The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop Read online

  She felt a shiver run through her.

  ‘You okay?’ Nate stopped singing, his tone was gentle, concerned.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Here …’ He put his guitar down and moved across to sit beside her on the rug, wrapping his hoodie around her shoulders. She could feel the warmth from his body.

  They were quiet for a few moments.

  ‘It’s been a pretty shitty week for you with the shop and everything.’

  ‘Yep.’ She didn’t want to talk about that just now.

  ‘I’m sure something will work out Em, with The Chocolate Shop.’

  She shrugged her shoulders, couldn’t see how at all. But still, she said, ‘Maybe.’ She didn’t seem capable of forming full sentences just now. Like her fragility might just break free if she voiced it.

  She felt Nate’s arm wrap around her, his hand resting on her far shoulder. It felt natural, comforting. She let it stay there, feeling tired, a little woozy, in fact. They sat like that for a while, neither saying much. Looking at a sky full of stars, suspended over a black, inky sea, she felt her eyelids relax, the slow whirr of alcohol through her veins …

  ‘Come on, I’ll walk you back. It’s getting late – and cold.’ Nate’s words made her eyes ping back open. She wasn’t sure if she had dozed, or for how long. Had her head been resting on his shoulder?

  ‘Oh … yeah, that’d be good. Thanks, it’s been a nice night.’

  He looked at her intently for a few seconds with those eyes just like Luke’s. ‘It has, hasn’t it.’

  They made their way back up from the beach, along the track in the dunes to the car park, where Nate’s camper van was parked up for the night. There was no way he was driving anywhere after the many bottles of lager he’d had.

  Em realised she wasn’t walking that well, kept veering to the right. Nate steadied her. She felt a bit light-headed now. She giggled.

  ‘You all right?’ Nate asked.

  ‘Oooh, just give me a second.’ She paused, taking a gulp of air. She looked up and the sky suddenly took a little spin. Oh no, don’t look up too long … made the legs wobblier. Be nice if she didn’t have legs to get in the way right now. Then she could fly and soar and be free.

  Nate had his arm firmly around her, steadying her along as they walked. That was better. No wobbles at all.

  ‘It’s bee-en such a lovely night.’

  ‘Good. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed yourself. Time you got a bit of a chill-out for yourself.’

  ‘Y-y-ee-ss.’

  ‘And you’re sure you’re all right?’

  ‘Abso-blooody-lutely!’ Then she felt a bit of a spin going on. ‘Ooh, do you have some water, Nate?’

  ‘Yep, no worries. There’s some bottled water in the van.’

  They had nearly reached the camper van, anyhow.

  ‘Right.’ Nate unlocked the side door of the unit. ‘You may as well sit in a minute, while I find you a bottle. I bought some at the supermarket earlier.’ He rummaged in a cupboard under the sink, whilst Em perched herself on the sleeper bench. ‘Here.’ He’d found a large plastic water bottle and poured some out into a glass for her.

  She took a long sip, still feeling a little woozy. Nate sat down beside her, his hip touching hers, leg to leg. It was a pretty small space. The door of the van had been left open.

  ‘I still miss him.’ The words came out before Emma knew she had been thinking them.

  ‘Yeah, me too. Every day.’

  They didn’t need to say who.

  Nate’s arm drifted around her again. There were a few seconds of silence. Then Emma turned to look at Nathan. Their eyes met, held each other’s. She could see the glisten of a tear in his.

  She didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly there were lips pressed against hers. She didn’t stop it, responding gently. Oh God … That smell of his aftershave. The touch of his lips. She’d missed him so much … so much.

  She opened her eyes and it was Nathan there. Nathan. The past tangling with the present. She was surprised, yes, and she tried to fathom how she felt … It was okay, nice, her emotions over seeing Luke’s brother again, the confusion and heartache of the past few weeks, the disappointment about the shop, finding an outlet at last.

  It was a good kiss, tender, with a hint of passion.

