Sweet From the Vine

by Jacquie Underdown

  ‘I heard Tom worked away for a while?’

  Mitch rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t get me started on that.’

  ‘I thought it would have been a sore point.’ Matilda remembered how Mitch only had eyes for the vineyard. As she spoke to him about heading out into the big wide world, he was always so genuinely contented with his intended path to take over the family business.

  It had always bemused her how he could be so sure of his life’s path at such a young age. She was also slightly envious because even though she had decided what she wanted to do with her life after high school, she was never truly certain it was right or what she truly wanted.

  ‘And Sam went off to university, right?’

  He nodded. ‘Much to Dad’s disappointment. But Dad also knew he couldn’t dictate what we should do. It was our life after all, and he knew his dream may not be ours.’

  ‘Seems like it ended up that way, though?’

  He swallowed down his mouthful. ‘Yeah, I think these last two seasons, even with all the darkness hanging over us, we’ve all been the surest of our places at the vineyard.’

  ‘I’m glad. You deserve to be happy. Each of you.’

  ‘Ellie and Amy have had a lot to do with that. And then there’s Livvy, Sam’s daughter. Tom and Sam have really seemed to settle into it.’

  ‘Sam especially from what I’ve heard. I remember some rumours from old friends he was a bit of a playboy.’

  Mitch drew in a deep breath. ‘Yes, well, there were some deeper issues there that he may tell you about himself.’

  She smiled. ‘I understand.’ That was obviously a story private to Sam, and Matilda would only learn about it if Sam wanted her to know. ‘And here we are, back to the present.’ Yet no mention of Rachel.

  ‘Yep,’ he said.

  Sophie ran over to the table and crawled onto Mitch’s lap. She picked at the lasagne on his plate. ‘That’s mine,’ he said.

  She laughed, but continued to grab pieces of minced beef and put them in her mouth.

  When they had finished their main, Matilda dished them up cheesecake for dessert.

  ‘Oh, you are spoiling me,’ he said eyeing the slice of cookies and cream cheesecake sitting before him. Sophie was leaning back against his chest, her eyelids slowly drooping, in no way interested in his cake.

  ‘I may have remembered this was your favourite.’

  ‘Rachel used to make the best baked cheesecake …’ he trailed off when he caught himself.

  But Matilda used it as an opportunity to open him up. ‘She was a pastry chef like Amy, right?’

  He nodded.

  ‘That would have suited your sweet tooth.’

  He smiled. ‘Yeah, it did.’

  ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,’ she said with a laugh.

  He narrowed his eyes at her, a cheeky smirk on his lips. ‘So that’s your plan tonight?’

  She shrugged. ‘Maybe.’

  He pressed his spoon into his cake and brought it to his mouth. His eyes closed and he moaned. ‘Oh, hell yeah. This is so good.’

  Matilda’s chest blossomed with pride and warmth. ‘Objective on track.’

  Sophie relaxed completely against Mitch’s chest as she took her last blink before succumbing to hard-fought sleep. ‘And she’s gone,’ Mitch said. ‘I love so much when she’s asleep.’

  Matilda laughed but kept the volume quiet.

  They chatted for a while longer as Mitch indulged in seconds and finished his drink. His eyes were a little bloodshot and he was stifling yawns, which was expected. He had mentioned Sophie woke at five each morning.

  ‘You better get this little princess home,’ she said, giving him his excuse to leave.

  Next time, if there was a next time—she hoped there was—it might be best while they were navigating the newness of who they were now, to give Mitch the option to be a man on a date with a woman, rather than a father on a date.

  ‘I’ll help you clean up,’ he said, slowly pushing to his feet.

  ‘Don’t you dare. You’re not interrupting her sleep to clean dishes.’

  He smiled. ‘If you insist.’

  She helped him pack Sophie’s bag and locate his keys, then walked with him outside to his car. He carefully lowered Sophie into her car seat and buckled her up. Her head slumped against the side of the seat. Her lips were open as she was dragged deeper into slumber.

