Parker's face and Emily noticed that her hand was still on the tall woman's

  arm. "You mentioned something about eating?"

  Parker looked down at Emily and laughed. The night before Emily had eaten twice

  what she had and had been eyeing the piece of fish Parker had left on her

  plate. Only after the second piece of cheesecake Parker had brought out for

  dessert did she looked satisfied. "I did indeed, but you are going to have

  to wait until I make one stop." There was a pout on Emily's face for that

  and Parker almost laughed again. The woman before her was a little older than

  she was, but looking at her in the sundress she had put on, they looked the

  same age.

  "Can't it wait?"

  "No my book dealer found a first edition "Confederacy of Dunces"

  and I want to go and pick it up. If you're patient with me, I promise to make

  it worth your while." Parker held her hand out in invitation and gave

  Emily a pout of her own.

  "You are an enigma, Parker King. I would have thought that jocks only read

  sports magazines and watched ESPN on television." Emily took the hand that

  was being offered to her hoping her palms weren't sweating.

  She was a little

  nervous being here with Parker having Gail so close to them.

  Emily was sure Gail

  would have found the note by now and started her search for her. Her one wish

  was that her soon to be ex-lover would get help and get interested in someone

  else before they ran across each other again. For Emily it was over, she wasn't

  willing to be Gail's support system and excuse maker anymore.

  "I only read sports magazines when I'm on the cover, and ESPN when they

  are showing highlights of me." Parker said it as serious as she could pull

  off wanting to make Emily smile.

  "Ah, the Parker King I know and love." The last part came out before

  she could sensor it and the smile on Parker's face matched the blush on

  Emily's.

  Parker squeezed her hand letting the comment slide without further embarrassing

  her. "The truth is I read more books than sports magazines and I only

  watch television on occasion. That doesn't fit the tabloid image of me, but

  then again I never have been one to conform to what other people want to define

  me as."

  Emily followed Parker to the back of the house as the tennis player gently

  pulled her toward the door of the garage. "And what about what all those

  tabloids say about your nights of wine, women and song?"

  "Well there's no enigma there, Emily. I like women, I like to have a good

  time and I don't apologize for that. The day will soon come when people will

  say 'Parker King who', when my name is mentioned and that doesn't bother me as

  much as it has others who have come before me. I will be replaced by some other

  bad boy or girl who will make better press, and when that day comes the girls

  who are calling me now for a night on the town will move on." Parker

  reached for her keys and opened the door to the garage.

  Emily noticed there was

  a black Mercedes parked next to the SUV she had seen Parker in before. With a

  quick press of a button the lights on the car flashed once and the doors

  unlocked.

  "And when they do, what will you do?"

  "When they do, I will live my life pretty much the way I do now. I play

  tennis, I read books and I teach my old dog some new tricks.

  I know that the

  way we met hasn't made the best impression with you, but I'm not all that bad.

  At least I don't think so. Would it surprise you to know that no woman that you

  have ever read about in connection to me has ever stepped foot in my house?

  Hell they don't even know where my house is. You do realize I'm only

  twenty-two, hardly enough time to have earned the reputation that I've been

  saddled with." Parker opened the car door for Emily and helped her into

  the passenger seat. Emily smiled as she watched Parker cross in front of the

  car thinking about what she had just said.

  "Why am I here then?" She looked at the chiseled profile next to her

  and put her hand on Parker's arm. Parker was quiet for so long that Emily

  didn't think she would answer, or was trying to find her answer written on the

  wall of gardening equipment hanging in front of the car.

  "You looked like you could use a safe haven, and this is what this house

  is to me. It's not completely secluded but it's close enough.

  Tomorrow you will

  move on and I may never get to see you again if that's what you want, so I

  guess I wanted to spend just the one night with you. It sounds cliché, my dear

  Emily, but there is something about you that I find, well I don't know what I

  find about it but it makes me want to know more about you.

  So tonight I will

  buy a book, take you to dinner then drop you off at your bedroom door and wish

  you good night. Tomorrow I will drive you to the airport and hope that I have

  made your bad time a little easier for you." When she finished, Parker

  pressed the garage door opener and started the car. Before she pulled out after

  putting the car in gear she looked toward Emily and added,

  "I did forget

  one thing."

  "What's that?"

