Chapter 30
When Harper left the hospital, she went straight to her car and let the tears fall once more. She had shared her feelings with her aunt, and she knew she could trust her Georgia wouldn’t tell a soul.
Her heart longed for Brookes in more ways than one. Whenever she thought about him, the ache in her stomach heightened, and air caught in her lungs. When she was around him, even when he irked her and she wanted to throttle him, he made her smile inside. And yet, she had to let him go. It was for his own good.
Then there was the family estate. The people last night seemed nice enough, but the idea of someone else owning the vineyard, the house, even if it was only a partnership, didn’t sit well with her. They’d be making decisions, telling the family what should and shouldn’t be done, interfering with everything that had come before.
She found her phone and dialled Leo’s number. She was about to give up when he finally answered.
‘Is it an emergency?’
‘We need to talk about the family estate. I don’t think you should sell any of it.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘You schmoozing last night. You were trying to make the place an attractive proposition for those people.’
‘They’re investors.’
‘Not from what Georgia said. A partnership that down the line might mean selling the place.’
‘Look Harper, I know you mean well, but you haven’t been around for the past six years. You have no idea what is going on here.’
‘It’s the family estate,’ Harper said.
‘Now suddenly you’re interested in the family estate?’
She stayed silent for a moment, trying to connect her thoughts. He was right. She’d been away. It wasn’t like she had a say in what happened. She was leaving anyway. Why did it matter? It mattered because deep down she wanted the connection to this place, to her family, to the vines. If the family estate was sold, then the connection would be lost, and she didn’t want that. Yes, there was Mathers Vineyard, but that wasn’t the same, it was not where their cherished memories lay.
‘Is there anything we can do?’
‘Harper, you’ve just inherited a winery. Why do you care about our one?’
‘This has been your life.’
‘Well, maybe it’s time for a change.’
‘You don’t mean that.’
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘What about Georgia?’
‘Georgia will always be taken care of,’ Leo said.
‘Taken care of? That sounds so clinical.’
‘Harper, there’s a lot you’re not aware of.’
‘What aren’t you telling me, Leo?’
‘You need to talk to Georgia.’
‘No, Leo. I’m talking to you. What aren’t you telling me?’ She didn’t realise her voice had risen until a woman gave her the once over as she passed her on the sidewalk.
She heard him sigh. ‘Georgia has been sick for some time.’
‘How sick?’
‘They gave her two, maybe three years, tops.’
No, that couldn’t be. She would have said something. There was no way that Georgia would keep such a secret from her. ‘How long has she known about this? How long have you known?’
‘We suspected something wasn’t right around Christmas. She told us in April.’
‘When was she going to tell me?’
‘She wasn’t.’
‘Why the hell not?’
‘Because Harper, you left. You made your own life, and she didn’t want to burden you with her problems. She didn’t want to be the reason you came back here.’
‘Well, I’m here now.’
Harper couldn’t imagine the estate without Georgia. The bubbly personality, the woman who loved her canary Mustang and pissed off the crocheting club with her cursing and politically incorrect opinions.
‘There has to be something that we can do. Has she gone through treatment?’
‘She’s refused it.’
‘What? And you let her?’
‘Harper, Georgia is a grown woman. She’s not someone you tell what to do.’
‘But…’
‘We tried. Believe me, we all tried.’
‘Zoe, Tyler, Brookes, they all know as well?’
‘Yes.’
‘I gotta go.’
Tears welled up, and she fought them. She wanted to go back to the hospital room and tell Georgia that her decision was selfish. She should have fought harder; she should have told her earlier. Harper would have come back at Christmas if she’d known, and she would have done everything in her power to persuade Georgia to fight. Fight to survive, fight to live.
Getting into her car, she pulled onto the road and when she got onto the New England Highway, she floored it to just above the speed limit while fighting back the flood of tears begging for release. She reached Mathers Vineyard in record time, knowing that Brookes would be there. When she pulled up in the driveway, she saw his car. Rover trotted over when he saw her, wagging his tail as he did. She patted him briefly and headed towards the inn.
Before she reached the front door, Brookes came out, wiping his hands with a rag.
‘How could you not tell me?’ Harper cried before he had a chance to utter a word.
‘Tell you what?’
‘About Georgia.’
‘It’s not my information to share.’
‘Because you’re so fucking good at keeping secrets.’
‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
‘Georgia is dying. You don’t think that I had a right to know?’
‘If she didn’t tell you herself, then well, she obviously thought you didn’t have a right to know.’
‘Fuck you, Brookes.’
‘Been there, done that. Seemed you liked it too.’
She fumed and turned away to go back to her car.
He followed her. Before she reached it, he grabbed her by the arm. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.’
His voice sounded genuine, but she didn’t believe him.
He was still holding onto her arm.
‘I can’t do this right now.’
‘You came to me.’
She fell apart, the tears gushed, and she couldn’t stop them no matter how hard she tried. Harper fell into his arms, soaking the front of his shirt. Time stopped and she let all the pent-up emotions escape. Brookes’ hold didn’t waver for a moment. She was the first one to move away. Looking down, she wiped the tears with her fingertips.
‘You should have told me.’ The truth was, he didn’t owe her anything. She had left him six years ago, not the other way around. He didn’t have to tell her anything, and it was only natural that he felt more loyalty to Georgia and Leo. Knowing that didn’t erase the betrayal or foolishness she felt. Why had she stayed away for so long? So many missed years with her family. And now it was going to be too late.
‘It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.’
Harper wanted to believe him, but right now, all she felt was pain, like nothing made sense anymore, and she was standing at a crossroad.