  But it didn’t feel like Luke’s kiss … This wasn’t Luke. Luke was never coming back. And it didn’t feel like Max’s kiss. God yes, she and Max had shared their first kiss here in this car park, that day when they’d first met. She felt a prickle of guilt.

  And then a realisation. Kissing Nate didn’t make her toes curl.

  What on earth was she doing?

  Holly and Adam made their way up the track from the beach. They’d taken a stroll along the sands in the dark after leaving the others, wanting to make the most of some extra time just to be together. They were both aware that the summer would pass all too soon, and the time would come when Holly would take up her university place and have to leave Warkton-by-the-Sea.

  They were walking hand in hand as they reached the car park.

  They saw the camper van with its side door open, the light on inside. They spotted Nate in there and then, Emma – her wavy red locks apparent even though she was facing the other way.

  In fact … Holly stopped walking and took a closer look. Yes, it was definitely Emma and she was facing Nate. Kissing him.

  29

  What the hell had she done?

  The next morning Emma woke with a head that felt like it had been used as a rugby ball and the most horrid hangover, and yet she remembered last night’s incident all too well. There had definitely been Nate … and a kiss involved. Bugger. That was before she’d asked him to walk her home and left him politely on her back doorstep. She felt terribly sick, probably the dregs of alcohol kicking around in her system, but also the awful realisation of what had happened. She thought about Luke. Oh God, she’d gone and kissed his brother! What was she thinking of? And then Max, gorgeous Max. Yes, it had been a bit tricky with work lately, but he was a great guy, and now she’d gone and kissed someone else, in a moment of bloody madness.

  It was a mistake. Just a mistake. We all make mistakes. She tried to put it into perspective. But it had happened – and she couldn’t change that.

  It hurt to open her eyes, but she needed to check what time it was. She squinted at her wristwatch: ten past ten. Oh my, she ought to get up soon. The thought stayed a thought, however; there was no subsequent action. Her whole body felt like she’d been kicked by a donkey.

  Alfie must have heard her stirring and came through to her room. He stood patiently beside the bed and nuzzled his nose to her hand that lay on top of the covers. Emma gave him a gentle pat.

  ‘Oh Alfie, what have I done?’ she groaned. She’d need to let the dog out. Face the day. Get ready to open The Chocolate Shop at noon. But she’d just take five more minutes … just five, yes.

  She woke up over half an hour later; Alfie had snuck up on top of the covers, which he was rarely allowed to do, and had curled up beside her.

  There was also a missed call on her mobile, which was on the bedside table. Max. She groaned loudly. That was one call back she wasn’t ready to make just now.

  With a thumping head and a heavy heart, Emma took Alfie out for a short walk down to the harbour and back, then she forced herself into the kitchen and set about making some chocolate bars to replenish the shop’s supplies. They were fairly straightforward to make, she just needed to melt the chocolate and add a touch of flavouring – Grand Marnier orange and then mint options this time. She found her rectangular moulds and set them out on the countertop. Yes, she thought she could manage to make these even with a headache. She could work on autopilot.

  However, standing in the shop’s kitchen, looking out over her newly spruced-up courtyard, she couldn’t help but think. Okay, so the shop and café might be up for sale, but that was just the building, the bricks and mortar, she told herself. Her Cho
colate Shop was so much more than that. It was all the things she had put in there: the furniture, the displays, the chocolate creations, including her heart and soul.

  Argh, as if she didn’t have enough on her plate … and now her crazy late-night kiss with Nate. Oh my, she’d be mortified when she saw him next time. She’d have to apologise, say it was all a mistake.

  She had a fleeting flashback to the end of the night before. Nate had walked her home and they stood there on her back step, an awkwardness already forming between them. There was no chance of a repeat-performance goodnight kiss. She didn’t need another lover – all she’d needed was a friend, a brotherly figure, no more. She hoped she hadn’t gone and messed that up too.

  And then there was Max. Should she come clean and tell him? It was just a blip, after all. But would he understand? She poured milk chocolate callets into the tempering machine absent-mindedly, spilling a few. Stupid, stupid woman. If she did tell Max, would it ever be the same between them? After that silly shower incident with Nate, he might just think his instincts were right all along.

