It was the perfect day for a winter photo shoot: clear and cold, with no wind and just enough sunshine that the snow sparkled on the ground.  Having been born and raised in southeast Michigan, Harper complained about the brutal winters just like her fellow Michiganders; however, on a day like today, she appreciated the true beauty of it.  And her photo subjects did too, which is why they’d chosen a local park as a backdrop for their engagement photos. 

Harper and the young couple trudged through at least six inches of snow to find the perfect spots to take the pictures—in front of a grouping of evergreens, out in an open field, and on a hilly rise blanketed with trees.  The couple wore thick, cozy sweaters and knit hats, and they looked every bit like a young couple in love.  In between shots, they shared hot chocolate from a thermos and snuck kisses when they thought Harper wasn’t looking. 

She’d taken numerous pictures of engaged couples over the years; however, now she felt a dull ache in her chest that she struggled to get rid of.  Witnessing these young, hopeful couples on the cusp of sharing the rest of their lives together served as a blatant reminder of all that she’d lost.  She’d been just like them not so long ago, believing that she had a lifetime of stolen kisses ahead of her, but now she wondered if she’d ever kiss anyone again. 

Julia would have provided a good distraction for Harper, but she’d taken off early so she could prepare for a date.  Surprisingly, Julia had been tight-lipped about who her date was with, and Harper hadn’t pried.  Now she glanced through some of the shots she’d taken, and looking up, she said, “I think I have enough to work with here.  I’ll email you the proofs in the next week or two, and we’ll go from there.”

The couple thanked her and then they trudged back through the snow to the parking lot.  Not bad for an afternoon’s work, Harper thought as she drove away.  She’d loved taking pictures ever since she’d received her first camera as a birthday gift in high school.  Back then, she’d mostly snapped silly pictures of her friends, but as time went on, she’d become more serious about photography.  She’d taken a few community education classes, where she’d learned about lighting, angles, and how to use the various camera settings, and she’d been hooked.

She especially loved the creative aspects of her job and the look on her clients’ faces when she showed them the finished products.  Deciding to make a career out of it, she’d taken some business classes at a local college along with her photography classes until she felt ready to start her own business.  Over time, she’d built up a substantial client list and had received enough referrals to keep new clients flowing in, and for that, she was extremely grateful. 

Blake had been very supportive of her career and had built her a small studio on their property where she could meet with clients and take pictures the old-fashioned way, against screened backdrops.  Most of her clients opted for location shoots, which she also preferred because it allowed her to really stretch her creative muscles. 

A few years into her career, she’d hired Julia, mostly to help with the bookkeeping and organizational aspects of the job, which were not Harper’s strong suits.  Julia excelled at it, though, and Harper was convinced that she wouldn’t have become as successful without her.  Once again, she wondered who Julia was going out with that she’d wanted to take the afternoon off for, but she figured she’d find out soon enough.  Julia could never keep a secret for long. 

When Harper pulled out of the park and onto the main road, her car skidded a little, and she cursed herself for not having four-wheel drive.  Blake had driven a large SUV, but she’d never liked driving it, so she’d sold it some time ago.  It would have been useful right now, she thought as her small sedan skidded again.  Even though it was clear out, there was a thin layer of ice on the roads left behind from the latest snow storm.  Clenching the steering wheel tightly, she slowed down and prayed that she’d make it home safely.  Suddenly, she saw movement in her periphery vision, and glancing to the side, she saw the large deer poised at the edge of the road. 

“Oh, NO!” she yelled just as the deer bounded out in front of her.  She gave the wheel a hard yank to the right, and the front end of her car careened into a snowbank on the edge of the road.  While the deer had made it across, she was now stuck in a snowbank that she knew she wouldn’t be able to get out of on her own. 

Heart pounding from the narrow escape, she immediately reached for her purse.  When Blake was alive, he’d made sure to pay their annual dues to the auto club, which included free towing service.  But right now, she couldn’t recall if she’d renewed their membership.  She’d found weeding through all their accounts and records a daunting and relentless chore after his death.  She’d never appreciated all the work he’d done to keep their records straight, and now she wished he were there to thank and to help her out of the snowbank! 

Rifling through her wallet, she was just about to give up when she heard a vehicle approach.  The white work truck with O’Brien Brothers Landscaping painted on the side gleamed like a beacon of light, and she breathed a sigh of relief.  She rolled down her window as Finn and his youngest brother, Liam, hopped out and came toward her.

“Oh, thank God,” she said by way of greeting. 

“What the hell happened?  Are you ok?” Finn asked, his brows knit with concern. 

“Yes.  I’m fine.  I had a little run-in with a deer, but the deer survived.”

“Lucky buck,” Liam said, grinning. 

“It was actually a doe,” she said, returning his smile.  She had to give Finn’s parents props for their impressive gene pool.  They’d created three extremely hunky sons, and now the hunkiest of them all opened her door and gave her a hand out.

“Why don’t you wait in the truck while we dig you out of here?” Finn suggested. 

“You mean we don’t have to call a tow truck?”

“Nope,” Liam said, coming around from behind their truck with two large shovels in hand.  “We’ll have you out of here quicker than a tow truck could get here.”

Finn walked with her to the driver’s side of his truck and gave her a hand up.  The minute she sat down on the heated seat, she sighed.  “Thank you,” she said.  “You showed up at exactly the right time.”

He nodded and said, “Stay warm,” before closing the door. 

Harper watched him walk over to where Liam was standing and take a shovel from his brother’s outstretched hand.  How many times had Finn come to her rescue in the past year and a half?  A dozen, two dozen, more?  And not just for things like this, but for everything.  He’d been by her side during the funeral arrangements, the funeral itself, and afterwards, when she could barely make herself get out of bed, eat, or do any of the daily tasks that had loomed before her.  As her curtain of grief had lifted, he had still been there: plowing the snow off her driveway, mowing her lawn, fixing the leaky faucet, changing the oil in her car, and the list went on and on. 

