Chapter 21
By the time dinner was almost cooked, Harper was ready to put her feet up. She didn’t know how Georgia did it all at her age. The woman seemed to be a never-ending bundle of energy. At least that’s how she appeared to the outside world. Spending time now with her aunt, Harper noticed the moments where she looked a little worn, tired, and ready for a break. When she was caught off-guard – which was rare – the sparkle disappeared, but whenever she caught Harper looking at her, she smiled and made a jest.
Harper knew she was going to have to make more of an effort to visit, no matter how hard it was going to be for her. Georgia was getting older, and she knew that if she didn’t, one day she would regret it.
There was a knock on the door, then it pushed open, and Brookes walked in. ‘I’ve brought wine.’
‘Fabulous, my boy. Open it up, I think we’ve worked hard enough to enjoy a glass or two,’ Georgia said and turned to Harper. ‘Grab the glasses and let’s have a little before the meal is ready.’
Harper grabbed the glasses, and Brookes poured the wine. Her stomach tingled when his fingers brushed against hers as he passed the wine. The scent of his cologne lingered in the air–earthy notes with hints of spice mixed with his natural scent. She hadn’t known he was going to be at dinner tonight.
She took a sip, the velvety texture a pleasure against her lips and a welcoming distraction from thinking about Brookes’ scent and their earlier kiss.
‘Another Mathers’ special?’ Harper asked.
‘Vintage,’ Brookes said. ‘I found a few dozen bottles. I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Why would I mind?’
‘It’s your vineyard too.’
‘We should never let good wine go to waste.’
‘My thoughts exactly,’ Brookes said, and they clinked glasses.
All of a sudden, Harper noticed the quiet. Her aunt’s voice didn’t take over the room, and she hadn’t noticed Leo come in either. Zoe should have been here by now, but instead it was just her and Brookes standing in the kitchen.
‘Where is everyone?’ Harper said, walking into the dining area. The first thing she noticed was the table setting. It was set for two. Two candles burned in the centre. Then she noticed a note on a plate. She picked it up and read it out loud. ‘Two’s company. Five’s a crowd. Enjoy yourselves.’
She recognised Georgia’s handwriting. She smiled uncomfortably and then looked at Brookes, who was standing in the archway leaning against it. He looked hot, but that had never been the problem.
‘If you want me to go, I’ll go.’
‘Did you know about this?’
He shook his head. ‘Leo invited me to dinner when we were in the pub. Seems like he lost his way home.’
Harper laughed. This was her family’s doing, Georgia’s most likely.
‘There’s no point in letting good food go to waste. Besides, I’m starving.’ Being alone with him was dangerous, but she had self-control.
Harper served up the meal and sat the plates on the table while Brookes topped up the wine. She tried not to think about tomorrow, or Brookes’ lips on hers earlier that day, or how nicely his forearm looked in the navy-blue collared shirt he was wearing, and the way the muscles accentuated as he put the fork in his mouth. What the hell was she doing eating him up with her eyes? This was ridiculous. She looked away and took a sip of her wine as he shared a story about the vineyard.
‘It’s come a long way,’ Harper said. ‘You and Leo make a good team.’
‘We’re complete opposites, but we’ve made it work. Has he given you a taste of the new range?’
‘Never mentioned it.’ She supposed her brother didn’t have the time to talk to her about the wine, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. It’s not like she had made an effort to ask questions either.
‘A Verdelho. They seem to be growing in popularity lately. Most winemakers have one on their lists, but I think we’ve come up with something special. It’s crisp and semi dry, perfect for the summers here. Pairs well with a few prawns on the grill.’
‘When are you launching it?’
‘We’re hoping early spring. It’s had enough time in the bottle.’
‘How do you envision launching wines with Leo whilst also running a vineyard of your own?’
He smiled and took a sip of wine. ‘Someone once told me if there’s a will, there’s a way.’
She remembered the words she used and when she had said them, but it had nothing to do with business or wine. They had been in their late teens and, even though their families owned a vineyard, leaving the underage kids with wine was not an option. Harper had been determined to enjoy some wine, okay, more like a bottle of wine, and so she had talked Brookes into going with her on the hunt. He had distracted her parents and his parents to give her enough time to snatch and run with two bottles. No one had noticed and she and Brookes had sat under a fig tree enjoying the wine together without a care of the consequences. She had told him then that if there was a will, there was a way. Stupid now that she thought about what they had done, but the words rang true.