  Her head was thumping even more now. Time for a couple of paracetamols, a drink of water and a large cup of tea. Then, she’d make some choc-chip shortbread: kneading and rolling the dough might prove thera-peutic.

  So, life threw you curveballs every now and then. She’d have to ring Max back soon, or her silence would be telling in itself. But she didn’t know quite what she was going to say … some things were bigger than words could express.

  30

  Emma left it until that evening before calling Max, after the shop had closed and when her headache had subsided to a low throb.

  She stood with the phone in her hand, thinking back over the disaster of last night. She hadn’t seen anything of Nate all day, thank heavens. Maybe he had decided to lie low too, which was definitely for the best.

  She just had to dial. It would be fine. All she had to do was act normally, speak normally … ask Max about his day. So why did she feel so sick all of a sudden? Emma paced the room, paused, took a slow breath, then punched in his contact. She heard the dialling tone, and felt a lump form in her throat.

  ‘Hi Max,’ she managed to say.

  ‘Hey, Em, been busy there?’

  ‘Yeah, sorry, one of those days.’ One of those days where you go around remembering kissing someone else, her mind heckled.

  ‘Yeah, me too. Never got a chance to call back after this morning.’

  ‘Did you get finished on time, then? Is the contract completed?’ This felt safer ground. This she could cope with.

  ‘Yep, by the skin of our teeth. But yeah, the owners seem really happy with the work. I’ll need to be available over the next few weeks just in case there are any teething problems at all. On such a big job there’s always something. But the flats are basically finished and ready for the owners to go ahead and sell now.’

  ‘Great – well done you.’

  ‘Ah, I’m so relieved, Em. I cannot tell you how much. This was such a big project for me and the business and boy, was it a long haul. I’m shattered, if truth be told, but the lads want to go out for a beer tonight, to celebrate.’

  ‘Oh yes, you must.’

  ‘And you? How’s the shop been? How are you feeling after the bloody “For Sale” sign going up and all that? I’m sorry, I’ve been so tied up here. Such bad timing. I really wish I could be there with you, Em.’

  ‘It’s all right. I’m coping.’ Em felt distinctly uncomfortable. Oh yes, what had she been up to these past two days? She certainly did not feel ready to share that with Max just now, not now he was so happy about finishing his contract.

  It was way too risky telling him over the phone too. She couldn’t see his reaction or gauge the truth from his eyes. He was already riled up about Nate being about as it was. The knowledge of that one kiss might just fester within him and then she’d never be able to explain properly. Who said honesty was the best policy, anyhow? What would it achieve telling him the truth? It would stir up a hornet’s nest. And for what? She knew she’d never do it again.

  Only she and Nate knew of it, after all. It could stay that way …

  Why ruin Max’s night and possibly their whole relationship for a silly moment of madness?

  ‘Max … I love you,’ was all she said.

  ‘Love you too, Em.’

  His words bruised. Guilt was a gnawing horrid thing.

  ‘I’ll come down and see you mid-week if you want, like we talked about,’ Em offered. She needed somehow to make it up to Max, even if he never came to know why.

  ‘Thursday would be good. I’m working back at Hexham that day so I’ll be home by five.’

  ‘Great. I’ll come down straight after work.’

  Maybe she ought to come clean on Thursday, face to face, when she could explain everything properly. But oh, if she did, would everything they had just fall down?

  What a bloody mess – and this time it was a mess all of her own making.

  31

  Emma was nervous about opening the formal-looking white envelope. With all the havoc going on in her life, she had put the recent application to the back of her mind. It was Monday and the postman had just called. She slid open the seal and scanned the typewritten letter. It was from the local council.

  ‘We would like to inform you …’ Wow, she’d been approved! Yippee!! She was now an official licensee. Which meant she could go ahead with her prosecco parties. Well, she could certainly do with some bubbles in her life right now.

