This was it! There was still so much to do, and thoughts of the impending evening with Max kept creeping up on her. She needed to take the dog out first, and she knew that the fresh air and a pacy walk on the beach would do both her and Alfie good, so ten minutes later, Emma set off down the road with him. As she reached the dunes, Alfie scampering ahead, she heard a beep on her phone. She took it out of her pocket – a text from Max.
Good luck with your opening day! Looking forward to seeing you xxx
A mix of excitement and fear welled up inside her. Why on earth had she agreed to see him on opening day? There was enough to think of as it was.
Me too x she replied, still feeling cautious about the whole thing.
Another text bounced back. BTW I have a plan – so don’t worry about getting any supper organised. xx
Okay. Thanks. Xx She was curious, wondering what he had in mind. It would be a busy day, so whatever it was, not having to cook supper was a bonus.
She strolled the sands with Alfie, enjoying the view of the bay, the early morning sun glinting gold on the crests of the waves, the sea-salt scent of the air. There was just a hint of breeze and it was mild for the time of year. Emma felt a strange tingling sensation in her stomach at the thought of seeing Max tonight, and couldn’t help but wonder what he had in mind for the evening. And, of course, Luke, her lovely Luke, was there very much in her thoughts too, the what-ifs and what-might-have-beens always there in her heart.
Back in the shop half an hour later, Emma was busy in the kitchen making choc-chip shortbread. She was going to pop the biscuits into a large glass jar on the counter, ready to tempt her café customers, and her brownies were all cut up and ready to go. She had made one batch into mini cubes, as she had decided to give every customer a mini brownie on the side of their tea or coffee. It might well become the Cosy Chocolate Shop Café’s ‘thing’, and make them stand out from any other café in the area. As well as the fact that they were surrounded by chocolate!
She began to feel a little nervous. The Chocolate Shop Café was going to open at 2.00 p.m., only six hours’ time. The paint was still drying on the windowsills, the shelves needed restocking – there wasn’t a single chocolate in the shop yet – and there were still curls of wood shavings and dust loitering. She turned the radio up loud and set to her task.
Chloe turned up mid-morning, just after Adam had dropped off the red seat pads that had been beautifully sewn by his gran. Emma spotted her sister-in-law half-hidden by a stack of cushions at the shop door and dashed to help her.
‘These look amazing, Chloe – they must have taken you ages. Thank you so much.’
As they got the cushions inside the shop, and positioned them in the first window seat, it was obvious how well the colours would go. The cushions were in reds, creams and greys, some plaid. Emma spotted one that was the same deep red as the seat pads with a beautiful appliqué star in a silvery-grey that had obviously been hand-stitched on.
‘Wow – I love this one. Did you do all this needlework?’
‘Yes, I got a bit carried away. Thought that might look pretty on the centre of each window seat. There’s another one the same in the car.’
‘Aw, I love them.’
‘And …’ Chloe began to pull out a long material bunting strip in similar colours to the cushions. As she opened it out, handstitched with a letter on each flag, it read THE COSY CHOCOLATE SHOP. ‘Oh, Chloe, this is just beautiful.’ Emma felt herself getting a bit choked up. ‘It must have taken you ages.’ She took the bunting in her hands and tried it against the countertop. ‘I love it! And look …’ Next she placed the star-patterned cushion in the centre of the others. ‘All set up on the window seat, don’t your cushions look just fabulous?’
‘Not bad,’ Chloe agreed modestly.
‘Well, I think we need to be the first to sit and use it, don’t you? It’s about time I took a breather. How do you fancy a coffee and a brownie?’
A few minutes later they were trying out the new window seat, testing the springiness of the new seat pads beneath them. They chinked their coffee cups together. ‘Cheers.’
‘Cheers, Chloe, and thank you so much, and James too. You guys have been amazing.’
‘Oh, yum.’ Chloe had just bitten into a square of brownie. ‘These are seriously good. Mmm, and the coffee.’
‘Yeah, I’ve sourced the ground coffee from a chap who’s just set up his own business in Berwick. It’s great, isn’t it, a really rich flavour? He does different blends. This is my favourite, Harry’s blend.’
