The restaurant was quiet, as expected on a Tuesday night in the middle of March, and our table was right up against the water’s edge. The sun had already sunk behind the mountains, but I could have watched the moon glimmering on the gentle waves all night.

‘Do you miss the lake?’ Daniel asked.

I turned to see him watching me, grateful that the candlelight would probably hide my blush.

‘Sometimes.’ I shrugged. ‘I’ve not lived near water for six years, so having the Maddon nearby is brilliant.’

‘What about the mountains?’

I took a sip of water. ‘Again, I’ve grown used to concrete and tarmac. While Nottinghamshire farmland is completely different to here, I’m simply enjoying being surrounded by fresh air and green spaces again.’

‘Good.’ He smiled and nodded. We both took a sip of water, and did some napkin straightening, menu inspecting and glancing about while we tried to remember how to make conversation at a dinner table. Something that had felt like the easiest, most natural thing in the world until we dressed it up with a smart shirt and lipstick.

‘This trip is the first time we’ve been off the farm together since you found me in the ditch,’ I said, with a spark of realisation.

Daniel looked up at me through lowered eyelashes. ‘That’s the main reason why I came.’

Before he could say anything else, or I could remember how to breathe, the waiter arrived to take our order, and by the time he’d left I’d thankfully regained the ability to look in Daniel’s general direction and open my mouth at the same time.

‘So, what did you get up to today?’ I asked, at the exact same time he said, ‘Did you have a useful day?’

Cue awkward laugh, which only made me feel even more awkward, until thankfully Daniel plunged in and answered the question.

‘I visited an orchard.’

‘Oh?’

We paused while another waiter produced our wine with a flourish, inviting Daniel to taste it while completely ignoring me until he’d had the go ahead to pour a proper glass.

‘They have apples for cider, pears, and beehives.’

I could see where this was leading. ‘It sounds great.’

We talked about it right through our starters and main course. No more first date tension, simply me and Daniel dreaming and debating about another idea over dinner, only with a white tablecloth and classier tableware.

By the time we ordered passionfruit cheesecake and rhubarb caramel tart, we had dreamed up a fully-fledged venture, carefully integrating the orchard year into the retreat events. Another member of Daniel’s team at work was looking to reduce their hours to part-time, and having totted up the figures, he had already spoken to his manager about a potential job share.