Page 100 of The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

‘That’s no problem.’ Emma headed to the kitchen and arranged them in the cut-glass vase. They looked beautiful. She brought them through and set them on the sideboard near the photograph of Mrs C and her Jim. ‘Can I fetch you a cup of tea or coffee or anything?’

‘Oh no dear, I’ve not long had something. But you help yourself if you like.’

‘I’m fine too. Bev made us all one at the shop after I heard the news.’

‘You’ll be wanting something a bit stronger than that to celebrate with,’ the old lady said, chuckling.

‘Well, I’ll wait until later for that. I have a shop to run today.’ Emma paused. A shop that was going to be all hers. It was still all rather overwhelming. ‘I still can’t quite believe it and your kindness …’

‘Well, sometimes people deserve a break in life. You’ve had an awful lot to deal with for someone so young, Emma, pet. Now it’s your turn to have a bit of luck.’

‘Thank you so much. I’ll never be able to do enough to repay your kindness.’

‘Yes, you will. You go and make your Chocolate Shop the best it can be. Go and make your dreams come true. That’s all I want to see.’

Emma’s heart was brimming. ‘I will do. Of course. I won’t let you down, Mrs C.’

‘You’d better not.’ The old lady smiled, and then gave her a wink.

50

The last few weeks had been such an emotional rollercoaster and Emma was so looking forward to her weekend chill-out with Max. The night away that he’d promised was here, and she couldn’t wait to relax with him, just the two of them somewhere special, but he was keeping the destination very much under wraps. Emma had to guess what might be suitable to pack, choosing a pretty dress for an evening meal as well as some casual clothes in case they went out walking or the like. Max arrived at four o’clock as promised. Holly was ready to cover the shop for the last hour and close up. She was also going to come in tomorrow afternoon to help Bev, and Alfie was settled with Bev and Pete. Emma felt a flutter of excitement as she and Max set off in the Jeep for their romantic getaway – the chance to have some uninterrupted time together and reconnect would be bliss.

Emma was quite surprised when he switched the indicator on at the top of the village and pulled into The Seaview Hotel. Maybe he was just picking something up or had some kind of surprise arranged there first. Curious.

Max grinned at her. ‘We’re here.’

‘What? Honestly? We could have just walked up here.’ Emma really couldn’t work out what was going on. She wasn’t sure if this was some kind of joke. Not that the hotel wasn’t lovely.

‘Yep, this is it. When you already live in the best place along the coast, why go anywhere else? It’ll be very special, I promise.’ He got out and walked around to open the Jeep door for her.

‘Okay.’

Laura was there at Reception with a big smile for them both. ‘Hi, Emma, Max. Welcome to The Seaview Hotel.’

Adam then appeared, giving them both a big hug, and offering to carry up their overnight bags. ‘Great to see you two back together,’ he said, smiling and shook hands with Max warmly, having felt dreadful about the rift his revelation had caused to his close friends.

Max quickly signed some check-in details, and then Adam led the two of them up two flights of stairs to the very top of the hotel – the executive suite.

As he opened the door for them, Emma gasped. It was absolutely beautiful. Holly had been right when she’d gushed about it all those weeks ago. Max was just grinning away beside her, having evidently seen it already, and delighting in Em’s reaction.

There was a massive bouncy-looking king-size bed, covered in a gorgeous black-and-cream fleur-de-lys-patterned bedspread, with lots of plump cushions. A lovely cosy sitting area looked welcoming, with a beige sofa, a wide-screen TV, and a coffee table. The pictures on the walls were of the local area, with some beautiful photographic seascapes of the bay and some black-and-white images of close-ups in the dunes. There was a dining table and two smart wooden chairs – and the en suite bathroom was enormous, easily as big as Emma’s whole bedroom back in the flat. It had a huge double-ended bath, and a walk-in shower, all tiled out in slate and stone. It was like something out of House and Home magazine.

‘Wow,’ was all Emma could say.

Then Adam came back to the main bedroom area and pointed out the complimentary snacks and drinks all set out for them on a lovely dark wooden cabinet. There was a posh coffee machine, kettle and teapot, with packets of scrummy local biscuits, as well as a small bottle of Alnwick Gin and some tonics on the side plus an ice bucket, and a tub of kettle chips. Em spotted her own turndown chocolates, which made her smile even wider. And, out of the bay window she could see right down the high street to the harbour.

‘It’s just perfect,’ she said, delighted.

‘Right, well I’ll leave you two to it,’ Adam said. ‘If you need anything at all just press 0 on the phone and Reception will answer.’

As soon as Adam had closed the door behind him, Emma couldn’t resist bouncing on the huge bed and laughing out loud. It was as springy as it looked. ‘Thank you,’ she said to Max.

‘You are so welcome.’ And he came and joined her on the bed, the two of them bouncing until they ended up in each other’s arms in the most sexy, tender embrace ever. Ending in a kiss that meant so very much.

‘I’m thinking about ordering room service for later, if you’d like that,’ Max said. ‘We can have dinner up here – the menu sounds amazing.’

‘That sounds wonderful.’ She did not want to leave this room at all. Just the two of them nestled away up there. No work, no worries. The Chocolate Shop purchase all seemed to be going ahead as it should in the hands of her solicitors – so far so good. For today at least it was just about them.