Between the Vines (9 page)

“Turn right here.” Pete pointed to the dirt track that ran past the office and sheds. “So the company didn't provide the vehicle.”

“I did a lot of freelance. I didn't have any kind of vehicle when I got back from my last overseas trip. I was offered this van at a good price. It gave me a personal vehicle and one to work with.”

“Turn to the left just before the stone cottage.”

“Oh, what a quaint place. Is it yours?” Taylor stopped the van where the track bent off to the left.

“Yes.”

She leaned out the window a little staring at his home. “I love the wood frame windows and you've made the new roof in keeping with the era.”

“We put new tin on when we did up the rooms across the back. Wriggly Creek was a dairy before my parents bought it. They built a new house but kept this cottage for pickers. When I came home we did up the cottage for me and turned the old besser brick dairy into quarters for seasonal workers.” He pointed to the left.

Taylor followed the track around to the quarters, about twenty metres from the cottage.

“Pull in here.” He pointed to the white wooden door between two large windows set in the front of the grey brick building.

She stopped the van near the door.

“It's basic accommodation but comfortable enough,” Peter said. “Luckily it got cleaned the other day. We have an extra cellar hand coming for vintage. He won't be here for another week so you've got the place to yourself.”

“Thanks, Peter.” She turned to him and a beautiful smile lit up her face.

Pete paused with his hand on the door handle. No wonder Ed had fallen for her. Taylor was one very attractive woman. He pulled on the handle, but his hand slipped and he had to try again to let himself out of the van and away from that smile. He pulled open the screen door and turned the knob on the old wooden door.

“This is always a bit stiff,” he said. He looked back and Taylor was right behind him. “You have to put your shoulder into it.” He used
such force that the door flew open and catapulted him into the room.

He heard a stifled giggle behind him.

“This is great,” Taylor said as she walked past him to stand in the middle of the room. “A cheerful space.”

Pete glanced around at the floral curtains and bright orange vinyl chairs. His mother had made use of scrounged items to decorate the place but retro was trendy these days.

“There are four bedrooms.” He led the way down the corridor that ran off from the living space. “The beds are new.” He pushed open the first door and moved on to the next. “You can take your pick. There are two separate bathrooms through the end door and a back entrance with washing machine and laundry tub if you need it.”

“Thanks.” Taylor turned to him. The blue of her eyes sparkled despite her obvious fatigue. “This will be great.”

“I'll bring you some bread and milk.”

“Oh no, that's okay. I've got some things in my esky. If I need anything else I can drive in to the supermarket.”

“I'll leave you to it then.”

“Thanks again.”

She gave him a small wave and shut the door.

Pete stared at it a moment then turned away and paced the short distance to his own door. He knew he probably shouldn't have offered the accommodation. He glanced back at the quarters then let himself in through the door of his cottage. He was only looking out for her until Ed came back. That was as far as it went.

The morning air was crisp, but without a cloud in the sky the day promised to be a warm one. Freshly showered, Pete stood at his kitchen bench eating cereal and thinking through his plans for the day. He put down the bowl as his mobile rang.

“Morning Felicity,” he said then frowned as she croaked back at him. “You don't sound good.”

“Sorry, Pete, I'm still not well,” she rasped.

“Don't worry. I'll manage. You take it easy.”

He brushed over her apologies, told her to get better soon and ended the call. Felicity had been away a few days already. Normally she didn't work every day but this time of the year she always put in extra hours. It was tricky without her help, especially with Ed away.

Pete had just put his phone in his pocket when it rang again. This time the name on the screen was his mate Ben. Pete's finger hesitated over the answer tab. Ben was meant to be coming in today. Pete hoped this call was just to confirm arrangements and not to cancel.

“Hello, Ben.”

“Hey mate. Bit of trouble with some stock. I can't come in.”

Pete scrunched up his face. The son of a local farmer, Ben needed extra work to supplement his income. Pete was grateful for his help but the farm came first. He kept his tone jovial. “No worries mate, we'll be right. You do what you have to do.”

