Rose's Vintage (25 page)

At dinner, he and Mark joined Rose and Astrid, wolfing their food down and talking incomprehensibly about clones and trellising, stuck ferments, bunch rot and fruit set. Rose felt usurped from her place as Mark's confidante and it was making her cranky. She'd already snapped at Leo for leaving wet towels all over the bathroom floor. ‘Honestly, Leo, could you pick up after yourself?' she'd grouched. And she'd nearly lost her temper with Luisa when she spilled her juice on the carpet, even though she'd known it was an accident. She felt irritable and out of sorts, her normal sunny good humour deserting her.

It didn't help that Henry was pressing her for more information: in his last email he'd said he'd need specifics soon so he could make a bid for Kalkari. Despite her bad mood, Rose wasn't sure anymore that she wanted him to. She wondered how she could get him to change his mind. It wouldn't be easy.

On Friday night, the two men headed into town for dinner at the pub, leaving Rose up to her elbows in flour, sugar and pears, hard at work on muffins for Ferment. After settling Leo and Luisa into bed, Astrid lay on the sofa, zoning out in front of
The Biggest Loser
. Rose could hear her occasional snorts of incredulous laughter sounding all the way though to the kitchen. Absorbed in her baking, she quickly lost track of time, but knew it was late when she heard Mark return from the pub. He poked his head inside the kitchen door, ‘Still up, Rose?'

‘Nearly finished,' she replied, elbowing away the hair that had fallen into her eyes.

‘You've got flour on your face again,' he said, motioning to her. ‘Here … just here.' He moved towards her, placed a thumb on her cheek and gently rubbed the smudge away.

Rose shivered involuntarily.

‘Well, I'd better hit the hay,' he said, giving a huge yawn.

‘G'night,' she replied, ‘Don't let the bugs bite.'

He grinned at her, a crooked smile spreading across his face and lighting up his eyes, but then he was gone as soon as he'd arrived.

Rose's cheeks burned as she took the last cake out of the oven, though she knew it was from the heat that Mark's touch had ignited, and not from her baking. She felt powerless to do anything about the growing feelings she had for her boss. ‘It's just a silly crush; get over it,' she kept repeating whenever she found herself thinking about him, which was all too often. She sighed. She wasn't doing a very good job of convincing herself.

Finishing the washing up, she made her way over to the barn. The only sign of Jake was a thunderous snoring coming from his room.

Rose woke even earlier than usual on Saturday, excited at the prospect of reopening Ferment. She'd persuaded Mrs B to come over and serve tea, and Dan was on hand to run the tastings. As she crept out of the barn, the air was already heating up. It was going to be a warm one. Blackbirds warbled a cheery good morning to her as she headed over to the cellar door to crank up the Marzocco, savouring the prospect of a strong dose of caffeine to help her power through the day.

And she'd needed it. She'd contacted Eumeralla's visitor centre to let them know of the reopening. They said they'd been fielding inquiries about Ferment for weeks and would be happy to put the word out again. they'd done their job well. People came in droves. She and Mrs B were rushed off their feet, and they had sold out of pear and chocolate muffins and lime and coconut bread by noon. Thankfully Rose had learnt from previous experience and stocked up on several sacks of coffee beans from Sacred Grounds before the start of the weekend.

Sunday was even busier, and Rose was glad she'd risen at five to bake more muffins, despite having to be as quiet as she could manage to avoid waking the slumbering house.

Mark and Jake arrived at the cellar door in the late afternoon, just as she was collecting the last few cups from the outdoor table they'd set up in front of the cellar door.

‘Hey, Rose, got any leftovers for two hungry blokes?' asked Mark. ‘Looks like you've had a good day, judging from the stream of cars we saw heading up the drive this morning.'

‘It's been hectic, alright. But you're in luck. I saved a couple of slices of caramel date cake. I'll just go grab them.'

‘You had me at caramel,' groaned Mark theatrically. ‘But don't worry, I'll fetch them,' he said, heading towards the cellar door before she could move.

Rose was left outside with Jake, who was leaning comfortably against the tree, ‘You're in your element, aren't you?' he said, taking in her flushed cheeks and dishevelled hair, which had escaped from the morning's sleek ponytail. ‘There's something awesome about seeing someone doing exactly what makes them happy.'

‘I guess,' said Rose, unsure how to answer him. ‘It's good to feel useful, and I love it here,' she admitted.

‘I can see why. It's a beaut bit of land. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do with it, though Mark's made a great start already.'

‘Do you think you'll get the grapes he needs for the UK order?'

‘It's all a bit early to tell. A lot depends on the vintage. And there's still a fair bit to do over at Trevelyn's. Those old girls were pretty switched on, but there's a lot of work needed to grow decent grapes.'