They finished their meal with some small talk. She didn’t want to bring up the future of Mathers Vineyard. In all honesty, she didn’t want to talk about the future at all. Sitting here with Brookes, enjoying a meal, made her feel as if they hadn’t been apart for six years. It had been easy, straightforward, comfortable. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt that sitting across from a man sharing a meal. All the dates in the city fizzled out either by dessert or the end of the second date. Maybe she had unrealistic expectations from the beginning, and those expectations scared her dates off. Brookes, on the other hand, seemed to roll with it. He had always challenged her in one way or another.
‘I know where Leo keeps the wine,’ Brookes said.
‘Try it before the launch?’
‘Why not?’
‘Okay, but I don’t want to spoil anything.’
‘You won’t be.’
‘I’ll clear the table first.’
‘It can wait,’ he said and got up. ‘Follow me.’
Follow him, she did, out of the house and into the shed that had been built to hold barrels of wine. The red was taking its time to ferment, the white was ready to be bottled. When they walked in, she had forgotten the size of it. The family vineyard alone produced a decent amount of wine. Each year they sold out and only managed to cellar a few bottles to give them the right amount of time to age.
She stood beside him; her gaze shifting across the space as he flicked the lights on, before leading her to the tasting area.
‘When was the last time you had a wine tasting?’
She raised an eyebrow. ‘Why?’
‘Sit down.’
‘Brookes, it’s late.’
‘It won’t take long. Don’t worry.’
She checked her watch. It wasn’t late per se, and even thought they had several big days ahead, a tasting or two wouldn’t hurt, and in front of her, Brookes looked very excited about the idea.
‘Ok, hit me with them.’
‘That’s the spirit.’
She sat down on a stool where usually the guests would, while he got himself comfortable behind the bar. A few moments later, she had her tasting glass, a spitting jug, and some water.
‘You’re really getting into this, aren’t you?’
‘I’m a little rusty, actually. Normally, it’s Leo that does the wine tasting. Sometimes Zoe pitches in. Me, well, I don’t have the patience or enough stories to tell, so I just fill in when they’re unavailable. This will be good practice.’
Harper laughed. ‘I find it hard to believe that you don’t have stories to tell.’
‘Some guests are difficult to please.’
‘I doubt you’d have any trouble. Remember, they’re probably more worried about themselves.’
‘You’re probably right. Still doesn’t make it any easier,’ he said and smiled before continuing. ‘Is there a preference for the wine you like to drink, ma’am?’
‘The dry variety, and something lightly sweet for dessert.’
‘I believe we have something to suit your tastebuds,’ he said, pulling out a bottle of white. ‘The first one on the tasting board is our soft crisp Verdelho.’
She watched him pour a tasting serving into the glass.
‘See the colour? It’s a little yellower than straw. Swirl it gently, take a sniff. Do you notice the lemon aroma? Hmm, yes. Now take a sip, gently swirl it around your mouth. You’re welcome to spit or swallow.’
She glanced up at him as she took a sip of the wine. His gaze was driving into her, and it brought on the butterflies in her stomach. Her body wanted him and she’d thought about what they would be like together again for a brief moment. But she knew that in most cases, the fantasy was usually better than the reality. It stayed pure and untouched, just the way she imagined it. There was no awkward morning after with deep regrets or disappointments. The fantasy lived and breathed maintaining a fire inside her belly. It all started with a fantasy. And yet, when he came towards her from behind the bar, took her hand and pulled her towards him, she didn’t stop him. She didn’t pull away and make an excuse to go back inside and call it a night. She should have. But the desire inside of her was stronger and spoke louder than any sense or reason. Shivers ran up and down her spine as he touched his fingertips to her cheek, sliding them down towards the nape, then pulled her in towards him until their lips touched. Soft at first, then more passionate as the hunger for each other grew. She allowed the moment to take over her, allowed him to explore her, as she explored him with equal measure. It was the same, but different. His body was firmer and more refined; the years working on the land maturing him. She ran her hand along the stubble of his chin, then kissed him with equal vigour, as he found his way into her and they found their natural rhythm. They held on to each other even when it was all over, leaning against the bar panting, and using one another to stop collapsing to the floor.