The phrase “in like a lion, out like a lamb” was certainly holding true on the first day of spring in late March.  Blue skies, a gentle breeze, and a warm sun were the reward for a long, hard winter.  Even though Harper knew it probably wouldn’t last, she was determined to soak it in while she could, insisting on driving with her windows down, much to her passenger’s chagrin.

“You’re going to wreck my hair,” McKayla complained as Harper whipped down the road.

“Your hair looks fine.  Besides, you can fix it when we get there.”

“Do you think he’s going to ask me a lot of questions?” McKayla said nervously.

“I doubt it.  He’s pretty laid back.”

“What about his brothers?”

“What about them?”

“Are they going to interview me too?”

“They don’t even know about this yet.”

“Oh.  Right.”

For the past few weeks, Finn had been doing his homework regarding leasing the shop in Brandon.  He’d even met with Nikki Branson again and had brought Harper along for moral support. 

They’d been spending pretty much all their spare time together these days, and Harper had been loving every minute of it.  Well, almost every minute.  They’d butted heads over a few things (stubborn man!), but for the most part, they got along great.  They’d also taken to leaving a few of their belongings at each other’s homes in case of impromptu sleepovers, which seemed to be occurring with greater regularity these days.

Daisy seemed more comfortable in Finn’s presence too, and she especially liked going to his house, where she and Hunter could roam freely around Finn’s big backyard.  The only time Harper and Finn shut the dogs out was when they were making love, primarily due to Harper’s insistence. 

She was smiling at the thought when they pulled into Finn’s driveway and parked behind the line of cars that were already there.  McKayla smoothed down her hair in the visor mirror and reapplied a coat of lip gloss before declaring herself ready.

Reaching over, Harper patted her arm and said, “Don’t worry, Kay.  I promise it’ll be fine.”

They walked up to the house and rang the bell, even though, if Harper had been alone, she would have just walked right in. 

Finn answered the door with a wide smile and motioned them inside, playfully patting Harper’s butt as she walked past, to which she responded with a dirty look.  “Behave,” she mouthed from behind McKayla. 

“McKayla.  Nice to see you again,” Finn said.  “Come on in and meet my brothers.”

They followed him into the kitchen (where it seemed most of the O’Briens’ meetings took place), McKayla hanging back warily until Harper gave her a gentle shove forward. 

Connor and Liam were sitting at the kitchen table, and they looked up at McKayla curiously—Liam in particular. 

“Guys, this is Harper’s sister, McKayla.  I’ll explain in a minute why she’s here.”

Connor pushed back his chair, stood up, and reached across the table to shake McKayla’s hand.  “Connor O’Brien.  Anyone related to Harper is always welcome,” he said sweetly.  In fact, if Harper hadn’t known that he was involved with Julia, she might have mistaken his comment for flirting.  But she’d seen how he and Julia looked at each other, and she knew that he was just being polite. 

Liam, on the other hand, wore a deer-in-the-headlights look that was difficult to decipher.  He stood too, and while he shook McKayla’s hand, he said, “Liam O’Brien.  Do we know each other?  You look familiar.”

“No.  I don’t think so,” McKayla said and quickly slipped her hand out of his grip. 

Harper and Finn exchanged glances, and Harper sensed that there was a story there, but she’d have to ask McKayla about it later. 

Once the ladies were seated, Finn kindly brought them two bottles of water, and then he began the meeting. 

“I’m sure you guys are wondering what this is all about…”

“You’re getting married,” Liam interjected, which earned him a slug on the arm from Connor and a smirk from McKayla, both of whom were flanking him. 

“Why do you always assume that’s the reason for a meeting?” Connor asked.

“I don’t know.  Maybe because you guys are getting old and it’s bound to happen eventually.”

“Well, eventually isn’t today,” Finn said, shooting his brother a scowl. 

Harper kept her mouth shut, but instead of feeling uncomfortable with Liam’s suggestion, she felt oddly thrilled by it.  But Finn was right.  Eventually wasn’t today, so she shoved the idea out of her head and concentrated on the real reason for the meeting. 

“As you know, I’ve been thinking about us having a storefront for quite some time.  And recently, I’ve been looking at one in downtown Brandon in that plaza with the hardware store.  You guys know the one.”

Connor and Liam both nodded. 

“So, I met with the realtor, got some numbers together, and wanted you guys to weigh in on it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about this before now?” Connor asked somewhat accusatorially.  Of Finn’s brothers, he was the unpredictable and sometimes combative one, the one who seemed to enjoy challenging his older brother. 

“Like I said, I wanted to do my homework first,” Finn replied calmly.

“What does this have to do with McKayla?” Liam asked.  And then, turning toward her, he added, “No offense.”

“None taken,” she replied.

“Well, if we’re going to have a store, we’ll need someone to work the front desk, and since McKayla happens to be looking for a job, it might work out for all of us.”

The guys nodded again, and Harper shot Finn a grateful smile. 

