Vineyard Dreams (Beyond The Red Carpet #4)

Chapter 18

18

E lle stepped out of the cool interior of the winery, squinting against the bright midday sun. As her eyes adjusted, she spotted a familiar figure striding towards her, dark hair gleaming under the cloudless sky.

Harper.

Elle’s heart skipped a beat, a smile tugging at her lips as she moved to meet her.

As Harper drew closer, Elle reached out, taking her hand and gently pulling her around the corner of the building, out of sight of prying eyes. Harper raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her face.

“There’s five people working today,” Elle explained, her voice low, “and all of them are coming and going from these buildings.”

Harper’s smile widened, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “You can’t hide me forever.”

Elle sighed, her thumb absently tracing circles on the back of Harper’s hand. “I just don’t want you to lose your privacy.”

In response, Harper gently pushed Elle against the stone wall of the building, her body pressing close. Elle’s breath caught in her throat, her skin tingling at the contact. Harper leaned in, her lips brushing against Elle’s in a soft, lingering kiss that made Elle want more of everything that had happened last night.

As they parted, Elle looked into Harper’s eyes, a hopeful smile on her face. “And are you?” she asked softly. “Going to be sticking around?”

Elle held her breath, watching Harper’s face for any sign of doubt or hesitation.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Harper said with a smile.

The knot in Elle’s chest loosened. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been until that moment, how much she’d feared Harper would choose the glittering world of Hollywood over her.

Elle leaned in, capturing Harper’s lips in a gentle kiss. The world seemed to fall away as they lost themselves in the moment, the sun-warmed stone at Elle’s back and the soft press of Harper’s body against hers.

As they parted, Elle looked into Harper’s eyes, a question forming on her lips. “Are Piper and Audrey still coming by tomorrow to tour the winery?”

Harper nodded, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “They are. Piper’s really excited about the possibility of having her wedding here.” Harper tucked a strand of hair behind Elle’s ear. “I should let you get back to work. But I was thinking, would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”

“I’d love to.”

“Perfect.” Harper’s fingers trailed down Elle’s arm before letting go. “I’ll see you later then.”

Elle watched her walk away, struck by how natural it felt now - this thing between them. The age difference that had once seemed like such an insurmountable obstacle had faded into insignificance against the reality of who they were together. Harper brought out a lightness in her that Elle hadn’t felt in years, while Elle gave Harper the grounding she needed.

As Harper disappeared around the corner, Elle touched her lips, still feeling the ghost of their kiss. She had found love again, unexpectedly, and although she would never forget Stephanie and everything that they’d shared together, Elle felt like she was starting a new chapter in her life, and that there was somehow room for both stories. Stephanie was her past, and Harper was her future.