“Mommy, I’m cold,” said the adorable four-year-old girl tugging on her mother’s pant leg.

“Just a few more shots,” Harper assured them. 

The family of four huddled together for warmth as Harper made some adjustments on her camera.  It was a clear, cold January day, with the temperature hovering just below freezing, and her client had chosen to have an outdoor photo shoot in front of the dilapidated red barn on their property.  Typically, Harper loved outdoor photo shoots, but her fingertips were starting to go numb too, and she empathized with the two little girls, who’d been quite patient considering the cold. 

Julia hovered nearby and conversed with the family while Harper made her adjustments. Sometimes, Harper would get so focused on taking the perfect photos that she’d forget to interact with the subjects on a more personal level.  That was where Julia came in. 

“Ok.  I’ll take a few of just the girls now.  Katelyn, can you hold your sister’s hand for me?” Harper asked.

Their mother swooped in to help, and soon, the girls were standing together holding hands, the younger one staring adoringly at her older sister.  It was a sweet, natural moment that Harper couldn’t have orchestrated any better, and she quickly snapped a few photos. 

“Are we done now?” Katelyn asked.

“Yes.  You girls did great!” Harper said. 

Their father swung the two-year-old into his arms and gave her a tight squeeze.  Something about the simple gesture tugged at Harper’s heartstrings, and she swallowed hard.  Witnessing moments like that between parent and child, and between spouses, always made her think of Blake and all that he’d be missing—and her too. 

Julia noticed Harper’s expression and quickly stepped in.  “We’ll review everything and contact you when the proofs are ready.”

“Great.  Thanks a lot,” the mother said.

They all trudged back through the snow until they reached the family’s charming farmhouse, where they said their goodbyes.  It wasn’t until Harper had backed down the long gravel driveway and pulled onto the two-lane road that Julia spoke.

“You can still have that someday, you know,” she said softly.

“I don’t know, Jules.  Maybe it’s not in the cards for me.”

“I don’t believe that, and neither do you.  You’ll be a great mom someday.”

“Thanks,” Harper said, shooting her friend a grateful look.  “But let’s talk about something else, ok?”

“Ok.  So, are you going to go out with Will again?”

“Sure.  If he asks.”

“Oh, he’ll ask.  He just doesn’t want to push too hard, that’s all.”

“Will doesn’t strike me as the pushy type.  Finn, on the other hand…”

“What did he do this time?”

Harper couldn’t share Finn’s observations of Julia’s cousin, so she said, “Oh, you know him.  He’s all concerned about me driving this car, so we’re going to the dealership tonight.”

“He’s very protective.  I wonder if the same can be said of his brothers?”

Harper shrugged.  “I don’t know them very well, but they must have some similarities, right?”

“Yeah.  They’re all hot!”

Harper laughed.  “I thought you didn’t like Connor.”

“I don’t,” she replied a little too quickly.  “But I can still acknowledge his hotness.”

Suddenly, an idea struck Harper.  “Hey, maybe you two should go out.  I’m sure Finn could set it up.”

“What?  No thank you.  I’m perfectly capable of finding my own dates.”

Harper glanced over at Julia, but she was staring fixedly out the window, so she decided not to push.  “How about this?  If neither of us have a date for Valentine’s Day, we’ll go out with each other.”

“Deal.  We can watch cheesy romantic movies and eat popcorn in our pajamas.”

“And chocolate.”

“Of course.”

“Sounds like a perfect date!” Harper said, although, as much as she loved Julia, she’d have preferred to spend Valentine’s Day with her husband. 

Always tuned in with her, Julia said, “But who knows, a lot could change by then.  We could both have dates!”

Instead of imaging herself and Will on a date, an image of Finn came to mind, and Harper quickly pushed it away.  What is wrong with me?  I never should have bought that book.  She’d been reading the romance novel she’d bought at A New Chapter, and it was messing with her mind.  The story was sexy and intriguing, and the characters were relatable—a little too relatable—and she couldn’t put it down.  Right then and there, she decided not to wait for Will to ask her out on another date.  This was the year 2018, and she could call and ask him out just as easily.  Maybe he was non-threatening, as Finn had claimed, but that was probably exactly what she needed.  Someone nice and easy to be with, and someone who wasn’t…

“Finn.”

As she drove around the corner and her house came into sight, there he was, leaning against his white truck and scrolling through his phone, casual as could be.  She noticed that he wore his jacket unzipped, minus a hat, gloves, or scarf, yet he looked perfectly at ease in the cold winter air.  Glancing down at her car clock, she saw that it was only three thirty, and she shook her head exasperatedly. 

“What’s wrong?” Julia asked.

Harper had been staring so hard at Finn that she’d almost forgotten Julia was still in the car with her.  “He said four o’clock, and it’s only three thirty.”

Julia giggled.  “You can hardly fault the man for being early.”

“But I wanted to change and freshen up.”  Harper was wearing jeans and a sweater with thermal layers underneath.  She also wore a bulky ski jacket (even though she didn’t ski) and a red knit hat with a big white ball on top. 

