Something in the Wine

by Tricia Stringer

  Flynn’s bike thrummed outside as she placed some lunch on the table. She switched on the kettle just as Flynn’s shadow went past the window and the sliding door flew open.

  Keely smile faded as she took in the dark look on Flynn’s face.

  “Where’s Euan?” The glass rattled as he shut the door with a clunk behind him.

  Keely was speechless. Was this the same man who had been here this morning, eagerly discussing food and wine ideas?

  “I’m here.” Euan came back into the room.

  “What have you done?”

  “Obviously something to upset you. What is it this time?”

  “When were you going to get around to telling me your plans for the Haystack Block?”

  Euan crossed the room and stood calmly at the end of the table. “I assume Benny Bensen and his team have started planting the new sauv blanc vines.”

  “He’s nearly finished.”

  Keely felt as if she was at a tennis match. Her eyes flicked from the angry Flynn to the sad-faced Euan. Why did they argue so much? Once again, she was trapped in the kitchen. It was like deja vu.

  “The sauv blanc has sold well. We need more.” Euan leaned on the back of a dining chair.

  “You know I wanted to plant something new there.” Flynn gripped the back of the chair at his end of the table.

  “Replicating a wine that’s selling well is good business.”

  “How could you make that kind of commitment without talking to me?”

  “I’ve always done the marketing. I can sell a lot more of the sauv blanc.”

  “And what happened to consultation?”

  “You weren’t there.”

  “You could have phoned.”

  At that moment, the phone rang. Both men glared at each other down the table and it was Keely who picked up the receiver, relieved to be able to do something.

  “Levallier Dell,” she said.

  “Hello, is that Keely?”

  Even though she’d only spoken to her once before, Keely recognised the perfect tones of the voice in her ear. “Yes.”

  “It’s Maggie Levallier here. Is my brother at home?”

  “Yes.” Keely held out the phone to Euan. “It’s your sister.”

  He took it from her and disappeared into the other end of the house again.

  Flynn thumped the back of the chair, then winced. “Ouch.” He shook his fingers, dragged the chair out and sat down. “Damn him. It’s like trying to talk to the wind.”

  “Would you like a coffee or tea?”

  Flynn turned, the look on his face suggesting he’d forgotten she was there again. She held her breath as his eyes searched hers.

  “A coffee would be great. Thanks, Keely.”

  He was silent while she made two coffees. She brought them to the table and placed one in front of Flynn, who was studying the wine bottle he held in his hands. He looked so dejected. She resisted the urge to reach out and put her hand on his.

  “Have you ever wondered if you’re doing the right thing?” He looked up quickly and caught her studying him.

  “Pardon?” She reached for her coffee, then had to steady the cup with two hands, as the hot liquid threatened to slop over the rim.

  “You’re a teacher. You must love working with kids. For me, it’s growing the grapes to make wine and then reaching that moment when everything is just right. When the best fruit and the best technique bring it all together. That’s my passion. Then to share the finished product with people and get their reaction…at least that’s what I’ve always believed. Sometimes though, I wonder if I should have chosen another path altogether…or maybe I just need to be somewhere else.” He took a sip of his coffee.

  Keely watched him over her cup. She could tell he wasn’t expecting a response. Just as well. She didn’t know what she should say. She’d never really thought about why she’d chosen teaching. It’d just happened, a natural progression. Both her parents were teachers and it was expected that she would follow in their footsteps. She loved art but did she love teaching it? Somehow, it all got lost in yard duties, meetings, professional development, reports and…She thought of her last class and her stomach lurched.

  “Sorry.”

  Flynn’s voice startled her.

  She looked up to find him grinning at her. They’d both been lost in their own thoughts.

  “Didn’t mean to scare you with a deep and meaningful,” he said. “I always believed Euan and I wanted the same things but I’m not so sure anymore.” He took some of the sandwiches and put them on his plate. “How did you get on with the menu?”

