A moment for you

Jason doesn’t know if he and his daughter are ready for a new woman in their lives, until a charming librarian leaves no room for doubt

Lily ran ahead of Jason into the storyhour room, where the red-haired librarian greeted her like a long-lost friend. “Welcome back, Lily! I’m so happy to see you again.”

Jason hung back, waiting for his heartbeat to slow. Ever since his mother had taken Lily to the library, and she’d come home chattering about the wonderful “Miss Rosie,” he’d known he’d have to see Rosie Mcguire again.

It had been months since their last date, and he’d hoped he was over her. But the pang he felt in his chest when he saw her just now said that he was not.

“You don’t have your French braid today.” Rosie slipped the cord with Lily’s name tag over her head, and Jason winced when it caught on her raggedy ponytail.

“My grandma went home, and Daddy only makes ponytails.” Lily looked in his direction and Rosie’s gaze followed.

“Jason?” Her smile wavered when she recognized him. “You’re Lily’s father?”

They walked toward each other until he was close enough to breathe in her flowery scent. The fragrance took him back to the night of their second date, when he’d kissed Rosie at her door. He’d felt alive again for the first time in the two years since he’d lost his wife, and when she’d agreed to go out with him again, he’d grinned all the way home.

But when he’d paid the babysitter and looked in on his sleeping daughter, Jason wondered if they were ready to let a new woman into their lives. And was it fair to ask Rosie to take them both on?

He’d ended things the next day, telling Rosie he liked her— a lot—but that the timing just wasn’t right.

Now he took a step back, until he was outside the range of her perfume. “My mother signed Lily up…i hope that’s all right.” There was hurt in Rosie’s big brown eyes. “Of course!” she smiled after Lily as she went to sit with the other kids. “I just wish you’d told me about Lily.” A small boy tugged on her skirt and as she turned away, Jason took the opportunity to escape before embarrassment overtook him.

When he returned to the story-hour room an hour later, Rosie handed him a

“Their hands touched as she moved closer, and he heard her breath catch”