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

got up, a little later than normal at seven-thirty, she had now turned ravenous.

      She made a quick cup of tea for them both and dived into the soft malty bread and bacon. ‘Mmm. Just bliss.’

      ‘Right,’ Holly said, ‘I’ll head out to the counter and make sure Stan and Hilda are fine and have everything they want. Last night was brilliant by the way, such fun. Jess and I have been telling our mates all about it already.’

      ‘Great. Mind you, I’ll not be able to serve you as a paying guest until you’re officially eighteen, you know.’

      ‘Ah, yes. Well, Jess is already eighteen, and several of my friends. It’s only a month until my eighteenth birthday so I’m sure we can wait ’til then.’

      ‘So, have you got anything special planned for your birthday?’

      ‘I’m having a fancy meal out with the family. And then, I’m also planning a night out “on the Toon” in Newcastle with my mates. Yay – I can go out clubbing officially at last.’

      ‘Sounds great fun. Right, let’s get to work then.’ Emma finished off the sandwich, had another slurp of tea, then washed her hands ready for her fudge making.

      The morning and lunch shift passed quickly. There was a lull by mid-afternoon, and the pair of them found themselves yawning once the shop emptied. Em offered to make them both a coffee to perk them up.

      Sitting with a steaming mug in hand, Em started, ‘So, how’s the studying going? And are things still going well with Adam? All fine?’

      ‘Yes, pretty good. Just keeping my head down with the studies – needs must. And Adam, oh, he’s just so lovely. I don’t know how I got so lucky.’ Holly paused, looking thoughtful, then, ‘It’s going to be hard though, Em. I really want to go off to uni this September. I’ve got my nursing place for midwifery all sorted at Northumbria, as long as I get the grades in this summer’s exams, but then Adam’s going to be all the way back here because he’s got his job at the hotel.’

      With her long-distance relationship with Max going on, Emma knew exactly how that felt. ‘Yes, it might be a bit tricky – but you know what, Hols? If it’s meant to be with Adam, you’ll make it work somehow. You need to think about your ambitions and goals in life too. You’re still so young and there’s a big world out there, Holly. Go grab it.’

      ‘Yeah, I know. I’ve always wanted to nurse and to look after people.’

      ‘Well, good for you. Hold on to your dreams, Holly, and your heart will work out the other stuff. If Adam’s serious about you too, you’ll both find a way.’

      ‘Yes, I suppose. I just feel a bit anxious about it all. But thanks, Em.’

      It was like her and Max: despite all her concerns and fears, they had found a way. So far so good, anyhow. She was looking forward to seeing him tonight.

      They heard the shop door chime and were soon back serving coffee and cake, filling gift boxes with truffles, and bagging up the new tray of fudge, then tying the bags with navy-blue curls of string. Delicious aromas of chocolate and fudge surrounded them, and Emma looked proudly out across the café where a host of happy customers were chatting and eating. The Chocolate Shop by the Sea was so charming with its cottage-style stone walls and cosy window seats – a place to truly warm your heart.

      It was half an hour after closing time when Emma’s mobile rang.

      ‘Hi, Em. You okay?’ It was Max. The sound was a bit echoey, tinny. He must be driving and on the hands-free.

      ‘Yeah, where are you? Are you in the Jeep?’ She was hoping he’d be here with her within the hour.

      ‘Yes, but I’ve only just set off.’

      Her heart sank. ‘From Leeds?’ That was about three hours away. ‘What’s happened?’

      ‘I’m sorry. Having a ’mare of a day here. Been waiting on steel girders being delivered and they were on the back of a wagon that’s been stuck in a jam on the motorway all afternoon. We needed to have them in place before we left today, to prop the structure securely.’

      ‘Oh, right. Well, couldn’t the others have stayed?’ She couldn’t hide the disappointment in her tone.

      ‘It’s my business, Em. Those girders cost a hell of a lot of money and they are such an important part of the structure; I needed to know it had been done right. You can’t get it wrong at his stage.’

      ‘Okay,’ she conceded. It was just so frustrating – she would be waiting for nearly three hours until he was here. What with all that had happened this week – with the landlord, seeing Nate out of the blue like that, still nursing a mild hangover – all she really wanted was to curl up in Max’s arms. She tried to buck up her mood. Max wouldn’t want to be coming back to some grumpy woman. ‘So, you’ll be here in what, just over two and a half hours?’

      ‘Probably, traffic permitting. It’s still slow getting out of Leeds. I’m sorry, babe.’

      ‘Ah, it’s all right.’ She tried to be a bit more understanding. ‘I’ll fix us some supper for when you get here.’ The earlier plan of a fish-and-chip takeaway from the pub might not work out now, as they finished serving food by nine. Well, she was bound to have something in the freezer; maybe a pizza would do. ‘Drive safely.’ That’s what really mattered, that he got to her safe and sound.

      ‘Yep, will do. Oh, and yeah, how did the prosecco party thing go last night?’

      ‘Really good. Well, a bit too good if my head’s anything to go by.’

      ‘Hah, don’t expect any sympathy from me – all self-inflicted,’ he jibed.

      ‘Cheers. Thanks for the support. But yeah, I really think the idea’s got potential and the girls seemed to love it.’

      ‘That’s great. And it should help keep the coffers full and Mr Miserable off your back for a bit.’

      ‘Hopefully.’

      ‘Right, well, I’ll crack on. See you soon.’ He sounded tired.

      ‘Yep, I’ll let you concentrate on the road. See ya.’ She switched off her mobile and sighed.

      It was work getting in the way again and the new job for Max down in Leeds was making things even more difficult for them. It was frustrating more than anything, but hey ho, such was life. She knew all about long working hours and short breaks. You just had to get your head down and get on with it sometimes.

      She couldn’t settle until he was there with her, so despite feeling tired, she used the time to make some raspberry-swirl chocolate bars – they looked so pretty with white and dark chocolate swirled together and freeze-dried raspberry pieces sprinkled over the top. She also made a batch of hazelnut pralines.

      Alfie’s excited bark was the indicator that Max’s Jeep had finally pulled up outside. Em dashed through from the shop’s kitchen and opened the front door to save him having to do the usual after-hours walk around the back yard. He came to the door looking pale-faced and shattered.

      ‘Wow, what a day that was! Come here, you.’ He managed to smile, his arms opening.

      They shared a hug and a slow, sweet kiss, right at the shop door.

      A couple of teenage lads happened to be wandering by, who gave a wolf-whistle.

      Emma and Max pulled away gently with a smile.

      After a casual supper of pizza and garlic bread – the freezer having come up trumps – they sat in the upstairs lounge of the cottage flat above the shop. Em, comfortable with her legs curled up on the sofa, rested her head back against Max’s chest.

      ‘So, tell me all about this prosecco party, then.’

      ‘Yeah, it went off great. I thought the parties would need a bit of focus, so we made homemade truffles whilst enjoying