Page 91 of Third Time’s a Charm

“Coffee?” He lifts a travel cup from the centre console and passes it to me.

I take a gulp, and it’s exactly how I like it. In fact, if I don’t miss my guess, this coffee comes from Ant’s café chain, where the coffee is so good they sell the beans direct.

I’m gazing out the window, enjoying the playlist, when a familiar packet appears in front of me.

“Milko? Or would you rather a Sherbie?”

I was right. Jasper is recreating our first road trip together.

“Milko, obviously.” I nip one out of the packet, make short work of unwrapping it and pop it in my mouth. “Only a lunatic starts the day with a Sherbie.”

“Because Sherbies are—”

“Dessert lollies,” we finish together on a laugh.

Just like I did the first time we were in a car together, I notice all the things about him. The deliciousness of his cologne, which this time doesn’t have to compete with the new car smell. The elegance of his long, now quite tanned, fingers as they grip the wheel, this time shamelessly tapping in time with the pop songs bouncing out of the speakers. The long, strong thighs encased in now-familiar denim.

It's four hours of exquisite torture.

Not just because of his close proximity, but because I can’t shake the conviction that he planned this. That there’s more to this trip than visiting a Mudgee winery at the suggestion of Ben Carter.

We pull into Mudgee right on midday. Without any hesitation, Jasper navigates to a parking spot just outside a little cobbled laneway and courtyard. Mouth-watering smells waft towards us, and my tummy grumbles.

“Milkos not enough today?” Jasper asks, helping me out of the car as though I’m a date.

We’re seated at a table dappled with pale sunshine under the gnarled, leafless branches of a winter trellis.

The country air has relaxed us both, and Jasper is uncharacteristically chatty. We reminisce about our road trip; he tells me about the surfing lessons Ant and Josh are giving him, and he fills me in on the e-flirting his old assistant Edward—who will be moving to Australia and joining the company as soon as we’re operational—and Colin are engaging in.

After wolfing down a cheese and ham jaffle that deserved a Michelin star, we leave town behind, heading for the vineyards.

“So, this particular winery is famous for its white port,” Jasper says as we pull up in the car park outside the tasting rooms.

“Oh! White port is my favourite.” I should have done some due diligence on this particular winery before we came, but with everything else on my plate, I just didn’t have the bandwidth. I’m not as familiar with the Mudgee wineries as those to the south since this region used to be looked after by one of the women who was recently ‘moved on’ courtesy of John Mackelden.

“I know,” Jasper responds, with a secretive smile.

I raise an eyebrow at him.

“You might have mentioned it on our way here.”

It’s not alarm bells that are ringing. It’s nerves that are fluttering. Or maybe excitement is a better word.

But there’s no time to figure out if I’m reading him right, because the winemaker strides out of the tasting rooms to meet us.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Jasper

Things couldn’t be going better. The entire day has been like a reprise of our first road trip. But my nerves have hit an all-time high. Because this time, I’m very aware of what I stand to lose if I screw it up.

Bringing her to a winery was the right call. Wine country is her happy place. And I think she’s picking up on the not-so-subtle cues I’m dropping. I just hope I haven’t gone too far with tonight’s plans.

The sun is low in the sky by the time we finish touring the vineyards and discussing numbers with the winemaker.

“Let me show you to your accommodation,” he says as the staff collect the glasses we’ve used for tasting his undeniably excellent wines.

“We’re staying here?” There’s surprise, but also pleasure in Louise’s tone.