"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."