to get together again and discuss old books and other really exciting things like that," her dad said way too enthusiastically.

His melodrama got the laugh he wanted, and when Sadie smiled at him, all was right with the world.

Except for the fact that his daughter was right. He was indeed a very lonely man, and although he really only had meant getting together again with Quinn to discuss literature, he knew there was a part of him that found her far more interesting than being just a potential 'study buddy'.

He'd married the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, but Aidan had to admit Quinn was also a very attractive woman. Yes, she was quite a bit older, but now that he was being forced to really think about that for the first time, he wasn't sure why it mattered as much as he seemed to think it did.

For now, they were back home, and he had a long week ahead of him that now included going to pick his daughter up every afternoon. Aidan let her stay up for another hour or so then sent her to take a bath and get ready for bed.

As he tucked her in, he sat on the bed and looked at her and smiled.

"You look so much like your mom, sweetie pie."

She smiled and said, "Thank you, Daddy."

"You know I'll always love her, right?"

"Yes. I will, too," Sadie told him. "But lots of people get married again so isn't it okay for you to love someone else?"

Her father smiled then said, "You are growing up so fast, hunny bunny. Just don't grow up too fast, okay?"

He twinked her nose, smiled at her then told her goodnight.

"Goodnight, Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you, too, sweetie."

He flipped her nightlight on then turned off the lamp by her bed, and more a few seconds stood there and watched her as she lay there already falling asleep. Every time he saw his daughter like that it reminded him there should be two people who love her tucking her in and telling her goodnight.

Aidan rarely dated, and so far, he hadn't met anyone he liked enough to even bring home to meet his daughter—something he was very careful about—but he smiled as he briefly imagined Quinn standing next to him watching Sadie after putting her to bed together. It was unlikely in the extreme, but it was nonetheless a very pleasant thought, and, yes, Sadie had already met and clearly liked Quinn.

The next several days were a blur as business continued to pick up, and on top of it all, Aidan had to swing by school every day and pick up his daughter. In spite of her young age, he realized just how much work she'd done the previous week, and for the first time, he thought about hiring someone.

On Thursday evening, he sat down and crunched the numbers. He was at the point where he not only needed an employee, he needed another vehicle so that employee could pick up half the load. If business continued picking up, he'd make the money back in a couple of years. If, however, it didn't grow or went south, he'd end up having to let this person go and sell the vehicle at a loss.

Too tired to make a decision, he finally got to bed around 11 o'clock, and it hit him hard he still hadn't called Quinn. A quote from Cyrano de Bergerac came to him and he smiled just before drifting off to sleep.

Aidan was up a few minutes earlier than normal and used them to pen the words he'd thought of just a few hours ago. He pulled out a fresh sheet of unlined paper then began writing: