Despite the disturbing thoughts she’d had the night before, Harper slept better than she had in a long time.  When she finally roused herself from the warm cocoon she’d created, it was already nine o’clock, and she couldn’t believe she’d slept that long.  Stretching her arms overhead and indulging in a loud yawn, it suddenly struck her that Daisy was nowhere to be seen.  Panicked, she flung off the covers and hopped out of bed, searching the room frantically.  And then she discovered that the bedroom door was cracked open, just enough to allow a small dog to squirm through. 

“Finn,” she called through the crack.  He’d said he would be gone before she awoke, but he had to have let Daisy out.  “Finn,” she repeated. 

When there was no answer, she padded out into the kitchen, and there was Daisy, contentedly eating her dog food.  Leaning against the counter with a hand over her racing heart, she breathed deeply.  And then it dawned on her that Finn had to have come in her room that morning and she hadn’t even heard him.  I wonder if I was snoring?

Turning toward the refrigerator, she saw a note that he’d taped to the door handle that read: Petunia was scratching at the door this morning, so I let her out.  Hunter’s still in the laundry room.  Call you later with a furnace update.

Harper laughed aloud at the new nickname he’d bestowed upon poor Daisy, and then she went to the laundry room and let out Hunter, who appeared relieved to see her.  Scratching him behind the ears, she said, “Some owner you have, huh?  Shutting you in the laundry room like that.”  But Hunter appeared to be unaffected, and he happily trotted over to Daisy to sniff her in places that dogs do. 

Daisy stuck her tail in the air and pranced into the living room with Hunter hot on her trail.  Good thing he’s been neutered, Harper thought as she retrieved the phone from her purse, which she’d inadvertently left in the kitchen.  Noticing that she had a missed call from the client she was supposed to meet with that day, she hurriedly called back, hoping that she hadn’t mixed up the times. 

Her client, Nikki Branson Collins, answered immediately and sounded harried.  “Hi, Harper.  I’m so sorry to do this, but I have to cancel our appointment today.  Max has a fever, and I’ve been up with him all night.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.  Would you like to reschedule?”

“Yes, of course.  But do you mind if I call you back later?  I want to check with Nate first.”

“No problem.  Just take care of that baby.”

“Thanks.  I will.”

After they hung up, Harper felt a flicker of disappointment.  Nikki was a local real estate broker who had made news when she’d married a popular movie actor, Nate Collins.  Harper had gone to high school with Nikki, and even though they hadn’t run in the same crowd, she’d always liked her.  Nikki and Nate had had their first child, Max, almost a year ago, and Nikki had hired Harper to take Max’s one-year-old photo.  They’d opted to have the pictures taken at their estate in Clarkston for privacy reasons.  Harper had never been there before, but she’d seen pictures in the local paper, and she’d been excited to see it.  And if she were being honest, she’d been anxious to meet Nate too.  Not everyone had a celebrity living in their midst, and she was just as curious as the next person.

Aside from that, it didn’t bother her to have the day off, especially given the weather.  Glancing out the kitchen window, she saw that the snow was still falling, although it had lessened somewhat from the night before. 

She had just opened the refrigerator, intent on finding something for breakfast, when her phone rang.

Instead of a proper greeting, she said, “Petunia?  Really?” 

Finn chuckled.  “Don’t like that one?”

“Not particularly, but thanks for letting Daisy out this morning.”

“You’re welcome.  By the way, has anyone ever told you that you snore?”

“Blake might have mentioned it, but thanks for the reminder.”

“Poor Petunia probably thought the house was caving in!”

“Ok, wise guy.  Enough of that.  I assume you’re calling about the furnace and not just to point out my flaws.”

“What flaws?  You don’t have any flaws!”

“Yeah, right.  And neither do you.”

“Ha!  Anyway, my guy can’t come over until Sunday evening.  He’s booked solid up until then, and he doesn’t usually work on Sundays.”

“Crap!”

“I called around, and that was the best I could do.”

“I understand, but it still sucks.”

“Am I that bad to hang out with?”

“No, of course not.  It’s just that it’s not my house, and I don’t have all my stuff, and…”

“I get it, but it’s only for another day or two.”

“You’re right.  I’ll just have to make the best of it.  No offense.”

“None taken.  So, when’s your appointment?”

“It got cancelled.”

“Good.  The roads are still slippery, and some haven’t even been plowed yet.  So, what are you going to do now that you have the day off?

“Not a whole lot.  Maybe take the dogs for a walk, read, send some emails.”

“Hunter’s leash is hanging in the laundry room, and there’s a trail through the woods.  All you have to do is step out back, and he’ll point the way.”

“Ok.”

“I’ll call you later to see if you want me to bring anything home for dinner.  In the meantime, just relax and make yourself at home.”

“Thanks,” she said, glancing down at her pajamas and bare feet.  She couldn’t get much more relaxed than that!  After she hung up, she realized that their conversation had been eerily similar to phone calls she’d had with her husband, where they’d talked about their daily activities and discussed what was for dinner.  For a minute there, it had felt like she’d been playing house—only this wasn’t her house, Finn wasn’t her husband, and this situation was only temporary. 

Shaking her head to rid herself of her crazy thoughts, she resumed her search for breakfast.  After nosing around in Finn’s pantry, she came up with a box of Corn Flakes, which had been shoved behind boxes of kids’ cereals like Lucky Charms and Froot Loops.  Surprisingly, he did have a loaf of whole wheat bread, which she used to make toast, and she poured herself a glass of orange juice. 

Right when she sat down at his dining room table, the dogs came scampering into the room, taking up places on either side of her chair in the hopes of retrieving an errant crumb.  Sitting there eating breakfast, with the dogs at her feet and the snow gently falling, she felt a rare sense of peacefulness.  Even though she’d told Finn she felt out of place, she realized that she had everything she really needed.  The thought was comforting and disturbing at the same time, mirroring her recent feelings about Finn. 

Scraping her chair across the floor, she stood up abruptly and said, “Ok, that’s it.  No more worrying for the rest of the day!”  Daisy and Hunter peered up at her, heads cocked to the side in that adorable way dogs had, and she swore they smiled at her. 

After cleaning up her breakfast dishes, she went into the bathroom to shower and dress, locking the bathroom door just in case Finn happened to pop in.  As he’d warned, it took a while for the water temperature to heat up, but once it did, she took a long, luxurious shower, enjoying the feel of the warm water sluicing down her body.  She slowly got ready, taking the time to blow dry her honey-blonde hair until it was silky smooth and applying just a touch of makeup to highlight her light-brown eyes and disguise the smattering of freckles across her pert nose.  Blake had always liked her freckles, and she recalled the countless times he’d kissed them one by one, but she’d always been self-conscious about them. 

Next, she pulled on her Levi’s, a cozy light-blue flannel shirt, and the warm wool socks she’d brought.  Surveying the results in the mirror, she liked what she saw.  Gone were the dark circles that had been carved under her eyes for months after Blake’s death.  She’d gained some weight back too now that she’d rediscovered her appetite.  In fact, she might need to rein it in a little as her jeans were feeling a bit snug.  But overall, she felt healthy, vibrant, and, dare she admit it—attractive.  She was still young, with a lot of living left to do, and she was on the path to doing just that. 

After straightening up the bathroom, she returned to the living room, where she tugged on all her snow gear.  The dogs, sensing that a walk was imminent, started turning circles excitedly, tails wagging a mile a minute.  After leashing them, she stepped outside into the expansive backyard and scanned the area for the trail that Finn had mentioned.  Hunter tugged on the leash, nose in the air, while Daisy stepped daintily into the soft snow.  They’d barely gone a few steps before Daisy was begging to be picked up just as Harper had expected. 

If she hadn’t already felt relaxed, being in the woods would have done the trick.  The minute she stepped under the canopy of trees, breathed in the fresh, cool air, and heard the chatter of birds and squirrels, she instantly felt at ease.  She set Daisy down again, and the dogs led the way, sniffing everything in sight and marking their territory as they went.  She wondered if Finn appreciated the beauty of his surroundings, but figured that he must.  He was an outdoorsman, after all—hunter, fisherman, and all-around nature lover.  A rugged man’s man.  And, she suspected, a ladies’ man too.  Plus, he was handy, intelligent, and easygoing, with a wickedly sharp sense of humor.  And don’t even get me started on his looks!  It didn’t seem fair, really, for one man to have all those qualities wrapped up in one giant package.  Of course, Blake had possessed many of the same characteristics, which had attracted her to him to begin with.

She recalled the first time she’d seen him at a high school football game during his senior year and her junior year.  He and Finn had played for Brandon, and she’d been a cheerleader for Clarkston, the rival team.  Blake had been playing a spectacular game, and she kept hearing his name being announced over the loud speaker.  Afterwards, when the teams shook hands and the cheerleaders and players were gathered together around the bleachers, she got her first good look at him.  That moment was part of their story that they planned to tell their children someday.  Just like a scene from a romantic movie, their eyes met at the same time, and there was an instant connection.  Even with his hair matted down and sweat dripping down his face, she could tell how handsome he was.  She’d also been struck by his deep chocolate brown eyes, which shone with kindness, humor, and promise. 

