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

      ‘Aw, thanks. That’ll cheer things up in here.’ It was a grey old day outside, the April sky heavy with cloud and the threat of rain. But hey-ho, it might just make a cosy chocolate shop café even more appealing to the tourists on their Easter holiday break.

      The shelves behind Bev were stacked with chocolate bars in many flavours, packs of chocolate-dipped fudge, a counter with truffles and melt-in-your-mouth ganaches, moulded lollipops with puffins and teddy bears on, a few remaining Easter chicks and bunnies, and lots more. Emma loved the chance to change the selections by season and special holidays. Now the displays were brightly coloured for spring and Easter, with gift boxes in gold and white, and pretty cellophane packs with curls of ribbons in pinks, blues, greens and yellows.

      Despite the grey skies outside, spring was very much in the air. The season of hope, new life and second chances.

      There was a lull just after eleven and Emma made coffee for herself and Bev.

      ‘Coffee time,’ she called, bringing through a tray with a cafetière of coffee on, as well as a small plate with a selection of choc-chip shortbread, the new Red Velvet ganaches, and a couple of other chocolates to try.

      ‘Oh my, I think I’m actually going to drool.’ Bev’s eyes lit up. ‘How did I get so lucky as to work in a chocolate shop, with my bestie, no less?’ The novelty of helping out at The Chocolate Shop still delighted Bev. She also worked a couple of mornings as a receptionist at the doctors’ surgery in the next village, which had been her job for many years, but now she was also helping her friend, and this didn’t feel like work at all.

      They settled themselves on stools to the side of the counter.

      ‘Now these are lemon meringue cups, and the new red velvet, and there’s a strawberries-and-cream bar in white chocolate that I’ve broken up to try. I’ll put some out as tasters on the counter shortly.’

      Bev dived straight in, taking a bite of a lemon cup. ‘Oh wow, delicious!’

      Em poured out the coffee, its rich aroma filling the shop.

      ‘I’ve been thinking …’ Bev started.

      ‘Now that could be dangerous!’

      ‘Hah.’ Bev looked indignant.

      ‘Go on.’

      ‘Well, you remember what a success your launch night for the chocolate café was? With all the chocolate and bubbly we had. And you’re always looking for ways to improve the shop, and bring in more money, of course …’

      ‘Ye-es.’ Em wondered where this might be going.

      ‘Well, what about prosecco-and-chocolate nights? Girlie nights, celebrations, that type of thing.’

      ‘Hmm.’ Emma sipped her coffee. ‘You might just be on to something there.’

      ‘Well, I’d love to go to something like that, so would lots of my friends, I’m sure. Something a bit different from going out into town or to the local pubs and clubs, getting pushed about in a crowd, your toes stood on and lager spilled down your back. Yes, chocolate nights in.’

      ‘Interesting … I know there’s all sorts of legal implications to consider for being licenced to serve alcohol for the prosecco, but I might just look into it. In fact, I think it could work well.’ Emma was always open to new ways to expand the business and protect her Chocolate Shop’s future. ‘Yes, I can picture it now. Hen do’s, small parties, birthdays. Maybe we could do a hands-on truffle-making session too, as part of the party.’ Her mind was on a roll now. ‘My cocktail-based ones might work well. The Pimm’s chocolate cups I did last summer, or the Pina Colada or Mojito truffles.’

      ‘Ooh, yes. Sounds brilliant. Of course, being my idea, it will be.’

      Emma took a sip of coffee. ‘Hmm, I’m liking it, Mrs Walker. You might well be on to something. I’ll do some research. An extra string to The Chocolate Shop’s bow can only be a good thing. Whilst we’re going along nice and steady at the moment, who knows what’s around the corner?’ She remembered only too well the rent hike of last year, and her greedy landlord, Mr Neil, was always waiting in the wings. But more than that, it sounded a really lovely thing to do.

      With that, the shop door chimed, and in came old Mrs Clark, one of their regulars. The elderly lady was well wrapped up in her coat and scarf, but she looked a little more stooped lately, and her face a little paler than usual.

      Emma stood up to greet her. ‘Morning, Mrs C, and how are you today?’

      ‘Not so bad, Emma, not so bad.’ It was as though she was trying to convince herself. ‘Mind, that hill up’s a bit of a bugger. Gets steeper every time.’ Mrs Clark loved the ‘B’ word and used it prolifically. It always made Emma smile.

      ‘Well, come and have a seat, Mrs C. What can we get for you? The usual coffee? We have some nice chocolate cake, freshly made too, if you fancy?’

      ‘Just a cup of coffee, pet. That’ll be grand. And how are you two ladies?’ Mrs Clark settled herself into one of the window seats, placing her large handbag beside her and removing her woollen coat and patterned head scarf.

      ‘Good thanks,’ answered Bev. ‘We’re planning prosecco parties.’

      ‘My, that sounds fun. That’s what you young ones should be doing, having fun. Life’s too short not to enjoy it. We had some good parties in our time. I remember the old tea dances down at the village hall. Me and my Jim, back when we were courting – those were the days.’ Her grey-green eyes seemed to light up with the memories, then she smiled and sighed all at once.

      ‘Go on, tell me about it back then, Mrs C,’ Bev took up.

      ‘I’ll just go and fetch your coffee, Mrs Clark. Won’t be a minute,’ said Emma, knowing the story would still be in full flow on her return.

      ‘Thanks, pet.’

      ‘Well then, I do remember one of the tea dances in particular. I wasn’t supposed to be going out that night at all as my dad was still cross. You see, I’d been out with Jim to the pictures in Alnwick two days before, and somehow we’d missed the eight-fifteen bus home.’

      Bev was nodding, enjoying the story. She liked to hear about the village in the old days.

      ‘Well,’ Mrs C continued, ‘if truth be told, I think we’d spent far too long kissing round the back of the picture house after the film. Lost track of time. Of course, there were no mobile phones, not even many telephone boxes back then, to let my parents know. Well, my dad was all burnt up with anger when I got back.’

      ‘Ah, he was probably just worried.’

      ‘Yes, but you don’t think the same when you’re young and in love. That was it, he said I wasn’t allowed out for another week. And warned me never to be late again.’

      Emma returned with a cafetière of fresh coffee that gave off a gorgeous aroma. She’d popped a mini chocolate brownie on the side of Mrs C’s coffee cup for good measure.

      ‘Well then, my Jim had other plans. Little did I know he’d been planning a special night. He’d gone to call on my dad without me knowing – one, to apologise and two, to ask for something else.’

      ‘Ooh, and what was that?’

      ‘Suddenly, it all changed and I was allowed to go, my mother making a big fuss over my dress choice, which wasn’t like her at all. Well …’ The old lady grinned, her eyes twinkly at the memory. ‘He only went down on one knee in the middle of the dance floor. Oh, I still remember that so well, the band were playing Buddy Holly’s “True Love Ways”. Jim had asked for it specially, it was one of my favourites. I said “yes” straight away, of course.’

      ‘Aw, that’s such a lovely story,’ Em smiled.

      ‘True love, hey, Mrs C,’ Bev added.

      ‘Ay, those