Page 48 of The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

‘Hey, they’re really good,’ Em enthused.

‘Yeah, I loved their version of “Paradise”. Just brill,’ said Holly.

‘Pretty talented,’ agreed Max.

‘Good to get some live music too,’ commented Adam. ‘The pub should do it more often, seeing how busy it is. I’ve sent a few customers down from the hotel too.’

‘How’s it going so far this summer, mate?’ Max asked.

‘Good. Bookings are up on last year, so it’s looking promising. We’ve just completed the renovation of our executive “bridal” suite too.’ He showed the inverted commas with his fingertips. ‘It looks great.’

‘It’s a-maz-ing,’ Holly butted in, pulling a ‘wow’ kind of face. ‘Honestly, I sooo want to stay in that room.’

‘It’s always booked out,’ Adam continued. ‘It’s been all done out really well, all new soft furnishings, and has got a huge super-king bed—’

‘That I just want to bounce on,’ Holly interrupted cheekily. ‘Oh, and they’ve had an interior designer in and everything. The colours are divine – all soft seascape style.’

‘Sounds lovely,’ Emma commented.

‘Yeah, then you go outside and it’s even better,’ Adam added. ‘There’s a deck, and you’re like at the top of the hotel there. The view across the bay is brilliant.’

‘And,’ Holly took up again, ‘there’s a Jacuzzi up there with champagne in ice buckets all ready to go. Proper outdoor lounge chairs, and those huge lose-yourself-in-them comfy towels. It’s so lush.’

‘It’s proving really popular already.’

‘I bet. Sounds brilliant.’ Max was smiling.

‘It’s such a lovely village here,’ Emma said. ‘It’s so nice people can come and really enjoy it. The hotel upgrade has been such a good thing for Warkton.’

‘And they’re still enjoying their turndown chocolates, too,’ Adam said, grinning.

‘That’s good to know.’ Emma smiled.

‘Right, anyone for more drinks?’ Adam stood up and went off to the bar with Max, where Em noticed they were being served by Nate. She felt slightly uncomfortable about that; perhaps she should have warned Max that Luke’s brother had started working there. But to be honest, after the whole shower debacle and row, she hadn’t particularly wanted to bring up his name with Max.

With the lads at the bar, Em turned to Holly. ‘All okay, Hols? Did you two get a chance to chat things over?’

‘Yeah, a bit. He just seems a bit reluctant to talk about it in any depth, though. Says it’ll sort itself out somehow. But we seem okay for now.’

‘Well, that’s good. Yeah, some men aren’t that great at discussing their feelings, are they?’

‘True.’

‘Well, best of luck to you both.’ Em saw the two men heading back towards the table and thought it wise to draw that particular conversation to a close.

The lads were chatting as they came back over with the drinks. Max had a frown on his face. ‘Hey, Adam, how do you find that guy?’

‘Uh, he’s not too bad. A bit full of himself at times, but pretty harmless.’

‘Ah, okay, fair enough.’

‘He’s your ex’s bro, isn’t he, Em?’ Adam asked, as he popped the girls’ drinks before them on the table.

‘Yep.’ Em’s voice was slightly taut.

Holly shook her head. ‘Becca said he was chatting her up the other night. She said it’s bad enough with Danny on the case behind the bar and now there’s two of them at it. Mind you, I think she quite enjoyed it.’ She laughed.

Em could see Max’s jaw tighten. ‘Well, he’s bound to be chatty behind the bar,’ she said, trying to lighten the tone. ‘It’s all part of the job.’