They didn’t officially meet each other that night, but a month later, they ended up at the same party.  One of her good friends knew one of his good friends, and the rest, as they say, is history.  It wasn’t long after that Blake introduced her to Finn, and they’d been friends ever since. 

Suddenly, a squirrel went racing across the trail, and Hunter jerked hard on his leash, pulling Harper out of her reverie.  “Ok, you two.  I think it’s time to head back.”

Her walk in the woods set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, and before she knew it, it had become dark.  Of course, at this time of year, darkness descended at five thirty.  And just as she’d noticed the time, Finn called. 

“Hey.  I’m finishing my last job and was wondering, what’s for dinner?”

Harper laughed.  “The age-old question.”

“Have you given it any thought?”

“Yes, and I’m making it.”

“Wait a minute.  I think we have a bad connection.  Say that again.”

“Very funny.  I’m a pretty good cook, you know.  I just haven’t been cooking that much lately.”

“I know.  I’ve tasted your lasagna, and it was top notch.”

“Well, that’s not what I’m making, since you don’t have all the ingredients for it.  But I have something else in mind.”

“Whatever you’re making, I’m eating!  I’m starved.”

“What time should I have it ready by?”

“Six thirty, ok?”

“That’ll be perfect.”

“Great.  See you in an hour.”

After they hung up, Harper shut down her laptop and went into the kitchen.  She’d decided earlier that she would make dinner for Finn as a thank you for letting her stay there.  Besides, she was tired of eating out, and she was looking forward to a home-cooked meal.  When Blake was alive, they’d taken turns making dinner, and it had worked out wonderfully.  But afterwards, she’d lost her motivation to cook, along with a lot of other things.  She took it as a good sign that she wanted to cook again, even if it was for the wrong man. 

With the dogs for company, Harper went about preparing the meal.  It took her a while to figure out where everything was kept, but once she did, she moved around the kitchen with ease. Just like riding a bike, she mused.  The menu consisted of oven-baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans.  She’d also found a tube of slice-and-bake chocolate chip cookies, which would serve as dessert. 

By the time Finn came in the door, everything was being kept warm and waiting, and the table had already been set.  She’d been sitting in his recliner with her feet up, reading her book, and she quickly inserted her bookmark and slammed it shut.  I probably shouldn’t have brought this book with me, she thought, but it was too late.

Standing up to greet him, she pressed the book against her leg and hoped he wouldn’t ask her about it. 

“Smells great in here,” he said, shooting her a wide smile while bending over to pet Hunter and Daisy. 

“Dinner’s ready.  We were just waiting on you.” 

“I think Petunia’s starting to like me,” he said.

“It’s probably because you fed her this morning.”

“Speaking of food, let’s eat!”

Laying her book face down on her laptop, she led him into the kitchen, playing the part of hostess.  “Since you had to work all day, I’m serving.  Have a seat.”

“Wow, I really need to clean out my ears.  Either that or I’m hallucinating.”

Ignoring the comment, she said, “This is my way of thanking you for letting Daisy and me stay here.”

“Well, in that case, you’re welcome to stay anytime.”

She knew he was joking, but something about the way he said it… Either that or it was her overactive imagination again. 

“Wow,” Finn said with a long, low whistle.  “You really went all out!”

“It was no big deal,” she said as she set down the bowl of steaming mashed potatoes next to the plate of baked chicken.  Once she’d placed everything on the table, she went to the refrigerator and brought out two beers, handing one to Finn and keeping the other for herself.  Finally, she lowered herself into the chair across from him and picked up her fork.  Her walk in the woods had stoked her appetite, and she was ready to dig in, but when she looked up, Finn was staring at her.

“What?”

He shook his head.  “I just can’t believe you did all this for me.”

“Well, it wasn’t just for you.  I had to eat too.” 

He laughed and picked up his fork.  “I can’t wait to taste it.”

Ok, why did that sound so erotic?  Oh, right, because of the stupid book I’m reading!  She waited for him to take the first bite, and then she said, “Well?  How is it?”

“Mmmm.  Delicious!”

And now she was staring right at his lips, which looked especially full, soft, and inviting.

“Harper?”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t you going to taste it?”

God, yes.  I really want to.  “Oh, yeah.  I was just enjoying you enjoying the food.”  What am I saying?  I can’t even think straight.

Laughing, he said, “Dig in.”

She had to admit that she’d done well.  The meal tasted fabulous, but she wasn’t sure how much was the food and how much was the company.  While they ate, Finn told her about the jobs he’d done that day, inserting amusing quips about his brothers here and there. 

