Chapter Seven
Fin led Harper through the back door of the warehouse behind the feed store, hand in hand.
He felt it was a necessary safeguard against her running in the opposite direction.
They’d arrived just a pinch after six, but dinner was just being served.
Kaleb had already reserved a table and was struggling to get the twins settled.
Fin had a few words with his brother while Harper helped get the girls in their chairs to eat supper. After filling her plate from the amazing selection, Harper sat next to Kelsey, the twin with the freckle on her face.
They’d already announced that once dinner had been served, they could mingle while the music played, waiting for the ceremony to begin. A couple of parents had a game area in the corner to keep all the kids busy.
“I can’t remember the last time I had ham that tasted this good.” She might have to make a pig of herself; no pun intended and go back for seconds before she had her dessert.
“They put on quite a tree lighting event. I always feel like I need a gym membership after the holidays are over. There’s so much food you just have to try it all.”
“There’s no way I could have a little of everything. It took me a few extra minutes just to get myself poured into this dress to begin with.”
“I think you look mighty fine poured into that outfit ma’am.” Harper blushed when Fin winked at her. “Can’t wait to get you home later so I can put my hands all over you.”
Harper smacked his arm. “Quit, the girls are listening.” They took the next half hour eating and playing with the girls then Fin was determined to dance.
“Come on Harper, you know you want to.” He was waggling his fingers and dancing with his feet in place.
“I can’t Fin, sit down. They aren’t playing any dance music.”
“We don’t need music, get out here.”
“You won’t leave me alone til I do, will you?”
“Nope.” He smiled but reached for her hand, twirling her out into the middle of the floor.
The time flew by after several couples joined them to enjoy the music. Adults were laughing and kids running everywhere playing together but it was about time to wrap things up. Word had spread that Santa and Mrs. Claus were joining them to pass out gifts before the lighting.
“Oh, my gosh! The girls are going to love this. Who is playing Mrs. Claus? That Santa is the best one I’ve ever seen.” Not that a mall Santa is really comparable.
Fin and Harper followed Kaleb and the girls as the rest of the crowd all gathered around Santa. He had a velvety red bag that actually had gifts in it. After talking with the kids, Santa focused on all the adults, passing out secret Santa gifts.
Harper was quite surprised when her name was called. She promptly looked at Fin as her face heated with every shade of red Fin had ever seen.
“Don’t look at me, it’s from Santa.” He smiled as he pushed her toward the jolly old elf. When she returned to stand by Fin, she had an envelope marked ‘From Your Secret Santa’.
“Are you sure this isn’t from you?” When harper looked around expecting to have all eyes on her, she was relieved to notice the rest of the crowd focusing on their own gifts.
“Maybe you should just open it.”
Harper shook her head and started to peel at the seal of the envelope until she saw inside what looked like an invoice.
Who the heck would give me an invoice for Christmas?
Once she got the paper unfolded however, she realized what she was looking at and it left her speechless.
She looked at Fin, tears welling in her eyes.
“Hey, don’t cry. It’s supposed to be a good thing.” Fin put his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her closer to him.
Harper couldn’t believe what she was looking at, a piece of letterhead that said West Side Service Station and a stamp across the bottom in red ink, Paid in Full. Then below that said, Merry Christmas Harper, with all my love, Fin.
She threw her arms around him, holding on until the tears had stopped, and then she looked into his welcoming gaze.
“I don’t know what to say except thank you. No one has ever done anything for me, let alone spend that much money on me. Are you sure you can afford that?”
“Don’t worry about the money Harper.” He kissed her softly, only making her lips miss his touch when he pulled away.
“I would have paid three times that just to see the look on your face when you opened that envelope.” When he kissed her again, her lips lingered on his, not wanting him to break the contact but everyone around them was heading outside.
“Hey, how do you feel about coming back out to the farm tonight and staying so you can be there in the morning when the girls get up? There’s nothing like Christmas morning with those two and I know they’d be thrilled to have you there.” He rested his hands comfortably on the small of her back.
“I’d love to but can we stop by my place so I can pack a bag?”
He nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.
***
Once they’d reached her rented house, Harper grabbed a bag and rustled through her dresser drawers.