“I figure we’ll have to work with her for a while to teach her about the business, but eventually, she’ll be able to manage the place on her own.”

“Which would free us up to get more work done,” Liam finished. 

“Exactly,” Finn said.

“When is all this supposed to happen?” Connor asked.

“It can happen immediately if you guys are on board,” Finn replied.  And then, glancing at Harper on his right, he added, “Harper’s been helping me out with this because she knows the realtor personally.  I’ve also asked her to start taking pictures of some of our landscaping jobs so we can frame them and place them around the store.”

“Sounds like you have the whole thing planned out,” Connor said.  And that time, there was no mistaking the edge to his voice.

“You got a problem with it, you tell me,” Finn said.  “That’s why we’re here.”

“I think it sounds excellent,” Liam said, looking between his brothers.  One could always count on Liam to neutralize the tension between Finn and Connor. 

“I’d like to take a day or two to think about it,” Connor said.

“No problem.  I’ve got all the details right here,” Finn said, handing Connor a folder. 

“Great.  We done here?” Connor asked.

“I guess so, unless you guys have any questions.”

They both shook their heads, and then Connor immediately stood up.  “Got somewhere I need to be,” he said and quickly said his goodbyes. 

After he’d left, Finn said, “What about you, McKayla?  Do you have any questions?”

Sitting up straighter in her chair, she said, “Can you give me an overview of what my responsibilities would be?”

Harper did a silent fist pump.  Her sister looked and sounded professional sitting there in her conservative dress pants and blouse.  You’d never know she’d been fired for getting naked on a conference room table!

“Sure.  You’d be answering calls, scheduling appointments, generating invoices, processing payments, and basically making sure we all have our shit together.”

Everyone laughed, and McKayla looked more relaxed than she had since they’d arrived.  Harper smiled sweetly at Finn, who seemed to sense that her sister was nervous and wanted to put her at ease.

“I think you’ll find that we’re an easy bunch to work with,” he continued, “Well, except for Connor, who can sometimes be a pain in the…”

“Ass!” Liam finished.

“Anyway, we won’t leave you on your own until you’re comfortable.”

“Sounds good,” McKayla said. 

“After we close the deal on the store, you and I can get together and talk salary, if that’s ok with you?”

McKayla nodded.

“I guess we’re done here,” Finn said and started to rise.

“Hey.  We should all go out for dinner to celebrate,” Liam suggested.

“That’s a little premature, don’t you think?” Finn said.

“I think it’s a great idea.  Don’t you, McKayla?” Harper said. 

Finn narrowed his eyes at Harper and then looked from Liam to McKayla, and it was like dawning struck.  He’d figured out that Harper was playing matchmaker even though he didn’t look particularly pleased about it. 

“Yeah.  I guess so,” McKayla replied, looking somewhat uncomfortable. 

In the end, Harper got her way, and the four of them drove together to a local restaurant that was known for their excellent fish and chips.  Harper had purposely taken the passenger seat in Finn’s truck, which had forced Liam and McKayla to sit together in the back.  Finn had raised his brows at Harper when she’d slid in, but he hadn’t said a word (smart man!).

At one point, Harper heard Liam say, “Are you sure we haven’t met before?  I could have sworn we have.”

“No.  We’ve never met,” McKayla insisted.

But Harper knew her sister, and it sounded like she was protesting too much.  Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to push these two together after all. 

By the time they were seated at the cozy restaurant and had been served fish and chips by the owner himself, everyone seemed to be doing fine.  They drank beer, and Liam made a toast to the new store and to new beginnings. 

When they clinked glasses, Harper smiled at Finn, who grinned back at her and then squeezed her knee beneath the table. 

And then suddenly, Liam banged his fist down on the table and shouted, “I know where I met you!  At Rob Larson’s bachelor party!”

The four of them wore expressions ranging from confusion (Harper) to mortification (McKayla) to satisfaction (Liam) to concern (Finn). 

“Bachelor party?  Why would McKayla be at a bachelor party?” Harper asked, but when Finn gave her a little kick under the table, her confusion morphed into horrified understanding. 

McKayla’s face had turned bright red, and she quickly slugged down the rest of her beer before practically slamming the bottle back on the table.  “That was a long time ago,” she muttered through clenched teeth.

Liam, who seemed oblivious to her discomfort, plunged ahead.  “It took me a minute to remember because I think you were wearing a red wig that night…”

“Liam.  I think that’s enough,” Finn warned. 

McKayla refused to look at anyone, least of all her sister, who was glaring at her from across the table. 

And then Liam tuned in to the tension, and looking at McKayla, he said, “Sorry.  I assumed your sister knew about your side job.”

“It’s not my side job,” McKayla hissed, turning to meet his eyes.  “One time!  It was one time!  I was helping a friend.  That was it.”

And then the waitress came over to collect their empty plates and give them their bill.  “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked.

“No.  I think we’ve had quite enough,” Finn said, his eyes narrowing at Liam. 