  Word had already spread since the success of the girls’ trial party night a couple of months ago. Laura at the hotel had already mentioned that one of her friends was getting married just before Christmas – she had already booked the wedding reception there at the hotel and wanted a summer hen do with a difference. With the new courtyard available and having experienced the chocolate-prosecco party first hand, Laura had recommended Emma’s Chocolate Shop venue. Maddi, the ‘hen’, and her group of girls were desperate to be the first to try out the party nights.

  No time like the present, Emma thought, she’d give the bride-to-be a call. Laura had already left her all her details.

  ‘Maddi, hi. It’s Emma from “The Chocolate Shop by the Sea”.’

  ‘Oh, hi Emma.’

  ‘Hope all the wedding arrangements are going well?’

  ‘Great, thanks.’

  ‘Well, Laura asked me to give you a call about your hen do. The good news is, I am now licensed so I can go ahead and take bookings for the Chocolate and Prosecco Party nights.’

  ‘Ooh, fab. Me and the girls can’t wait. It sounded such a lovely night when Laura came along. And The Chocolate Shop is already special to our engagement.’

  ‘Is it?’ Emma was curious.

  ‘Yes, your amazing Easter egg – that was my fiancé, Mark.’

  ‘Aw, how lovely. So you evidently said yes.’

  ‘How could I not after all that effort? It was just stunning. I don’t know how you crafted it, all that detail. I didn’t want to spoil it by eating it in the end. Mind you, I did scoff all those delicious truffles inside. The chocolate shell opened out perfectly, though, so I’ve kept it. And then it was such a surprise when I found the ring. Mark was down on one knee when I looked up.’ She sounded a little happy-teary down the line.

  ‘That’s so lovely to hear. I’m glad it all worked out well for you both. So, have a think about the hen do and just let me know if you have any dates in mind.’

  ‘Actually, I already have a day in mind. We’ve set the date for a winter wedding, so no point hanging around and I’m thinking that two weeks this Friday would be perfect … if we can. I know it’s one of the few nights when all of the girls are free.’

  ‘So …’ Emma checked her calendar. ‘That’s July 13. Oh, are you okay with that? Friday the Thirteenth?’ Emma wasn’t usually the superstitious sort, but it made her think for a second. After her trial of a weekend she didn’t want to tempt fate any mor
e than she had to.

  ‘Ah, yes, doesn’t bother me. It’s the date we can all do, so we’ll stick with it.’ Maddi sounded very relaxed.

  It was Maddi’s night after all, so Em answered cheerily, ‘Okay, I’ll pop that in the diary right away, and I’ll give you a call in the next couple of days to chat about details. Do you have an idea of numbers?’

  ‘About twelve of us, I think.’

  ‘Yes, that’s fine. I’m looking forward to making it a special night for you all.’

  ‘Thank you. This is brilliant.’

  ‘Bye. Chat again soon,’ Em replied.

  How fabulous that it was the very same girl who the chocolate-engagement-egg creation had been for. Being a chocolatier was just the best job, especially at times like this. It was so wonderful to have a part in making other people’s dreams come true. Even if her own life struggled a bit in that department at times.

  Three days later, Emma popped in at the grocer’s. At the till, Sheila started going on about rumours she’d heard – apparently, The Rock Shop lady had been making disparaging remarks about The Chocolate Shop. Em had enough on her plate, and just poo-pooed the comments as gossip, making it quite clear to Sheila that she wasn’t interested in getting involved in any tittle-tattle.

  That was when Nate walked in. It was the first time they had bumped into each other since that fateful Saturday night and Emma found herself frozen, only just managing to squeak a ‘hi’. This really wasn’t the place for a heart-to-heart. The walls had ears in that shop, and Sheila could spot signs of embarrassment, awkwardness or a cover-up a mile away. So, after buying her bag of potatoes, bacon and orange juice, Emma swiftly left.

  But she felt there was so much unsaid, so much to say, and she’d hung around along the street, following Nate down the hill to have a quiet word.