The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop: The perfect, feel good romantic comedy to curl up with this Christmas!. Caroline Roberts

for her lunch with a quick cup of coffee. She loved good coffee, and when she had time would grind her own beans. It was one of the few things she spent a little more on – having a really lovely cup of coffee from her cafetière really perked her up, especially on hectic days like this. She had been so glad when Holly arrived about an hour ago.

      The door chimed and in dashed the young man from the hotel. He was checking his watch. ‘Sorry, are you about to close?’

      ‘Oh, hi, Adam. No, you’re fine. We’re opening a little later tonight, with it being Valentine’s Day tomorrow.’ Emma smiled.

      She could swear she could feel the heat rise in the room. Holly was blushing furiously beside her.

      ‘How’s the hotel order going?’ he asked. He looked slightly uncomfortable.

      ‘Oh, you didn’t need the mini boxes for the hotel today, did you?’ She felt her heart race. She was sure they’d said for Valentine’s Day, and had planned to get them finished and delivered first thing in the morning. She felt a little anxious – she couldn’t afford to screw this up already.

      ‘Oh no, tomorrow is fine. Helen said for Valentine’s Day.’

      ‘So, how can we help today?’ Emma asked brightly, feeling relieved, as she shifted slightly out of the counter area. ‘Holly, would you mind helping here? I have another batch of dark chocolate hearts to make.’

      ‘Of course … so, what would you like? The usual, is it, coffee creams and the orange creams?’

      ‘Aah, yes, please …’

      Emma couldn’t help but listen in as she walked slowly towards the inner door of the shop. He sounded uncertain, as though that wasn’t what he was in here for at all. She paused just in the doorway, curious.

      Holly got the box out ready, four of each flavour as per usual. Wrapped them up, did the purple gift bow, and then weighed and priced them, which came to the normal five pounds twenty.

      ‘Um …’ He sounded a little uncomfortable. ‘I’d like something else. Another gift box, one like that, but a bit bigger this time.’

      Emma could imagine Holly’s shoulders sinking at that point, though she’d be trying her best to disguise it.

      ‘And what would you like in this one, some truffles and ganaches from the counter, maybe?’

      ‘Yes, a selection, please. I’m not sure which – what kind of things would you recommend?’

      ‘Well, I love these Baileys truffles, so definitely a couple of those, and Emma has just been making a new passion fruit filling, so you could try that. The raspberry and white choc is very good too, as is the hazelnut praline.’

      ‘Any more favourites?’ he prompted.

      ‘Yes, there’s the salted caramel, better not miss that. They really are delicious.’

      ‘Two of them as well, in that case.’

      She had filled all twelve cases now. ‘Done?’

      ‘Yes, that’s fine. Thank you.’

      ‘What kind of gift-wrapping?’ Holly asked, still managing to sound cheerful.

      ‘I’ll let you decide.’

      So she went for a bright pink bow and ribbon, which she tied beautifully.

      Emma was now spying subtly from the inner doorway. Bless her, Holly was being so helpful, even though she was probably feeling gutted inside. The tension in her assistant’s fingers was apparent, however, as she struggled to tie the bow.

      ‘Right, so together that’ll be twelve pounds fifty, please.’

      She popped the two boxes in one of their crisp white paper bags.

      The young man paid, then gave Holly a smile, which she returned wistfully.

      ‘Bye, then,’ she said.

      ‘Thanks. Bye.’ He turned at the last, with a nod.

      After the door to the shop closed, Em heard Holly let out a long, low sigh. As she peered further around the door frame, she saw the young girl’s head drop and her hand lift to sweep away a stray tear. ‘Life is sooo not fair.’

      She just had to go and give her assistant a hug.

       13

      The big day had arrived, Valentine’s Day, and Emma was awake before her six o’clock alarm.

      Luke would have brought her flowers, no doubt have planned to take her out for supper. They’d only had five Valentine’s Days when they were meant to have a whole lifetime of them. It was two months before it happened that they had got engaged. They had been so full of hope. It was their future together that had been taken away: Christmases, wedding anniversaries, a wedding day, their children … grandchildren.

      It still hit her hard, every now and again. The years didn’t seem to dim the pain, they just spread out the time when it jolted through her. She turned on the lamplight. Being February, it was still dark at this time of the morning, and she looked at Luke’s photo there next to her bed.

      Right then, time to get up. There was one more batch of salted caramel truffles to make. Come on, Em, last big push, you can do this thing, she chivvied herself on as she raised her weary limbs from the comfy mattress.

      First, she let Alfie out into the yard and fed him his breakfast in the little kitchen upstairs, grabbing herself a piece of wholemeal toast and butter and a large mug of tea. Her morning wake-up routine.

      Down to the main working kitchen at the back of the shop, hands washed, thin hygienic gloves on, stainless-steel board in place on the work surface, chocolate callets ready to melt in a bowl – the dark 70% cocoa today, and the moulds in place. The kitchen window overlooked the back yard of the cottage. It was paved with flagstones with a high stone wall around it. She kept pots of herbs and daffodils that were only just poking a green tip up. In summer, there were colourful geraniums and petunias, but for now the courtyard was still rather bare. In the half light, a little robin sat at the water trough cheering things up, singing away. The early-flowering clematis that scaled the wall to one side would be out soon too; it would soon become a mass of pale pink blossom. Roll on March and the spring! She popped the radio on, listening to the music and chat of Radio 2, Chris Evans and the gang keeping her company until 8.30 a.m. when she took Alfie for a quick walk down to the beach, a brief reward, before the long day ahead.

      The fresh sea air with its tang of salt perked her up with the white-crested waves rolling to shore. She found it calming down here, loved the sweeping arc of the bay, the ever-changing light and colours of blues, greys, ochre-blonde sands and the peachy hint of sunrise or sunset, depending on what time of the day or year she was there. Alfie enjoyed his runabout this morning, doing his classic spaniel loop in joyful circles around her as his grand finale.

      ‘Right, let’s get back, Alfie. I have one busy day ahead.’

      As soon as she got back she completed the hotel order, sealing the bases of the raspberry ganaches with more chocolate. She had a small production line going. Next, she needed to make up the pretty gold boxes ready to fill and hand-tie with blue ribbon. She managed to deliver them all to the hotel before opening the shop at 10.00 a.m., when her ‘official’ working day started. Phew!

      Then it was all go again, with customers waiting at the door for bang-on opening time, and there were telephone orders, and a constant stream of business all day. Her shelves were looking rather depleted by lunchtime as she’d been busy for the last two days as well. But that was all for the good for her finances, if not her feet!

      That afternoon, Emma found herself stifling a yawn. It was only 3.30 p.m. – at least two hours to go. Her early start – in fact, a whole week of early starts and late