Page 58 of The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

However, standing in the shop’s kitchen, looking out over her newly spruced-up courtyard, she couldn’t help but think. Okay, so the shop and café might be up for sale, but that was just the building, the bricks and mortar, she told herself. Her Chocolate Shop was so much more than that. It was all the things she had put in there: the furniture, the displays, the chocolate creations, including her heart and soul.

Argh, as if she didn’t have enough on her plate … and now her crazy late-night kiss with Nate. Oh my, she’d be mortified when she saw him next time. She’d have to apologise, say it was all a mistake.

She had a fleeting flashback to the end of the night before. Nate had walked her home and they stood there on her back step, an awkwardness already forming between them. There was no chance of a repeat-performance goodnight kiss. She didn’t need another lover – all she’d needed was a friend, a brotherly figure, no more. She hoped she hadn’t gone and messed that up too.

And then there was Max. Should she come clean and tell him? It was just a blip, after all. But would he understand? She poured milk chocolate callets into the tempering machine absent-mindedly, spilling a few. Stupid, stupid woman. If she did tell Max, would it ever be the same between them? After that silly shower incident with Nate, he might just think his instincts were right all along.

Her head was thumping even more now. Time for a couple of paracetamols, a drink of water and a large cup of tea. Then, she’d make some choc-chip shortbread: kneading and rolling the dough might prove thera-peutic.

So, life threw you curveballs every now and then. She’d have to ring Max back soon, or her silence would be telling in itself. But she didn’t know quite what she was going to say … some things were bigger than words could express.

30

Emma left it until that evening before calling Max, after the shop had closed and when her headache had subsided to a low throb.

She stood with the phone in her hand, thinking back over the disaster of last night. She hadn’t seen anything of Nate all day, thank heavens. Maybe he had decided to lie low too, which was definitely for the best.

She just had to dial. It would be fine. All she had to do was act normally, speak normally … ask Max about his day. So why did she feel so sick all of a sudden? Emma paced the room, paused, took a slow breath, then punched in his contact. She heard the dialling tone, and felt a lump form in her throat.

‘Hi Max,’ she managed to say.

‘Hey, Em, been busy there?’

‘Yeah, sorry, one of those days.’ One of those days where you go around remembering kissing someone else, her mind heckled.

‘Yeah, me too. Never got a chance to call back after this morning.’

‘Did you get finished on time, then? Is the contract completed?’ This felt safer ground. This she could cope with.

‘Yep, by the skin of our teeth. But yeah, the owners seem really happy with the work. I’ll need to be available over the next few weeks just in case there are any teething problems at all. On such a big job there’s always something. But the flats are basically finished and ready for the owners to go ahead and sell now.’

‘Great – well done you.’

‘Ah, I’m so relieved, Em. I cannot tell you how much. This was such a big project for me and the business and boy, was it a long haul. I’m shattered, if truth be told, but the lads want to go out for a beer tonight, to celebrate.’

‘Oh yes, you must.’

‘And you? How’s the shop been? How are you feeling after the bloody “For Sale” sign going up and all that? I’m sorry, I’ve been so tied up here. Such bad timing. I really wish I could be there with you, Em.’

‘It’s all right. I’m coping.’ Em felt distinctly uncomfortable. Oh yes, what had she been up to these past two days? She certainly did not feel ready to share that with Max just now, not now he was so happy about finishing his contract.

It was way too risky telling him over the phone too. She couldn’t see his reaction or gauge the truth from his eyes. He was already riled up about Nate being about as it was. The knowledge of that one kiss might just fester within him and then she’d never be able to explain properly. Who said honesty was the best policy, anyhow? What would it achieve telling him the truth? It would stir up a hornet’s nest. And for what? She knew she’d never do it again.

Only she and Nate knew of it, after all. It could stay that way …

Why ruin Max’s night and possibly their whole relationship for a silly moment of madness?

‘Max … I love you,’ was all she said.

‘Love you too, Em.’

His words bruised. Guilt was a gnawing horrid thing.

‘I’ll come down and see you mid-week if you want, like we talked about,’ Em offered. She needed somehow to make it up to Max, even if he never came to know why.

‘Thursday would be good. I’m working back at Hexham that day so I’ll be home by five.’

‘Great. I’ll come down straight after work.’