Page 80 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

‘Oh I know,’ said Ryan. ‘We’re working every hour we can to maximise our profits.’

‘Then it’s a good thing that Nico and I are successful wealthy bachelors,’ drawled Ethan. ‘Right?’

‘Right,’ said Nico, a little too quickly. ‘Although I’m not so sure about the wealthy these days.’

‘What about being a bachelor or are you loved up these days as well?’ asked Ethan.

Nico was taking a sip of his beer and almost choked.

‘Right,’ announced Ryan. ‘Let’s get dealing.’

Joe broke out the deck of cards and began to deal.

‘Just so you know, Ethan is excellent at bluffing,’ said Ryan to Nico.

Ethan laughed. ‘I just like to keep my cards close to my chest. Literally,’ he said, clutching his hand up against his T-shirt.

‘Hit me,’ said Ryan, taking another card from Joe.

‘So, Harriet was telling me that Flora’s gone out on a date tonight,’ said Joe, looking at Nico.

He nodded, feeling a dull pain in his chest. ‘A local farmer. Tyler something.’

‘The cattle farmer?’ said Joe, in a thoughtful tone. ‘Nice guy.’

Ethan rolled his eyes. ‘If you like talking to a brick wall. The guy is yawnsville. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with him? Hit me.’

Another card went across the table and Nico felt slightly better. If Flora’s date was that dull, then surely the relationship wasn’t going anywhere.

‘Hey, are you folding?’ asked Ryan.

Nico blinked back to life and saw everyone looking at him. ‘Nope. I’m in.’

‘Of course, Tyler’s a very nice guy and I’ve never seen muscles like his,’ carried on Joe. ‘The man is the size of a barn.’

‘Well, if Flora is only interested in him for his physique, then maybe she’s onto a winner,’ said Ethan. ‘I see you and raise you a whole pound.’

‘Check.’

The game carried on, but Nico wasn’t following it at all. Was that true? Was the guy Flora was seeing some kind of macho guy? And a farmer too? It was like night and day, the difference between them, he thought.

Why should it matter? He reminded himself.

The trouble was, the sick feeling in his stomach reminded him that it really did matter. A lot.

‘Dealer takes two cards.’

Nico was still stewing over his inner thoughts when he realised it had gone quiet. He looked around the table.

‘What’s it going to be?’ asked Ethan.

‘Sorry, I lost what’s going on,’ said Nico.

Ethan smiled. ‘The other two have bowed out, so it’s just you and me, pal.’

Nico nodded and glanced at his cards once more. He felt riled up. A need to feel the release. ‘So if it’s just you and me left, do we still have to play for only a pound?’

Ethan’s smile widened. ‘Bring it on,’ he said.