Page 87 of A Vineyard for Two

‘I’m not sure. It all depends how long this will take.’

He nodded.

‘I’ll leave after Christmas in July.’

‘Ok.’

She wanted to tell him more, to tell him she’d be back in a few days or a few weeks, but she didn’t have an answer, at least not the one that he wanted to hear.

‘I phoned Zoe. She said she found Leo stumbling towards the house with a bloodied face. He’s okay though, no permanent damage.’

With everything that happened here, she’d forgotten Leo. ‘I told them what happened, at least some of it, and that you were okay and staying here tonight.’

She smiled. The last thing she would have wanted was to be alone tonight. Harper put down the glass of wine and stepped towards Brookes. She placed her hands on his chest, let them slide gently up and down, before pulling him in closer. Their lips met, and it was like an electric explosion, the hunger ignited with a mixture of passion and desire. Everything else was forgotten. The only thing that mattered was her hands on him and his hands on her. They swayed to their own rhythm as they discarded the clothes, leaving a trail of items towards the bedroom.

FORTY-TWO

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.