Mindy asked Harper to pick her up for dinner on Sunday night which was being held at Luke's house. She said that she hated to drive that far out on her own, and that the last time she had been to Luke's it had freaked her out to drive by herself in the pitch dark.  Harper was doing her best not to be upset at the fact that her sister had been to Luke's house before she had.

It appeared as if they were the last to arrive as she noticed her father's truck in the drive. There was also a car she didn't recognize and she wondered to whom it could belong.

"Oh look! Callie is here and that means she brought baby Dustin," Mindy squealed as she jumped out of the truck almost before Harper put it in park.

Callie was married to Luke's brother, Mark, and Dustin was their two-year-old son. Mark was in the army and currently stationed overseas, and everyone was worried for his safety an eager for his return.

Harper had always like Callie, she had been in the class between her and Luke in high school, and she and Luke had dated on and off through high school and college, until she fell in love with Mark. Callie was still very much the beauty she had been in high school. She was tall, leggy, and blond, she had been a cheerleader, and no matter how hard one tried to dislike her it just wasn't possible because she was such sweet natured person. That was probably why she was voted Most Popular, Homecoming Queen, and Most Likely to Succeeded.  With Luke as the Star Quarterback for the football team they had been the school's power couple.

When Callie started to date Mark, everyone had worried about how Luke would handle it, but Luke being Luke, took it with a shrug and a grin and said the best man always wins. He had always looked up to his older brother who was four years older than him and he always would.

But deep-down Harper had always wondered if it had hit him harder than everyone had thought, and after witnessing his remarkable ability to hide his true feelings, the same thought crept back to the surface once again.

Harper followed Mindy up the stairs to the open screen door and pushed through the front door without knocking. There was a chorus of voices welcoming them from all different corners of the house. Her mother, Maureen, was with Luke's mother in the kitchen, her father was with Luke's father in the living room watching a basketball game, Callie and Dustin were in the sun room with Emmeline, and Luke was on the floor playing with Dustin. They were pushing cars around a race track made out of books.

Mindy immediately bypassed everyone and headed straight for Dustin, and Luke seeing his chance for freedom, slowly stood and stretched out his back, smiling down at his young nephew.

"Harper," Callie greeted, standing up and giving her a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in over a year."

Harper hugged her back. "Has it been that long?" She looked down at Dustin and admired the way he had grown before leaning down to give Emmeline a kiss on the cheek.

Luke moved into the kitchen to help their mothers with the preparation of dinner while Callie made room for her on the love seat, and Harper joined her getting caught up on all of the news of Mark. He was due home in about six weeks and she couldn't wait. It had been over nine months since she had last seen him because his deployment had been extended by three months.

Harper watched Callie as she talked about her husband and her love for him was evident. It made her even more beautiful if that was possible. She had cut her hair short and it framed her face perfectly. She had a pert little nose and blue eyes that sparkled when she talked about her absent husband.

Dustin wanted to play chase and he stood up on his short chubby legs, racing away from Mindy who let him get a head start. They darted through the kitchen and down the hallway with no one paying them any attention.

When they heard Lucky bark both Luke and Harper froze and looked at each other before they  darted down the hallway towards Lucky. When they entered a bedroom at the end of the hall, which Harper guessed was Luke's by the overly large bed in the middle of it, Lucky was licking Dustin's face, cleaning the sticky red goop that could be anything off of it.

Dustin squealed with happiness saying doggie as he clutched at Lucky's coat to hold himself up against the zealous licking. The puppies had broken free of their makeshift pen and were surrounding Dustin, who fell onto his bottom and let them swarm him. His giggles and squeals had increased and Callie stood in the doorway unfazed by scene in front of her while Luke and Harper stood to either side, ready to lunge for Lucky should she change her mind about her feelings for Dustin.

Mindy had pulled out her phone and was snapping photos of all of the excitement, laughing just as much as Dustin. Harper felt her knees shaking as the adrenaline wore off and she sunk heavily on the end of Luke's bed.

"Look at that funny little puppy Dustin!" Mindy pointed to Harper's puppy and Harper reached for him defensively, hugging him close.

