Chapter Six
Over the course of the next few days, Harper and Fin shared more of their personal lives and history with each other.
Harper had been curious about Fin’s family and how they had gotten into the business of trees and where he’d been when not living at the farm with his brother.
She’d also spent more time with Kaleb and the girls.
The ice storm that hit Holly during the week before Christmas crippled the whole town and stranded everyone right where they were when it hit so it wasn’t too hard to get up close and personal.
The cold and blowing weather had finally stopped throughout the whole day before and come Christmas Eve morning, the sun was shining bright.
“Morning beautiful.” Fin planted a quick kiss on Harper’s cheek as she stood at the stove.
“Have to say it’s kind of nice waking up to your cooking.
” The electricity was back, not only in the house but between Fin and Harper.
With the time they’d been spending together, Harper had come to the conclusion she couldn’t avoid him, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
It was better just not to fight her feelings. What did she have to lose?
“Have a seat, breakfast will be done in a few minutes.” She set the table for five, poured Fin a cup of coffee and filled the girls’ bowls first. “So, do you think we’ll be able to get out on the roads today? The sun is out in full force, and I thought I heard a scraper go past a little bit ago.”
“Oh, no doubt about it. After I eat, I’ll get the tractor out and blade the drive. All our trucks have good snow tires so there should be no problem getting into town later.”
The rest of the morning flew by. After breakfast and many dirty dishes were out of the way, Harper sat bundled up out on the front porch watching Fin make the driveway passable.
It almost didn’t seem real, she’d gotten so used to their simple routine the last few days but it was a reality they’d finally be able to get into town again.
She’d tried to call Elsie after supper the night before but there was no answer.
She hoped the older woman was okay and safe during the storm.
Harper looked up when she heard the screen door shut behind her.
“Hi Kaleb, are the girls napping?” He sat down beside her.
“Yep, should have a couple hours of quiet now.”
“They really are the cutest things I’ve ever seen Kaleb. You’re doing a great job raising them.”
“Thanks Harper, it’s been tough. I couldn’t have done it without Fin’s help.” He sat staring at where his brother was trekking up and down the drive. Then he motioned his head toward the tractor. “You know he’s falling for you.”
Really? What the heck do I say to that?
“You think so?” Well that was a dumb thing to blurt out.
Kaleb stood up and walked away from their seat but turned back to her. “I’m not usually one for meddling in his relationships except when I know it bugs him,” he chuckled, “but with him, you won’t be sorry. Give him a chance is all I’m asking.” Then Kaleb walked out to the barn.
Harper tried to recap the last several days of being stranded together.
It’d been a very long time since she’d had anyone in her life that cared even just a little and here she was spending not just one night but several in a man’s house.
Granted they hadn’t slept together but they’d been close a time or two.
The way his presence turned her insides to mush, if he hadn’t been the perfect gentleman she most definitely would have taken him up on…
on what? What would I have let happen? The two or three guys she’d dated in the past couldn’t hold a candle to Fin, or even come close to the same stratosphere Fin held himself in.
She was a big talker but would she have actually let loose and given in to her desires?
“Oh lord, Harper what do you have to lose? You never really had much of anything to begin with.”
***
Fin watched Kaleb and Harper on the porch together and wondered what they’d been talking about as they looked toward him.
“Damn it I hope he’s not trying to put in a good word for me with Harper.
” He’d really gotten good vibes from her the last few days and it seemed like she’d let her guard down since she’d been on their farm.
“I really need to do this one on my own.”
He finished the last of the driveway ending by the equipment barn and parked the tractor in its place. Crossing the yard, he watched Harper stand, smiling as he approached her.
“Are you ready to get back into town?”
“Yes, if we must.” She acted distraught but he could tell she was just playing around and ready to see civilization again.
Fin held the door and she walked in ahead of him. “I just need to grab the Christmas tree so we can drop it off at the feed store across from the vet clinic then I can take you back to your house to get ready. Do you mind if I get changed at your house too?”
“Sure that’s fine. Do you want to pack a bag?”
“Probably a good idea, I’ll go do that now. Make sure you get your stuff.” Fin planted a kiss on her cheek and a pat on her butt then ran up the stairs ahead of her.
“You rat.” She raced after him, turning off into the spare room instead of following him.
With the temperatures warming up overnight and that morning, the roads were finally passable as Fin and Harper drove into town to deliver the tree.
Pulling up in front of Harper’s house, Fin left the engine running.
“Go on ahead. I have a couple more stops to make then I’ll be back.
The pre-lighting party starts at six so we have a couple hours.
Save a little hot water for me.” He smiled as she climbed out of the truck.
Once she was safely inside her house, he took off back toward the center of town. “Now to just put a few of my own Christmas plans in motion.”
With a few stops out of the way including Sugar Rush, where he picked out a dessert for Christmas Day and a small tray of cream cheese danish for breakfast, he then headed back to Harper’s.
She answered his knocks with a loud yell coming from somewhere in the house. After closing the front door, he made room for the goodies in her frig and went in search of his bag and the bathroom.
“Did you say Kaleb would meet us there?” Harper yelled from the bedroom door.
“Yes dear.”
“Oh gosh Fin, I didn’t know you were standing there.” Harper continued wrapping long strands around the hot iron.
“Would you relax? Everything will go just fine.”
“I can’t relax, I know how small towns are. We show up together and the whole town will know.” Harper moved the iron cord aside and dug through her underwear drawer in search of something, ignoring Fin who was now standing right behind her.
“Yep, that’s right. The whole town will know that I’m in love with the post-marm. Is that so bad?”
Harper stopped what she was doing and looked up at him in her dresser mirror. “What did you just say?”
“I said, is that so bad?” Harper elbowed him in the ribs.
“Not that you oaf, the other part.” She was staring at him with expectation, her eyebrows arched.
“Oh, you mean the part where I said I’m in love with you?” He took pleasure in the surprised look on her face.
She turned now to face him directly. “You love me?”
His smile told her all she needed to know. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “I love you too Fin.” She leaned back again to see his face. “I’m not sure how it happened that fast either and without me really realizing it til just now. It feels right, natural.”
“For me too sweetheart.” He hugged her then swatted her butt. “Now, you better get a move on or we’ll be late.” He ran down the hall to the shower, leaving her smiling after him.