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

‘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.

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 finishes – was catching up on her. A momentary lull in the shop made her realise how shattered she was.

She served a gentleman who looked in his fifties, whom she recognised as being a regular visitor to the village. He said how much his wife loved her chocolates and he’d diverted off the A1 main road especially on his way back from working in Edinburgh for a few days to take her a box back for Valentine’s Day. Aw, how sweet.

A few minutes later, the shop door chimed and in breezed Holly, who’d agreed to help after school again.

‘Hi, Em!’

‘Afternoon, Holly. It’s good to see you, it’s been really busy.’

‘Ah yes, the big day! Happy Valentine’s.’

‘Thanks! Have you had any surprises? Cards from secret admirers, or the like?’ Em asked her assistant.

‘No, sadly not, but there’s still time. I can live in hope.’ She laughed. ‘And you? Any cards?’

‘Now come on, Holly, don’t be daft.’

‘Not even Malteser Man?’

Emma had shared the disastrous-date tale with Holly to cheer her up one day.

‘Hah, I think I’d burn a card from him.’

Jeez, just imagine if he actually did call in to surprise her with a Valentine’s gift – maybe another grab bag of Maltesers? Hah, what a nightmare!

‘I think I’ll go and make us a coffee, Holly. I was flagging a bit there. It might keep us going.’

‘Good idea. Actually, would it be a pain if I had a hot chocolate? I really fancy that.’

‘Of course you can. You deserve it for helping me out so much this week. And I shall put on that swirly cream you like and mini marshmallows.’ She remembered there were some left from making the Rocky Road chocolate bars.

‘Okay, yes, that’d be fab. Delish.’

Emma was turning to go, when she spotted Holly’s head shoot up. The door chimed, and in walked the young man from the hotel.

‘Hello,’ Holly said rather cautiously from her position behind the counter.

‘Hi.’

‘I’ll just head out back, make our drinks,’ Emma said loudly, to give them a little space. She had seen what he was carrying and was smiling to herself, hoping. She couldn’t help but hover by the door to listen in, though.

Adam stood at the far side of the counter, looking slightly awkward.

Em could almost sense Holly holding her breath.

‘Umm … these are for you …’ he spoke softly.

‘Oh, how lovely!’ There was a little quiver in Holly’s voice. At just seventeen, she had never been given flowers before.

Emma gave a little air punch in the back hallway. Her instincts had been right all along.

Out in the shop, the young man was handing over a huge bouquet of beautiful pink and white flowers, with roses and carnations and lilies, all tied up with a large pink bow, the exact colour Holly had suggested for the box of custom-picked chocolates the day before.

‘Oh, and these, of course.’ He passed her the very same box of chocolates, grinning. ‘I’m sure you’ll like them, seeing as you chose them all yourself.’

Holly seemed lost for words. But the huge grin across her face echoed his. Then her smile dropped a little, and she looked concerned. ‘But the other chocolates … every week. Who …?’ She sounded as though she hardly dared ask.

‘Oh, right, yes – I get them for my gran.’

‘Your gran ?’

‘Yep. I’ve been staying with her since I got this new job. I couldn’t have afforded to rent somewhere on my own – I’m on trainee wages at the moment – and Gran lives just down the road in Seahouses. She’s let me have her spare room, so the chocolates are a bit of a thank you.’