She couldn’t deny she was tired though. The festival was a major commitment on top of the business and she had to admit that Gabe’s reappearance had been on her mind at night, and she’d lost sleep over it.

She decided to actively switch focus onto Zennor’s problems, both work-related and Ben-related, since Sam knew that the two were intertwined.

‘Thanks for sorting out the new festival marketing stuff so fast. Was Ben OK with making all the changes?’

‘Oh, he was fine. You know Ben.’ Zennor sipped her cocktail. ‘He doesn’t say much. He prefers to get on with things in his own way.’

Sam did know, but she also worried about Ben. He was helpful and hardworking and never moaned or blew his own trumpet. Sam thought he was too quiet and that it would be far too easy to take him for granted. Zennor was a chatterbox and not afraid to say how she felt but they were both quirky souls so perhaps that’s how they’d ended up in business together and it seemed to work. She and Ben even dressed a little like each other with their his and hers Doc Martens. They might have been twins and perhaps that was the key: they were too content with being surrogate brother and sister to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Sam knew Zennor had harboured hopes of something more but perhaps she’d decided their friendship was too precious to risk.

‘Are you both … OK?’

‘OK?’ Zennor scrunched up her nose. ‘Is this going to turn into a birds and the bees talk, because if it is, you’re a bit too late and Mum got there first a long time ago.’

Sam laughed, but cringed inwardly. ‘Not the birds and bees. It’s only that … well, I’ve been so wrapped up in the festival and now this Gabe thing, that I’ve probably not been the best big sister lately.’

‘You’ve always been wrapped up in the Gabe thing.’

Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Zennor cut in. ‘Only joking. Partly. I do like Ben. A lot, but as you know he’s shown no sign of wanting to be anything but mates.’

‘Is he gay?’

Zennor sprayed pink gin everywhere. ‘No. I mean. Oh God, I have asked myself that many many times, because we’ve known each other so long, but I don’t think so. He’s had a few girlfriends over the years.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘His sister told me he’d been out with a couple of women, but no one lately. I sometimes wonder if he’s asexual.’

‘Wow. Is anyone asexual?’

‘Apparently. I googled it. You can be.’

‘Life would be less complicated,’ said Sam.