Luke stood, ready to act quickly, but Lucky seemed pleased by her new addition to the pack.

Dinner was called and Callie swept up Dustin while she and Mindy laughed at the cuteness of the scene that had just happened as they walked out of the room.

Luke replaced the barricade and started to place the puppies behind it while Harper hugged her puppy. Knowing that she would have to keep him no matter what, even if she had to find a new place to live.

Luke held out his hand for the dog. "Have you named him yet?" he asked as she handed him over.

She looked up at him with eyes rounded in surprise, noting the resigned look on his face and before she thought about what she was doing, she jumped up from the bed and hugged him. He held her close with his free arm and it only took an instant for a free hug to turn into something much more intimate.

She could feel her chest pushed against his, her legs intertwined with his, and she could smell his wonderful scent as it surrounded her. She was aware of every place her body touched his and she could feel her body overheating at his close proximity.

She heard Dustin squeal from the other room and it broke the spell. Harper forced herself to step away but couldn't look at him for fear he would know that what had started as an innocent hug had become much more.

"Thank you, Luke," she said, her voice much lower than usual, she reached out and rubbed her puppy's ears before Luke turned and put him in the pen with the others.

He didn't respond as he motioned for the door. "You need to think of a name for him soon," he said as he closed his bedroom door behind him.

Everyone had gathered at the table on the porch and they were all watching them as she and Luke joined them. "Sorry, we had to secure the puppies," he said as he walked around to the seat on the opposite side of the table.

They all sat and began to eat the food that was served. It was a mix of dishes, from fried chicken to sandwiches, and there was something for everyone. The conversation was just as diverse, the families had known each other for over fifty years and there was no subject that was off limits.

"Well everyone," Emmeline's voice rang out from the head of the table. "I thought that you should all know that I am planning a trip to Paris very soon. I haven't been since I was a girl and I long to go again before I get too old."

Everyone coursed their thoughts on the matter except Luke and Harper. Callie and Mindy thought it was terrific, but Luke and Harper's parent's voiced concerns and reasons that she shouldn't go.

"Don't worry, both Luke and Harper have agreed to accompany me, that is of course if they can be spared at work." She smiled over at the two of them who were watching her closely.

All talking ceased and they all had equal looks of shock on their face as the adjusted to the idea.

"Then that's alright," Natalie said and Maureen seconded it and that was that. The trip was approved.

"Yes, I'm sure Charles and I can manage for a few weeks," Troy said, turning to Charles. "It'll be like old times, won't it?" he grinned.

"Sure will," Charles agreed.

Harper couldn't believe how easy it had been to convince them all, and as dinner continued the conversation turned to Paris and the many things that Emmeline hoped to see while she was there.

An hour later Maureen stood and said that she was ready to go, and then suggested that Mindy should ride back with them. When Mindy tried to object, Maureen wouldn't take no for an answer, insisting that Luke, Harper, and Emmeline needed to have some time to discuss the trip, and she would only be bored if she stayed. Callie was the next to leave, saying that it was time to go and put Dustin to bed, and then Natalie insisted that she had cooked so she was off the hook for cleaning, and she and Charles left with a promise to come visit Emmeline the following day.

Harper looked from Emmeline to Luke and then at the dishes. They were everywhere and there were a lot of them. She hated to think of what the kitchen looked like. With a silent sigh she stood up and started to stack plates to carry to the kitchen.

"You don't have to stay Harper, I can clean-up," Luke said as he started to help Emmeline up from her chair.

"I don't mind. There are a lot of them and they won't all fit in the dishwasher, you do have a dishwasher?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm not a caveman," he drawled as he kissed Emmeline goodnight.

Emmeline came to Harper for a goodnight kiss as well, then with a serene smile that let them know that this was a moment that she was pleased to be too old to help, she wandered back into the house and off to bed.

Luke piled up a stack of dishes and followed Harper into the kitchen, and they looked at the mess that was left behind.

"You're welcome," Harper drawled back as she set the dishes down and walked back onto the porch to get another stack. It would take them at least an hour to clean-up, and she was surprised to discover that she wasn't as put out by the idea of helping Luke as she thought she would have been.