Between the Vines (12 page)

“Do you think Ed will be back soon?”

Taylor's question brought him back to the present.

“Any time now. I was half expecting him today. I'm sorry he hasn't let you know.”

For the first time since the day she arrived Taylor looked a little anxious.

“It's not his fault,” she said. “He doesn't even know I'm here.”

“You didn't get him on the phone?”

She shook her head.

Pete found himself wanting to reassure her. “Ed can be a bit focused on the job at hand. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you.”

Taylor's face lit up. She drank her beer and Pete finished his glass of wine.

“If you're ready I should get you home.”

“Sure. Thanks for this.” She stood. “And for your suggestion of the pie. It was delicious.”

“No problem.” Pete followed her to the door.

She was right to remind him. This was just a thank-you dinner to repay her for her effort on their behalf. She'd only stayed on and
helped out because of Ed anyway. Once more Pete had to remind himself she was his brother's girl.

Edward pulled into his garage and let his arms drop from the steering wheel. He rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes. Most of the trip away had been a complete waste of time. To top it off Mr Zhu, who he'd pinned his hopes of a partnership on, had been a no-show. Edward had only had dealings with Mr Cheng, his Australian contact. He'd desperately tried Cheng's number but he didn't answer. The message bank was generic. Edward had left two messages but no-one replied. Something had gone wrong but he was at a loss to do anything more but come home.

The seat was comfortable. Edward could easily fall asleep. He dragged himself out of his car and through the internal door. He'd just have time to catch a few hours' rest in his own bed and then he'd have to do some more thinking. Not that he could imagine coming up with anything new. He'd gone over every possibility on the drive back from Melbourne. There was no way to raise the extra capital to buy the land unless he took on a partner. He could scrape by if he sold the NS18 straight from the vine but Peter wasn't having a bar of that.

He fell into bed, rolled from one side to the other and then onto his back. His mind refused to rest. The strong coffee he'd bought in Casterton for the last leg of his journey still coursed through his veins. Finally he took himself to the kitchen. He made more coffee and drank it black. The milk was off and the bread was mouldy. The sun slanted through his kitchen window. Time to catch up on what had happened in his absence. Peter would be up by now and maybe he'd have something to eat at his place.

Edward picked up the jeans he'd worn yesterday from the floor
where he'd only discarded them a few hours before. He threw on a work polo shirt, collected his boots and went outside. The air was fresh but not cold around him as he tugged on his boots. There was not a cloud in the sky, which was still the deep azure blue of early morning. He took in a long slow breath. In the distance he could just make out the roof of Peter's cottage and between them row after row of damned grapes. Right now he felt the business of making a living from them overwhelmed him. Edward stepped off the verandah and past the full pink blooms of his mother's Pierre de Ronsard roses. He'd walk. Perhaps it would help to clear his head.

The gentle sound of a woman's laugh pulled him up as he approached the cottage from the side. That was something new: Peter bringing a woman home. He'd lived a celibate life for years as far as Edward knew.

Peter spoke. Edward couldn't make out the words but the tone was matter-of-fact. He stepped around the corner then stopped short. Peter was sitting on the front verandah of his little cottage and opposite him sat a woman leaning in, smiling, listening to whatever he was saying. A woman Edward recognised.

“Taylor,” he said.

She looked up, startled.

Peter jumped up from his chair bumping the small table. “You're back.”

Taylor grabbed her coffee cup to save the contents from spilling.

“Surprise.” Edward spoke in a monotone looking from his brother to Taylor. What had he interrupted here?

Taylor smiled back at him. The glint of her eyes and that shy smile of hers melting the anger that he'd felt at seeing his brother with his…girlfriend. Could he call her that?

“Hi, Ed.” She clutched the mug in her hand tightly.

“Taylor's been here for a few days helping out.” Peter started picking up plates. “She's staying in the quarters.”

Edward ignored his brother and kept his gaze on Taylor.

