Page 57 of A Vineyard for Two

‘Is this about the secretary?’

‘What?’

‘Nothing.’

She expected to feel hurt and pain, instead there was a sense of relief.

‘David,’ Leo called out. ‘Will you be joining us for dinner?’

‘Yes.’

‘No.’

They said at the same time. Harper threw her brother a look that should have told him she was ready to strangle him.

‘I’ll add an extra setting to the table.’

‘I told you your family will love me.’ He put his hand around her, but she stepped away and opened the passenger side of the car and took out the flowers she’d purchased. They needed water fast if they were to not wilt by the evening.

She didn’t have the energy for this. She locked the car and went up to the house, dreading the next confrontation. Even before she crossed the threshold, she sensed the tension. She heard the thump of the knife against the wooden chopping board before she saw Brookes standing in front of it, his face turned towards the window so she couldn’t see his expression.

David was at her heels. ‘I knew she’d love the surprise,’ he said.

Harper turned and glared at him. ‘I hate surprises.’

‘She does,’ Brookes added under his breath.

‘Did you know she got upset each Christmas when someone tried to do something special for her?’

‘Seriously.’

‘Harper is the death of surprises. She has to have everything planned out and prepared for.’

She grabbed a vase and let the water run from under the sink, wishing she was anywhere but here with them two.

‘Did you tell your boyfriend about the time you got the trip overseas?’ Brookes stared at her. ‘Business class tickets to New Zealand.’

‘Amazing.’

‘She refused to go.’

‘No way.’

‘Way,’ Brookes stressed the word to make a point.

Harper rolled her eyes.

‘That’s ungrateful, isn’t it?’

‘Or the time she inherited a vineyard and wanted to throw it all away?’

‘You inherited a vineyard?’

Harper smiled. ‘Right. This was fun. I’ll be outside setting up.’

She pushed past them without another word. Her insides were twisting and turning. How had David found her address? What in the world had he been thinking that this, in any way, shape or form, was a good idea? She could only imagine what was running through Brookes’ mind.

Outside, the air hit her lungs, and she breathed a sigh of relief. This trip was becoming a nightmare. She shouldn’t have come. She should have ignored Leo’s calls and continued with her life. But she was here now, and it was almost like she had never left. Spending time with her family made her realise she missed them, and Brookes, too. After this past week, she knew she wasn’t over him as much as she wanted to be. Sleeping with him hadn’t helped, and neither had spending the days revamping Mathers Vineyard. Now with David here, it just unnecessarily complicated things even more.