Page 34 of Capture The Moment

“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.”