Between the Vines (16 page)

“You're sharing a room with Antoine?”

“Not a room, it's like a house.”

“I thought you were staying with Ed?”

“I told you, we're taking things one step at a time.”

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. Why do you think there is?”

“Because being cautious is so not like you.”

“Really.”

“Don't get all huffy on me, I'm glad you're not rushing into anything.”

“Everything's fine, Cass.”

“So you're not coming home any time soon?”

“Of course not. It's great down here.” Taylor flopped onto the couch. Glad her friend was too far away to talk face to face.

“Well that's good 'cause I'm coming to visit you.”

Taylor sat up. “What? When?”

“On the weekend. Have you got space for me? I thought I'd drive down Saturday morning.”

“It's not a good time.”

“Why not?”

“Everyone's busy.”

“I'm coming to see you, not everyone.”

“I've got work to do.”

“I won't get in the way. I'll message you when I get to the cellar door.”

“Cass.”

“Yes.”

Taylor fell back against the couch again. “It'll be good to see you.”

“Great. Anything I can bring?”

“No. Plenty of spare beds. See you Saturday.”

Taylor dropped the phone onto the couch beside her. A small part of her would be pleased to see Cass but she wasn't ready for her friend to inspect her life here yet, especially because she wasn't sure herself where it was going.

Taylor surveyed the room. What would Cass make of her new accommodation? At least Antoine was proving to be a tidy
housemate so far. She'd have to give him the heads up that Cass was coming.

She got up and filled a glass with water. Antoine had left a couple of dishes draining. She wondered what he'd had for his evening meal. She opened the fridge. There was nothing much in there. Cheese and bread maybe?

Pete was eating takeaway pizza and she was fairly sure the only reason Ed had eaten well tonight was because she'd cooked him something. Three men, living in three different houses, feeding themselves badly. She pushed the fridge door shut. An idea was taking shape. Perhaps there was something else she could do to help out.

Taylor didn't get a chance to suggest her idea the next morning. She'd stayed up late poring over the few recipe books she'd brought with her, writing notes and making lists. Her mind had still been buzzing when she fell into bed. She'd finally fallen asleep but then slept late.

The air was crisp on her skin as she walked to the winery. She hoped to find Ed there and run her idea past him.

Felicity looked up as she entered the office. “Ed's not here.”

Taylor had barely got past the door. “Oh.”

“Of course you're not staying with Edward, are you? You won't be up to speed with his movements.” She leaned towards Taylor and lowered her voice. “You're wise to string him along for as long as you can. Once you've been in his bed he loses interest quickly.”

Taylor's cheeks felt warm and her mouth gaped open.

Felicity waved her hand towards the doors. “They'll be busy all day. There's a lot of work to be done once the grapes start coming in you know.” Without another look at Taylor she went back to her typing.

“Okay.” Taylor felt her hackles rise. She'd been dismissed.

She strode out the door to find Ed in the winery somewhere, doing whatever it was Felicity seemed to think was so important. Taylor stopped at the corner of the shed and looked back the way she'd come. How did Felicity know she wasn't staying with Ed? Would he tell her that or perhaps Pete or Antoine? Taylor didn't like the idea of any of them chatting to Felicity about her…her what? Lack of relationship with Ed? And how would Felicity know what went on between Taylor and Ed anyway?

The sound of activity distracted her. Beside a row of tanks she could see Antoine bent over some pipes. She tried the door to Pete's office and lab but it was locked. She was meant to do the baume tests later. She hoped she wouldn't have to ask the frosty Felicity to let her in. Frosty Felicity. Taylor smirked. She went back to the quarters to collect her list and her keys. She had shopping to do.

When she came back from town with bags full of groceries, Pete's ute was outside his office. She stopped the van. This time the outer door was unlocked. He looked up as she stepped into the lab. He held another bag of crushed grapes.

“Oh,” she said. “I was going to do the testing later.”

“You still can.” He poured the liquid through the sieve into a jug. “This is our chardonnay grapes. They'll be picked next.”

“From the vineyards Ed took me to the other day?”

“Did you go to Mount Benson? That was our sauv blanc grapes. The chardonnay is grown here. The vines are at the back of our land, closest to the creek.”

She watched as he tested the liquid. “What does that tell you?”

“I'm checking the acid level as well as the sugar. We can leave the grapes on the vine to make sure we have the flavour ripeness but then the sugar can get too high and the acid can drop too low. It's always a fine line getting the exact moment right.” He peered at the hydrometer screen. “Yes.” A smile spread across his face. His blue eyes sparkled. “I'm happy with that for now.”

Taylor couldn't help but grin back at him. His happiness was infectious.

“I'd better get back to it,” he said. “You're still okay to test the rest?”

“Sure.”

“We keep that outer door locked but you can come and go through the front office. See Felicity if there's any problem.”

Taylor stretched her grin into a fake smile. “Will do.”

“She usually has her finger on the pulse.”

“Does she live near here?”

“In town. Why?”

“Just wondered.” Taylor thought of the human-shaped figure she'd seen outside Ed's last night. Surely it was a trick of the eyes and not Felicity she'd seen lurking in the shadows. “I'd better get going myself. I've got food in the van.”

She turned at the door. Pete was already busy again, his head bent over the table. Thinking about Felicity had distracted her. She wanted to share her plan with someone and Ed wasn't here.

“I'm going to cook an evening meal.”

Pete didn't look up.

“For all of us,” she said.

He lifted his head. “Sorry?”

“I thought I'd cook a meal for the four of us.”

“You don't need to do that.”

“It's no more work to cook for four than for two.”

“I don't know when I'll be finished today. Ed and Antoine either.”

“That doesn't matter. I'll keep it warm at the quarters. Call in when you can.”