‘I’m sure the café will go well for you, Em. It’s bound to. What’s not to like? Good coffee, chocolates everywhere, tea and cake, and you at the helm.’
‘I hope so. I’m feeling a tad nervous right now, to be truthful.’
Only time would tell. Her friends had invested time and energy, her parents had invested much of their savings in this, she’d invested her heart and soul, and her bank account really needed this to work out. It wouldn’t be long before the landlord would be snooping around again, checking on the work she’d had done, and the next thing she’d know he’d be hiking up the rent yet again, despite the fact she’d paid for all the renovations herself.
‘Well, this really is great, so cosy. And look, you can check what’s going on in the world outside the window, yet you’re here in this little magical world of chocolate too.’ Chloe smiled.
Emma looked out at her village. It was now a beautiful crisp autumn morning, the sky a vivid turquoise. She could just see down the hill, past the last of the stone cottages of the main street, where the glint of light was catching on the water of the harbour, boat masts bobbing. It was such a special place.
‘I love it, honestly,’ Chloe continued. ‘I shall be going straight back and telling all my friends about it.’
‘Thanks so much.’
They chatted some more about the girls, family life, Alfie. Emma didn’t mention Max, it was all too soon and confusing, and she was so busy with the shop she could barely catch her breath this morning as it was.
‘Well, I suppose I ought to get going,’ Chloe announced. ‘And I’m sure you’ve got lots to do too.’
‘I have indeed. But it was nice having a ten-minute breather. I’m expecting the chocolate supplies back with Bev any minute now, ready to fill the shelves with. It’s still looking a bit bare in here.’ She’d already set out what she could from her kitchen storage, but there were several gaps on the shelves.
‘It looks great already. Well then, Emma, very best of luck!’
‘Thanks. Oh, and don’t forget the launch on Friday, and bring the girls along too. It’s from seven o’clock.’
‘We’ll be there. And yes, I’ll let the girls have a late night as a treat. We would never hear the last of it if they knew we’d had a party in a chocolate shop without them.’
‘Hah – yes.’ Emma gave her sister-in-law a big thank-you hug as she left.
Two hours later, Bev and Emma were sitting outside in the back courtyard at the little table-for-two, grabbing a quick cup of coffee and making the most of the unusually warm October sunshine.
Bev and her husband had turned up half an hour before with a hatchback full of chocolates they’d been storing over the weekend. Pete was now away collecting a second load.
‘Anyway,’ Emma started, now it was just the two of them, ‘what on earth do you think you were doing getting in touch with Max?’ Emma was still cross with her friend for interfering.
‘Well, you weren’t going to give him a chance, were you?’
‘You had no right.’
‘Do you wish I hadn’t now?’ Bev raised a questioning eyebrow.
Em couldn’t answer.
‘Look,’ Bev tried to explain, ‘I could tell you liked him. Yeah, you said about the ex turning up, but you’d already told me it was all over in theory. And then Max came all this way to tell you as much the other evening too. So, I knew his name, knew he was a builder from Hexham wit
h his own company – Google is a wonderful thing. He sounded really nice and genuine on the phone. I thought he deserved a chance. He wanted to help. He really likes you, Em.’
‘Huh! Well, it’s still meddling.’
‘He is pretty damned gorgeous.’
Emma couldn’t help but smile.
Pete arrived back and needed a hand with the last boxes. The chocolates were finally home. Once they were all set out on display, there was less than an hour to go until opening.
‘I’ll stay if you like. It might end up being busy,’ Bev offered. ‘I haven’t any other plans for today, and I’m sure there’s plenty you still need to be doing.’
‘Well, Holly is coming in to help soon, and she’s bringing in a group of friends to try out the café, but if you don’t mind staying, that’d be great. I’m really not sure how busy it might get.’ Emma hadn’t a clue if there might be an opening day rush. She would just have to wait and see, but an extra pair of hands would be wonderful.