  Keely jumped up to retrieve the pad she’d shoved out of sight. She was keen to change the subject but also to hear his response to her ideas for the food.

  “I took into account our facilities and also what our nearest neighbour offers.”

  “River Dynasty?”

  “Yes, I walked up to the road and along to their gate. An old guy drove up while I was there. Asked me where I’d come from and invited me in for a meal. He said he owned the place.”

  “That would’ve been Theo.”

  “He was full of questions. Anyway, they’ve got a menu board at their gate. It’s different food and restaurant prices.”

  “We can’t compete with Theo’s facility.” Flynn looked glum again.

  “But why try? There must be all kinds of people attending the Divine Wine and Dine weekend. You believe your wines are outstanding; the food is just an extra on the day. Keep it basic and let the wine do the talking. There must be people who would appreciate that.”

  Flynn sat up straighter in his chair. Keely had to look away from those searching blue eyes. She fiddled with the pad in front of her.

  “I’ve gone for three courses. Like you suggested, something for each of your wines. I don’t know anything about wine so I’ve had to use your books to do some research. I’ve come up with things that are easy to prepare and serve. We won’t need cutlery or plates.”

  Flynn came to stand beside her and look over her shoulder. She tensed, imagining the touch of his hand.

  He leaned close and picked up the pad. “May I?”

  There was a fresh earthy smell about him. “Of course. Take a look. You might not like my ideas.” Keely’s words tumbled over each other. “I know you suggested chicken or fish to accompany the chardonnay but from my research I thought we could pair it with a Margaret River charcuterie board. You said your chardonnay is full-bodied with bigger texture and flavour so I was thinking we could use a selection of local cured meats, cheeses, olives, hummus, and pickled vegetables, that type of thing. That’s easier to prepare and is one course that also caters for vegetarians and people who need to be gluten free. We could follow it with a pulled pork and slaw roll to accompany a glass of your cabernet sauvignon. I got stuck on the dessert. In the end I thought a bite-sized pavlova swirl with unsweetened cream and berries might be okay for the glass of late-harvest semillon and once again that’s suitable for quite a few dietary requirements.”

  She stopped. Flynn continued to stare at the paper he held. She rushed on to fill the silence. “It might not be what you wanted but I thought, seeing that Levallier Dell was a mixture of French and Australian, the charcuterie board and the pavlova were a good combination.” Suddenly she wanted him to approve her ideas. She’d enjoyed planning the menu and looked forward to helping with the Divine Wine and Dine weekend.

  The silence continued for a moment longer then Flynn spoke. “This looks great.” This time, he did put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in closer. “With some helpers, I think it’s actually feasible.”

  Keely relaxed and allowed herself to smile.

  “Perhaps you could throw in some boiled potatoes for the Irish touch.”

  Euan’s voice startled them. Flynn’s hand fell from her shoulder and they both spun around. Euan stood in the room behind them. How long had he been there? He gave her a speculative look. What was he thinking? She dropped her gaz
e. Once again, she felt torn between her allegiance to Euan for his kindness and her interest in Flynn because…because of what? She wasn’t sure.

  “I’m only joking about the potatoes. C’est bien.” Euan crossed the room and replaced the phone in its cradle then moved to the outer door. “Flynn, you’ll have another slave for the weekend. Maggie is coming to stay. There’s work to be done, you know. I don’t like the look of this weather.”

  Keely looked again at the sky, which was now a brilliant blue with big white clouds. It was warmer now than it had been all day.

  “We might be in for a storm,” Euan said before he shut the door and walked away.

  Flynn glanced through the glass behind him and straightened up. His look was serious for a moment, then he turned to Keely and broke into a smile again. “Euan’s losing the plot. Those clouds are like big white cauliflowers.”

  He had the most gorgeous smile but Keely could only manage a forced grin in return. She wasn’t so sure she was looking forward to meeting Maggie Levallier.

