Author's Note: Wow! I am so surprised that everyone is liking this story so far. Totally not expected, and I really don't know what more to say except Thank you. And now… the next chapter…

Chapter 3

Cubs game over, Parker drove Mary Alice back to her apartment building. She and Kelly walked her to the door. Kelly unlocked it for her and opened it.

"Thank you, young man. You have wonderful manners. And it was nice to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Parker," Kelly said as he bent down and gave her cheek a kiss.

"Young man," Mary Alice said as she crooked her finger at him. Kelly bent closer to her. "Take care of my Granddaughter. She doesn't date much."

"I'll take care of her, Ma'am. I promise."

Parker waited till Mary Alice was settled in her apartment before she left. She and Kelly walked to her car.

"Thanks for coming. I hope you enjoyed the game," Parker said as she opened the car with her remote button.

"I had a great time. Your Grandmother is awesome."

Parker smiled. Anyone who loved her Grandmother was okay in her book. "She is. And she has a huge crush on you."

"It's mutual."

Parker raised an eyebrow.

"She's a great lady. I learned a lot from her tonight."

"She loves the Cubs. She's been going to games since 1930."

"That's awesome."

Parker opened her door and slid in. "I take her to as many games as I can. Usually we go once a month."

"I'm sure she appreciates it."

She started the car. "Where can I drop you?"

"There's a bar near the bank called Molly's. You can drop me there."

She nodded. "I've seen it. It looks like a nice place."

"It is. My friends own it."

"For real?"

"For real. We answered a call there and the owner said he was tired of running the place, so my friends all chipped together and bought it."

"Wait. Answered a call. Are you a cop?"

He shook his head. "Firefighter. Firehouse 51."

"You have a dangerous job."

"It's in my DNA."

"Your father was one?"

"And my grandfather. "

"Ah. Third generation."

He nodded. "So, you fix boats?"

"Part time. Full time, Librarian over at U of C."

He looked at her. She didn't look like a librarian.

"Yeah, I know, I don't fit the stereotype."

"What's the stereotype?" he challenged.

"You know, hair in a bun, glasses, old maid, all buttoned up, sensible shoes."

Kelly laughed. "Yeah, okay. You don't look like a librarian."

"In all fairness, you don't look like a firefighter either. "

"Oh? What do I look like?"

"An actor or a model."

Kelly laughed. "No way. No way is anyone gonna take a picture of me in my underwear."

Parker thought about that. She wouldn't mind seeing him in his underwear. She pulled up in front of Molly's. "Here you go."

"Thanks," he said. "I appreciate the lift. Thank you for the ball game and letting me meet your Grandmother too."

"You're welcome."

He opened the door. "Hey, can I get your number? I might need help with a boat."

She pulled a napkin from over her visor and found a pen. She wrote her cell on the napkin and handed it to him. "You usually can find me on Navy Pier when I'm working on a boat."

"Great. I'll call you," he said before he closed the door and started inside Molly's.