Page 25 of Capture The Moment

“That’s one word for it,” Finn replied, shaking his head.

“I think it’s nice that you and your brothers are so close.”

“Too close sometimes. I can’t move an inch without them seeing it.”

They stopped talking when the waitress reappeared with their food, and for a while, they ate heartily.

“I thought it was curious that Connor asked about Julia,” Harper said, happy to steer the conversation away from herself.

“I’m not surprised. Connor likes all the ladies, if you know what I mean.”

“So you’ve said. What about Liam? Does he have a girlfriend?”

Finn’s head shot up. “Why? You interested?”

Harper set her glass down so hard that beer sloshed over the side. “NO! I was just making conversation.”

“See. Feisty and argumentative. Just like I said.”

“Well, you keep…”

“What?”

Keep making me wonder what it would be like to kiss you. And I don’t want to wonder that. I want to go back to when I didn’t wonder about that at all! “Teasing me,” she blurted out, settling for a partial truth.

Finn raised his thick eyebrows and grinned. “Like I said earlier, what’s wrong with a little teasing?”

Nothing, if it could actually lead somewhere. But it can’t. That would be disrespectful to Blake, and in a word, it’s just WRONG.

The waitress interrupted again to bring their bill and clear their plates. “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked.

“I think we’re good. We good?” Finn asked.

Nodding, Harper said, “We’re good.” But it felt like they were both alluding to something else.

After arguing over splitting the bill (she was victorious that time), they said a quick goodbye to Finn’s brothers and left the restaurant. Connor had barely looked up since he was deep in conversation with a busty brunette who was sitting beside him. But Liam smiled and waved, seemingly content to sit there and nurse his beer.

Since it was a short drive back to her house, Harper assumed she’d be able to avoid any deep discussions with Finn, but she assumed wrong.

“So, other than my teasing, is there anything else that’s bothering you?” Finn asked.

She sighed. If she didn’t give him something, he would keep at her until she did. Pulling into her driveway, she kept the car idling but turned to face him.

“Since you’re not going to let this go—I feel like I depend on you too much. And while I appreciate your…helpfulness, I think I should start doing more things on my own. You know, like car shopping, and snow blowing, and lawnmowing, and…”

Finn threw up his hands. “Ok, I get it. You never seemed to mind having my help before, though, so what’s changed?”

Me. That’s what’s changed. I’m starting to feel things that I shouldn’t be feeling…

“Harper?”

“I don’t know. I guess because it’s going on two years now, and I’m ready to forge a new path. On my own.”

He studied her for a few seconds before stating, “And I’m standing in your way.”

His expression was unreadable, partly because it was dark but also because he’d withdrawn some. And now she felt guilty for a different reason. Reaching out, she laid her hand atop his clenched fist. It was twenty degrees outside, but his hand was toasty warm, and she gave it a squeeze.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. It’s just that you’ve given me so much, and I can’t keep taking from you. It isn’t…right.”