The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop: The perfect heartwarming summer escape from the Kindle bestselling author. Caroline Roberts

welcome. Yep, it’s been great tonight.’

      Emma didn’t answer. Tiredness, as well as all her tumbled thoughts over the past couple of days, were now creeping up on her.

      ‘Em, you okay, hun?’

      ‘Yeah, why?’

      ‘Just, you seem thoughtful. And you were a bit quiet when I first got here? That rent man’s not been hassling you again, has he?’

      ‘No, it’s not that.’

      ‘So?’

      There was no hiding from Bev. How did best friends manage to suss you out in that way?

      ‘Okay, you’ve got me. I-I saw Luke’s brother yesterday.’

      ‘Oh, right. Whoa. That must have been a bit strange.’

      ‘Yeah. The last time I saw him was at Luke’s funeral. He was still a teenager, the kid brother.’ Emma sighed. ‘They got on so well those two, despite the age gap. Nathan adored him.’

      The two ladies sat back down at the window-seat table. Bev placed a hand gently over Em’s where it rested on the tabletop. Emma hadn’t realised but she had started to cry.

      ‘Hey, it’s all right,’ her friend soothed.

      ‘Oh Bev, it was just weird yesterday. When I first saw him, just for that split second, I thought it was Luke. It was like an electric jolt right through my heart.’

      ‘Aw, bless.’

      ‘Of course, then I knew it couldn’t be. He just looked at me with those eyes … I didn’t think I ever would, but I had started to forget those eyes, how they really looked, and then the way he flicked his fringe out of them. Luke used to do just that when his hair got a bit longer. It took me right back …’ Em snuffled a bit.

      Bev fumbled in her pocket, then passed her a tissue.

      ‘Ah, I’m sorry. This sounds silly.’

      ‘No, it doesn’t.’

      ‘It was just such a surprise … Hah, who’d have thought. The end to a perfect party night and me blubbing like a loon. I should be pleased that he’d thought to come and see me.’

      ‘Yeah, true. And I bet it’s been hard for him too.’

      ‘Yes, it must be. I suppose we have a lot in common, really. I think that’s why he disappeared off abroad for all those years. Just to get away from all the memories … That’s why it was easier for me to come here. To be somewhere else. I didn’t have to look at where Luke worked, where he ate, the bed where he’d slept with me, every day. It was hard enough without that.’

      ‘Yes, I can only imagine how awful that must be …’

      ‘I’m okay. Really. It was just a bit of a shock, that’s all. Come on …’ Emma stood up, needing to get on with a task, stop dwelling on seeing Nathan. Get back to her life here and now in The Chocolate Shop, and the fact the kitchen area was still a mess and needed a good tidy before opening tomorrow morning.

      Blimey, Max would be here with her tomorrow, too. She wondered what he’d make of all this with Nate. But then, a part of her thought, she should just let it lie. She didn’t need to mention it. What if she got all upset in front of Max, like she just had with Bev? What might he think? They were just getting settled together. Yes, he knew about her fiancé Luke, but there was no point digging up the past. In fact, Nate might already be off on his way somewhere else and that’d be the last she’d see of him for years.

      Bev stood up next to her, with her cleaning cloth in hand.

      ‘Thanks, Bev.’

      Her friend realised she was saying thank you for more than the clearing up. ‘You’re welcome, hun. Hey, it was a great night. The prosecco party idea is going to be such a success, I tell you.’

      ‘I think you may be right, there, my lovely friend!’

      They headed for the kitchen where they hand-washed the flutes and stacked the dishwasher with all the chocolatey pots and spoons. Then it was time for Bev to go. Em felt a little lonely pit in her stomach.

      ‘You okay? Shall I walk back with you?’ Em offered.

      ‘Don’t be daft. If you walk me, then I should have to walk you safely back too. Then we’d be to-ing and fro-ing all bloody night.’ She laughed. ‘I’ll be fine. This is Warkton we are talking about. The last major crime wave was when Mrs C left her walking stick at the post office section in the grocer’s and was convinced someone – in fact “a right bugger” – had stolen it. And it was only that Sheila had put it behind the counter for safekeeping.’

      The friends giggled.

      ‘Night, Em.’

      ‘Night. Love you, Bev. Thank you … for everything.’ She found herself still feeling a bit emotional.

      ‘You are so welcome, my gorgeous chocolate-shop friend.’

      ‘Hah, you only love me for my chocolate.’ Em was smiling.

      ‘Foiled again,’ was Bev’s slick response.

      The pair of them burst into laughter.

       11

      Emma’s head felt rather delicate when she turned the pretty wooden sign to ‘open’ on the shop door the next morning, despite her efforts to take it easy on the prosecco.

      She served the early customers with their teas, coffees and brownies on autopilot, looking forward to ten-thirty when Holly would come in and she could then retire to the kitchen to do some crafting – something straightforward like making a batch of fudge might be good today.

      Stan and Hilda, a sweet old couple, regulars from the village, appeared for a pot of tea and some cake.

      ‘So, how are you both keeping?’ Emma asked cheerily, after taking their order.

      ‘Grand we are, Emma. Just grand at the moment, thanks pet. Enjoying the better weather now that summer’s just around the corner. And you, pet?’

      ‘Yes, all fine here thanks, Stan. Keeping myself busy and out of mischief.’

      He gave her a wink.

      ‘It’s lovely to be able to stop here a while now, Emma,’ Hilda took up, ‘what with the new café. It’s made a real difference. Very cosy.’

      ‘We make a morning of it now, don’t we, Hilda. Fetch the papers at Sheila’s on the way up, so we’ve got something to read. Then call back in for our weekend groceries on the way back down. Mind, when we saw Sheila earlier, she was looking a bit peaky. Reckon she’s going down with a cold or something,’ Stan added.

      ‘Ah, maybe.’ Emma smiled knowingly. There’d be a few sore heads in the village this morning for sure. She headed to the kitchen to prepare their tea and cakes. ‘Won’t be a minute,’ she called back over her shoulder. ‘Take a seat and make yourselves comfy.’

      ‘Oh, we will, lass,’ Hilda answered.

      Holly arrived just as she was bringing a tray of drinks back out. Her assistant was carrying a brown paper bag that smelt suspiciously delicious.

      ‘Morning, Em.’ Holly sounded far too chirpy!

      Oh, to have the recovery levels of a nearly eighteen-year-old, after a night out.

      Emma served Stan and Hilda, then followed the aroma back to the kitchen. ‘What’s in the bag, Holly? And please, for goodness’ sake, say it’s for me or at least to share.’ She suddenly found herself with the appetite of a horse.

      ‘Hmm, thought you might like one. Mum made me a bacon sarnie just as I was coming out.