Now the wind had gone but it was so cold the ice was still lying in clumps on the ground. He peered at the vines in front of him as the sky lightened. It was the early budding chardonnay vines that were most vulnerable at this time.

“It’s small consolation,” Flynn said, “but if we lose them, we’ve got insurance.”

“What?” Euan turned a weary, puzzled face to Flynn.

“I’ve included it in our insurance for the last few years.”

“Why?” Euan’s voice rose a little. “It’s a freak occurrence.”

“I’m sure we discussed it when I changed the policy. You said yourself it happens here sometimes and now it has. When I was updating the policies, it was one of the options we decided to leave in.”

“I don’t remember any mention of it.”

“Perhaps you were away at the time.”

Euan slapped his leg. “Damn it Flynn, you worry too much. It’s an extra expense we don’t need.”

Flynn drew his hands from his pockets and gestured towards the chardonnay vines. “Look around you. We might need it.”

“Might!” Euan shoved his hands in his pockets and strode away along the edge of the vines.

Flynn watched his silhouette move into the distance for as far as the early light allowed. “Bugger you, Euan. Every time there’s an important conversation you walk away.”

* * *

Keely heard the sliding door open and close and decided to get up. It was only six o’clock but she had been awake for a while. The sounds of the storm had disturbed her several times in the night and, after it passed, the sudden quiet had left her sleepless.

When she opened the bedroom door, it was Flynn who was stoking up the fire in the pot belly. “Good morning.”

He glanced briefly in her direction. “Morning.”

Obviously not a good one though. Keely crossed to the kitchen. “Have you had breakfast?” she asked.

“No, I’ll get something later.” He shut the door on the fire and carefully hung the poker back on its hook. “I have to go back outside for a while.”

“Is something wrong? I heard someone moving about in the night.”

“Sorry, that was Euan and me coming and going. There was a bad storm and lots of hail. It’s still so cold out there and the ground looks like we’ve had a visit from Jack Frost.” He stretched his arms high in the air above his head, yawned and leaned back. Keely glimpsed a strip of firm flesh across his stomach as his t-shirt pulled away from his jeans. He let his arms drop, his gaze locked on hers.

She turned away quickly, saying the first thing that came into her head. “I met him the other day. He seemed a very interesting character.”

There was silence for a moment before Flynn asked, “Who?”

“Jack Frost. He was out cracking his whip…”