Finn’s loyalty to his best friend had been evident when Blake was alive, but now his loyalty had been transferred to her.  Maybe it was because her adrenaline was high after almost hitting the deer, but she was suddenly felt flooded with emotion, and she felt a tear prick the corner of her eye. 

“Not now,” she said, willing her tears away.  She’d cried enough of them in front of Finn, and she didn’t want him to see her like this.  As a distraction, she peered out the window and watched him and his brother dig her car out of the snowbank.  Finally, Finn folded his large frame into the front seat of her car and started it up while Liam pushed on the front end until the tires grabbed hold.  Minutes later, her car was parked on the side of the road, looking none the worse for the wear. 

Finn got out and exchanged a few words with Liam before he sauntered back over to his truck.  She started to get out, but he motioned for her to stay put. 

“I don’t want you driving home.  It’s too dangerous out here,” he said.

“But—”

“Liam will follow us to your house in your car,” he stated, leaving no room for argument. 

“Fine,” she said and scooted over to the passenger seat as Finn gave Liam a thumbs up.  She had to admit that she felt much safer with Finn driving, and she sank into the plush seat as he pulled out onto the road. 

“You need to trade in that car,” he said, not for the first time.

“I know.  I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

“Let me help you.”

“You just did.”

“I mean with the trade-in.  I know one of the sales guys at the local Chevy dealership who’ll give you a good deal.”

“I don’t want one of those bulky SUVs like Blake had.  I could never park that thing.”

Finn chuckled.  “You don’t have to drive one of those.  There are other cars out there with four-wheel drive.”

She glanced across the seat at him and said, “I appreciate you helping me out of the snowbank.  I really do, but you don’t need to do everything for me.  I am perfectly capable of handling some things myself.”

His expression was stoic as he replied, “I don’t mind helping you.”

She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.  She’d discovered that Finn could be stubborn as hell.  “I know that, but eventually, I’m going to have to learn to do some things for myself.  The things that Blake used to do and…other things,” she added. 

Finn swallowed hard, and his hands clenched the wheel.  When he didn’t speak, she decided to push a little further.

“Like last Friday at the pub.  You didn’t have to act all protective of me in front of Will.  There was no reason for it.”

Brows furrowed, he said, “I was just trying to get to know the guy, that’s all.”

“You were interrogating him like he was on a witness stand.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Am I?  I’m surprised you didn’t call his employer and ask to see his personnel file to make sure he really was who he said he was.”

“Ok, now, that’s just ridiculous.”

“The point is, you don’t have to watch out for me when it comes to dating.  I think I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I wouldn’t put myself in a situation that I wasn’t completely comfortable with.”

“So, you were comfortable with Will?”

Based on the way he said Will’s name, she could tell Finn didn’t hold him in high regard. 

“Yes.  He seems like a respectable guy, and I was enjoying his company until…”

They were stopped at a red light, and Finn shot his head in her direction.  “Until what?”

“Until you showed up,” she said quickly.  She’d always been one to speak her mind, and now was no different, although she didn’t want to offend him. 

“You plan on going out with the guy?”

She shrugged.  “Maybe.  Why?”

Finn glanced over at her.  “Just wondered.”

“What do you have against him?”

“I never said I had anything against him.  I hardly know him.”

“Neither do I, but I’m not opposed to seeing him again.”

Finn shook his head slightly, which she might have missed if she hadn’t been studying him so closely. 

“There!  I saw that!  Just tell me why you don’t like him.”

He sighed.  “Real men don’t wear scarves, ok?  That’s it.  That’s my big reveal.”

She couldn’t help it.  She laughed—loudly.  “Seriously?  That’s your hang-up?”

“Yeah.  And I’m sure Blake would agree with me.  We live in Michigan, for God’s sake!  He should be used to the cold by now.”

Her laughter died the minute he’d said Blake’s name.  “That wasn’t fair.”

“Well, it’s true.  You never see me or my brothers wear a scarf, do you?  And we work outside in the freezing cold for half the year.”

“I’m not talking about the stupid scarf.  I’m referring to you mentioning Blake’s name.  As if I wouldn’t feel guilty enough going out with another man.”

She felt his eyes boring into her, but she wouldn’t look at him.  Instead, she sat still, hands clasped tightly together, mouth set in a straight line. 

“Shit.  Sorry, Harper.  I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”

“Obviously.”

“You’re right.  The fact that Will wears a scarf is a stupid reason for you not to go out with him.  I just don’t want you to get hurt.  That’s all.”

She looked over at him then, and seeing his concern, she softened.  “I have a feeling that no matter who I go out with, he’s not going to be good enough to you.  Not compared to Blake.”

“He was my best friend.”

“I know that.  He was mine too.”

Finn sighed.  “I know how much he loved you.  And I know he wouldn’t want you to be…lonely.  So, if Will’s the guy…”

“He might not be the guy, but I’m willing to get to know him better.  Is that so bad?”

They’d pulled up in her driveway, and Liam had parked her car and walked up to the passenger door of the truck before Finn could answer. 

“Finn?” she said.

“I’ll call you with the name of the guy at the Chevy dealership,” he said just as Liam opened her door. 

She nodded and accepted Liam’s hand as he helped her down.  “Thank you both for coming to my rescue,” she said, looking between them. 

“No problem,” Liam said, hopping into the truck. 

“Talk to you soon,” Finn said with an inscrutable expression.  And then they drove off, leaving her standing in the middle of her driveway.  Alone.