Lending Library

She is a mortal danger to all men. She is beautiful without knowing it, and possesses charms that she's not even aware of. She is like a trap set by nature - a sweet perfumed rose in whose petals Cupid lurks in ambush! Anyone who has seen her smile has known perfection. She instills grace in every common thing and divinity in every careless gesture. Venus in her shell was never so lovely, and Diana in the forest never so graceful as my Lady when she strides through...Jacksonville (or rather Orange Park)!

Below it he added, "I am so sorry for not having called. I'm hoping this might make up for it even though it's shamelessly melodramatic and wholly inappropriate. However, I must say that when I think of how beautiful you are, it does seem rather fitting.

Would it be possible to get together this weekend sometime?"

He realized Saturdays were out because he needed the entire day just to get everything done. He didn't want to scratch it out so instead, he offered a specific time.

"I was hoping perhaps Sunday afternoon might work for you. I'm free, and if you are, as well, I would very much enjoy your company. I promise I'll call tonight and see if this works for you, too. Again, I truly apologize. I haven't forgotten. I have just literally been swamped with work. And in one regard, at least, that's a good thing!

I really enjoyed meeting you, Quinn, and I'm equally looking forward to seeing you soon. Your Edmond Dantes."

He drew some smiley faces at the bottom, folded the paper, then slid it into another envelope. Later that day, when Quinn was at work, he slid it under her door to avoid her possibly missing it in the lending library.

What he didn't know was that she'd dutifully looked every day and sometimes twice a day, for another note thinking he might write rather than call. He also wasn't aware that after having promised to call and not done so in four days, she'd concluded he was only being polite and had no intention of actually seeing her again.

Quinn had decided just that morning it was probably for the best, and that she'd been correct before by assuming Aidan was both too young and too handsome to spend his time with a woman her age. Of course, that made her realize she hadn't really been hoping for just an occasional get together to discuss classic literature.

When she got home, she didn't bother checking the library. In fact, she came in through the side door after something along the edge of the house caught her attention. As a result she didn't see the envelope laying just inside her front door.

Aidan got Sadie in bed a little before nine, and hoped it wasn't too late to call. He rarely called anyone who wasn't a customer anymore, but he remembered there was a time after which it was considered rude to call. All he could do was trust 9pm wasn't where Quinn drew that line.

It rang four times, and Quinn nearly let it go to voicemail, but after seeing his name, she couldn't resist answering it.

"Hello?" she said as though she didn't have called ID.

"Quinn? I'm sorry for calling so late, but I promised I would."

"You did promise to call, but you didn't say anything about the time," she said almost tersely.

"I didn't? I'm almost positive I said I call later this evening. Was that not in the note?"

"The note? What note?" she asked as she thought about walking down to the library.

"The one I slid under your door. The apology and the promise to call."

"I...I didn't come in through the front this evening," she said as she walked that way. "But I do see it laying there."

"It's not exactly anything all that great, it was just an honest attempt to say I'm sorry for not calling earlier, and that I'd very much like to see you again."

Quinn had already opened it and was reading his words and not paying attention to the ones he was speaking.

Whatever resentment she might have allowed to creep in melted away as she read the note.

"I can only assume I've offended you or possibly..." he said.

"It's beautiful, Aidan," she said, still unaware he was speaking.

"It is?" he asked. "So you've read it?"

"I just did, and I'm rereading it now," she told him.

"So...are you not mad at me?" he asked rather gingerly.

"Mad? No. I'm...I'm touched. I love what you wrote. It's so...sweet and rom..."

"Romantic?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I know that's not how you meant it. But it was perhaps the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," she told him, her voice soft and trailing off as she spoke.

"I tried to find something I felt was true and not simply flattering," he told her.

Quinn was reaching for a tissue before the first teardrop fell.

"It was...it was just lovely, Aidan. Thank you, and yes, I would love to get together with you on Sunday."

"Wonderful! I was concerned you might think I don't keep my word. I know I'm late, and I do apologize, but I always keep my promises."

Quinn was so relieved she didn't tell him she had been wondering about that. Instead she told him how much she was looking forward to seeing him again.

"I was wondering if you might like to join us at our place this time," he said, now feeling upbeat again.