“Well.” Peter put the plates back on the table. “We've got a bit to talk about but I'll leave you two to catch up first. I've got some cleaning up to do at the cellar door.”

“Oh.” Taylor stood up. “I should help.”

“No. You stay here. It won't take me long.” He looked back at Edward. “I'll meet you in the office in a while?”

Edward nodded.

Peter turned back to Taylor. “Thanks for the company.”

“Thanks for breakfast,” she replied.

They watched him stride away.

Edward broke the silence. “You came back.”

“You asked me to.”

“Yes, but I didn't think you would.”

Her chin dropped a little. “So you didn't want me to?”

“You didn't answer my texts, I thought–”

Taylor moved to the end of the verandah. Edward was still on the ground. It meant their faces were level. “I lost my phone for a while. It's a long story.”

Her fresh, sweet scent wafted around him. He stepped up. He wanted to take her in his arms but he still felt weird about finding her in conversation with his brother. They'd been relaxed, their heads close. His stomach rumbled.

“You'll have to tell me over breakfast.” He looked past her to the table. “I was hoping Peter would have something I could eat.”

“I don't know. I came over to get some milk and stayed here for toast and coffee.” She smiled. “I have eggs at the quarters. I could cook you some.”

“Sure.”

She picked up the carton of long-life milk that had been beside her chair and stepped around him heading past Peter's cottage.

He followed. Her blonde hair fluffed out and over her shoulders. She wore a light cotton shirt, almost see-through, that was tucked in at her trim waist. He liked the way her jeans hugged her bum as she walked. She was a good-looking woman and she'd come back
for him. He had to hope that meant something more than kissing.

Taylor was on edge. Ed sat in the chair watching her as she set about making scrambled eggs. All the doubts she'd had about coming returned. He'd been surprised to see her but there was more to it than that. She'd seen the annoyed look on his face that he'd quickly changed to a smooth smile. Then she'd thought he was going to kiss her on the verandah but instead he wanted food.

“How was Melbourne?”

“How was the wedding?”

They both spoke at once.

He grinned. Her heart gave an extra thump. She'd seen that look before.

“You first,” he said.

“The wedding went very well. They had a Valentine's theme so lots of hearts and flowers everywhere. Rosie looked divine and Matt very handsome in his suit. The food was scrumptious, the drinks flowed and we danced the night away. It was wonderful.” Taylor tipped the egg mixture in the pan and watched the tiny bubbles form around the edges. It had been a special day. She'd really enjoyed it. Ed was silent behind her. Had she been too gushy with her description? She looked back. He was staring at her with his dark-blue eyes, his expression unreadable.

“I sent you a text for Valentine's Day,” he said.

“I didn't get it.”

“It was a few days before.”

“That was sweet.” Damn losing her phone. She put a coffee in front of him.

“So you came back for a visit and brought your coffee machine?”

“Never travel without it.”

“Peter should have put you up in my place. I've got a good one.”

What had Pete said about his name? His friends call him Pete. Funny his brother didn't. “He offered but…well, I didn't like to
without you being there. These quarters are very comfortable.” He opened his mouth but she cut him off. “I'm happy here. That's if it's okay for me to stay a bit longer?” She didn't want him to think he had to offer his place but once she got to know him better – well she'd see.

“No probs. I'm not sure when Antoine gets here.”

“Is he the extra cellar hand?”

“Yes. He's done the last three vintages with us. He'd have been here by now but he had a wedding so he went home for a while.”

“Where does he live?”

“France. At least he did. He's been working in Australia on and off for a few years. Not sure what his long-term plans are.”

Taylor put a plate of toast and scrambled eggs in front of him. She'd reserved a spoonful of egg for herself. She wasn't really hungry after the breakfast she'd had with Pete but she didn't want to sit and watch Ed eat.

“Thanks,” Ed said after his first mouthful. “I drove most of the night. I was starving.”

“So how did it go in Melbourne?”

Ed paused, another forkful of egg part-way to his mouth. “Not so good.”