She was at a loss for what to give Fin for Christmas.
Their relationship wasn’t exactly a typical one and with being stranded at his house all week, she’d had no chance to do any shopping but after what he’d done for her, what could she possibly do to top it.
“Hey what’s that look for?” He’d startled her from her contemplation but he looked so handsome and comfy standing in her bedroom doorway, changed out of his party clothes it was distracting.
“Oh, it’s nothing, I was just thinking that I didn’t get a chance to get you anything for Christmas.”
“You coming to spend Christmas with my family is all the present I need. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep, ready.” She passed by her answering machine but saw no lights blinking. “I sure wish I’d hear from Elsie. She’s starting to worry me. She wasn’t at the party tonight and that’s not like her.”
“Maybe you can try calling her again on the way.” He took the bag Harper carried and escorted her to his truck. “Do you need my cell to call?”
“No, I grabbed mine.” She hit some keys on the keypad of her flip phone, waited a minute or two and left a message. “I don’t get it. Where else could she have gone?”
“I don’t know but Elsie’s a tough old bird.
She’ll be just fine. Maybe she went out of town and just didn’t tell you.
She does have a couple kids not too far away.
They could have come and got her. Hey, once we get there, will you help me wrap a few things for the girls? I didn’t get a chance to yet.”
“I’m not really good at it but I’ll give it a whirl.”
Twenty minutes later, Fin’s navy blue 4x4 bumped down the lane of the tree farm and parked in the drive right next to the house.
He shut off the engine, jumped out and ran around the truck to open Harper’s door, grabbing her bag from the floor.
The farmhouse was lit up like a Christmas tree and she could hear laughter coming from the living room as they entered the back door.
Fin dropped Harper’s bag next to the staircase and ran after the girls.
“What are you two still doing up. Santa won’t stop here if he sees you both running around.”
“Exactly what I’ve been trying to tell them.” Kaleb looked a little worse for the wear. “Alright, let’s go, move it out. Harper and Uncle Fin are putting you two to bed. Give me kisses.”
Kelsey and Hayley ran into their fathers’ arms then bound up the stairs with Fin and Harper hot on their heels. After a good tooth-brushing, they jumped into bed and settled under the covers. More kisses and good night wishes were administered then Fin shut the door.
“Lord I’ve never seen more energetic kids in my life. Do you think they’ll actually fall asleep tonight?”
“Probably within two or three minutes I’m guessing. They’re really good sleepers. They fight going to bed but fall asleep fast. Okay, you ready to wrap?” Fin wiggled his eyebrows as he made his way down the hall to his room.
Harper fiddled with rolls of wrapping paper and tape for two hours while Fin dug from his closet the things he’d hidden there for his nieces.
“How much more do you have in there? We’re going to run out of wrapping paper.”
Fin pointed to the stuffed horse heads on sticks. “That’s the last of it. Are you hungry? I’m going for some milk and cookies; I’ll bring it back up for us.” He disappeared from the room.
“Okay…guess I’m on my own.” Harper finished the last two gifts and collapsed on Fin’s bed. “Oh, wow is this comfortable.” I bet if I shut my eyes, I’d fall asleep in a second.
“Hey, you better not be asleep little lady. I have dessert.” Fin burst into the room making Harper jump from the bed. “Oh sorry, did I scare you.”
“It’s ok, I was just resting my eyes.” She giggled a little and sat back down in the middle of the queen-sized bed and crossed her legs Indian style. He handed her the plastic bowl full of cookies and her glass of milk and climbed into the bed.
“Crap.” One wrong move and Fin spilled both glasses, splattering them both. “I’m sorry Harper. Here, let me get you a t-shirt.” Fin stripped off his wet shirt then dug for a clean one for Harper to wear.
“Thanks, now can you turn around so I can change?”
“If I must.” He chuckled but she thought he was probably completely serious.
She made fast work of stripping her top off and pulling his on but then took her jeans off because they took the biggest portion of her milk.
Then she took a little risk, she pulled back his covers and crawled in, just to stay warm.
“Okay, you can look, I’m done.” When he turned and saw her clothes laying on the floor and her in the bed, his nostrils flared and his eyes sparkled.