Page 83 of The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

Emma stood too. ‘Nate?’

‘Yeah?’

‘I think Luke would be proud of you too.’

‘You think?’ He sounded so unsure then, so young.

‘Yeah, it’s taken guts to come and say this today, to start. And you’ve been brave enough to go and follow your dreams, to go and experience the world.’

‘Cheers.’ He seemed relieved.

‘Take care, Nate. Pop in and see me before you go, yeah?’

‘Of course. You take care too.’

‘And stay in touch.’

‘Yep. Good luck with everything here, Em. Hope it all works out.’

‘Thanks.’

They shared a hug. A brotherly-sisterly lovely hug. And the world felt like it had ‘righted’ itself a little.

43

Bank Holiday Sunday, 7.30 a.m. It was Festival day and it was all hands on deck. By some miracle, the sun was shining as the bunting was going up. Pete and the team, using the cherry picker they’d borrowed from a local farmer, were stringing the WI’s handmade flags in loops between the old-fashioned harbour lights. It was all looking very summer-fete-like and pretty as Emma headed down the hill to help set up her stall. There was chatter, as well as the seagulls’ morning cries, with a few of the other stallholders already there. A sense of anticipation filled the air.

Chairs and tables from the village hall were being moved into place from the back of a trailer. Pete had a contact at the Alnwick Markets so he’d managed to borrow the metal frameworks and the stripy blue-and-white tarpaulin covers for the stalls. It was all coming together nicely.

The butcher from the next village was setting out two large BBQ drums, ready to cook hot dogs and beefburgers and Anne had The Rock Shop’s hatch open already; she’d put up her own bunting – she was so near the harbour it wasn’t worth her taking a stall. Emma waved a friendly hello, and she waved back, smiling broadly. Since their clash and Anne’s subsequent apology, several customers had mentioned they’d been sent up by The Rock Shop, and with Emma’s new courtyard area, a further prosecco party booked in and the summer season in full swing, things had picked up nicely again.

Even Danny was up sharp, an unusual occurrence, and was perched precariously on stepladders, hanging a large handwritten sign on the side wall of The Fisherman’s Arms with the help of Dave who was shouting instructions. It read ‘Fish and Chip Cones – only £4.95’. The local businesses were all on board and hoping for it to be busy with happy customers and a successful day’s trading.

Being the first-ever Warkton-by-the-Sea Food Festival, it felt very much like a trial run, but they had all worked so hard, it was important it went well.

Daphne, one of the ladies from the village committee, showed Emma which was going to be her stall. It had a nice position facing the harbour. Emma was pleased – they were sure to get plenty of footfall past it, as long as the anticipated visitors turned up. Em set out her trestle table ready for Holly, who had offered to run the stall, whilst she, Bev and Megan, a new girl Emma had just taken on, were working in the shop. Em would also be runner between the two, should Holly need more supplies sending down through the day.

For The Chocolate Shop’s stall, Emma had had to be mindful of the warm temperatures, so none of her refrigerated items were going there; instead she had a selection of choc-dipped, plain and rum-and-raisin fudge, chocolate buttons and her seashell shapes in pretty gift bags, her puffin and seal-shaped chocolate lollipops as well as some of her chocolate bars in milk, plain, white choc-raspberry, ginger and lime and Grand Marnier. They were also going to have an ice-cream stall.

Em needed to check that the electric cable and socket she’d been promised was available, as she was going to bring down her tabletop freezer from the kitchen for the gourmet dark chocolate ice cream she had created especially – it had passed the Bev and Holly taste test with flying colours last night. There were two boxes of waffle cones at the ready and some fudge sticks made to pop in the top – The Chocolate Shop’s take on the traditional 99 ice cream. Delicious, and oh so summery!

Pete came along unravelling a cable.

‘Perfect, you’re a mind reader,’ Emma said.

‘I’ll just test it’s all working in a minute, once it’s in place,’ he stated.

‘Thanks, that’s great. All going well, Pete?’

‘Yep, so far so good. We’re just hoping for a good turnout.’

‘Yes, it’s going to be a lovely fair day by the looks of it. I’ve nearly finished setting up here, so can I give you a hand at all?’

‘Well, there’s a few more chairs and tables to set out for each stall, if you don’t mind.’

‘Of course. I’m happy to do my bit.’

‘Cheers, Em.’ And off he went unwinding his reel of cable between the stalls.