The estate had quickly become a hotbed of activity. Friends and family were arriving constantly, being deposited by private cars and Ubers at the entrance. There were lots of interruptions and introductions as I walked with Peach. She seemed entirely out of sorts. I wondered if it was because of my abandonment that morning, or because of last night. Maybe it had been the abrupt manner of my mother. It was off-putting to see her like this, not quite herself, and I was desperately trying to find a moment alone with her so we could talk. But we were entirely swept up in the event.

We bounced from one guest to another like a helpless pinball doomed to mingle. Each time we thought we had escaped, another voice dragged us back into social pleasantries and congratulations. The word was getting around about our engagement, but some were still surprised and there were plenty of questions.

Beside me, Peach was getting more and more flustered after each conversation, though I suspected she was doing better than me. I thought back to all our happy practice and the good times the week before. Had we underestimated the toll this would take? Because things were not going quite as we had expected. I could feel the sweat on the back of my neck, beading as the pressure increased and the lies multiplied.

“Ethan, my boy! How the devil are you?”

It was my uncle Arthur’s turn to collar us. He and his wife appeared out of nowhere just as we were about to reach the stairs that promised our escape.

“Now. Just who is the lovely lady? You’re a sly one Ethan,” Arthur asked.

“Good to see you both, are you well? This is my fiancée, Peach.”

“Hi, pleased to meet you,” Peach said with a small smile.

Oh how I missed her real smile. I just had to find out what it was going to take to bring it back.

“Delighted my dear, so have you decided on the big day yet? Or is that another secret we’ll have to wait months to hear about?”

We answered in unison, stuttering over ourselves, but while I answered with the rehearsed date she said that we hadn’t. We both stopped abruptly as we caught each other’s answers. Peach covered our blunder with an awkward laugh.

“To be honest, we’re waiting on confirmation from the venue. You’re a little worried about it aren’t you, honey?” I quickly added.

“Yes, I’m a little worried,” said Peach flatly. “Understatement of the year…”

Eyeing the exit, I smiled at the couple. My response had not done much to lower their eyebrows. If only Arthur’s wife Mary had not been the most notorious gossip. Unable to stand the heat anymore, I excused us and led Peach toward a quiet corner.

“Peach, what’s wrong, what have I done?” I said taking her hand.

She frowned and bit her delicate pink lip as if deciding on whether or not to tell me.

“Peach… This is only going to work if we’re honest with each other. We need to be on the same page, right?”

She shook her head. “Oh, it’s not you… or this. But do you remember the jogger I was talking to when you brought your mom back from the hospital? Who is he?”

“My cousin, Nial. He runs every day not that you’d believe it from his middle. But what has he got to do with—”

“Do you think he knows anything, is he going to cause trouble?”

I paused to consider this, my posture stiffening. “Why, what did he say to you?”

“Nothing really… I’m probably just nervous. Overreacting. I think it’s best I go get changed ready for the meal. Maybe I can get my game face on then. I’m sorry, Ethan, it’s all so overwhelming. All these people…”

I brushed back the strand of hair from her face and looked reassuringly into her eyes.

“It’s okay. Listen I’ll get your bag from the car, sorry I didn’t get it earlier.”

“I understand. It’s been a bit of a mad house.”

“You can say that again. Go on, you head on up and get a breather.”

Peach nodded.

Before anyone could stop me for a lengthy chat, I reclaimed Peach’s bags from the car and headed back inside. As I entered the lobby I heard Nial’s high pitched laughter. He was walking in from the tasting area with a few of the estates investors. I glared for a moment, then confronted him.

“Nial, can we talk?”

The other two gentlemen excused themselves and headed back to the party next door.

“What can I do for you? Trouble in paradise is there?”

“What have you been saying to Peach?”

“Oh, just the truth. That doesn’t worry you does it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll have to wait and see won’t you,” said Nial slapping me on the arm.

“Now listen…” I started, brushing away his hand and stepping up to him.

“Ethan, there you are. I have people anxious to talk to you. Don’t keep them waiting, come on now,” my mother called from behind us.

“Yes, Ethan. It’s your big night, go and enjoy it,” said Nial his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“I’ll be right there, Mother. I need to deliver this upstairs first.”

The temperature on this pressure cooker was climbing. After I delivered the bags for Peach, gave her a brief reassuring hug, I returned downstairs, only a slightly bit calmer. Nial was clearly up to something.

Mother shepherded me to interested parties. She wanted me to butter up some clients and investors, advising them of our future plans for the business. At least this I excelled at. The men and women nodded as I said all the right words, and soon it was time for the customary speeches. My uncle Arthur quieted people down as my mother took to the small stage.