  Mitch quietly shut the door, then came around the front of the car where Matilda was standing. The night air was cool from a chilly breeze flowing in from the mountains.

  Anticipation sparked through her veins, but she didn’t know how slow Mitch needed to tread or if a kiss was something he was ready for, considering how much it threw him into a spin last time.

  ‘I had a really lovely night, Matilda. Thank you,’ he said when he stood before her, his hip leaning against his ute.

  ‘I had a great time too. Thank you, thank you both, for joining me.’

  ‘I appreciate you considering Sophie because she is my life now, and I feel like you understand that.’

  She nodded. ‘I do.’

  He stepped closer. ‘How about next time, it’s just the two of us, though?’

  She had forgotten how tall he was. How his size took up all the space around her. ‘You’d like a ‘next time’?’

  His smile was cocky. ‘Sure. If you do.’

  She inclined her head further back, so she could look into his eyes. ‘I would like that.’

  He held her gaze, and she ached for him to take the last step between them, though she fought against that desire to rush him. She didn’t want to ruin this when it was barely beginning.

  Mitch reached for her, his hand raking deep into her hair to angle her mouth up to his, the other sliding around her waist, drawing a line of bliss until he pulled her closer against his hard body. Everything about the way he held her then, his face inches from hers, was like the man he was, strong, assured, yet painfully tender.

  She gripped his shoulders and she intended her hands to rest there, but somewhere between the heat and hardness of those shoulders and the proximity of his lips to hers, she ended up tugging him closer, bringing his bowing head towards her faster.

  As his warm lips finally pressed against hers, a thrill of desire was unleashed from deep inside her and surged upwards. And when his tongue slid hotly against hers that desire combusted.

  Oh, how she missed this, him, the way he brought every part of her flickering to life. You didn’t forget Mitch Mathews, this passion he wielded even from a young age that worked to snare her so completely.

  Legs weakening, she sank against him, yielding to the power and promise of his embrace. How did she ever think the world held even a glimmer of brightness compared to him?

  But somewhere in the back of her mind, that little piece of her she had held back was waiting for him to withdraw from her, to go back to that dark place he had been in for nearly the last two years.

  So she kissed him deeper, held him tighter, in case that’s what he did and he realised this was one step too fast for him.

  But he didn’t pull back, instead responded to her growing need by plunging his tongue hotly into her mouth, and she greeted each thrust of his tongue with a whimper that seemed to say, ‘don’t stop’.

  ‘I missed you,’ he murmured against her mouth.

  ‘Me too,’ she whispered.

  When he drew away from her this time, it wasn’t fast, but as though he had to use all his strength and control to do so.

  He held her gaze. His smile was slow to form and had the seductive shape of a man who knew that how he had just kissed the woman he was holding was knee-buckling. ‘I thought I may have forgotten how to really kiss you.’

  She shook her head, her own grin taking on the shape of a woman who had just been kissed silly by a man. ‘I’m glad I could help you remember.’

  His face moved closer to hers until he kissed her again, but just the once, a long press
against her lips. ‘I’ll see you at work tomorrow,’ he said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

  ‘Yes. You will.’

  ‘See ya, Mati,’ he said using that intimate abbreviation of her name he had always used when they were younger. It warmed her heart to hear it again.

  Chapter 16

  Mitch was buzzing from his date with Matilda even after he, quickly and quietly, so as not to wake Sophie, wrapped a new nappy on her and placed her into her cot to sleep for the night.

  Even after he made a cup of tea and took a seat on the lounge to wind down with some television, his limbs were electric, his head buoyant.

  That kiss charged him and now he was crackling. Standing beside that car with Matilda, the moonlight illuminating her hazel eyes and soft expression, he had no say in whether or not he wanted to kiss her.

  He had wondered if he had it in him still, despite their drunken kiss at the pub, to make the move and kiss her. But, in the end, it was so natural, there was no thinking involved, just pure biological magnetism that drew them together.