"I would love to!" Quinn said immediately.

Aidan gave her his address then agreed with her on the time.

"All right. We'll see you then," he told her.

"Yes, I'm very much looking forward to it."

"We could start with Cyrano if you like."

"I would. I'd like that a lot, Aidan."

"And I can have some cheesecake if you'd care for another slice."

"Oh, no. I only have a piece a time or two a year. I'm not really a dessert eater."

"Whew! Me, either. I'm more a fresh salad kind of guy."

"You see, there's another 'coincidence'," she said in a way that let him know she was smiling.

They said their goodbyes and both of them hung up feeling unusually optimistic about their futures. Neither believed the two of them would ever be 'an item', but both of them felt incredibly fortunate to have a made a friend who shared one of their main interests. And both of them believed the other was very attractive, and that wasn't a bad thing, either.

Aidan didn't tell Sadie they'd be having company until after breakfast on Sunday morning. When he did, her eyes lit up and a smile came to her face.

"Today? Quinn is coming to our house today?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, she is."

"Oh, my gosh! I need to get everything cleaned and straightened up!"

It had been three years since her mother was alive, but she sounded so much like her it both amazed and amused her father. That was exactly what Kayla would have said.

"I'll give you a hand," her dad said.

"Okay, you start vacuuming while I load the dishwasher. Then I'll straighten the throw pillows, go make your bed, and..."

"Whoa! Hold on their, good buddy. I can make my own bed."

Aidan worked his as...butt off...to provide for his daughter. And their home was always at least functionally clean. But the one thing he'd never done and still refused to do was make his bed. He'd never asked Sadie to make hers, but she did that religiously, and no matter when he went into her room, the bed was perfect with her stuffed animals on top and all lined up in a row.

"Or you could just close the door," Sadie said with a smile, knowing how her dad felt about making the bed.

"No, I'll go make it," he said with an exaggerated sigh.

Even though she was only nine, Sadie knew her father must really like this woman if he was willing to make his bed.

"Okay. Then I'll dust once the floors are clean," she told him.

Around noon, Aidan went to shower and shave, and when he finished he put on a nice pair of Dockers and a clean, button-down shirt and even wore shoes and socks. He couldn't remember the last time he'd worn the loafers Kayla bought him 4-5 years ago, but he was pretty sure that was about the number of times he'd ever had them on his feet.

When he walked into the living room, he didn't know whether to smile or tear up. Sadie was wearing her nicest dress, and brought out the silver tea set he hadn't seen since her mother was alive.

"Wow. You look beautiful, honey," he told her.

"And you look very handsome, Daddy," she said to him. "All you have to do is boil the water, and we're all set."

"Earl Gray. I didn't know we had any left," he mused when he saw the tea bags.

"You don't notice stuff like that, Dad," she told him sweetly.

He knew it was true. There were things only he noticed and things only his late wife and now his daughter saw. He chalked up to the difference between men and women then thanked his daughter for getting the house ready.

Sadie smiled then gave her father a hug.

"I just want everything to be perfect," she told him.

"Well, as long as you're here, it will be," he replied.

"Dad! You know what I mean," she said, loving the sweet words, but hoping Quinn would have a wonderful time and maybe, just maybe her dad would ask her out on a real date.

"I do, sweetie. Just don't get your hopes up too high, okay?" he told her tenderly and with a warm smile.

"Okay," she replied even though her hopes were already high.

Quinn changed her mind a half dozen times about what to wear, and tried on four of the six things she'd considered before making a decision. She had a sleeveless, white, silky blouse with spaghetti straps that looked amazing against her tanned skin, and it also looked perfect with a black skirt that fell to a couple of inches above her knee.

She still had the legs to wear something shorter, but this wasn't the time to do so. And as much as she hated admitting it, it really wasn't appropriate for a woman who was 46 years old. Even so, as she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but think she didn't look bad at all as she turned left then right checking her front, back, and sides.

At the last minute, Quinn put her hair up giving her a less sexy but more sophisticated look she thought gave an overall 'just right' kind of appearance. The only thing missing was some kind of accessory, and with the white top, a strand of pearls was the obvious choice.

Just before she left, she applied a coat of glossy, dark-red lipstick to match her nails she'd done a couple of hours earlier, then, satisfied that was the best she could do, left for Aidan's.

