Page 21 of Capture The Moment

“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.”