Page 6 of Vineyard Dreams

5

Two weeks had passed since Harper first arrived at the vineyard, and she had thrown herself into the task of breathing new life into the neglected property that had once been her childhood home. With the help of her friend’s brother, an interior designer with a wealth of connections, she managed to transform the aging house into a space that truly reflected her style and personality.

Harper hung a framed photo of her with her parents in the hallway and stood back, checking to make sure it was straight. She’d had a relaxing day, admiring the freshly painted walls and the carefully curated furniture that now filled the rooms, not quite believing how much they’d gotten done. Her arms and back ached from painting, and today was the first day she hadn’t painted a wall or moved furniture.

Instead, she’d spent the morning in the kitchen, completely giving into the nostalgia of being back here, even though so much of the house was different now. Harper had made her mother’s famous pancakes and eaten them outside on her new deck. Then she’d gone on a long walk around the property, still trying to process how her uncle had let the place go like this. Of course, he hadn’t answered any of her calls. And now, as thesun was starting to dip in the sky, she was thinking about what she’d make for dinner later. Whatever it was, it was going to be accompanied by a very large glass of red wine. At least, her uncle had left her father’s wine cellar untouched.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts, and she opened it to find Elle standing on the porch, a bottle of wine in her hand.

“Hi,” Harper said, taking Elle in. She wore a crisp white button-down with the sleeves rolled up, revealing tanned forearms that spoke of long days working in the vineyard, and a pair of well-worn jeans. Her chestnut hair fell across her shoulders in loose waves, the lighter tones catching in the golden light.

“Hi.” Elle lifted the bottle, and Harper noticed the label - it was one of Elle’s own wines. “I just wanted to officially say, welcome, and to see how you were doing.”

“Thanks.” Harper’s fingers brushed Elle’s as she accepted the bottle. “Would you like to stay for a glass?” Harper asked.

Elle hesitated slightly, but then her lips were tugging into a smile. “Sure.”

Harper stepped back to let her new neighbor in. The movement caused Elle’s perfume to drift past - something earthy with hints of the ocean that reminded Harper of summer evenings.

“Wow. The place looks amazing,” Elle said as she took in the transformed space.

“Thanks. I tried to make it my own while still keeping a few things that reminded me of the past.”

As Elle stepped into the hallway, her gaze fell on the framed photo Harper had just hung up. “Your parents?” she asked, her tone gentle and curious.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I was only up here once probably about two and a half years ago, when I started to notice a change in the traffic coming up and down this road. I wanted to check in on Daniel, but he wasn’t the most friendly neighbor. I remember what it was like then, the bit of the house that I saw, and I can’t believe this is the same place.”

Harper nodded as they moved into the kitchen. She watched Elle take in the new cabinets and counters, and the island that was now in the middle of the room. It had a cozy chic finish, nothing too modern. She took down two wine glasses, still not quite believing that her uncle had been so careless. If he hadn’t wanted to run the vineyard, he should have said so, and Harper would have thought about buying it off him years ago. Even after two weeks, her anger threatened to bubble up every now and then, but she pushed it down and focused on her guest.

Harper opened the bottle and poured them each a glass. “Will we sit outside and catch the sunset?”

“Sure.” Elle thanked her as Harper handed her a glass, and Harper led the way outside to the back deck.

“This is new?”

“Yeah,” Harper said as she took a seat on the outdoor sofa, the gray cushions surprisingly comfortable.

“I can’t believe how much you got done in what? Two weeks?”

Harper smiled as Elle sat down beside her. “I just know a lot of people and called in a lot of favors.”

Harper took a sip of her wine. It was rich and complex with a hint of cherries and maybe blackberries. “This is excellent,” she said, swirling the deep red liquid in her glass.

“Thanks. It’s our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon. That was a good year.” Elle turned toward her. “So, what’s your plan for the vineyard?”

Harper’s stomach tightened. She’d been avoiding thinking too deeply about that particular challenge. “Honestly? I’m not sure yet. I thought I’d be picking up where my uncle left off. I never imagined that there would be this much work to do. I’ve been so focused on the house that I haven’t thought too much about the business side of things.”

“Well, if you’re interested, I could show you around my place sometime. Give you an idea of what’s possible.”

“I’d like that.” Harper found herself studying Elle’s profile, the way her lips curved into a slight smile as she gazed out at the vineyard. There was something magnetic about her presence, a quiet confidence that drew Harper in.

“You know, when I first started, I made every mistake in the book,” Elle said. “Planted the wrong varieties in the wrong soil, fought with nature instead of working with it.” She chuckled. “But eventually, I figured it out.”

The admission made Harper feel better. “How long did it take you?”

“To feel like I knew what I was doing? About five years.” Elle turned to face her. “But that was before I really understood sustainable practices. Now, it’s like starting over sometimes, but in the best way possible.”

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