This Feeling (Moose Village #2)

Prologue – Declan

Declan

Five Years Ago

“Harper Browning?” I asked, as I looked from Harper to my brother, Sean.

“Yeah, what’s wrong with Harper?”

Looking at her again, I fought the urge to say absolutely nothing was wrong with that woman. She was beautiful, with her dark brown hair and gray-blue eyes. She also had a killer smile.

I’d always thought Harper was a cute girl, and had even thought about asking her out once, but at the time, I figured she was too young, since I was four years older than her. Plus, I joined the Marines right out of high school, and each time I came home on leave, I never had the nerve to approach her. And it wouldn’t have been fair to have her here, back in Moose Village, waiting on me while I was gone for months at a time. I’d never ask her to leave her family, either.

“Nothing is wrong with her. She’s a nice girl.”

Sean smiled. “She came into spin class a few months ago, and we struck up a conversation.”

“She looks great,” I stated. “But then again, she’s always looked great.”

“Yeah, she’s always been a pretty girl, but now she has a smoking-hot body. Remember how chubby she was in high school? She was easy to overlook.”

I glared at my brother. “Just because she was overweight doesn’t mean she didn’t have a nice body.”

He laughed. “Dude, she was like fifty pounds heavier. Now? Her body’s hot . Look at her.”

I rolled my eyes and avoided looking at Harper again. She’d obviously worked her ass off, and her body was more athletic. There was no doubt about that.

“I’m going to do it. I’m gonna ask her out.”

A part of me wanted to talk him out of it, but I knew that was selfish of me. So I’d had a crush on Harper for as long as I could remember? It didn’t mean anything. If she saw me, she’d make friendly small talk, like always. Ask me about the Marines, how I liked being in the service…when I might be moving back home. She never once made me think she saw me as anything other than a friend.

Besides, she’d probably tell Sean no anyway. He used to tease her when she was younger about her weight.

Sean hit me on the arm. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” I said, before watching my brother approach Harper. She was with her sister, Candice, who was the same age as me. We’d gone to school together, and like Harper, Candice was a sweet girl. Their father, Larry Browning, was the mayor of Moose Village, and had been for years. Their mother, Patty, owned the floral shop on Main Street. Harper also had two younger sisters, Amanda and Tina. Both of them were still in high school, if I remembered right.

I tried not to watch my brother and Harper, but my eyes kept drifting that way.

“If my sister even thinks about going out with your brother, I’m going to slap her upside her head.”

I hadn’t even noticed Candice approaching me.

Laughing, I replied, “Looks like he’s turning on the charm.”

Candice made a gagging sound. “How can she not remember how he teased her in elementary school about her weight?”

Wanting to change the subject, I turned away from my brother and Harper. “How’ve you been, Candice?”

She smiled. “I’ve been great. How’s the Marines treating you?”

“Good.”

“What do you do in the Marines, anyway?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

Laughing, Candice knocked me lightly on the shoulder. “Seriously, Declan. My mother said you’re kinda like a Navy SEAL, but in the Marines?”

“Your mother would be correct.”

Her eyes widened. “So it’s dangerous?”

I gave a one-shoulder shrug. “It can be, yes.” Wanting to change the subject off of myself, I asked, “ My mom told me you’re engaged?”

A wide smile broke out over her face. “I am! We’re getting married next summer.”

“Do I know him?”

She shook her head. “No, we met in college. He lives in Albany, so we’ve been doing the long-distance thing for a bit.”

“Will you be moving then?”

With a nod, she replied, “I’m moving there in two weeks.”

“Wow! Well, congratulations, Candice.”

Her eyes twinkled. “Thank you, Declan. What about you? Anyone special?”

I forced myself not to look at Harper. With a shake of my head, I said, “Nah. I’m gone too much with work, and honestly, I don’t have time for a relationship. Plus, I don’t think I’d want to put anyone through so much worry.”

She frowned. “That sounds like a pretty lonely life.”

I shrugged.

“Well, I hope that changes soon for you.”

Harper came bouncing over to her sister. “Sean asked me out!”

Candice groaned. “No! Don’t you remember how mean he was to you?”

With a laugh, she replied, “In elementary school, sure. I said yes, and we’re going to dinner tomorrow night, and right now he wants to go get coffee.” Then Harper noticed me. Her smile grew bigger. “Declan!”

She threw herself at me, catching me off guard momentarily. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her before gently easing her back.

“I didn’t know you were home!”

Feeling my face heat, I nodded. “Um, yeah, for a week.”

“Your parents must be over the moon.”

I nodded and caught Sean out of the corner of my eye, walking over. He gave me a look I couldn’t read before glancing at Harper.

“Ready, Harper?”

“It was great seeing you, Declan. I hope you’ll be home for the holidays.”

“I’m not sure yet if I’ll be able to make it home or not.”

Sean touched her arm. “We should get going.”

“Right,” she replied. Turning back to me, she stretched on her toes and kissed me on the cheek. “I hope to see you again before you leave, but if I don’t…stay safe, okay?”

Smiling, I replied, “Will do. See you later, Harp.”

As they walked away, Sean glanced back and shot me a warning look.

Candice chuckled. “Well, that was interesting. Sean didn’t seem to like how friendly you and my sister were.”

I dragged my gaze away from the two of them retreating. “Nah, Sean is just hard to read.”

Raising her eyebrow, Candice simply flashed me a wide grin. “Enjoy your time at home, Declan. See you around.”

Nodding, I replied, “See ya.”

I watched Sean wrap his arm around Harper’s waist as they walked away. Raising my hand, I rubbed at an ache in my chest.

And right there, I made a decision: as long as my brother was dating Harper Browning, I’d stay as far from Moose Village as I could.