Page 67 of A Vineyard for Two

‘Looks like yours is closer.’

Brookes positioned himself again and got ready for the putt. The ball went in.

‘Nice one.’

Pete did the same.

‘Why does it have to be one or the other?’ Pete said.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘It’s a three-hour car trip not two days on a donkey, mate. If she was living on the other side of the world, then yeah, it might be hard. But Harper is in Brisbane. It’s reachable. There are weekends.’

‘I don’t want weekends.’

‘You don’t want to compromise.’

‘There’s nothing to compromise on. Harper doesn’t feel the same way.’

‘Has she said that to you?’

‘Not in so many words. Her actions say enough, though.’

Pete raised an eyebrow.

‘You heard about that, too?’

‘The only person who you are fooling is yourself, Brookes. Don’t leave it too late, otherwise you might lose the love of your life forever.’

The only thing he was certain of was that he wasn’t going to force Harper to do anything. She had to decide for herself. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t make the offer more attractive to her.

They played a few more holes, making small talk. Brookes’ game didn’t improve much more as they progressed, but he felt some of the tension pass. By the end of hole nine, Brookes was on a 42 and Pete on 37. Drinks were on Brookes. They sat down and he grabbed two beers. They clunked and sipped before staring at the sports screen.

‘There’s another rumour going around,’ Pete said.

‘I tried to avoid rumours.’

‘You and Harper back at it.’

‘I think this heart-to-heart requires another beer.’

Brookes got up and grabbed two more.

When he returned, Pete was on the phone, ending a conversation with his wife.

‘Kids are playing up. Wants me to pick up some ice cream for the rhubarb pie. As if they need more sugar to sweeten them up.’ Pete said as he took the beer Brookes past.

Brookes always liked the relationship Pete had with Nat. They were polar opposites, but they worked well in a synchronised fashion. It was a combination of mutual respect and understanding. Each one played to their strengths and supported each other’s weaknesses. Sure, they had their marital woes. He couldn’t imagine anyone not having them after a decade or two of marriage, but they had each other.

He had imagined something of the sort for him and Harper once. Harper would do what she wanted to do, and he would support that, but they would be together. The passion that was there the other night would still be there as they grew older. He wanted to ravish her; to share his dreams with her; he wanted her opinion, and he wanted her in his bed. He had loved her then, and he loved her now, but the passion he felt, the yearning, was much stronger than he’d anticipated was possible. It didn’t matter how many dates he’d gone on, how many women he’d bedded, and there hadn’t been as many as some assumed. He compared them all to Harper. For a while, he’d thought there was something wrong with him and he fought the feelings, focused on everything else that was important in his life.

‘She wants to sell it,’ Brookes said. Saying the words out loud ignited a fire within him.

‘You obviously don’t.’

‘Hell no. She’d have to shoot me point blank for that to happen.’

‘That’s a bit dramatic.’