Victoria Cooke - The Holiday Cruise - The feel-good heart-warming romance you need to read this year

The high seas are calling!

As if it weren’t enough to be cheated on by her husband of ten years, Yorkshire lass Hannah Davis is losing her beauty salon business too. Luckily, her big sister is there to pick up the pieces, but Hannah is desperate to find some independence.

Impulsively, Hannah applies for a spa job…on a cruise ship! Christmas in the Caribbean, springtime in the Mediterranean, what’s not to like? But, despite being in her thirties, Hannah has never done anything on her own before, and she’s terrified.

As the ship sets sail, Hannah has never been further from home…or closer to discovering who she is and who she wants to be.

Also by Victoria Cooke:

The Secret to Falling in Love

The Holiday Cruise

Victoria Cooke

ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

Contents

Cover

Blurb

Also by Victoria Cooke

Title Page

Author Bio

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Endpages

Copyright

VICTORIA COOKE

grew up in the city of Manchester before crossing the Pennines in pursuit of her career in education. She now lives in Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she’s not at home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in the gym and travelling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six page story about an invisible man. Since then she’s always had a passion for reading and writing, undertaking several writers’ courses before completing her first novel in 2016.

Acknowledgements

I would like to give huge thanks to my editors Victoria Oundjian and Hannah Smith for their wonderful support, advice and encouragement.

In addition, I’d like to say thank you to Kia Thomas for her input and for sharing my love of The Spice Girls.

Dedication

For my parents, who gave me a love of travel and ensured we always had an annual holiday.

Chapter One

Nausea churned slowly in my stomach as I stared at the grey metallic shutter for the first time in a while. With trembling fingers, I unlocked it, using my shoulder to force it up. It was stiffer than I remembered and screeched painfully as I pushed it up above my head, as if it hadn’t been opened for a while.

My breath caught in my chest and I considered just turning around and going back home. Back to safety. Come on, Hannah. You need to do this. It’s already been too long. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of an older couple I recognized walking past on the other side of the road, staring at me sympathetically. Ashamed, I turned away and entered my beauty salon, the business I’d run for the past ten years.

A musty smell hit me as I crossed the threshold. Stepping over the pile of letters on the doormat, I flicked the light switch but nothing happened. I reached into my bag for my phone, turned on the torch, and glanced around; everything looked in order. It was clean and tidy but my staff members, Jess and Amy, who should have been there, were not.

My head spun. I’d neglected the business for the past six weeks – I knew that. I was embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t even given it a moment’s consideration, but I suppose I’d just assumed that Jess and Amy would be okay holding the fort. As my eyes scanned the room, I spotted a note on the counter, written in Jess’s tell-tale bubbly writing.

Hannah,

We’ve tried to call you a million times – we’ve been to your house and left a note there too. I know you’re going through a tough time, and we’ve tried to hold the fort here, but we can’t afford to continue working at Hollywood Hut. Amy and I took £50 each from the cash takings to cover some of our pay, but most customers paid by card so we couldn’t take our full wages. Hopefully, when you get this, you’ll be able to sort out what we’re owed.

We’re really sorry to leave you and do hope you’re coping.

Hope you understand.

Jess & Amy

PS: We’ve posted our keys through your letterbox.

I slumped against the counter, clutching the note in a shaky hand, taking in the business I’d worked so hard to build. Even through the gloom, I could clearly see the comfy chairs where clients waited and the nail bar where Jess and Amy had laughed and joked with customers. I could see the hours I’d spent decorating and planning and dreaming. I could see the life I’d had.

Moments passed as I stared into space, trying to make sense of everything and put a plan together. I couldn’t lose my business too . I shook my head and, forcing myself into action, I dialled Jess’s number.

‘Hannah?’ she answered cautiously.

‘Oh, thank God, Jess, yes, it’s me. I’m in the salon and I’ve just found your note. I completely understand why you left, but I’m okay now and I’m ready to reopen. I just need you and Amy to come back – the three musketeers together once more.’ I forced cheer into my tone.

‘Oh, Hannah.’ She paused, and my stomach sank. I knew what was coming.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I whispered, holding back tears. I knew I’d been selfish, locking myself away from the world without giving a thought to those who I might have affected. Poor Amy must’ve been sick with worry wondering how she was going to make ends meet. A wave of guilt mingled with the nausea in my stomach.

‘I didn’t want to leave. I just really needed to make sure I had a wage coming in and I didn’t know when you’d be back. I’d already borrowed money from my parents to cover the shortfall and I couldn’t ask them again. You were totally AWOL.’ She sighed heavily. ‘Cherry at Glam Shack offered me a job a few weeks ago and I had to take it. I’m sorry, I tried my best to get hold of you, H, I really did.’

I could tell from her voice she was devastated; we’d had a great thing going on at Hollywood Hut. Glam Shack was the only other salon in our small village of Tinbury in North Yorkshire and Cherry had invented herself as somewhat of a rival. She’d be loving this . I sighed and fell back against the wall.

‘I had the electricity turned off so you wouldn’t get billed for it,’ she added. She was a sweetheart, which made losing her all the more difficult.

‘And what about Amy?’ I asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

‘She’s here too, at Glam Shack. She was already late with her rent. H, there’s something else…’ She pulled in a long breath. ‘A lot of your clients have been coming to Glam Shack too. Cherry’s got them all on block bookings and packages – she really went to town on cornering the market at your expense.’

My chest tightened. Losing my staff was a devastating blow; but losing my customers? That would ruin me. It was a moment before I could speak.

‘Thanks for letting me know,’ I muttered before hanging up the phone. My chest heaved and sobs burst out uncontrollably. How had it come to this? I’d lost everything, whilst he – Daniel – still had his thriving electrical supply shop and a happy new life with whatsherface. Suddenly unable to stop myself, I screamed, swiping everything from the counter. The tip bowl crashed against the wall, smashing into a million tiny fragments. It was a perfect symbolic representation of my life. I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t deserve any of it.