  He had wondered if he would be able to give himself permission to enjoy a kiss. And that ended up being wasted headspace too because he had loved every part of that kiss, the heat, the slide of her hand over his body, the taste of her tongue, the scent of her that filled his senses, the rushed arousal that overcame him.

  When he was in that moment, he hadn’t thought of Rachel or all the pain he had been through, he was right there with Matilda and Matilda only.

  Only when he was driving home did thoughts start to interfere, but he pushed them away, not wanting to confuse the beautiful experience he had shared with Matilda with his past or with his usual sense of guilt.

  He wanted that kiss and all of that date to stand on its own, separate to, and from, anything remotely negative.

  Matilda deserved that. He deserved that.

  He chuckled to himself when he recalled Sophie trying to steal back Matilda’s flowers. Where young children were concerned, there was no learned social politeness, no real understanding of sharing. It made for an unscripted night, that’s for sure. But Matilda had handled it so well and took it all in her stride.

  Would it be too early to text and thank her again for the night? He was so out of the dating loop that he had no idea what the current etiquette dictated.

  He reached for his mobile and typed out a message.

  MITCH: Not sure what the dating etiquette dictates, but I’ve always been inclined to go with my instincts anyway. Thank you for a great night. I really enjoyed myself.

  He sent it and leant back in his chair awaiting the reply. His stomach was squeezing a little with anxiety and that made him laugh. It had been so long since he’d felt like this.

  MATILDA: Definitely trust your instincts. I had a great night too.

  MITCH: How about we catch up again on Saturday. Just me and you. I’ll organise something fun for us to do.

  MATILDA: I’d like that. Let me know the time and place, and I’ll be there.

  MITCH: I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.

  MATILDA: You too! ☺

  Mitch sighed, a smug grin on his face. So this was how it felt to be alive. He had forgotten.

  Mitch’s calendar for the remainder of the working week was booked solid. He arrived early to the office on Wednesday morning, so he could make himself a coffee before the hectic day began, then met with his brothers in the boardroom to run through some preliminaries before anyone else arrived.

  ‘Who are we meeting with first?’ Mitch asked. He had dressed in professional attire, as did his brothers, always liking to portray a certain image to outsiders.

  Sam scrolled through the calendar on his tablet. ‘Our solicitor.’

  Mitch nodded. Made sense. They needed to have all the particulars of the agreement prepared first before presenting it to their new partners from Rugged Terrain Vineyard.

  ‘And when do Chris and Jemma arrive?’

  ‘Tomorrow morning with our solicitor again. Simon is booked in for three this afternoon to go over financial issues and how we will be structuring the partnership.’

  Mitch released a long sigh. For a man who spent most of his days outside, to endure these types of meetings in the confines of a boardroom was going to be tedious.

  Tom chuckled. ‘Then Friday, Julie and John will be here from In the Spirit as well as our solicitor and accountant to ensure everything is finalised there.’

  Mitch didn’t want to think about the solicitor’s bill they would get after this week. But it was worth having every T crossed and I dotted on the contracts before they made any movement forward, and that they had the fairest, most tax-effective business structure set up.

  Sam met Mitch’s gaze and grinned. ‘How was your date last night?’

  His heart jolted hearing that question directed at him. Two months ago, dating was the farthest thing from his mind, but then Matilda arrived and his entire world was flipped upside down.

  Memories flickered through his brain and his body was flooded with happy chemicals, but he resisted the goofy smile that wanted to curl his lips. ‘It was really good. Soph and I had a great time.’

  Tom smiled. ‘That’s great. And I want to apologise for last Sunday with Pete and Barb. I didn’t stop to think that for you it would difficult to let them know you were considering dating.’

  Mitch let out a long breath, his shoulders hunching slightly. ‘Don’t worry about it. As I said, it’s my shit to work through and my heart that will deal with the consequences.’

  ‘I know you say that,’ Tom said. ‘But I want to remind you that we’re here for you, okay? If it gets a bit rough.’

