Chapter 16 JJ
SIXTEEN
JJ
Reaching Trauben Winery at noon, they pulled up to their eco tiny home plonked at the far end of the vineyard’s property.
JJ got out of the car, hands on hips and took in the space.
It screamed serenity, seclusion and—was that a hot tub on the decking?
Wow. Brooke had outdone herself on the unique accommodations so far, and this tiny house was no exception.
They’d barely dragged their bags inside and changed before there was a horn outside.
The bus was here.
“Told you we should’ve left earlier.” JJ rushed out the door while Brooke tried to figure out how to lock up.
Brooke jammed a third key into the lock and twisted with a huff. “You’re the one who made us stop three times on the way here.”
The door locked.
“I needed to pee!”
“Your bladder is literally the size of a walnut,” Brooke replied, stalking past her. JJ jogged to catch up; they didn’t want the driver to leave without them.
Brooke nabbed a window seat and JJ fell in the chair beside her. Her butt had barely touched the seat when Brooke started educating her on all things grapes, vineyards and tastings.
Wine was not JJ’s forte.
She didn't hate it; she just didn't know it, couldn't appreciate it. But as the bus took off for their tour, JJ hoped she’d have a little more knowledge by the end of the day.
Beer was her drink of choice. Something floral and hoppy, supposedly concocted in the back shed of a local surf hangout somewhere.
Now, she was completely out of her depth, memorising fruit names like apricot, mulberries and peach.
Brooke was currently explaining tannins, leg pressing into JJ’s as they went around a particularly bendy road.
“Tannins fuck you in the mouth.”
JJ recoiled. “Excuse me? That doesn't sound right.”
“You've had red wine before. It's that feeling of it taking over: gripping you, pulling at you and making you feel it everywhere—your teeth, your gums, and of course, your tongue.”
The visual was… oddly hot. JJ slid her tongue over her teeth reflexively. “Aren't you quite the wine connoisseur?”
Brooke pretended to sweep her hair off her shoulders and stuck her nose in the air.
“Oh yes, darling.” She dissolved into a soft chuckle at her own silly display.
“When you've been to as many wineries as I have, you start picking up the spiels and the lingo, until eventually you grow a moustache and sound like an astute arsehole.”
“Ah,” JJ said, nodding sagely. “Seems I have a lot to learn then.”
Brooke patted her knee. “Don’t worry, you’ll be a certified wine-sipping wanker in no time—I’ve got you.”
JJ let her head drop back against the seat, waiting for what Brooke would teach her next. After so many years working alone, headphones on, painting house after house after house, it was a nice change of pace to have Brooke’s constant company over the last five days.
No matter what they were doing, she always had a story.
Some random event that had cropped up on her travels and somehow related to where they were.
Like while waiting for the helicopter to pick them up, they’d seen a line of ants.
Brooke commented that while she was in Laos waiting for a bus to Vietnam, she saw a horde of ants team up and work together to lift an entire fish fin out of a trash can.
The fin had looked like it was floating up the side of the bin at first, until Brooke had seen the thousands of legs staggering underneath it to keep the upwards momentum.
Those stories made JJ smile, amazing her with the sheer amount this woman had seen in her lifetime while JJ had just been painting house…
after house… after house. It made her reflect.
Maybe her life needed a little less work and a little more play.
Was she boring? She nibbled at her lip as rows of vineyards flashed past the window.
Today, she’d make sure she had some fun, let go a little.
The first winery came into view as the bus pulled off the main road.
Rows of vines lined both sides as the bus crunched down the long and winding gravel driveway.
With the beginning of autumn, the leaves were starting to turn, each row a mix of greens blending into yellows and reds.
It reminded JJ of her gran’s chopped salad.
She missed her mum’s cooking already, especially anything made with Gran’s plump red tomatoes!
She sent a quick photo to her mum, who replied with a picture of said chopped salad already in the fridge ready for their dinner.