“You look fine.  Besides, it’s not a date,” Julia said. 

Harper pulled in the driveway, alongside Finn’s truck, and he slipped his phone in his back pocket and came around to greet her. 

“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said as he opened Harper’s door. 

“You’re early.”

“Thank you for noticing.  I like to keep my appointments,” he said pointedly. 

His meaning wasn’t lost on her, but she was determined to keep her cool.  “I need to change.”

“No problem.  I can wait.”

“Hey, Finn,” Julia said, coming around from the passenger side. 

“Is your boss always this crabby?” he asked. 

Smiling wide, Julia replied, “Only when you’re around.”

“Touché.”

Harper rolled her eyes at him. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, boss,” Julia said with a wink, and then she glanced at Finn and added, “Play nice.”  With that, she flounced off, got into her car, which was parked in the street, and drove away.

Finn followed Harper into the house, and after she’d bent down and scooped up Daisy, he asked, “Rough day?”

“No.  What makes you think that?”

“Well, let’s see, maybe it was the kind greeting you gave me.”

Sighing, she set Daisy down and went into the kitchen, where she extracted two bottles of water from the fridge and handed one to Finn.

“Thanks,” he said, opening it and taking a long slug. 

She watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed, and then quickly looked away. 

Wiping his moist lips with the back of his hand, he said, “You want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Looking into his eyes, she saw genuine concern there, and realizing she was acting kind of crazy, she softened.  It wasn’t his fault that she was reading that damn book! 

“Let me guess.  That time of the month?”

Harper sputtered, trying not to spit out the gulp of water she’d just taken.  “What?  NO!”

“Never mind.  You don’t have to tell me,” he said calmly and perched on the counter stool. 

Reverse psychology worked every time!  “It’s just that I had a photo shoot with a family of four today, and…”

“It made you think of Blake.”

She nodded, grateful that Finn had said it for her. 

“I get it.  Happens to me all the time.  Not so much when I see a family, but when I see two guys out fishing or yukking it up at a bar.  Or now, during football season, when we used to get together and watch the Lions play.  You remember that?  When we’d get so mad we’d be shouting at the TV, and you’d yell at us to keep it down.”

She smiled.  “I remember.”

“I know it’s hard, Harper, but you’re doing fine.  You are.  Blake would be proud of you.”

And just like that, tears sprang to her eyes, and one tipped over and ran down her cheek. 

“Oh, baby, no.”  Blake was next to her in a flash, catching her up in his strong arms and holding her close, running one hand soothingly over her long honey-blonde hair.

He smelled like the outdoors, cool and fresh, with a hint of masculine cologne.  She leaned into his chest and let herself be comforted, just like she had dozens of times before.  But this time, there was something different about it, something that probably only she felt, but it was there nonetheless.  An awareness of Finn as a man.  A very solid, handsome man with a gruff exterior and a gentle soul.  A man who was always there for her right when she needed him most and even when she thought she didn’t.  Standing in the circle of his embrace, knowing how much he cared about her, with that pull of attraction was a heady mix. 

Stepping back without letting her go, he looked down and said, “Better?”

Gazing into his crystal-blue eyes, she noticed they were misted over too.  “I’ll be ok,” she said softly. 

Finn wiped away her tear with the pad of his thumb.  “You never have to pretend with me.  You know that, right?”

She nodded. 

“I’ll always be here for you.”

“I know that too.”

And then, as if Finn had just realized how close they were standing, he let go, and glanced over her head at the clock on the microwave.  “We need to get going.” 

And the spell was broken. 

 

“Hey, Rick.  Good to see you,” Finn said, shaking the car salesman’s hand. 

“You too, buddy.”

“This is my friend Harper.  The one I told you about.”

Harper briefly wondered what all Finn had told him, but she smiled politely and said, “Nice to meet you.”

“Finn tells me you want a vehicle with all-wheel drive.  Is that right?”

“I’d rather have a Corvette, but yes, that’s right.”

Both men laughed as Rick led them over to his cubicle.  Space was tight, and as Harper slid into the chair beside Finn, their legs brushed.  The innocent touch gave her a jolt, but Finn didn’t look the least bit affected. 

As Rick reviewed the various vehicles that offered all-wheel drive, Harper was acutely aware of Finn’s strong, muscular thigh resting against hers and the corded arm he’d casually draped over the back of her chair.  A stranger might think they were a couple given the way they sat and the way they interacted with each other.  There was a familiarity between them that was impossible to miss, but up until recently, she hadn’t given it much thought.  Once again, she cursed herself for buying that book, although she was halfway through it, and she hated the thought of not finishing it. 

“So, which vehicle would you like to test drive?” Rick asked. 

Harper and Finn answered the question simultaneously but with two different responses, and Rick chuckled. 

Scowling at Finn, she said, “I don’t want to drive a big vehicle, remember?  I need something that I can easily park and maneuver in and out of tight places.”

“Why not test drive them both?  You might discover that bigger really is better,” Finn said with a suggestive grin.

Rick cleared his throat noisily as if to remind them that he was there. 

