Page 92 of Capture The Moment

The second she saw the flash of black hair, she cringed—Nina.

The three of them stared at each other for a few seconds before Finn stepped back and motioned her inside.

Harper’s heart started beating double time as she realized that this time, they were truly caught. There was no way that Nina would believe it was a coincidence that Finn had brought her food twice in such a short period of time (assuming that Trish had told her). Besides, Nina could certainly tell that Harper looked “dolled up” compared to how she normally looked.

“Hello, Nina,” Harper said, steeling herself for whatever came next.

“I came over to talk to you, but I can see we’re going to have an audience,” Nina said coldly.

“Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of me,” Finn said, meeting her eye to eye.

“Why don’t you come in and sit down?” Harper suggested, even though she’d much rather Nina didn’t. But it was too late. Time to pay the piper.

They moved into the living room, where Harper and Finn took seats on the couch and Nina perched on the edge of the chair opposite them. Daisy had followed too, and she dutifully sat at Harper’s feet, as if to give her a vote of confidence.

“So, this is a real thing between you two,” Nina stated somewhat accusingly.

“Yes,” Harper answered, surprising herself with the speed of it.

Finn didn’t speak, but he reached out and placed his hand over hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

“Since when?” Nina asked.

“That’s really none of your business,” Finn replied, his voice calm and direct.

“Maybe not, but if it happened while my brother was alive…”

“It didn’t,” he said, sitting up straighter.

“I loved your brother, Nina. Make no mistake about that,” Harper said, her voice wavering.

Nina glanced down at her hands, which she’d clasped tightly in her lap. It was Harper’s first indication that she was nervous too. “Mom told me, but I had to come and find out for myself.”

“Well, now you know,” Finn said firmly.

This time, Harper squeezed his hand, as if to say, “lighten up.” She felt sorry for Nina, who had lost her only sibling. And even though Nina hadn’t been overly kind to Harper through the years, she believed that Nina had loved Blake very much. She was only there out of loyalty to him, and Harper had to respect that.

“I wonder what Blake would have thought about this?” Nina asked, but she wasn’t really looking at either one of them. It was almost like she was trying to communicate with her brother directly.

Clearing her throat to garner Nina’s attention, Harper said, “I think he would have approved. He loved Finn like a brother. You know that.”

Finn hung his head for a moment, but Harper continued. “Believe me, Nina. I never expected this to happen. But Finn has been here for me since…”

“Blake died. I know,” Nina said resignedly.

“I didn’t just love Blake,” Finn said suddenly. “I loved his entire family. Still do.”

And that’s when Nina crumbled. Tilting forward, she put her head in her hands and began to cry, softly at first and then in earnest.

Harper immediately got up and went to her, placing her arms around Nina’s shoulders and hugging her close. Finn rose too and disappeared into the bathroom before returning with a box of tissues.

“Here,” he said gruffly, handing Nina the box.

“Thanks,” she mumbled without looking up.

A few minutes later, her tears subsided, and she stood up on wobbly legs. “I should get going.”

“Do you want to stay for a few more minutes? Have something to drink?” Harper asked, extending her olive branch.