If only she could be in two places at once.
JJ put her phone away, eyes catching on Brooke’s bright red lipstick.
Brooke was only in the bathroom five minutes before they left, and yet, she’d emerged completely transformed.
JJ hadn’t had the privilege of seeing this side of Brooke yet—a little more dolled up and absolutely killing it in a floral maxi dress and sandals.
It suited her. She looked ready to be the one to lead the wine tour. Instead, they had Veronica.
Veronica was a Barossa local and extremely informed about everything around the town, not just the wineries.
She was also wearing red lipstick, but that's where the similarities between her and Brooke ended. Veronica had red curly hair that had so much volume she could be in a hair commercial. JJ played with the back of her own short hair. How’d the woman get it so shiny?
“...specialises in white wines and a couple of punchy reds that’ll have you racing to order a bottle—or a case!
As you enter, our group will be at the closest end of the bar.
Keep an eye out for Curtis, he’ll be our pouring assistant this morning.
” Veronica rattled off more winery facts as they disembarked the bus.
Brooke’s arm looped through JJ’s, pulling them through their group and over to the cellar door.
To anyone else on the bus tour, they looked like the best of friends.
How had she only known this woman for less than a month?
Really, it was more like a week if she only counted the time they’d spent together.
JJ took in the radiant blonde walking next to her, each step made with such purpose and flair like she owned the place.
It was a stark contrast to the Brooke who saw herself as a failure during their talk over breakfast on the ridge.
JJ would never view her that way. While they might not be a dating match, the thought of them as friends was nice.
She pulled Brooke’s arm in close as they entered the tasting room.
It was spacious with old barn vibes, exposed wooden rafters and a stone bar that ran the length of the back wall.
The bar top looked crafted out of red gum with a natural edge that gave a rustic feel.
A light shiver ran through JJ as she entered, the temperature noticeably cooler as fruity notes clung to the air.
Two other tour groups stood around at the far end of the room.
A man, Curtis she presumed, poured the glasses for their tour group’s first tasting as they all made their way to the bar.
Brooke stuck her nose into her glass, a pinot grigio, and swirled it. JJ took a gulp of hers. Whoops, too much. She pulled a face and swallowed. The wine made her jaw ache as bad as eating a lemon. Her head shook involuntarily as Brooke watched on with a wide grin.
“Copy me.”
Brooke lifted her glass again, and JJ followed suit—sniff, swirly swirl, small sip.
Got it. Her face pulled instantly, lip curling, nose wrinkling.
Wine just wasn’t her thing. She wanted to like it, but at this rate, her face would be permanently changed by the end of the day with the amount of uncontrolled wincing.
She could pretend to be refined at least.
“Pear?” she posed the question to Brooke, who was still watching JJ. See? Look at this awesome person throwing out fruit names.
“Close.” Brooke smirked, taking a delicate sip and holding it in her mouth before swallowing. “Crisp. Smooth. It reads more strawberries and cream for me.”
They went on like this down the list, JJ taking a stab in the dark, and Brooke illuminating her with more true-to-form tasting notes.
A full-bodied Shiraz was the last in their line-up, according to Veronica as she informed the group.
JJ swirled the glass, copying everyone else in the room and pretending to inspect it.
Ah yes, the legs on this one were looking very leggy.
Whatever that meant. She took a large sip.
“Ready to be mouth-fucked?” Brooke whispered in her ear, leaning so close JJ could feel her warm breath.
JJ did everything within her to hold onto that mouthful of wine, forcing it down with a gulp so she didn't spray the room. Her hand still flew to her mouth as she turned, glaring at the blonde who beamed, cheeks rosy and bright.
“You're trouble,” JJ said, pointing a finger at Brooke.
“I'm only explaining wine basics. Now, how does your mouth feel?” Brooke swirled her own glass and took a sip.
JJ ran her tongue around her mouth. It felt drier, like cotton wool wicking the moisture away. She nodded at Brooke. “I see what you mean.”