Quinn was surprised she felt so nervous. It was supposed to be a time to talk about something she loved, and yet she hadn't felt this way in so long it almost seemed foreign to her. And yet she was also enjoying this feeling she sometimes wondered if she'd ever feel again. As she pulled into his driveway, she realized she was definitely feeling it, and closed her eyes before turning off the engine.

"It's just a social get together and nothing more," she told herself.

Quinn opened her eyes then took a quick look in the mirror on her visor before getting out and walking to the front door. She'd worn flats, and although she wasn't regretting it, a part of her was letting her know it would have preferred heels.

"Too late now," she said to herself as she rang the bell.

"I'll get it, Dad!" Sadie called out as she nearly ran to the door.

"Okay, honey," he called back as he tried to calm himself. Like Quinn he told himself this was just a casual get together where two people who liked old books could talk about them.

He repeated that as he heard the door open followed by her voice.

"Oh, my! Look at you, Miss Sadie!" Quinn said. "You look so pretty!"

"Thank you," the young girl said. "You look really beautiful."

"Well, thank you very much, sweetheart," Quinn told her just as she looked up and saw the girl's father.

Both of them were looking at the other and thinking thoughts like 'wow' or 'oh, my goodness' but neither spoke for several seconds.

"I don't think I've seen you in anything but work attire, Aidan. You look very nice," Quinn finally said.

Sadie stepped aside as her father moved closer. He smiled then told Quinn, "I'm at a loss for words. You look...stunning."

Quinn definitely noticed his eyes make one quick pass at her entire body, and when they did, that old feeling got even stronger.

"Isn't she pretty, Daddy?" Sadie said just to make sure he noticed.

"She is, honey. She's very beautiful."

They stood there in the foyer just looking at one another before Aidan said, "I...I'm not sure if we should shake hands or hug or just..."

Quinn smiled and reached out to hug him. Pleasantly surprised, Aidan moved closer and accepted the hug. Just the feel of a beautiful woman's body next to his was amazing. But between the smell of her perfume mingled with her shampoo plus the smooth feel of her hair and the silky blouse, he found a part of him growing ever so slightly.

He backed away, smiled again, then said, "Please come in. Our hostess here got out our tea set so if you'd care for a cup, I can boil some water."

Quinn saw the silver setting on the living room table and said, "That is very impressive, young lady."

"Thank you," Sadie said, nearly embarrassed by the compliments from both adults.

"And yes, tea sounds wonderful," she told Aidan.

Before he could ask her to accompany him to the kitchen, Sadie reached for her hand and said, "Come on. I'll show you where the kitchen is."

Quinn happily gave her her hand and said, "Please. Lead on."

She wasn't quite sure what to expect in a home where a single father lived, but she was very impressed by how neat and tidy everything was. Her guess, which happened to be correct, was that Sadie's late mother had decorated the house and arranged the furniture, and that her husband had left everything in place since her passing.

"Our hostess also did the cleaning and straightening up."

"Not all of it. My daddy helped me with it."

"Well, you two are quite the team," Quinn told Sadie. "It looks so nice in here, and you have a very lovely home, Aidan."

Just as she suspected, he confirmed her suspicions with his reply.

"Pretty much everything was my wife's decision. So to the degree it's color-coordinated or looks okay, that's all due to her."

"Well, she has very good taste," Quinn said using the present tense. "Everything works together and it's just lovely."

The water was ready in a few minutes during which Aidan asked what Quinn would like in her tea and learned she preferred one lump of sugar and no milk.

"I need two lumps to sweeten me up," he told her, getting a 'don't be so silly' look from Sadie.

Quinn laughed and asked Sadie, "Your dad really doesn't need sugar to be sweet, does he?"

"No, he's the sweetest person I know," she replied with a happy smile.

Quinn leaned down as though she was about to share a secret then said loudly enough for Aidan to hear, "I think he just doesn't want anyone to know how sweet he is."

Sadie giggled, and Aidan said, "Excuse me, but I have a reputation to protect, okay? I can't have people—other than maybe the two of you—calling me 'sweet'."

Sadie giggled again and Quinn said, "I do know you have a romantic streak in you based solely on the um...rather sweet notes...you left in my lending library."