Once he'd ended the call Pete stared at his phone a moment. It was a bugger Ed was away. He wondered how much longer till his brother came back. The riesling was in but their Limestone Coast supplier would be picking the sauv blanc grapes any day and then
the chardonnay would be ready. He had more wine to truck out and tanks to clean. There wasn't time to man phones or help Noelene in the cellar door. There were a lot of extra tourists around this week. He hoped Noelene would manage on her own.

He glanced at his watch. It had been his father's. How he wished his dad and mum were still here. He swallowed the last of his coffee, stacked his dishes in the sink and lifted his head. No amount of wishing would bring his parents back. The tanker for his riesling would be here in an hour. He had to make sure all was ready, divert the office phone to his mobile and check the cellar door was ready for Noelene. Sometimes he thought it would be easier if they opened it every day but then he or Ed would have to be there and that wasn't always possible.

He picked up his phone and selected Ed's number. Perhaps he was on his way home.

It took a while before his brother's croaky voice answered.

“Pete? Bloody hell, what time is it?”

“Seven o'clock here. Where are you?”

“Sydney and still in bed. I've had a big couple of days. What's up?”

Pete hesitated. He didn't want Ed to think he couldn't manage the place on his own but they were two staff members down.

“Just wondering when you'll be back,” he said.

“Everything all right there?”

“Yes. It's getting busy, that's all.”

“I'm not sitting on my bum here, you know.” Ed's tone was defensive.

“Any luck with new markets?”

“I'll tell you all about it when I get home.”

“When will that be?”

“I don't know yet, Peter.”

Pete hated the way his brother spoke sometimes. He was Pete's senior by two years but sometimes he spoke as if he was an adult chastising a child.

“Soon…a few more days. I have to make a stop off in Melbourne overnight again. Someone I missed on the way over.” Suddenly his voice lightened. “Now that I'm awake I'm going to make the most of the morning without appointments. I'll be in touch.”

The call ended. Pete stared at the screen. This trip had come up out of the blue. Not that that was unusual in the wine industry. If there was an opportunity to make a deal you had to take it when you could but Pete felt totally in the dark about Ed's current trip.

A text beeped from his inbox.

“What now?” he murmured as Noelene's name appeared. He read her message.

Cracked a tooth. Going to the Mount. Ben should be fine till I get back.

Pete groaned. What was with the world today? Three staff members not available. He hoped that was the end of his problems. He took his hat from the back of the chair and headed out the front door. First things first. Check everything was ready for the tanker in case it came early. Then he might get some office time in.

Taylor sat in the sunshine that poured through the big living room window and sipped her coffee. She'd only unpacked the bare necessities from her van last night. Her coffee machine was definitely a necessity. The morning sun was warm on her shoulders but she imagined it wouldn't be too long and she'd have to pull the blind down if the day was going to turn out anything like yesterday.

She looked around the room. Peter had been right about the place being comfortable. The chair she sat in was an old one, the fabric on the arms was worn and grubby, but she nestled easily into it. And she'd had a fabulous sleep. The bedrooms were cell-like with high ceilings. There was only room for a single bed and the window above it was also small. There was a clothes rack, a bedside cupboard and thankfully a ceiling fan which had helped stir the air till the temperature had dropped in the early hours and she'd pulled
up the sheet. Little light came in through the window and the thick brick walls cocooned her from outside sounds. She hadn't woken until eight o'clock. It had been a deep, refreshing sleep.

Taylor stretched her legs then tucked them up beneath her. Her energy had returned along with a tingle of anticipation. She didn't know what the day would bring but she didn't want to lose that feeling.

She gazed out at the vines stretching away beyond her window. She couldn't see any grapes amongst the deep green leaves basking in the morning sun. The roof of a house was just visible in the distance. She didn't have her bearings yet but she assumed it was Ed's house.