Finn quickly paid the bill, and they left the restaurant, no one daring to say another word until Harper heard Liam whisper to McKayla, “If it helps, I thought you were a really good dancer.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Harper saw McKayla slug him in the arm, and there wasn’t anything playful about it. 

The ride back to Finn’s place was quick but silent.  Once he’d pulled into his driveway, he said, “I’d invite you ladies in, but I have a feeling you have a lot to talk about.”

“You can say that again!” Harper muttered as she hopped out of the truck. 

Finn came around and kissed her cheek, and then he whispered in her ear, “Go easy on her.”

To which Harper replied, “We’ll see.”

Finn just smiled, and then he and Liam made a hasty retreat.

Harper waited until they were out of Finn’s driveway before she laid into McKayla.  “What in the hell were you thinking?  Are you a…a stripper?”

“What?  God no!”

“Well, then what were you doing dancing at a bachelor party?”

“Like I said, I was helping out a friend.”

“Who is a stripper?”

“Not exactly.”

Harper sighed, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly they hurt.  “You better start explaining, Kay, before I really lose my patience.”

“Oh.  So, this is you being calm?”

“What do you expect?  I get you a job with my…my boyfriend, and then I find out from my boyfriend’s brother that my sister is a stripper on the side!  How did you expect me to react?  Did you expect me to say, ‘Great, I’m so glad you’re making some extra money’?”

McKayla huffed and stared out the window, refusing to meet Harper’s eyes.  “Why do you always assume the worst about me?”

“Are you serious?  I was trying to help you, not hurt you.”

“But you do, Harper.  You do hurt me sometimes.  I know I’m not perfect like you.  It’s well documented.  But I’m trying.  I’m learning from my mistakes, and I’m trying to be a better person.”

When Harper heard the catch in McKayla’s voice, she backed down some.  Lowering her voice, she said, “I’m not perfect either, Kay.  Believe me.  However, there must be some other way to make extra money besides…stripping.”

“It wasn’t like that, ok?  I didn’t take my clothes off that night.  I just danced.”

“In a red wig?”

“Yes, and yes, I was wearing a skimpy outfit, but my clothes stayed on.”

And then Harper remembered McKayla’s reaction when she’d first seen Liam at Finn’s house.  “Did you recognize Liam too?”

McKayla nodded.  “Yes, but I was praying that he wouldn’t recognize me.  It was over a year ago, right after I lost my job at the accounting firm.  My friend, Hope, told me that she made great money dancing at bachelor parties, and she asked if I wanted to give it a try.”

“So you did.”

“So I did.  I didn’t know any of the guys there that night, and I certainly never expected to run into one today!”

“You must have made quite an impression on Liam for him to remember you,” Harper said. 

“I guess so,” McKayla said, shrugging.

“And here I thought there was an instant attraction between you two.”

“I don’t even know the guy, but I remember him being nice to me that night.  Some of the other guys tried to grab me or come on to me, but not Liam.  Funny, I never even knew his name until now.”

“He’s a good guy,” Harper said softly.

“Seems like it.”  And then, as if McKayla had just remembered about her potential job with O’Brien Brothers Landscaping, she said, “Oh no!  Do you think Finn will still hire me?”

Knowing Finn and how fair he was, Harper was sure of it, but she still had a few things to say to her sister.  “Yes, I do.  But I need you to promise me something, Kay.”

“I know.  I know.  No more stripping—I mean dancing.”

“Well, yes, but more importantly, I need you to recognize what Finn is doing for you.  He could have hired someone else, but he’s doing this for me and for you.  And up until now, he had no idea about your past…uh…work history, so let’s keep it that way, ok?”

“Ok.”

They didn’t speak again until Harper pulled up to McKayla’s apartment.  Putting her car in park, she turned to McKayla and said, “Sorry if I was too rough on you.”

“That’s ok.  It’s what we do.  I screw up, and you’re there to help me.  The thing is, I’m tired of screwing up.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Harper said.

“Just do me one favor.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t mention this to Mom and Dad.”

Harper laughed.  “Are you kidding?  Dad would have a heart attack!”

“I know, and I don’t want to be the cause of his early death.”  And then, as if McKayla had realized how the phrase “early death” might have affected Harper, she laid a hand on Harper’s arm and said, “Sorry, sis.”

Placing a hand atop McKayla’s, Harper said, “It’s ok.  I’m feeling better these days.”

“I can tell.  And by the way, I can see how much Finn cares about you.”

“It goes both ways.”

“I can see that too.  Have you told him yet?”

“Told him what?”

“That you love him,” McKayla said, as if it were totally obvious.

Harper started to protest, but then decided not to.  “Not yet.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

“Good question.”

And it was a question she pondered as she drove home.  Every time she’d come close to telling Finn how she felt, something stopped her.  Yet he told her he loved her every time they were together, never expecting to hear the words in return. 

But it was time.  Time to put aside her guilt and her fears and let Finn know what was in her heart.  The only questions now were when and where?