Page 49 of A Vineyard for Two

‘Harper is stubborn, and she doesn’t like changing her mind. If she stays, it’s like the past six years were a mistake. But they weren’t. She obviously needed it, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t changed and now needs something completely different. We’re not meant to be stuck in one place. We grow and evolve and with time want and need different things. She needs to understand that it’s not a failure but a part of the process.’

‘I don’t think she ever needed me.’

‘She’s independent. That’s one of the things you like about her.’

‘I’m beginning to think that she doesn’t feel the same way about me as I do about her.’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure, Brookes. Just give her a bit of time. She came back, she stayed, she’s working on the vineyard. We all want her to come back. You, me, Georgia, Leo. But that’s not enough until she realises that’s what she wants. You saw her when she first arrived. She didn’t look happy or rested. She looked stressed, and it had nothing to do with the trip out here. Something isn’t right back there. But ever since she’s been here, and it’s barely been a week, she’s lit up. Sooner or later, she’ll realise that.’

‘Hopefully sooner rather than later.’

Zoe smiled. ‘I believe in Christmas miracles.’

‘It’s not Christmas.’

‘It’s Christmas in July next week. We can have our miracle.’ She winked at him. ‘I’m going to call it a night. Can you apologise for Harper for me and take her home?’

‘She’s not going to be happy.’

‘It’s my way of playing Cupid.’

‘Thanks Zoe.’

‘Anytime.’

Harper washed her hands, then splashed her face with a bit of water before using a paper towel to dry it off to avoid smudging her makeup. Afterwards, she dabbed some lip balm on her lips, ran her hands through her hair and stared at the mirror. For the first time in a long time, she noticed there weren’t any bags under her eyes. Even though she’d spent the better part of the week working physically and drinking a fair share of wine, she wasn’t tired. The opposite, in fact — she felt energised and rested. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Was it something in the air or the wine, or was this place in general better for her?

The evening had been pleasant, spending time with Zoe. She wished she’d done that more over the years. She couldn’t change the past, but she could make more of an effort going forth. They were family, and it wasn’t fair to alienate them. She could come back for weekends, they could come visit her in the city. Brookes showing up tonight was a surprise. She’d hoped to avoid him, but when she saw him, there was a feeling of joy that ignited and it confused her more than she cared to admit.

The door to the bathroom opened, and two girls who looked in their early twenties stumbled in giggling to each other. Each one took a stall and shut the door. Harper washed her hands again, patted them dry, and made her way back to the table. She wasn’t surprised to see that only Brookes was sitting there.

‘Let me guess, something came up and Zoe had to go?’

He laughed. ‘Yeah, something like that.’

‘I really don’t feel like drinking and I don’t think I can fit in any more food.’

‘A walk then?’

‘Sure. That sounds good.’

Outside, the air was crisp, and she wrapped her jacket tightly around her. The winter evenings dropped to single digits and today was no exception, but there was no wind, and a crescent moon lit up the sky.

‘Are you warm enough?’ Brookes asked.

‘I’m fine. Thank you.’ They followed the footpath towards Quart Pot Creek and walked along the water's edge, past the weeping willows and deeper down the path. Neither spoke and instead of feeling uncomfortable in the silence, Harper indulged in it. There was so much unspoken between them and yet, in this moment, it didn’t feel like anything needed to be said.

They’d been walking for no more than fifteen minutes, and while the walk got her blood pumping, the chill in the air hit her bones, and it was getting late. ‘We should probably turn back,’ Harper said.

‘I went through the inventory after you left,’ Brookes said. ‘If the cellar door reopens with wine tastings, and we stick to three days a week, there’s enough inventory to last a year, maybe eighteen months. The vines are in good condition too. If we inject some cash into it, and provided there are no variables that destroy the crop, then there should be enough grapes for several thousand bottles.’

‘It sounds like you’ve given it a lot of thought.’

‘I have,’ Brookes said. ‘We’ve been given this incredible opportunity. I’m still pinching myself, thinking that tomorrow I’ll wake up and this would have been all a dream.’

‘You’ve always wanted a cellar door and your own vineyard.’

‘I thought I’d have to work at it for another ten years before it became a reality.’