“Did Mr Cheng contact you?”

“Mr Cheng?”

“I gather there was some mix-up. You thought you were meeting him in Melbourne but he came here.”

“Here!” Edward pushed back his chair and stood up.

“Well, not
here
.” Taylor patted the table, surprised by his extreme reaction. “He came to the cellar door with a couple of other men. He was expecting to meet you there.”

“What were you doing at the cellar door?”

“Helping out like Pete said.”

“Pete?” He gave her a funny look.

“Evidently two of your regular staff couldn't come and your office manager is sick so I helped him at the cellar door the last few days.
Not that I think I was–”

“And Peter was there when Mr Cheng came?”

“Well, not at first. He had some emergency in the winery he had to deal with. It was left to me to go through the wine tasting with Mr Cheng. Pete came right at the end when I was so desperate to keep them occupied I ended up selling–”

He cut her off again. “Was there a Mr Zhu?”

“Yes.”

“So Peter talked with him?”

“Only via Mr Cheng and not much at all. It was then we worked out you were the Mr Starr he wanted to meet, not Pete.”

Taylor was going to go on but Ed's curse stopped her.

“I've got to go.” He strode to the door and pushed the screen open.

She stood up, open mouthed.

He stopped abruptly and turned back. “Thanks for breakfast. I'll be back later.” He gave a brief nod and was gone.

Breakfast! He'd hardly eaten any of it. Taylor flopped onto the old floral couch and slapped it in frustration. Ed's return hadn't played out like she'd been expecting. She'd pictured them falling into each other's arms where they'd left off at the end of her last visit. She felt like the last few days she'd been living in limbo waiting for Ed to turn up and now that he had, nothing had changed. Or had it? She couldn't stop the image of his brother's smiling face over breakfast, their easy conversation over dinner last night. Taylor shook her head. The brothers were quite different, like comparing chalk and cheese. Pete was the perfect gentleman. He was being kind to her, that was all. Ed with his wicked grin and the deep-blue eyes that made the heat rise in her when he looked at her, he was the man she had come to Coonawarra for. Obviously the unexpected visit of Mr Cheng had thrown him. Once he'd sorted that out they could renew their acquaintance. Once more anticipation swirled inside her. Ed was back at last and she was looking forward to finding out
where their relationship might lead.

Pete pulled the spittoon apart and emptied it. Never his favourite part of cellar door work but it had to be done. His thoughts strayed back to Taylor and Ed. Last night he'd decided to keep her at arms-length then this morning she'd called over for some milk and he'd ended up asking her to stay for coffee at his place. Ed's face, when he turned up, had reminded Pete instantly of the dangerous position he'd put himself in. There was no way he could fall for Ed's girl.

Pete scrubbed at the spittoon. Now that he'd got to know Taylor a bit better he was sorry she was with Ed. His brother had a habit of changing girlfriends as easily as he did his shirts. They never lasted long. He didn't like to think it of his own brother but Taylor seemed too nice for him. Pete hoped she could look after herself and she didn't end up as another notch in Ed's belt. He put the lid back on the barrel. There was no point worrying about it and he certainly couldn't get involved.

He glanced at the bottles stacked ready for today's tasters. He grinned. Fancy Taylor selling their reserve cabernet for ninety dollars a bottle. What a gem. He had only been going to make it available over the weekend for any visitors who showed a genuine interest. He was happy to take the money instead. He whistled as he washed the last few glasses.

Footsteps sounded from the adjoining room. Ed stuck his head around the door.

“I looked for you in the office.” He came into the bar area. “What are you grinning at?”

Pete picked up a glass to polish. “Just thinking about yesterday.”

Ed took up a tea towel and helped him. “What happened exactly?”

“Ben was able to spare me a couple of hours. He noticed a leak in a barrel of red. We had to drain the wine into a small portable tank. Taylor ended up here alone for a while and your Mr Zhu turned up.”

“He's not my Mr Zhu. Did he say why he came here?”