  CHAPTER 16

  “I can’t believe it.” Flynn shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his jacket. In the moonlight, he could see the white sparkle of ice over the ground. “That storm came from nowhere.”

  “October weather can be beautiful but it can also be treacherous. We’re lucky we’ve only suffered bad hail damage at Levallier Dell once before.” Euan’s hat was stuck firmly on his head and his bony fingers gleamed from the ends of his fingerless gloves.

  Flynn looked towards the easterly skyline, where a faint smudge of light signalled the arrival of dawn. He wanted to be able to see the sky. Not that seeing it the day before had given him an indication of the wild storm they’d had in the night. They were insured against hail loss but that didn’t put their wine in the bottle shops.

  He arched his shoulders, rubbed his face then pushed his hands back into the warmth of his pockets. He had been up since four am, when the pounding of hail on the roof had drowned the sound of the wind.

  Now the wind had gone but it was so cold the ice was still lying in clumps on the ground. He peered at the vines in front of him as the sky lightened. It was the early budding chardonnay vines that were most vulnerable at this time.

  “It’s small consolation,” Flynn said, “but if we lose them, we’ve got insurance.”

  “What?” Euan turned a weary, puzzled face to Flynn.

  “I’ve included it in our insurance for the last few years.”

  “Why?” Euan’s voice rose a little. “It’s a freak occurrence.”

  “I’m sure we discussed it when I changed the policy. You said yourself it happens here sometimes and now it has. When I was updating the policies, it was one of the options we decided to leave in.”

  “I don’t remember any mention of it.”

  “Perhaps you were away at the time.”

  Euan slapped his leg. “Damn it Flynn, you worry too much. It’s an extra expense we don’t need.”

  Flynn drew his hands from his pockets and gestured towards the chardonnay vines. “Look around you. We might need it.”

  “Might!” Euan shoved his hands in his pockets and strode away along the edge of the vines.

  Flynn watched his silhouette move into the distance for as far as the early light allowed. “Bugger you, Euan. Every time there’s an important conversation you walk away.”

  * * *

  Keely heard the sliding door open and close and decided to get up. It was only six o’clock but she had been awake for a while. The sounds of the storm had disturbed her several times in the night and, after it passed, the sudden quiet had left her sleepless.

  When she opened the bedroom door, it was Flynn who was stoking up the fire in the pot belly. “Good morning.”

  He glanced briefly in her direction. “Morning.”

  Obviously not a good one though. Keely crossed to the kitchen. “Have you had breakfast?” she asked.

  “No, I’ll get something later.” He shut the door on the fire and carefully hung the poker back on its hook. “I have to go back outside for a while.”

  “Is something wrong? I heard someone moving about in the night.”

  “Sorry, that was Euan and me coming and going. There was a bad storm and lots of hail. It’s still so cold out there and the ground looks like we’ve had a visit from Jack Frost.” He stretched his arms high in the air above his head, yawned and leaned back. Keely glimpsed a strip of firm flesh across his stomach as his t-shirt pulled away from his jeans. He let his arms drop, his gaze locked on hers.

  She turned away quickly, saying the first thing that came into her head. “I met him the other day. He seemed a very interesting character.”

  There was silence for a moment before Flynn asked, “Who?”

  “Jack Frost. He was out cracking his whip…”

  Keely was cut off by a strange sound. She looked around to see Flynn laughing. She put her hands to her cheeks as the warm glow spread down to her neck. “Oh. It’s the wrong person isn’t it? His name was Jack Telford. Who is Jack Frost?”

  Flynn struggled to contain his laughter. “You haven’t heard the expression ‘Jack Frost’?”

  “Expression?”

  “Jack Frost. It means frost, as in the weather.” His face became serious again. “There’s ice everywhere this morning, from the hail. It reminded me of the frosts I’d seen in South Australia.”

  “Oh.” Keely stuck her head in the fridge to look for some eggs and to cool her cheeks. “You must be freezing. I’d be happy to cook some breakfast for when you come back.”