  "I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight." Emily self-consciously smoothed down the sundress she had put on. The bright yellow

  cotton garment had thin straps holding it up and looked good with her hair and

  the sun she had gotten. Emily hadn't been fishing for compliments, but had been

  a little disappointed when Parker hadn't said anything. This is not a date,

  Em, why would she say anything? Emily smiled even though she was mentally

  chastising herself. The only thing she hadn't planned on was wearing a light

  sweater over the dress, but when she had gotten out of the shower the bruise

  that was a perfect imprint of Gail's fingers was visible on her arm. A reminder

  of just how out of control Gail had gotten.

  "Thanks." When Parker put the car in drive and pulled out onto the

  highway Emily took back possession of Parker's hand. If it was only going to be

  one night she was going to make the most of it. She didn't feel guilty about

  wanting to be happy, no matter if it was only for a few hours.

  "Emily, I want you to meet Barnaby Philpot Perry." Parker stood

  behind Emily with her hand on the small of her back as she made the

  introduction. Bending down a little she whispered, "And yes, that's his

  real name."

  The older gentleman with a full white beard and almost black eyes came from

  behind the counter and took Emily's hand into his and kissed it. "Parker,

  you've been holding out on me, this creature is simply divine."

  "Thank you, Barnaby, we just met, knows all about me and still agreed to

  go out with me. I just ran by to pick up my book and take the divine creature

  out to dinner." Emily looked around the store admiring the stacks of well

  cared for antique and collectible books while Parker talked to the seemingly

  eccentric old guy.

  "You have a lovely place here, Mr. Perry," Emily added trying to get

  the conversation off of her.

  "Thank you, my dear, but as lovely as you think this is you can't compare

  it to the library my friend here as in her home. It makes me happy to know that

  every time she takes one of my babies away from me, they are going to live in

  that wonderful room. I predict that for years to come they will talk more of

  the King collection than they will of that silly game she plays." Barnaby

  handed Parker her book and gave Emily a small parcel as well. Emily was about

  to protest when Parker shook her head from behind the storeowner.

  "Are you holding out on me, Parker, the King collection?"

  asked Emily

  getting Barnaby to turn around and shoot a mock glare at Parker.

  "For shame, Parker, that is the best room of the house and you didn't show

  it to her?" The creases around his eyes told her that he was kidding with

  her. Barnaby looked forward to Parker's return from her travels knowing that it

  wouldn't be long before she either dropped in or called him for something new.

  The widower had met the tennis player two years prior when she wandered into

  his shop one day looking for new reading material. It amazed him that a young

  person still read the classics and enjoyed sitting with him and talking about

  them. When she bought the house, Parker had transformed one of the rooms into a

  library with comfortable chairs and a multitude of oak shelving. They had spent

  a great deal of afternoons after her practices just sitting across from each

  other reading a book. For Barnaby it was a treat in that since his wife had

  died he was left with no family, and Parker never made him feel like she was

  just humoring an old man.

  "A mistake I'll correct when we get home, Barnaby. Now be good and call me

  this week for lunch. Oh and before I forget, I brought you something."

  Parker stepped out to the car to get a book she had gotten for him in England.

  "She is a lovely girl, Parker is," said Barnaby. He was talking to

  Emily but looking at Parker get something from the back seat.

  "Yes she is. I've only just met her but I can see that there is more to

  her than most people would guess. She seems to be a good friend to people she

  cares about." Emily was also looking at the bright young woman now walking

  back toward the storefront.

  "You would consider yourself lucky to have her call you her friend,

  Emily." The bells over the door chimed and the old man put his hands out

  for his gift. "What did you bring me?"

  "It's not in the greatest shape, but you will forgive that when you see

  the print date. Enjoy it and don't stay up all night trying to get through

  it." Parker handed over the leather bound edition of Shakespeare sonnets

  she had gone looking for during her off time at the tournament. Shakespeare was

  one of Barnaby's all time favorites and had one of the biggest collections of

  his writings she had ever seen. He looked at the book and just wrapped Parker

  in a hug.

  The two women said their goodbyes and got back in the car for the drive into

  Tampa for dinner. Parker had put both of the books they had left with in the

  backseat after she had gotten Emily back in the car then waved to Barnaby who

  was standing in the window with his book under his arm.

  "That was so sweet of you to do that for him." Emily took Parker's

  free hand back into hers as soon as they were back on the highway. She was glad

  that Parker wasn't one of those people that disliked their personal space

  invaded.

  "I haven't gone to college yet, so I consider Barnaby my professor of

  life. He likes to find stuff for me to read and then talks to me about it. His

  wife died about four years ago and the big bookstores took a chunk of his

  business, but he perseveres through it all." Parker looked at her for a

  moment before turning her attention back to the road. Emily was starting to

  regret that she was leaving in the morning. There was so much more that she

  wanted to know about Parker King.