‘They've been doing it perfectly well for years,' Rose said, feeling that she should defend the sisters.

‘Yeah, but you have to admit they're getting on a bit now. And they were pretty knocked around by the fire. Anyway, they've agreed with Mark that we can oversee their vineyards as well as ours in return for first dibs on their extra fruit, so it's a win-win. We'll be continuing to grow their grapes biodynamically, and bringing that in at Kalkari too. But it's labour-intensive.'

‘What's labour-intensive? Making this perfect caramel cake?' asked Mark, emerging with a slice in each hand and offering one to Jake. ‘Rose, I can see why you drew the crowds today; this is bloody delicious.'

Well, at least he appreciated her baking, if not the rest of her. ‘Thanks, but it might have had more to do with the fact that the Assignation shiraz was open for tasting, you know.'

‘Nope. I'm sure they came for the cake,' said Mark through a mouthful of crumbs.

Later that evening, as the sun was colouring the hills golden, Astrid returned from Eumeralla bearing a tower of square cardboard boxes. ‘I guessed you'd be too tired to cook, so I picked up pizza. Ham and pineapple for the kids. Gourmet for us. Salami, fetta and olives, anyone?'

‘You're a lifesaver,' said Rose, sinking into a chair and easing off her boots. ‘It smells like heaven.' She'd been on her feet since five that morning.

The six of them gathered around the scrubbed kitchen table, Astrid jammed a couple of candles into some empty wine bottles and lowered the lights as Mark retrieved a clutch of reds from the cellar.

‘Not drinking, Astrid?” asked Jake, waving the bottle in her direction.

‘Umm, no, thanks. Don't really feel like it,' replied Astrid, glancing at Rose. The Austrian girl had taken to wearing baggy tops to hide the growing evidence of her pregnancy.

Despite feeling completely knackered from her early start and the frantic day, Rose found a second wind and chugged down the wine and pizza with gusto. Even Jake was less annoying than usual and she found herself chortling with laughter at his impression of some of the valley's characters. It felt like she was becoming part of a family, albeit an unconventional one, even if she still wasn't sure exactly where her piece of the puzzle fitted.

CHAPTER 25

‘H
ey! Psst … Rose.'

Rose raised a groggy head from her pillow, wincing as the sunlight hit her eyes. It took a minute before she remembered where she was and why she wasn't up with the birds, running across the vineyards. Oh yes. She'd had more than one bottle of red last night with Jack, Mark and also Thommo, who'd dropped in to see Astrid, but on finding she'd gone to bed had been persuaded to stay for a drink or two.

‘Rose. Are you there?'

‘Umnngh,' she groaned. ‘Come in.'

Astrid poked her head around Rose's door. ‘Hi, I'm glad you're up.'

‘I wasn't,' protested Rose.

‘Listen, I've got to go to New Bridgeton for a scan this afternoon. Can you come with me? Please?'

‘You know Thommo was here last night, looking for you?'

‘Oh, was he?' Astrid looked a bit taken aback. ‘I don't know what to say to him. The other week didn't really go so well, did it?'

‘Perhaps he wants a second chance? After all, you did kind of spring it on him,' said Rose.

‘It's not like I had a choice. Is not my fault he went straight and put his arms round my waist!' Astrid protested. ‘Anyway, you don't look too well this morning,' she said, changing the subject.

‘One glass of wine too many for me, I reckon. I don't know how those guys do it. Don't think it helped that I'd been on my feet for more than twelve hours.'

Astrid passed her a glass of water from the side table, and threw a packet of painkillers onto the bed. ‘They're already out in the vineyard. They grab a slice of toast and hop into the ute. What do you think about Jake, hey? If I wasn't already in trouble, I'd crack to him,' she said, winking at Rose.

‘It's “crack on” to him, Astrid,' said Rose, having heard the expression from Angie once in the pub. ‘Anyway, you're impossible! Don't you think you're already in enough trouble?' Rose threw a pillow at her.

‘Okay, I was joking, honest,' replied Astrid. ‘So, can you come with me? I really don't want to go by myself, and I don't think Thommo will come. The appointment is at two. Luisa has a playdate this afternoon, so we should be finished in plenty of time to pick up Leo and then her.'

‘Of course. Now, can I try and sleep off this thumper of a headache?'

Rose and Astrid headed to the medical centre after lunch, Rose feeling clear-headed again after a sleep-in, painkillers and a large coffee.

‘Ohhh, that's really cold!' Astrid winced at the jelly being spread on her stomach by the woman performing the ultrasound. Her fierce grip on Rose's hand betrayed her nervousness. The technician pressed a large white probe down onto her belly and on a screen above them they watched a grainy swirling mass.