  He didn’t answer. She shut the fridge up and realised he’d moved across the room and was standing right behind her on the other side of the breakfast bar. He looked as if he was going to say something, then he picked up his jacket and went to the door.

  Before he closed it he looked at her again. “Thanks, I’ll be about ten minutes.”

  Keely stared after him and put a hand to her chest where she could feel the thumping of her heart. What was going on? In spite of Flynn’s changeable moods there was something about him that she found very attractive.

  She stifled a giggle. Jack Frost. Now that she thought about it, she did have a childhood memory of someone using that name. Flynn must think she was silly but, all the same, she couldn’t help humming to herself while she prepared the scrambled eggs.

  He returned, true to his word, ten minutes later. Keely had the table set, the juice poured and coffee ready to go.

  When they sat down to eat the scrambled eggs, Flynn explained about the storm and their concern that the hail may have damaged the young buds.

  “You must both be tired,” Keely said. “Is Euan coming in for breakfast?”

  “He’s still doing something outside.”

  No sooner had he said it when Euan came in the door. He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked exhausted.

  “I don’t think we need to worry too much,” he said. “We’ve been lucky.”

  “We can check it out in the full light after breakfast,” Flynn said.

  Keely got up to serve some eggs for Euan.

  He intercepted her. “Don’t worry about me, Keely. Thanks, but I need to clear the cobwebs. I’m going for a surf.”

  “What about the chardonnay vines?” Flynn snapped.

  “Give Hugh a call and ask him to come over later. The vines aren’t going anywhere.”

  “But…”

  Euan cut him off. “Nothing’s going to change in the next few hours. You can look at them if you like but I’m taking a break.”

  He went through to the laundry where he kept his wetsuit and they heard the outer door shut. Keely sat down again. She couldn’t imagine wanting to go out into the ocean on such a cold morning. In the silence, she heard the old Volvo come to life and drive away.

  Flynn’s cutlery clattered on his plate and Keely jumped.

  “Bloody hell, he infuriates me so much.” He stood up and looked
out of the glass, his hands on his hips. “It’s like trying to pin down the wind.”

  Keely got the impression his last sentence was said more to himself. She had become invisible again.

  * * *

  “It’s a disaster.”

  Kat stood with her back to the window as Pappou paced the room.

  Her uncle Tony sat in one of the big leather chairs. “I said we should have insured.” His voice was little more than a murmur.

  “We are insured,” Pappou snapped.

  “But not against hail damage, Baba. We’ve talked about it but you said it never happened here and you wanted every cent that River Dynasty brought in used to set up Ocean Dynasty.”

  “Don’t tell me what I want.” Pappou stopped pacing and thumped the desk with his fist. “What I want is for the chardonnay vines to be blossoming with new shoots instead of tattered shreds, shrivelling and dying.”

  “It might not be so bad. It might only be a setback,” Tony said.

  “A setback! While you were warm in your bed, I was watching our wine harvest being destroyed. It was like a white Christmas out there.” Pappou jabbed his finger towards the window. Kat could see the veins on his forehead standing out. He was so wound up, he didn’t even notice her. She was worried he’d burst.

  “Theo, stop that shouting in my house.” Yia-yia came through the door carrying a tray piled with cups and the coffee pot. Kat made a space for her on the large wooden desk. “No one can help the weather. Not Tony and certainly not you. Calm down and have a coffee.”

  “This is my office and I didn’t say we wanted coffee.”

  “Well, if you don’t want it I’m sure Katerina and Tony would like a cup.”

  Yia-yia began to pour and Kat held her breath as she watched Pappou struggle to control his temper. She took a cup from Yia-yia and passed it to Tony.

  “Please, Pappou. Sit down and have a coffee.” She smiled at him.

  “Bah! I am getting too old for this.” He took the coffee Kat offered and sat behind his desk. “Four million dollars just like that.”

  “Surely not that much, Theo,” Yia-yia said.