"Which looks beautiful again, by the way," she added while looking right at Sadie.

"Thank you," the little girl said as her father poured hot water into the silver server.

"Okay, let's go have a seat, and I'll pour us some tea."

As it steeped, Aidan asked how her school year was going.

"Very well, thank you," she told him. "I have a transfer student who reminds me of you."

"How so?" he asked.

"He's already read quite a few classic works and let's just say he's very popular with the young ladies in class."

"I believe a 'thank you' is in order," Aidan said with a smile.

A copy of Cyrano was on the table, and Aidan asked if that was one of the books her new student had read.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, he mentioned that the movie with Steve Martin was the reason he read it."

"Hmmm. That sounds a little like me, doesn't it?" he replied referring to his similar start with the movie that peaked his interest in literature.

The tea was ready and Quinn took a first sip.

"This is so good!" she said.

"I'm glad you like it," Aidan told her before taking a first sip of his own.

"Shall we?" he suggested, nodding to the book.

Sadie tried following the conversation, but had no real idea what the adults were talking about. She got bits and pieces here and there, and occasionally asked a question that often drew a smile if not a polite chuckle.

"Wait. So they were cousins?" Sadie asked early on.

"Yes, they were," Quinn said.

"He was a military man and in love with his cousin, Roxeanne, but too afraid to tell her."

"So he wrote letters to her on behalf of one of his cadets named Christian..."

Aidan finished the thought by saying, "And she fell in love with the poetic charm of the letters but didn't know Christian wasn't the one who wrote them."

"Oh, so he wrote notes for her just like you did for Quinn, right?" Sadie asked as she tried piecing the facts together.

Her dad smiled, but it was Quinn who replied.

"Yes. As it turns out, some women, even today, are still charmed by a man who takes the time to say something romantic in writing."

She spoke to Sadie was but was looking at her father who smiled back as he fully understood the underlying meaning of her comment.

"Couldn't you just send flowers?" Sadie asked innocently.

"Sure. You could," her dad told her.

"And that's also very nice. But to me, at least, there's nothing more romantic than a man who's able to express himself in writing."

At some point Sadie was so lost she was bored.

"Dad? May I be excused? she asked sweetly. "I don't really get most of this."

"Oh, sure, honey. Yeah, this can be pretty dry to someone who doesn't know what the book is all about."

She stood up then smiled at Quinn and said, "I'm going to go to my room now, so if you want to move over here and sit by my dad, that would be..."

"Sadie?" her father said very sweetly.

"Sorry," she said, knowing why her father said that. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red as she told them she was leaving.

"She is so sweet," Quinn said once Sadie was out of earshot.

"She is," her father agreed immediately.

He sat there for a few seconds just taking in how beautiful Quinn was then heard himself saying, "I uh, I...I wouldn't mind at all if you maybe wanted to move over here where, you know, she...Sadie was sitting."

Quinn sensed his nervousness, but found it as charming as the notes he'd left her, and she was more than happy to move.

"I'd like that," she said sweetly as she stood up and moved around the coffee table.

Aidan stood up, then waited for her sit back down. She was now only a foot or so away from him and the scent of her perfume wafted his way again. He was trying not to stare, but evidently he was as Quinn seemed to be asking him somethin a second time.

"What's that?" he asked feeling a little foolish.

"I was just wondering what other things you enjoy. I know you love literature. Is there anything else?"

"Oh, wow. Um, sure, but between work and raising a daughter there isn't a lot of time for anything else," he told her truthfully.

He spent a couple of minutes explaining how much the business had grown and the decision he was facing with regard to hiring someone.

"That sounds like the kind of dilemma a business owner looks forward to," she told him with a warm smile.

"True. It's much better than wondering whether or not you'll be able to make ends meet."

The discussed the pros and cons of bringing someone new onboard then at some point, Quinn made a reference to her ex-husband, and Aidan asked if she minded telling him what had happened.

Aidan wasn't naive. He knew people had affairs all the time. Not most people, of course, but there were plenty of people who were at any given time. He also knew that being beautiful was no guarantee a spouse wouldn't cheat. Even so, he had to wonder why any man would leave someone as amazing as Quinn.