Page 53 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

Flora looked across to where Nico was sitting and laughing with Joe, Bob and Eddie. ‘I guess we’ll split the duties in half,’ said Flora, trying not to concentrate on how good he looked that evening. ‘I’m happy to take on the cleaning of the washrooms as I don’t care about that kind of thing.’

Libby shook her head. ‘No, no, no,’ she moaned.

‘It’s true,’ said Flora. ‘I mean, once you’ve taken care of cows, mess and muck doesn’t really affect you.’

‘Please!’ said Katy, with a grimace. ‘You’ll put me off my pizza.’

‘I didn’t mean that, but thanks for the disgusting heads-up,’ said Libby, making a face. ‘I meant what happens now between you two.’

‘Nothing happens,’ said Flora. ‘We’ve got a job to do.’

‘Flora, you know how much we love you,’ said Harriet, lowering her voice. ‘But you’ve been all work and no play for a very long time.’

Katy nodded. ‘I agree.’

‘See?’ said Libby. ‘Katy’s a complete workaholic and even she takes time off once in a while.’

‘In a tent,’ added Katy, with a giggle. ‘Wow, that was some sexy night, I tell you.’

‘Please don’t,’ said Libby. ‘He’s like my adopted big brother and some images I don’t need to even imagine, thanks.’

‘Quite right,’ said Harriet, nodding furiously.

‘I think you’re all being a bit unfair,’ said Flora, feeling a little hurt. ‘I’ve been trying to save the farm and we’re still not out of the woods yet.’

‘Yes, but you’ve been trying to save it for ten years. Or, rather, using that excuse to hide yourself away,’ said Harriet.

Libby and Katy nodded along in agreement.

Flora frowned. ‘I haven’t been hiding,’ she told them. ‘Anyway, I took a chance. Opening a campsite is a long way from farming for me and Grams.’

‘Good,’ Libby told her. ‘It’s great to see you taking a bit of risk with your life. Otherwise it was all a bit dull.’

Flora took a big gulp of her drink. Perhaps everyone did see her as dull. That her life needed shaking up. ‘I can be fun and exciting when I want to be,’ she said hotly.

‘Of course you can,’ said Libby, not sounding the least bit convincing.

Flora blew out a sigh. ‘I can,’ she said, looking down and finding Paddington’s adoring face looking back up at her. She finished her drink and reached across to the jug to pour herself out another.

‘Steady,’ said Katy. ‘Another one of those drinks and you won’t be able to stand in the morning.’

‘I can handle my drink,’ said Flora. ‘I went to college, didn’t I?’

‘Of course,’ said Katy quickly.

Flora could feel her friends exchange glances. She knew that she was acting a little strange that evening, but she felt out of sorts. Restless. She needed to blow off steam. It was that ‘jump in the lake’ feeling, that had caused her no end of embarrassment when she had first met Nico all those weeks ago.

Now, of course, she was beyond embarrassment. They were friends. Colleagues. Partners in a business.

She looked across the room at him. He really was quite lovely, she decided. Handsome, of course. A playboy? She wasn’t sure that was quite so true. Exciting? Definitely. Her heart raced and it wasn’t just the gin cocktail. He’d mixed her up inside and she wasn’t sure what she felt any more. She’d tried so hard to resist her feelings for him. But she had to admit to herself that she had a crush. A bad one.

Well, if she was going to throw caution to the wind and be spontaneous, there were worse people to fall for.

She made her mind up to talk to him when they got home. It was time for Flora Barton to have a bit of fun, she decided.

And with a smile to herself, she took another gulp of her strong gin cocktail.

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