  His throat tightened to hear that sincerity. It wasn’t always easy for them to talk about their emotions, but over the last few years with all the tumult, it had become vital.

  He would never forget and would be forever grateful for Sam, but especially Tom, for his support and perseverance with him after Rachel had died. As much as Mitch had cruelly tested his boundaries, Tom was always there for him.

  ‘I really appreciate that, mate.’

  Sam rested his elbows on the table and leant forward with a cheeky smile on his lips. ‘Did you and Matilda kiss?’

  A grin appeared regardless of Mitch’s attempt to control it, but he didn’t say anything.

  Tom’s eyes widened. Sam clapped his hands and cheered like a cowboy.

  ‘Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?’ Sam said.

  Mitch continued to smile, though his words were serious. ‘When you’re dealing with the emotional baggage I have, then you can comment.’

  Sam shrugged. ‘Hey, I’m happy for you, mate. It’s been a long road.’

  ‘It’s not over.’

  ‘No, we know that,’ Sam said. ‘So when are you going out again?’

  Again that grin he couldn’t keep away. ‘Saturday.’

  ‘Nice. The kiss must have gone well then,’ Tom said.

  ‘As good as could be expected,’ said Mitch. ‘Now that’s enough about me. Let’s focus on work.’

  Sam and Tom shared a glance with each other but got on with the job at hand.

  Saturday morning, Mitch was excited and nervous about his date with Matilda. To be feeling such primitive emotions dumbfounded him. Yes, he had a relationship with Matilda in the past, and that did make it less daunting, but he wasn’t an eighteen-year-old fearless boy anymore.

  Life had changed him in ways he would never have predicted and perhaps irrevocably. To have gone through what he had in the last decade, losing his wife and becoming a single father, had left big stamps on his soul.

  The gung-ho, leap-before-looking, confident man he was had been interlaced now with tendencies to overthink, be cautious and restrained.

  He hoped Matilda appreciated who he had become and that he met her expectations. He hoped he could continue stepping, even if they were only baby steps, towards an optimistic future and not get sucked back into the dim, gloomy p
lace he was in as little as a month ago.

  But above all, he didn’t want to hurt her. And he didn’t want her to hurt him. Heartbreak—he was at his limits. Sure, he had glimpsed how strong he was to have even made it to this point in time intact, but he didn’t have the wherewithal to deal with any more hurt.

  And that was the risk he was taking. Before he had asked Matilda out on the first date, let alone the second, he had weighed the risks. And he chose to proceed regardless, but with caution.

  Mitch dressed in shorts, a light t-shirt, and his hiking boots. He packed water, a jumper and first aid kit in his backpack before dropping Sophie off with Tom and Amy for the day.

  It had been at least four years since Mitch had gone hiking. This area was fantastic for it, with a number of mountainous trails close by. When he was in high school, to keep fit in the football off-season, he would hike almost every weekend with Matilda.

  Now, it seemed a great way to rediscover what they used to have together and for Mitch to rekindle his pleasure for being in the outdoors.

  Mitch pulled in at Matilda’s home. Before he could climb from his ute to collect her, she was coming out the front door dressed in hiking boots, mid-thigh length shorts and a collared white polo shirt that fit nice and snug to her body.

  She had great legs—athletic looking.

  Matilda grinned wide and gave a little wave as she jogged to the car, then climbed in to the passenger seat.

  ‘Good morning,’ Mitch said.

  ‘Good morning to you too. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve hiked?’

  He shook his head, his own mood elevating in response to her excitement.

  ‘When I went to Peru three years ago. Since then, the sloping streets of San Fran have been the closest I’ve got.’

  ‘So what you’re saying is you’re excited.’

  She laughed. ‘How can you tell?’

  Mitch chuckled as he re-started the engine.

  He drove them along the main access road out of Alpine Ridge towards the Victorian Alps.

  Tall Alpine ash and snow gums bordered the road, along with a sparse dash of colour from summer wildflowers like yellow billy buttons, pink trigger plants and silver daisies.