In the meantime, Harper was staring at Finn with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.  “Did you really just say that?”

“What I meant is that the bigger one will offer you more protection.  Not my fault if your mind is in the gutter.”

Is he flirting with me?  No, he can’t be.  It’s just my imagination.

Suddenly, Rick stood up and said, “I’ll get you the keys to both.  Be right back.”

After he’d left, she turned on him.  “What was that?” she hissed. 

“What was what?”

“You know what.”

“Enlighten me.”

“Bigger is better?  My mind is in the gutter?”

“I’m just playing with you, Harper.  Just trying to lighten things up.”

“Well, don’t.  At least, not here in front of everyone.”

Glancing around the showroom, Finn raised his eyebrows.  “There’s hardly anyone here.  Anyway, what’s wrong with a little teasing?”

Nothing, if you weren’t Blake’s best friend!  Luckily, Rick came back and saved her from having to answer. 

“Which one do you want to drive first?” he asked, looking between the two of them. 

Once again, they gave opposite answers.  Sensing that Rick was becoming impatient, Harper conceded. 

“Fine, I’ll drive the big one first.”

“That’s my girl,” Finn said with a self-satisfied smile. 

Rick took them out to the parking lot and handed Harper the keys to a larger-sized SUV.  He briefly went over some of the key features, and then they were off.  She wanted to hate it just to spite Finn, but as she sat back in the comfortable, heated seat and drove smoothly down the two-lane road, she found herself enjoying the ride.  Being of petite stature, she liked sitting up higher and being able to see well out of the wide windows.  Plus, that model included a sunroof, and she thought about how nice it would feel to have it propped open in the summer, allowing the breeze to blow in.

“You like it, don’t you?” Finn asked, shooting her a knowing look. 

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you do.  I can tell.”

“You don’t know everything about me.”  And there went the attitude again.  She’d have to get a handle on it, or Finn would ask what was wrong, and she couldn’t keep blaming everything on Blake’s death.  This was all on her and her crazy, mixed-up feelings. 

“Maybe not, but you’re pretty easy to read, Harper.  And I can tell that in spite of yourself, you like this car.”

“Ok, fine.  It’s not bad, but I still want to test drive the smaller one.”

Finn didn’t argue that time, and they were quiet during the ride back to the dealership.  Rick greeted them at the door and handed her the keys to the smaller SUV.  He’d probably noticed the tension between them and wisely decided not to ask how she’d liked the first vehicle. 

The smaller model had some of the same features as the larger one, but for some reason, it didn’t feel as comfortable nor drive as smoothly.  She hated to admit it, but Finn was right—bigger was better.  And there went her mind again—straight into the gutter!

“Well?” Finn said after they’d driven for a while. 

They were at a stoplight, and she glanced over at him.  “You were right—this time.”

“YES!” Finn said, raising his fist in the air. 

“No need to gloat about it,” she said, trying to disguise her laughter.

“Just say it one more time.  Finn was right.  C’mon.  Let’s hear it.”

“NO!”

He chuckled.  “That’s ok.  Every time I see you drive up in the bigger one, I’ll know.”

Ignoring him, she said, “So, what happens next?”

“We wheel and deal with Rick on the trade, and in a day or two, you’ll be driving your new car!”

She scrunched up her nose.  “I’m not much of a wheeler and dealer.”

“No worries.  I’ll handle it.”

She’d lost her will to argue because, once again, Finn was just looking out for her.  “Thank you,” she said softly.  “I owe you one.”  Actually, she owed him a lot more than one. 

As always, Finn blew it off.  “No problem.  I don’t mind helping, and besides, I want you to get the best deal.”

An hour later, they drove out of the parking lot with the signed papers for her new SUV, which she would take delivery of the next day. 

“I’ll come with you to pick it up,” Finn offered as they drove away.

She shook her head.  “You’ve already done enough. Besides, I’ll just be driving it home.  The hard part is already done.”

“We should celebrate,” he said suddenly.

“Celebrate?”

“Yeah.  Let’s go out to dinner.  I’m starved, aren’t you?”

She’d shared meals with him plenty of times, but it had usually been at her house, and the food had come in a box or a bag.  They’d never gone to a restaurant and celebrated anything just the two of them.  But him asking her to dinner now sounded suspiciously like…a date.

“I could eat, but…”

“But what?”

“Why don’t we just grab a pizza and take it home?”

Finn cleared his throat.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you didn’t want to be seen with me.”

“What?  That’s ridiculous.”  But was he right?  Why was it ok that she went out with Will?  Oh, that’s right.  Because Will wasn’t Blake’s BEST FRIEND.

“It’s just dinner.  But hey, if you don’t want to…”

I have to stop falling for the reverse-psychology thing.  “Ok, fine.  We’ll go out to dinner.”

Finn raised his fist in the air again.  “Yes!  I’m on fire tonight!”

Harper had to laugh that time, not just at him, but at herself too.  She was being a bit ridiculous.  This was Finn, after all.  The guy who looked out for her, who only wanted the best for her, who would never do anything to hurt her. 

She never stopped to consider that she might be the one to hurt him instead.