Ten to two, the kettle was filled and ready in the kitchen with some of her mix-and-match cups, as well as teapots, cafetières and milk jugs. Emma had put out two trays – one, a pretty silver-plated one of her mother’s, the other with vintage-style roses on, which she’d discovered at the car boot sale. They set sugar bowls out on the tables, with little tongs dangling from the side. The Cosy Chocolate Shop Café was ready.
Holly bowled in. ‘Hi, I’m here.’ She stopped and looked around her. ‘Oh. My. Gosh. This is just lush in here, Emma. I sooo love it. Aw, the cushions, the bunting, all the finishing touches …’ Her assistant stood open-mouthed, taking it all in.
‘Yep, we’re all ready to go. We just need some customers.’ Emma felt a sense of trepidation.
‘Exciting.’
Bev came out from the kitchen just then. ‘Hi, Holly. I’m here to help too – all ready for the big rush.’
‘Cool.’
Just then, a text pinged in – Max.
Very best of luck. Go The Chocolate Shop Café! X
Emma smiled. Then her mobile rang:
‘Hey, I thought it would be nice to speak with you in person, so just ringing to wish you the best of luck, Em. Did you manage to get it all finished in time?’ Max.
‘Yep, just about. Oh Max, it’s all come together so well and really looks great. I am a bit nervous, though. I just hope people turn up.’
‘They will. You’ll smash it, I’m sure.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Have a good afternoon. I’m looking forward to seeing you later – I have a bit of a plan.’
‘Hmm, what kind of a plan?’
‘Now, you’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?’ he teased.
‘Spoilsport. Ah, the suspense is killing me,’ she laughed.
‘You’ll enjoy it, I’m sure.’
What could a girl fit in to four or five hours on a Monday evening with a rather gorgeous man? One thing rather vividly came to mind – but it was still very early on in their relationship for anything like that.
‘It’d better be good.’ She pulled herself back from her reverie. Thank heavens he couldn’t see her blushing.
‘Right. Well, I’ll see you later. Good luck.’ She heard a shout, another male voice echoing down the line. ‘Sorry, I’ve got to go, the lads need some help here.’
‘Right, no worries. See you.’
‘Bye, Em.’
Bev had busied herself plumping up the window-seat cushions, ready for their first arrivals. ‘Max?’ she asked with a big grin, evidently happy with her matchmaking skills.
‘Might have been,’ Emma answered with a smile, her mind still buzzing. What was he scheming? A meal out somewhere was the most likely, or a cinema trip? Who knew.
‘Love is in the air,’ Bev started singing.
Holly was grinning. ‘Now then, Emma, what has been going on? I knew I recognised that builder bloke the other day.’
‘Hah, now is not the time or the place,’ she answered cryptically. ‘We have work to do, ladies.’ And Emma walked to the shop door where she proudly turned her sign to ‘open’ with a flourish, singing, ‘Ta-dah’, accompanied by a big cheer from Holly and Bev.
Em poked her head put and looked up and down the street; unfortunately, no one was there.
‘We ought to be breaking open a bottle of bubbly or something,’ Bev said to lift the moment. ‘I should have thought and brought something along.’
‘Friday. We’ll wait till Friday and do that at the launch. Remember, we do actually need to work today.’
They took their places behind the counter and waited anxiously. Emma fiddled on, tidying the displays, then read over her new café menu – she’d designed it herself on the computer last night and printed it off on cream-coloured card. To be absolutely honest, there wasn’t an awful lot on the menu as yet: pots of tea (breakfast, Earl Grey, green or fruit blends), cafetière of local ground coffee, hot chocolate (with or without cream and marshmallows), milkshakes, brownies, cookies, chocolate cake (yes, the lovely Maureen had come up trumps!) or choc-chip shortbread. She had also put a chocolate truffle selection on the list too. She would extend her range as soon as she could, once she’d seen what might sell best, and she hoped to keep everything homemade, as well as having all her usual chocolate shop creations for sale too.
Earlier, she’d strung some festive stars up in the windows, to tie in with the pattern on the cushions, and they were catching the light beautifully. She hoped they might also catch the tourists’ eye. She’d have to plan her full window display in the next couple of days to have it ready for the launch – she hadn’t had time this morning – because she was going to go the whole hog and create a full-on Christmas display.
