Page 106 of The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop

‘Spoilsport.’ He grinned from his nest of pillows.

As she got down on her hands and knees she saw a gold-foil, gift-wrapped box, which looked professionally done with a lovely silver-and-gold trimmed bow. She took it back into bed with her. Max watched her carefully as she began to unwrap it. She wasn’t a rip-and-go kind of girl; always liked to savour gifts. Inside she found a black velvet box and carefully opened it to reveal a beautiful silver necklace with a delicate heart pendant.

‘Oh, I love it! Thank you so much.’ She touched the heart and smiled at him. During these past few weeks, it felt very much like he had given her back a piece of her heart. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then placed it round her neck straight away, popping her long hair over her shoulder to reach and fasten the clasp more easily.

‘Phew, glad you like it. I thought the heart was just right – hopefully. It’s white gold, by the way.’

‘Thank you. Now I feel like my gift to you will be a bit of a letdown.’

‘Never. Just being here for Christmas with you is pretty damn good, to be fair.’

Emma had wrapped Max’s gift up a few days ago and placed it in the cabinet of her bedside table.

He opened it to find a bottle of Armani aftershave and a new scarf to keep him cosy out on the building sites. It seemed appropriate, seeing as it was a scarf that had brought them together in the first place.

He fumbled one-handedly with the wrapper and box, then gave himself a spritz of the aftershave. ‘Hmm, yes I’ve had this one before. I really like it.’

Emma inhaled. Ooh yes, it smelt even better on him than in the shop in fact.

‘And a scarf – that’s great. I can wrap up and think of you.’ He smiled warmly as though he was genuinely pleased.

It was a nice Barbour one, in a checked blue pattern on grey. She had wanted to get him something nice, but she hadn’t had tons of money to spare. She’d also popped in a box of whisky truffles, his favourites.

‘Not too boring, I hope.’

‘Just perfect, thank you.’ And he leaned in to kiss her.

An hour later they were in the downstairs kitchen. Max offered to help with the mass of vegetables lined up ready to prepare: potatoes, Brussel sprouts, carrots and parsnips. Emma looked at him, and then his arm in its sling, with a wry smile.

‘Thanks, but maybe you could set the table for me? That’d be great.’

‘Aah …’ Max twigged. ‘Yep, of course.’

‘I’m going to set the table up out in The Chocolate Shop, at the big round table and new window seat made by an ever-so-lovely builder chap I know.’ She grinned. ‘With a couple of extra chairs, we’ll be able to fit the eight around.’

‘Yeah, that sounds ideal. And yes, I know that guy – he’s sound. I’m sure he’d make someone a great catch.’ He winked at her.

‘Right, I just need to get out my Christmas tablecloth and the cutlery’s all in that drawer.’ She pointed.

The tablecloth was one her mum had given her. They always used to have it on the family table every Christmas when she and James were children. It was so pretty, a cream linen with silver and gold stars hand-stitched on in a delicate glittery thread. Mum had wanted a change one year, back when Emma was a student, and had gone out and got herself a new Cath Kidston holly-patterned one and Emma asked if she could have the old one. She’d used it every year since and it had become a part of her Christmas. Funny how things meant so much, especially at this time of year. Traditions, memories … she and Luke had had their first Christmas dinner together, using this very tablecloth. Her heart clenched a little.

She had sent a card to Luke’s parents and his younger brother Nathan, with a Christmas gift of her handmade chocolates and a bottle of Prosecco. It would be a difficult day for them too because there was always the feeling that someone was missing …

Time to think about today, Em, she reminded herself, as she watched Max trying his best to gather knives and forks together with one hand. It was going to be a slow process setting the table, but she knew he wanted to do something practical to help. Whilst Max toed and froed with the cutlery, she set to the task of peeling her mountain of vegetables.

The turkey was already in the oven, and Adam’s gran had sent over her homemade stuffing and pigs-in-blankets, bless her, as she was no longer able to cook and didn’t want them to go to waste.

Max’s mother had also sent them away with a heap of food last night ‘to keep them going’: a whole cooked gammon joint, cheeses, a box of crackers, chutneys, grapes and mince pies. She had smiled knowingly at Emma, saying she knew how much he ate. So there would be plenty for a late supper – if they could fit anything else in, that was. At least there would be no need to cook tomorrow. Emma set the huge pan of potatoes to parboil and headed to the shop front to see how Max was getting on.

For dessert, Emma had already made a large chocolate-orange Christmas pudding instead of the traditional fruit version, knowing that James’s girls would prefer this – who wouldn’t, it was made of chocolate! It was created with rich, dark Belgian chocolate sponge and then had a molten-middle, choc-orange centre. It had been going down a treat with the customers as a festive special in the café these past two weeks, served with a blob of thick cream. She had made an extra one yesterday, to keep back especially.

James and Chloe were bringing a smoked salmon starter with them, and some wine and champagne, so it really was an all-hands-on-deck festive event.

Max had a bottle of champagne chilled and ready to open as the first guests arrived.

Holly and Adam were first, followed soon after by James and the family. The Chocolate Shop looked extra magical with the table all set up for Christmas dinner. There were Christmas crackers and star-decorated napkins set out now too, and the chocolate favours that Emma had specially chosen for all her guests, two each, wrapped in holly-patterned cellophane bags with a twist of gold ribbon. The girls had a chocolate reindeer and a snowman, James two whisky truffles, Chloe a Baileys white-choc truffle and a champagne in milk, Holly a salted caramel and raspberry cream, Adam a mini rum-and-raisin choc bar and Max a whisky and brandy.

Max struggled a little, but managed determinedly to uncork the champagne and they all had a glass, with the girls having a flute of lemonade, and they all toasted ‘Merry Christmas!’. Gifts were exchanged, with thanks and hugs, and excited chatter. Alfie had been allowed to join them as a one-off down in the chocolate shop, and was sporting a smart red-tartan patterned dog neckerchief and having great fun attacking a rather noisy turkey-shaped squeaky toy that the twins had wrapped up for him. It was keeping him happy anyhow.