She glanced at her mobile perched on one of the wide arms and willed it to ring. Once she'd settled in last night she'd tried to ring Ed. His phone had gone straight to voicemail. She hadn't left a message. What would she say? ‘You said come back so here I am' or ‘Hi, just passing through Penola, thought I'd call in'.

Peter already knew that wasn't true. He could have even rung Ed, warned him that she was here and that she was going to ring. Perhaps that was why Ed hadn't answered. She shook her head and berated herself. Already she was doing a good job of smothering the hopeful feeling. She looked back at the view. No negativity. Instead she pictured Ed's brother, so different in looks and personality than Ed and yet she liked him. He was kind, that was obvious from his offer of a place to stay, and he had the most beautiful eyes. They were the same colour as Ed's, blue, but they had a different hue. Ed's were darker. Pete's were clear light blue with a look that made you want to fall into his arms. She shook herself. Not that she was going to. Ed was the reason she was here.

Once more she looked at her phone.

She gritted her teeth and pushed out of the chair. It was all very well to sit drinking coffee in the sunshine but what was she going to do next? Did she stay another day? If she didn't where would she
go? Not back to Adelaide. She'd have to admit to Cass that she'd stuffed up. She'd already sent her friend a text last night saying she'd arrived safely and all was well.

“No going back, Taylor,” she muttered.

She rinsed her cup and straightened the kitchen chair she'd sat on to eat her meal last night. In the bedroom she pulled up the sheet on the bed then sat on it. Now what? She'd showered last night and her towel still hung over the door. She plucked it down and set off along the passage. Maybe another shower would help her to think.

Pete dashed back to his cottage. It was nearly time to open the cellar door. He wanted to grab a bite to eat and change his shirt. He jammed some cheese and tomato between two pieces of bread and went in search of his cellar door shirt.

His day had gone relatively well so far considering the start he'd had. The tanker had been a bit late but the process had gone smoothly. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to man the cellar door and juggle the rest of his jobs but he was hoping Noelene wouldn't be too long.

There was no work shirt in his wardrobe, so he rummaged in the laundry basket. He had three of them, usually he kept one over at the cellar door but it hadn't been there. He'd just have to wear a different shirt. What did it matter? Ed was the one who'd decided they needed the shirts. Pete tugged his t-shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. Then he remembered he'd done the washing a couple of days ago. His shirts would be on the line. He stepped out his back door and stopped. He'd completely forgotten about Taylor. Her van was still parked at the front of the quarters.

He plucked a shirt from the line. It was a bit creased but it would do.

“Hello.”

He turned at the sound of her voice. She'd come from the track that led out to the road.

“Morning,” he said and slipped his arms into his shirt.

She came to a stop just beyond the crumbling fence that marked the edge of his yard. He couldn't see her eyes but she was smiling at him from under a broad straw hat. It was one of the assorted leftovers from the quarters.

“I've been for a walk but it's getting quite hot.”

“Sorry, I haven't had time to call in.” Pete couldn't believe he'd forgotten all about her. “Are you getting on all right?”

“Fine.”

He fumbled with his buttons. “Any plans for the day?”

A small frown wiped away her smile. “Not really.”

“Would you like to help out at the cellar door for a while?”

She looked at him. Her frown deepened. Why had he asked? She was just here for Ed.

“I don't know anything about wine,” she said. The smile came back. “But I could wash glasses, wipe benches.”

“That'd be good. I'm short-staffed today.” He glanced at his watch. “I have to go. Come down when you're ready.”

Pete dashed back through the cottage. He picked up the remains of his sandwich, grabbed his hat and strode out the front door. It was opening time.

“So tell me what you do again.”

Edward looked at the woman opposite. They were at a wine bar occupying two chairs at an outside table. The table was in the shade but the sky over Sydney was slightly overcast and they both wore sunglasses against the late afternoon glare. Heidi peered at him over the top of hers. She was blonde, attractive, but somehow she'd seemed more fun at the bar last night.