Ten past two, Emma found herself humming and strumming the countertop. Holly was beside her, anxiously checking the door, Bev replumping cushions. A few people walked by, taking a quick look in, but carried on past. Finally, at 2.25 p.m., came the ambling figure of Mrs Clark, pleased to find the shop back open for her chocolate brazils, no doubt.
‘Hello, Mrs Clark. How are you today?’ Emma beamed from behind the counter. ‘Welcome to the new Chocolate Shop Café. What do you think? You are our very first customer. Would you like to take a seat?’ Emma gestured to the new window-seat areas.
‘My, this looks fancy.’ The old lady had a good look around her.
‘And,’ Emma continued, ‘as you are our very first customer a cup of tea or coffee is on the house.’
‘Well, that sounds very generous of you, and I don’t mind if I do. That hill up’s always a bit of a bugger.’
Holly and Emma gave each other a grin.
Mrs Clark spent some time chatting with them from the comfort of her window seat, enjoying a pot of English Breakfast tea and a mini brownie, which she said was ‘delicious’ and she bought herself her usual pack of milk chocolate brazils. After half an hour she was thanking ‘the girls’, saying how absolutely wonderful it was to have the new café area, that she’d see them again soon, and she then set off down the hill again.
Having someone in seemed to start a small flurry of customers, much to Emma’s relief. Stan and Hilda came in whilst Mrs Clark was still there, and sat down at the other table for tea and chocolate cake. Then a gentleman who said he was staying in a nearby B&B called in for a couple of bags of fudge to take on his six-mile hike.
Then Adam called with a bunch of red and white carnations for Emma to celebrate the café’s opening, in a dash as he was meant to be working, but he wished them all every success, giving Emma a hug and Holly a quick kiss on the cheek before speeding off again.
Danny from the pub dropped by, just to see how it was all looking and how his mate had done, and he couldn’t resist picking up a bar of milk chocolate. He nodded his approval at the two window-seat areas, and confirmed that the payment in pints had been greatly appreciated. Emma asked him to spread the word down at The Fisherman's Arms about the new café and gave him a little poster to put up in the
pub about her launch night on Friday – all welcome.
Emma had popped out to the kitchen to load the dishwasher, when she heard the door jangle open and the sounds of chatter and laughter. She headed back to help Bev and Holly out, to find four of Holly’s schoolfriends there.
‘Oh wow! This looks so cool.’ Jessica, one of Holly’s friends, was grinning as she looked around. ‘Even better than I could have imagined.’
‘Love it,’ the girl beside her added. ‘It’s so pretty. I just want to sit here sipping hot chocolate all day.’
‘Surrounded by walls of chocolate no less,’ another chipped in.
It was lovely to hear that the young ones liked it. Emma felt a surge of pride.
‘So, what can I get you ladies?’ Bev was in full swing and obviously enjoying herself behind the counter. ‘This is so much more fun than the doctors’ surgery,’ she added for Em’s benefit.
Holly picked up the menu from the counter and passed it to the girls.
‘Oh, I’d like the hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream, please,’ Jessica said.
‘A chocolate milkshake for me.’
‘Hot choc with all the trimmings for me, too.’
‘Do you do any other flavour milkshakes?’
‘I can do banana or strawberry,’ Emma offered. (She’d bought some different syrups just in case, but of course chocolate would be the best.)
‘Banana then, please.’
It was the first hot chocolates for the café that Emma had had the chance to make and she went to town, filling the clear glass mugs with plenty of swirly cream and mini marshmallows on the top. She even popped in a chocolate-flake stick for good measure. She took these out before they melted too much, pausing by the counter for Bev to add a mini brownie on the side of each. Then she headed back to the kitchen to whizz up, first the chocolate, then the banana milkshakes in her blender, served with a dash of cream and chocolate sauce swirled on top for good measure.
‘These look a-maz-ing,’ Holly said as she passed them to her friends.
‘Better than the milkshake bar in the town,’ added her friend, Lily.
The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop Page 19