“Here.” Brooke went over to the bar, dipping the complimentary bread into some olive oil. “Eat this.”
She offered it up to JJ, who obliged, the moment weirdly personal as their eyes locked. Was there heat simmering in that look, or was it just her?
Focus on the food. The bread was delicious. Some chunk of artisanal lepinja that matched perfectly with the smooth oil. JJ's eyes fluttered closed. “Delicious.”
“Now, take another sip of that wine,” instructed Brooke, licking an errant oil drip off her finger. So messy but JJ was transfixed.
The words finally sunk in, and JJ did as she was told. This time as the shiraz swirled around her mouth and coated her tongue, it was smoother, stripped of the astringent notes. Like a completely different wine. “Cool trick.”
Brooke shrugged. “It cuts through the tannins, so you get a better flavour profile.”
“You’ve been more educational than the guy behind the bar explaining his own wines,” JJ said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder.
Brooke beamed again, and JJ wanted to hold on to the smile. It was the same one she’d given JJ on top of the ridge. She seemed so proud of herself. JJ’s chest expanded.
“All right everyone, time to purchase any of those amazing wines you’ve tried, and then it’s back on the bus,” Veronica called.
Almost their entire group inundated the poor attendant to order at once.
Brooke and JJ opted to walk the grounds instead.
Outside, groups of people milled about at tables and under umbrellas, enjoying the mild autumn day: a little sun, a little cloud, and not a breath of wind.
As the fresh air hit her face, JJ felt the effects from their first tasting take hold.
They must’ve been strong. She’d only had a mouthful or two of each wine, but still, it added up.
The light buzz had her limbs loose and thoughts quiet.
It was nice, slowing down and not having to think about work schedules. It was double nice not thinking about the holiday schedule either. That had, so far, been one of her best decisions. It was a risk, putting her trust in someone else to organise an entire trip, but it had paid off.
“Ooooh, fancy.” Brooke pointed at the winery’s house up on the hill.
It was more like a homestead. A verandah ran the length of the perimeter, thick grape vines growing along the top.
“I don’t know what kind of house I’d buy if I could afford it,” Brooke said, taking in the home as they strode past and headed back up the hill.
JJ wasn’t sure when they’d looped arms again. But she didn’t mind at all.
Brooke turned to her. “You said you own your place, yeah?”
“Yep.” And JJ was proud of it. She felt for anyone trying to get into the housing market now.
Oh, that would be Brooke. It was easy to forget how different they were at times.
“Must be nice having a place to call home. What's it like?”
“Hopefully still in one piece when I get back,” JJ quipped.
“Huh?”
“My housemate, Jess, is looking after it while I’m gone. You know her—Hayley’s friend.”
Brooke’s eyes widened. “Oh. I didn’t know you knew Hayley’s friends.” She reached an arm out, hand brushing against the vine leaves.
“It’s kinda how I got the painting job for your sister. Long story short, Jess just started dating my best mate.”
Brooke’s eyebrows raised. “Huh. Well, there you go. Such a small world.”
“Sure is, Jess is great.” JJ caught the stiffness in Brooke’s arm. “Anyway, back to my house, it's just a little place—a two-bedder that I've renovated over the years, very mid-century modern. A garden out the front and back. My little slice of heaven.”
“Sounds incredible. You’ll have to show me some time,” Brooke said.
They circled back to the cellar door. JJ tried to picture Brooke hanging with her, along with Jess and Remi.
JJ wasn't sure where Brooke stood with Hayley’s friends, and Jess didn’t seem to know either—more from a place of confusion than any true negativity.
Either way, JJ looked forward to finding out.
She wanted to stay in touch once all this was over, as more than just travel companions.
JJ took in the carefree blonde, their arms still linked as they strode in perfect sync up to the waiting bus, Brooke’s free hand now clasped around JJ’s bicep.
Would Brooke want to be friends after the trip too?