Page 70 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

‘No need,’ she replied. ‘After all, it’s your business.’

He shook his head. ‘It’s your business,’ he said. ‘I’m the silent partner, remember?’

She laughed. ‘Definitely not so silent,’ she told him. ‘But you’re also a good man. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.’

To both of their surprises, she leant up to place a kiss on his cheek.

There was a moment as she drew away that their faces hovered close. She could feel his breath as she looked up into his dark eyes.

They were just starting to lean forward as if their lips might actually meet when a car came through the gates, heralding the next round of campers and they both stepped back, the moment lost.

41

As June began, Flora was thankful that the weather had finally improved and the rain subsided at last. With clearing skies, both the campsite and its owners were given a chance to breathe and take stock after a monumental first week.

The bookings for Strawberry Hill Farm campsite remained steady, thanks to a glowing write-up in theCranbridge Timesgoing viral beyond the county. Suddenly, lots of people wanted to come and stay. So despite it still being in school term time, they were inundated with couples and friends, all of whom wanted their little slice of countryside heaven.

‘We’ve even had a booking for a hen party who want the whole site to themselves for three nights!’ Flora told Nico, laughing.

‘I might hide that weekend,’ he replied, with a shudder.

Flora glanced down at her checklist once more. Everything was set up for the next group of campers, including fresh linen and all the little extras, such as the tea and coffee. ‘I think that’s everything,’ she said, looking up at Nico.

‘Bene,’ he said, with a firm nod. ‘So now we can relax before the really hard work begins.’

‘The really hard work?’ she asked.

‘We’re getting more and more bookings for the summer holidays,’ Nico told her. ‘Those will be busy days. So now we rest.’

‘We haven’t got time for that,’ Flora told him, laughing.

‘Of course we do,’ he replied. ‘So be ready at seven this evening.’

‘Where are we going?’ she asked, bemused.

‘Humour me.’

* * *

At seven o’clock on the dot, Flora found Nico waiting for her outside the farmhouse with a picnic basket. She raised her eyebrows at him in question, but he shook his head.

‘Secret location,’ he told her.

She shrugged her shoulders and let him lead the way down the hill. It was too beautiful an evening to worry, she decided. It had been a warm, sunny day and with midsummer almost upon them, the sun was still high in the sky.

She glanced over at the strawberry field as they went, noting the ruby-coloured fruits all ready for picking. But that was a job for the following day. She then looked to her left at the empty field. ‘Looks like if it stays dry, it can be used as the car park for the lavender fields again.’

‘When do the fields open to the public?’ he asked.

‘At the end of this month,’ she told him.

She looked beyond the empty field and across the path to where the rows of lavender plants were beginning to come into bud, a faint purple hue colouring the top of each rounded bush. It wouldn’t be too much longer before they would burst into colour.

Nico led her into the woods and Flora soon realised what their destination was. They stepped out into the leafy glade next to the pond and the first thing she saw was a brand-new platform made out of the remnants of the spare wood they had used for the decking.

‘When did you build this?’ she asked, stepping onto the wooden floor.

‘Yesterday,’ he told her.