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

‘So, looks like you had a good night on New Year’s Eve?’ Emma commented.

‘Yeah, The Fisherman's Arms was buzzing, wasn’t it? We were at a party before that, at my mate Laura’s house.’

‘Was Tom there?’

Tom had been Holly’s crush for years and she’d spilled out all her romantic hopes and dreams to Emma. The pair had been school friends for years but, for Holly, something had changed at around sixteen. She felt they could be more than friends. As yet, Tom had been slow to catch up, or lately even notice her.

‘Ye-es.’ Her answer was noncommittal. ‘ He was there, but I might as well have not been, for all the time he spent chatting and canoodling with bloody Kirsty Chase. Okay, so she is the best netball player in the school. And she’s tall and leggy, with silky, long blonde hair. But she can be a bit dim, sometimes.’

‘Ah, I see. Sorry, petal. Doesn’t sound like it was your night.’

‘Not really. But hey-ho … Did you have a nice night? I thought it might have been just you and Alfie and a night in before I saw you?’ Holly looked at her in horror, though that didn’t sound a bad option to Emma really.

‘No, I do have some friends, you know,’ Emma laughed.

‘Oh, I didn’t mean it like that!’

‘I know. Well, I had an early supper with Bev and Pete, and then we met Joanne and a few others for drinks out in the village and then ended up in the Fisherman’s like you lot, of course. It was nice.’

Fine, pleasant, amusing. It didn’t make your toes curl.

‘Yeah, it was a pretty good night. Didn’t feel so hot the next day, mind.’

‘Hah, no, I bet.’

‘So, I’ll come in next Saturday then. What time?’

‘About one-ish.’ Emma pulled a sorry face; frustrated that she couldn’t give Holly more hours. ‘Say one till three. We can sort out the window display if it’s quiet, think of something bright to cheer January up a bit.’

‘Oh yes, I’ll have a think on it. I like being creative.’

‘Fancy a chocolate-orange truffle, Hols? They’re like a posh version of the Terry’s.’

‘Ooh, don’t mind if I do.’

‘We have to check for quality control, naturally,’ Em grinned.

‘Of course.’

One became three each, just to triple-check the product. They ended up with chocolate-smeared lips, grinning like loons.

‘That definitely passes the taste test. Wow!’ Holly was beaming.

Oh, yes. This was one of the best parts of the job – the chocolate tasting!

‘January’s doing my head in.’

‘Hello, Bev,’ Emma recognised the voice of her best friend. ‘What’s up?’

‘It’s just so dull and grey. Christmas is over and I have no money left, and no parties to look forward to.’

‘Ah, and we’re only a week in to it, too.’

‘I know, and that’s even more depressing.’

‘We could have a girlie night in. Needn’t cost more than a bottle of Prosecco.’ In fact, she’d been given a bottle as a Christmas gift – even better.

‘Now you’re talking.’

‘Yes, a movie night. I can get something up on Netflix. Funny or sad?’

‘Not sure. I need some cheering up, I think, but then I do like a good sloppy romance that makes you get the tissues out.’

‘Well, I’ll have a think on it. I’ll get some popcorn in too. We’ll do it properly.’ It sounded fun. They could chat and cosy up. It might just be what Emma needed too.

‘You don’t have any chocolate, do you?’ She could hear the smile in Bev’s tone.

‘Nah, never keep it in.’

They both laughed.

‘I’ve just about finished my Christmas supplies, Em. Well, to be honest, let’s say Pete has just about finished my Christmas supplies. The gorgeous ones you gave us were gone within the day, the Heroes tin has a couple of mini Milky Ways left, and that’s about it.’

‘Do you want a goody bag to go down to the shop with, before the movie? A bit like a pick ’n’ mix?’

‘Oh my, you know me too well, Emma Carter. Can I really? That would be heaven. I get to raid a chocolate shop, drink Prosecco and watch some hunk in a movie, all in one night. That is such a plan. I feel cheerier already, just thinking about it. Thanks, Em.’

‘You’re welcome. That’s what friends are for.’

She could spare a few chocolates from the shop; yes, funds would be a little tight for the next couple of months for sure, but right now she had her Christmas takings safely banked, and she could always steer her friend towards the last of the festive favourites. After all, no one would be looking to buy Rudolph chocolate lollipops or Santas for another year now.

‘So, when shall we do it?’ Bev asked.

‘Are you free Friday?’ That was two days away.

‘Yep. I’m sure that’ll be fine. As I say, I have no other plans.’

‘Well then, let’s make it a date.’

‘Definitely. You’re on.’

Friday morning, Emma set to work removing the shop’s Christmas window display. Down came the tinsel, the baubles, and the little Christmas tree, which she decided to repot out at the back. She stood the last chocolate Father Christmas moulded figure on the counter, ready to discount, along with some of the Rudolph lollipops, some white-choc stars and Christmas pud truffles, but decided to leave the fairy lights that ran along the counter and shelves. They would give the place a little welcoming glow.

She had found some pretty yellow witch-hazel blossom flowering on a small tree in her back yard – a sign of spring to come – and put it in an old jam jar which she’d tied a green silk ribbon around and added snowdrops. As customers would be feeling the pinch from Christmas on their waistlines and their pockets, she started to make up mini packs of fudge and truffles to display along with the flowers. Ideal little pick-me-ups and gifts. There were still the occasional holidaymakers about at this time of year, including those hardy ramblers who persevered in all weathers, as well as couples taking shelter at the hotel at the top end of the street.

It had been a quiet day. She’d only seen two people in the shop all day, when a familiar face called in.

‘Hi there! So, the Christmas decs are coming down.’ It was Holly, looking a little morose.

‘Yeah, I always hate this bit … but look, I’m putting some bright yellow blossom out with snowdrops. What do you think? You can help me some more with ideas tomorrow.’

‘That’s really pretty. Do you want me to carry on bagging up the chocolates here? I’ve got a spare half hour. Well, it’s either that or heading back to face my homework. And to be honest, I need a little break. I’m only just off the school bus.’

‘That’d be great … thanks, Holly. How’s school going?’

‘It’s okay. Busy, especially now it’s Sixth Form and you just feel that pressure, you know, to get good A-level results next year. The grades are so important for uni or whatever I decide to do afterwards … agh, I don’t even know what I want to do afterwards.’

‘Just keep working hard, Holly, and you’ll be fine – that’s all you can do.’ That was pretty much her mantra in life at the moment.

‘Yeah. S’pose.’

Em thought back to when she was eighteen. She’d quite enjoyed school, but wasn’t totally sure what she had wanted to do as a career either; teaching had seemed a sensible option, so she had gone off to uni in Durham, enjoyed student life, passed her degree, then taken a PGCE for a year and got herself a teaching post. She’d always loved cooking and specialised in food technology, but not all of her secondary students were that committed, and thought of it as a bit of a ‘dossy’ subject, which could be frustrating. It was fine, though; she got paid pretty well. And she had met Luke when he had started work at the same school a year after her. She probably would have stayed in that line of work had everything not veered off course spectacularly. But then … it really made you think that life was too short to be working away at something you didn’t love.