Page 54 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

Nico had taken one sip of Libby’s extremely strong gin cocktail and had decided to stick with beer for that evening.

He enjoyed the party and talked quite a bit with Harriet, Katy and Libby. They were all lively, chatty, attractive women. And yet he couldn’t stop his eyes being drawn to Flora.

She had certainly enjoyed herself that evening. It wasn’t until he walked her and Grams home that he realised quite how many gin cocktails she had drunk. Flora was singing a song and giggling as they went.

‘My dear girl,’ said Grams, laughing, as they walked with linked arms down the dark, potholed track. ‘What has got into you this evening?’

‘Four of Libby’s gin cocktails,’ said Flora, laughing.

As she tripped on a pothole, Nico reached out to take her arm to steady her. ‘Easy,’ he told her.

‘I’m fine,’ she said, her words slurring ever so slightly as she shook off his hold. ‘I’m super Flora. Super sensible. Super reliable. Super steady.’

‘Super drunk,’ muttered Grams, giving Nico a smile.

He smiled back at her but kept his eye on Flora all the way back to the farmhouse. It seemed really quite out of character for her to be so drunk. She was always in control, always so balanced and cautious.

But then he thought back to that first moment when he had seen her stripping off to wade into the lake. He felt as if Flora was the same as the farmhouse. All quiet beauty on the outside but full of vibrancy and excitement hidden underneath its walls.

He found himself wanting to know her, the real Flora behind the mask she always wore. And wanting to know why she felt the need to control herself so tightly all the time.

Except that evening, he thought, as she tripped over the small step leading into the kitchen.

‘Shall I make a pot of coffee?’ asked Grams, suppressing a yawn.

‘Don’t worry,’ Nico told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. ‘You go to bed and I’ll make sure she’s okay.’

‘Thank you,’ Grams said, patting him on the cheek. She turned to Flora who was standing and swaying nearby. ‘Dear girl, you go to bed soon. You hear me?’

‘Yes, Grams,’ said Flora, with a giggle.

Grams shook her head but was smiling to herself as she headed out of the kitchen.

‘How about a glass of water? Or a black coffee?’ asked Nico.

Flora shook her head. ‘That all sounds far too sensible and I’ve decided not to be sensible any more.’

Nico smiled at her. ‘Really? What are you going to be instead?’

She walked around the table with a smile on her lips that made him gulp involuntarily. She had a certain look in her eyes and he wasn’t sure if he was imagining it.

She walked right up to him so that their bodies were touching. Her green eyes were gleaming as she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck.

Nico couldn’t believe it. He definitely wasn’t imagining it.

‘Say something in Italian to me,’ she whispered.

‘Why?’ he asked, realising that his words were coming out a little bit croaky.

‘Because it would sound sexy,’ she told him.

‘Flora,’ he said, trying to take a step backwards.

But she pulled him even closer until he could see every freckle on her nose, every fleck of emerald in her eyes.

‘I think you could be good for me,’ she said.

‘How?’ His heart was beating very fast in his chest. It was a wonder that she couldn’t feel it against her own.