He put down the jug he'd been holding and studied her carefully. “Thanks, Taylor.”

She hovered in the doorway staring back. She could see the crinkles around his eyes, the smattering of freckles over his nose and cheeks. The lips turned up in a smile. Pete Starr was a genuinely nice guy.

She cleared her throat. “You haven't eaten it yet. My cooking's not flash.”

“I'm willing to risk it.” Once more the grin.

She looked away quickly. “See you later then.”

She'd just pulled up at the quarters when Ed drove up. She got out of the van to meet him and planted a kiss on his lips.

“So glad you're pleased to see me,” he said with a mischievous smile. “Sorry I didn't call in earlier. Busy morning.”

“I know.”

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

“What have you been up to?”

“Shopping.”

“Lucky you.”

“For food. Have you got time to help me carry it in?”

“I was hoping for a coffee.”

“Carry a bag and I'll make you one.” She slid from his hold and opened the van door.

Ed leaned in and picked up some of the shopping bags. “What's all this?”

Taylor collected the rest. “I'm going to do some cooking.”

“For an army?”

“For the four of us.”

“The four of us?”

“You, me, Pete and Antoine. None of you have time to cook for yourselves.”

He put the bags on the table and took her in his arms. “Me you can cook for whenever you like.” He kissed her. “But you don't have to worry about the others.”

“I'd like to.” She brushed her lips across his cheek and extricated herself from his hug. “It's something I can do to help.”

Ed's brow wrinkled. “We all finish at different times.”

“I thought about that. I'll have the meal ready by seven and keep it warm. You can call in when you're ready, eat it here or take it home.”

He took her hand. “It's a nice idea but if we want to see each other the evenings are our only chance at the moment.”

“Come for dinner then. We can catch up.” She squeezed his hand. “I'll make you a coffee.”

Ed sat at the table, his smile replaced with a sullen look. “What will you cook?”

“Something with chicken tonight.”

“You know Antoine's vegetarian?”

Taylor's finger paused over the start button on the coffee
machine. She hadn't even asked if they had any food preferences. “I've got tuna.”

“I hate tuna.” His tone was like a petulant child.

Taylor was tempted to say hate is a very strong word, as her mother would have. Funny she was thinking more of her mother since she'd been at Wriggly Creek. “That's okay. I'll make a chicken and a tuna dish. What about Pete?”

“What about him?”

“Does he have any food dislikes I should know about?”

“You'll have to ask him.”

Taylor put his coffee on the table and made one for herself. Ed's reaction to her food offer wasn't what she'd thought. She hoped Antoine would accept or she'd have leftovers everywhere. She could freeze some for the weekend when Cass came. Something else she needed to tell Ed. She didn't like the feeling she had to tread carefully whenever she told him anything.

“You remember my friend Cass? She came with me to the pub when we were here for the hen weekend.”

“The big girl? Yeah, why?”

Taylor felt suddenly protective of Cass. Ed had said ‘big girl' as if she was a giant. Cass was tall and solidly built but Taylor hadn't ever thought of her as big. “She's coming for the weekend.”

“You know we're all really busy with vintage.” He glared at her across the table.

“Of course.”

“I'm trying to spend time with you when I can.”

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. “I know.”

“So why invite Cass down now?”

“I…” Taylor had been going to say she didn't. “She's got a free weekend. Doesn't happen very often. I've offered her a bed here if that's okay.”

Ed slurped down the rest of his coffee and stood up. “Sure. The more the merrier. Perhaps we should all move in here if it's going to be the dining house.”

She studied his face for signs of humour but found none.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he said.

She reached up and kissed him. A brief brush of their lips.

He looked her directly in the eye. “I'll see you later tonight.”

A little shiver ran through Taylor. Was that a threat or a promise?

Ed stared at the cordless phone he gripped tightly in his hand. He couldn't believe his luck. He was going to get a second try with Mr Zhu. Well, not with him directly but with his Australian contact Mr Cheng. At least he was still in with a chance.

He'd nearly missed this second opportunity. He'd happened to walk through the back way from the winery in to the office only to hear Felicity almost arguing on the phone declaring Edward Starr was not available. He'd caught her before she hung up on the caller. It had been Mr Cheng.

Zhu had gone back to China but he'd been impressed with the wine he'd tasted and Lister had added his praise. Before Zhu left, he'd engaged Mr Cheng to follow up with Edward regarding the possibility of a partnership.

Edward leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He didn't want Peter to know about it yet. He'd been dead set against a partnership outside the family. The only problem was Cheng wanted to meet in Melbourne on Saturday. Edward would have to drive over first thing that morning, stay overnight and leave early the next. It would be difficult to come up with a reason for the trip, especially since he'd just been there and vintage was well underway. He had told his brother Cheng was interested in buying wine and Peter would ask too many questions if he thought that's what the meeting was about.

Perhaps Taylor could come. No sooner had Edward thought it than he canned the idea. She might be company on the long drive but he didn't want her to know about his meeting. He didn't want anyone to know until he had everything sorted. Once the
partnership was locked in he'd present it to Peter. No point in discussing what may yet not happen.

Pity Taylor couldn't come with him though. An overnight stay in Melbourne might be what they needed. Frankly it wasn't working out how he'd hoped with her. He'd been surprised but pleased that she'd come back. He liked her. She was good-looking with curves in all the right places, bright and fun, or at least that's what he'd thought. He didn't know what to make of her insistence in staying with Antoine at the quarters or her developing friendship with Peter. Edward had tried his best to get her to move to his place and yet she resisted. It was as if she ran hot and cold with him. He'd never had much trouble enticing a woman to his bed in the past.

Felicity stuck her head around the door. “I'm sorry about that call earlier. Was it important?”