“Now, as everyone knows I’m not one for speeches but I just wanted to thank you all for coming. It’s always lovely to see everyone. We’ve been working hard to put everything together for you all tonight. One might say we went to the extreme making sure it was perfect, as my arm can attest to,” she said holding up her heavily bandaged and slung arm. There were a few polite laughs. “We’ve had a productive year regardless of the hardships we’ve had to endure. But we Daltons are nothing but stubborn. Of course, it has also been an emotional time, and if my husband could have been here…” My mother stalled as she started to choke up a little. But after a few seconds, she steeled herself and regained just enough composure to continue.

“Well, we’d all be a lot drunker by now!” someone called out from the crowd. There was a laugh and a murmur of agreement from around the room.

“True enough, but let’s not drink all the profits in one night. I have my eye on you, Arthur! Tonight is also a special night for my son, Ethan as he gets ready to take over and lead us to a great future. Together with his new fiancée…”

She gestured toward me in the crowd. On the spot, I looked around quickly in case Peach had suddenly appeared. She still hadn’t come down yet and I couldn’t see her. I shook my head at my mom.

“Anyway, he can tell you everything. Ethan come on up here and save me from embarrassment.”

I took my mother’s place on the stage and looked out at all the expectant faces. It felt like each pair of eyes were questioning me and I didn’t have the answers.

“I would like to thank you all as well. It’s been a good year for the vineyard, sales are climbing, I have many great plans for our future. And hopefully we can make this a great celebration too. For several reasons…” I hesitated, looking at the speech notes in my hand. Peach was the first item on the list but she wasn’t here. A wave of frustration flowed over me. What had spooked her? She was supposed to be here, by my side… it was what we’d agreed to after all.

Then as I looked over the crowd again the doors at the back of the room swung open and in she walked in like a breath of fresh air. Peach looked more divine than she ever had before. Worth the wait. My heart leapt across the room to greet her. She met my gaze and returned my beaming smile.

“Most importantly for me personally, would be my darling fiancée, Peach.”

The crowd followed my eyes and most turned to gaze upon her. I could see her wilting under their stare, her cheeks now with a dusting of pink. But then she gathered herself, tilting her chin in sultry defiance.

“Now,” I continued loudly in the hopes of regaining the crowds attention, “I know many of you have been surprised by this announcement, but I would like you all to know…” I was watching Peach in the doorway as my emotions took hold of my words.

But just then Nial came through the doors wiping the confidence from Peach’s face. He paused to hand something to her, then whispered in her ear. The look of shock in her eyes froze me to the spot, my words caught in my throat. Nial was making his way through the crowd now, my eyes followed his bright tie in the sea of dark evening wear.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying? You would like us all to know what?” he called loudly across the room. The attention of the crowd shifted once again as Nail continued. “Would that be about your new engagement? Now tell me how that can be when you are already a married man?”

I heard a couple of gasps from the guests. I looked out to Peach as people shuffled to let Nial past. Frozen like a statue she stared back at me. I could see her eyes welling up.

“Yes, married. Now who might you be married to? To the very same woman it appears that you claim to be your fiancée! But it’s all a charade isn’t it? You’ve deceived us all. There in her hands is the annulment document that you plan to file as soon as you get your hands on the company. Isn’t that right, Ethan?” Nial said pointing dramatically back to Peach.

“No, it’s not like that,” I said stepping down to confront my cousin.

“Nial what is this?” my mother said trying to separate us.

“It’s all lies, that’s what it is. She’s not a wedding planner is she, Ethan? You have not known her for years, you met a week ago didn’t you?”

I was so stunned by the sudden and loud onslaught of questions, I could barely get a denial out. All I wanted to do was claim Peach in my arms and defy them all.

“Ethan, what do you have to say for yourself?” my mother asked, but Nial was now on a roll and he wasn’t going to give up being center stage for anyone.

“She’s a cocktail waitress at that sordid club! With a name like Peach what did anyone really expect? In fact, I don’t even think you know who she truly is…” Nial waved a DVD case in the air. The crowd now went deadly silent as I looked from the item in Nial’s hand to his eyes. He wasn’t bluffing. Whatever he had on Peach it wasn’t good and I could only imagine the worst…

“She’s a failed actress! Now this is probably not a movie you want your mother to see. But there’s one thing I still don’t know, just how much are you paying her to pretend to be your wife or fiancée, it’s all so bloody confusing! But what is clear is that you lied. You don’t deserve to run this company, not when you can’t be trusted.”

I let out a groan, my hands covering my face in despair. Everything was going to shit and there seemed to be little I could do to stop from getting covered in it.

“Is this true, Ethan?” asked my mother.

My hesitation was all she needed.

“Ethan! My god! I didn’t think you had this in you. We brought you up to be an honest boy… You lied to my face!” my mother exclaimed.

“You want to know the truth? It doesn’t matter what you say, the truth is, I do love her. That’s right, I don’t know what Nial has dug up, or what anyone of you say… I love her. I love you, Peach!”

The crowd parted as I advanced toward the back of the room to claim my wife. But the doorway was empty. My uncle Arthur looked at me and shook his head slowly, telling me all I needed to know.

She was gone.