“At least you know what kind of life you’ve let yourself in for,” he said.

“I love it.”

The vines were just shooting when she’d first come to Levallier Dell and she’d stayed on and been a part of the whole process, right through the vintage. Flynn had been accurate when he’d said she’d find work. She had a few customers already for her fledgling design business and the cellar door kept them busy. Euan had agreed to it after Keely had suggested they turn the old shed by the river into a standalone cellar door so strangers didn’t come to the house yard. Work had begun on the conversion and although Euan was still prone to mutter about hordes of tourists and the cost of licences he was taking a keen interest in the construction.

Keely had even done a bit of relief teaching and, while she was comfortable with it, she knew the winery was truly where her heart was now.

“Country life is portrayed as slow paced but there’s always something to do in a winery,” she said.

“You’re a quick learner,” Flynn said. “I think you must have been born under a winemaker’s star. Although I’m a bit offended you haven’t acquired a taste for my Whipcracker red yet.”

She ignored his dig at her lack of finesse when it came to red wine. “I hope you’ll make a better job of the albariño.”

“It’ll be a few years before we can try that. But you’ll love it. It reminds me of warm evenings in Barcelona. I think we’ll have to go there and try it so you’ll know what to expect.”

“A trip to Spain!” Keely couldn’t believe her ears. “I’d love it. And it would be an opportunity to come up with a name for it.”

“I’ve got an idea for the label.”

“You really are getting ahead of yourself.”

“Something that involves a sketch of you.”

Keely shook her head.

“Yes, you’d be perfect for it. I’d call it the River Nymph.”

She laughed. “We’ll see.”

“And while we’re travelling we’ll go to Greece, sample this assyrtiko Theo has mentioned. Who knows, we might plant a Greek variety here one day and Theo could be on the label. It would be a nod to his and the wine’s Greek heritage and also a reminder that we wouldn’t have the extra vineyards without his help.”

Keely’s heart melted. “You really are a good man, Flynn Levallier. You know I can’t believe I wasted all that time worrying about teaching. When I came west last year, I was desperately looking for something. It turns out the something was the lifestyle at Levallier Dell. And the bonus was, I found the someone as well.”