  "Will you show me Barnaby's favorite room?" Emily turned her body

  without letting go of the big hand so that she was resting her back on the door

  giving her a better angle of Parker's profile. Without looking at her Parker

  smiled, nodded her head and squeezed her fingers, they didn't feel the need to

  talk about anything else for the rest of the drive.

  The restaurant Parker picked was an Italian place with romantic lighting, a

  great view and even better food. The young woman that showed them to their

  table was the daughter of the owner and had met Parker on a few previous

  occasions. When Emily arched her brow at the friendly greeting the tall woman

  got, Parker just laughed. This must be the big workup to getting me softened

  up for later on tonight, was the one thought in her head when she realized

  Parker had eaten there before. Because, baby, you don't eat in places like

  this by yourself.

  "How are Gary and Nick?" asked the hostess.

  "They are fine, I'll tell them you said hello."

  "They're not joining you tonight?"

  "No it will just be Ms. Parish and myself this evening, Francesca. How

  about a bottle of Chianti while we decide on what to eat?"

  The young woman

  turned and headed for the wine racks along the back wall looking for the wine

  Parker liked.

  "I thought…" Emily started not knowing how to finish her sentence.

  Parker looked at the dinner specials listed in the menu not looking up when

  Emily broke the silence left when Francesca walked away.

  "I know what you thought. Candles, romantic music, wine and an ocean view

  add up to having to sleep with me later. I come here sometimes when I'm home

  with Nick and Gary, and trust me I'm not interested in sleeping with either of

  them. Francesca's father makes a great sauce and even better veal dishes that I

  thought you might like, but if you prefer we could go someplace, I don't know,

  better lit?" Before Emily could say anything Francesca came back to the

  table with the bottle Parker had ordered and two glasses.

  She poured a little

  into Parker's glass waiting for her to approve of it before pouring some into

  Emily's glass.

  "I'm sorry, Parker."

  "You don't have anything to be sorry for, Captain. In a way you are right,

  I'm that person all your girlfriends warn you to stay away from. But I promised

  you I'd behave and I intend to." Parker held up her glass and waited for

  Emily to do the same. She leaned forward to tap her glass with the blonde's and

  recited a verse from her favorite poem. "I shall be telling this with a

  sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I

  took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

  "Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken," whispered Emily. She took a sip

  of the wine and enjoyed the warm feeling it gave her when it slid down her

  throat. "You could turn a girl's head with such romance, Parker. Somewhere

  ages and ages hence there will be a woman that will have loved her life because

  she got to share it with you." She lifted her glass in salute again and

  swore that nothing else that evening would bother her about Parker's much

  written about exploits. Spending time with the tennis player would help her to

  learn more about the person she was than from reading about her in The

  Enquirer.

  The dinner lasted three hours by the time they had made it through the various

  courses, dessert and after dinner drinks. They kept the conversation light and

  the other patrons looked their way often as they laughed at a variety of

  things. It was just the type of evening Emily had looked forward to on her

  vacation, only she never imagined it would be shared with Parker King. Her idea

  of the perfect ending would have been a walk on the beach but a walk through

  Parker's vast collection of rare books was good enough.

  Slipping out of her shoes Emily made one request. "Read me your favorite

  thing in here."

  Parker walked to the other side of the room climbed the rolling latter to the

  top shelf and pulled down a book. She put it on the coffee table as she sat

  back to take her own shoes off loving the sound of Emily's laughter when she

  saw the title. " War and Peace? You do realize I'm leaving tomorrow don't

  you?"

  "I just wanted to see if you were still awake after those two and a half

  desserts you ate." She ducked the small pillow Emily tossed at her in mock

  anger then got up to pull down another book.

  Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

  And sorry I could not travel both

  And be one traveler, long I stood

  And looked down one as far as I could

  To where it bent in the undergrowth;

  Then took the other, just as fair,

  And having perhaps the better claim,

  Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

  Though as for that, the passing there Had worn them really about the same,

  And both that morning equally lay

  In leaves no step had trodden black.

  Oh, I kept the first for another day!

  Yet knowing how way leads to way,

  I doubted if I should ever come back.

  I shall be telling this with a sigh

  Somewhere ages and ages hence:

  Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

  I took the one less traveled by,

  And that has made all the difference.

  Parker read all of the verses of the Robert Frost poem she had quoted at

  dinner. When she was finished, Parker looked up to see Emily relaxed back into

  the chair with her eyes closed.

  "Thank you for today. It was the most fun I've had in forever, and I'm

  just sorry that it has to end so soon." Emily said her peace without