Chapter 42
Harper gave the room another glance and smiled. She couldn’t remember the last time something gave her that satisfied feeling. They did it. They actually did it. The inn had undergone a transformation turning into a Christmas in July extravaganza. Brookes and Leo had pulled out the old tree, cleaned it up and put it together in the corner, then Harper and Zoe decorated it in red and gold, with a shining star at the top. The fireplace crackled and gave warmth to the room in both ambience and temperature. With the added decorations that both Harper and Zoe brought, the room had the perfect festive feel to it.
Zoe’s idea to have two smaller tables instead of one long one meant they could accommodate an extra six people, and those seats hadn’t been hard to fill. They already had a waiting list for next year. Next year, that was a thought. Was she really entertaining the thought of coming back?
The door opened, letting in a rush of cold air from the outside.
‘Georgia,’ Harper said, hurrying towards the door. ‘You made it.’
‘They finally let me out of that place. Mind you, the care was amazing. But four days was completely unnecessary,’ Georgia said.
Zoe followed her inside. ‘She’s been complaining about the hospital food all the way here.’
Harper embraced her aunt. She seemed somewhat frailer. But her hug was as strong as ever. Georgia was getting older. She never gave out a specific number, kept it to herself and her family only, but the truth was that she was ageing.
‘Oh my goodness,’ Georgia said. ‘This is incredible. You did it. You actually did it.’ Tears formed in her eyes. ‘It reminds me of the last Christmas in July here. Oh, this is just perfect.’
‘We’ve got you a seat at the head of the table,’ Harper said.
‘Don’t be silly, dear. That’s where you and Brookes should be sitting.’ Georgia placed her hand on her cheek. ‘I’m so proud of you. Hugh would be too. And your parents. I’m sure they are looking down, smiling right now.’
She was sure they were, too. At least, she hoped they were. ‘Thanks, that means a lot.’
With Georgia in the hospital, and everyone else setting up the inn for the event, it only made sense to get caterers in for the food, and Harper was glad they had come to that decision. It made the entire evening run smoother. The caterers were already setting up in the kitchen and the aromas of the fresh food spread through the rooms, welcoming anyone who walked through the door.
Dinner was set for half-past six, but guests were congregating in the sitting area just before six, with the hired servers offering glasses of wine around the room. The wine was a mixture of Tempranillo and Verdelho from the vineyard. Brookes had found unopened boxes of the Tempranillo that were over seven years old and when they had opened the bottles to try, the wine was like velvet to the palate and they showcased it at the event. It was not a wine to be drunk fast, but one where the flavour was supposed to linger long past the point of leaving the mouth.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ Zoe said, leaning into Harper. ‘I invited the doctor.’
‘Georgia’s doctor?’
Zoe giggled like a schoolgirl. ‘She talked me into it.’
‘I’m glad she did.’ Harper said, giving her sister a hug. Looking around the room, she noticed that there was still a seat empty. She was sure they had sold out of tickets for the event, but there was one no show. She noticed Leo sitting next to the town mayor, deeply engrossed in conversation, a deep concentration on his forehead. She wished her brother nothing but happiness and since she’d been here, all she’d seen him do was work around the clock in the family estate, as if he was trying to avoid something. He was avoiding his feelings. Her family had a habit of doing that. Hopefully, tonight he wasn’t going to hate her for the plan she’d hatched. Of course, it wasn’t just her doing. Her idea, but Zoe had the information to make it happen. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Leo stood up and insisted he’d get it. It was an excuse to stop his ear being talked off. Harper watched from her seat as he opened the front door.
‘Is there room for one more?’
Leo’s arm dropped to his side, but he didn’t move or acknowledge the last guest.
Harper thought her heart was going to stop. Had she made a terrible mistake?
The next few moments felt like eternity until finally Leo pushed the door opened wider and let the woman through.
‘What are you doing here, Sara?’
‘I can go if you don’t want me here, but…’
He shook his head. ‘No. Stay.’
Finally, Harper let out a breath. All was well; at least for the time being.
A local winemaker started talking to her, and she only noticed from the corner of her eye as Leo and Sara disappeared into the sitting area. Harper smiled and continued her conversation with the winemaker. They would need someone for the vineyard, and he sounded like he knew what he was talking about, especially having worked with Hugh in the past. Maybe, for the first time in a long time, things were falling into place, and Hugh knew what he was doing when he decided to leave his life’s work to them.
As the fire crackled gently in the corner, laughter circulated the room, voices talking animatedly over one another as wine was poured and the food devoured. She watched with awe and wonder. They had pulled it off, and it was better than she could have imagined it. The only person missing was Tyler, but he’d messaged from wherever he’d been stationed, promising to make the next one.
Halfway through the evening, Georgia stood up and clunked a fork gently against her glass. Everyone in the room silenced and turned to look at her.
‘I want to say a few words on behalf of Hugh,’ she started. ‘I’m sure he is looking down on us from somewhere right now and smiling or wishing he could tell us we should have done something a different way, his way. Maybe not. Harper and Brookes did an amazing job, bringing this beautiful inn back to life. When Hugh decided to leave this inn as part of his inheritance, he wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it and love it as much as he did. It wasn’t a decision he made lightly.’
‘Harper, Brookes, Zoe, and Leo have worked tremendously hard over the past ten days to bring this event back to life. Christmas in July was always a special time for Hugh. It was the night where he put on a feast for the town and celebrated with them. The rest of the year, he worked day and night to bring the community incredible wine and a warm place for visitors to stay at.
‘Harper and Brookes, thank you for making this evening one we won’t forget. And I truly hope, as everyone else does, that this won’t be the last Christmas in July that you host. Cheers.’
Georgia lifted her glass, and everyone stood to cheer.
Brookes stood and gave a brief speech, then Harper followed it up with a thank you before being immersed in conversations about the future of Mathers Vineyard and all that it would entail.