“Connor’s been acting strange lately.  Although he’s always been the strange one,” he said drily. 

“What do you mean by strange?”

“Well, usually, he can’t wait to tell us about his latest escapades with the ladies, but lately, he’s been a closed book.  I think he might be seeing someone, but he’s not saying who, and that’s not like him.”

Harper swallowed her heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes before saying, “That’s funny.  Julia’s been acting the same way.”

And then their eyes widened as if they both realized it at the same time. 

“You don’t think…” Harper began.

“Maybe…” Finn said.

“Why wouldn’t they tell us?  It doesn’t make sense,” she continued. 

“Who knows.  People keep all kinds of secrets.”

She nodded, thinking, I’m keeping one right now.  “I guess they’ll tell us when they’re ready.”

“Or it’ll slip out, as secrets have a way of doing.”

I hope mine doesn’t slip out.  She changed the subject after that, telling him about her walk in the woods and about how she’d spent the rest of the afternoon. 

After they’d finished dinner, Finn insisted on helping her clean up, and they continued talking as they moved around the kitchen.  It felt a lot bigger in here earlier, she thought as they bumped into each other for the second time in two minutes.

“I’m not used to sharing the kitchen with someone,” Finn remarked as he put the last dish into the dishwasher.

“It’s been a long time for me too,” she said wistfully.

“Hey.  Do you want to watch a movie or something?  I may live in the country, but I have Netflix!”

Netflix and chill?  Oh God.  I did NOT just think that.  “Yeah, sure.”

She followed him into the living room, but instead of turning on the television, he squatted down by the fireplace and started tossing logs inside. 

“What are you doing?”

He chuckled but didn’t turn around.  “What does it look like?  I’m starting a fire.”

“Is that really necessary?”

“You got something against fires?”

“No.  It’s just that…I’m not that cold.”

Finn glanced over his shoulder at her.  “Maybe I’m doing it for a little ambiance.”

Ambiance?  Oh no.  No ambiance.

Seeing the stricken look on her face, he corrected himself.  “What I mean is, sometimes, a fire is just nice to look at.  Don’t you think?”

An image of Finn standing naked in front of the fire leapt to mind, and she shook her head to clear it.  But he mistook her head shake for a no answer. 

“Or not.  I don’t have to make one,” he said and started to rise.

Suddenly, she realized how ridiculous she was being and practically shouted, “No!  Make the fire.  It’ll be…nice.”

Eyebrows raised, Finn went back to starting the fire while she slumped down on the couch.

A few minutes later, there was a roaring fire, and he was right, it had created a certain ambiance, albeit one that she was fearful of. 

“Ok.  So, let’s see what we can find to watch,” Finn said as he picked up the remote and joined her on the couch.

He hadn’t sat right next to her, but if she stretched out her arm full length, she’d be able to touch him.  Not that she was going to.  No, sir.  She was going to sit right where she was and not touch anybody.  But then, up jumped Daisy and Hunter, who took positions between their owners as if protecting them from each other. 

Relieved, Harper patted Daisy’s head gratefully while the dog nuzzled into her hand. 

“What genre do you like: action/adventure, suspense, comedy, documentaries, romance…?”

Clearing her throat, she said, “Not romance.  Let’s go action/adventure.”

“Really?” he said skeptically.

“Why not?  I can do James Bond.”

Finn tipped his head back and laughed raucously until she realized what she’d just said. 

“I didn’t mean DO James Bond.  I meant…”

“I know what you meant.  It just sounded funny coming from you.”

Harper studied his profile as he flipped through the movie selections in the action category.  “What do you mean by that—‛coming from me’?”

He shrugged.  “Nothing.”

“No.  It was something.”

“Really?  Are we going to argue right now?”

“Not if you tell me what you meant.”

“Fine!  You just seem too conservative to use a phrase like that.  Ok?  That’s all it was.”

“You think I’m conservative?”

“Well, aren’t you?”

She thought about it for a minute and then said, “Well, somewhat, I guess.  However, if Blake were here, he might tell a different story.”  Oh boy.  I did not just go there.

Turning sideways to face her, Finn grinned, his lips curling up like the Grinch.  “Do tell.”

Suddenly, she realized that they were in dangerous territory.  Besides, she had no intention of sharing the details of her sex life with Finn or anyone else.  Sex was meant to be a private affair between two people who loved each other, and that was that! 

Standing up abruptly, she said, “I think the dogs need to go out.  Pick whatever movie you want.”  And with that, she stalked out of the room, the dogs trailing happily behind her.