Читать книгу The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop: The perfect, feel good romantic comedy to curl up with this Christmas! - Caroline Roberts, Caroline Roberts - Страница 19

What a week it had been! The run-up to Valentine’s Day, the landlord’s visit, and pitching for the hotel business. It had been all go, go, go, making chocolate hearts – dark choc with mint chips and white chocolate with mini strawberry pieces – assorted truffles, with an extra batch of the Irish Cream and champagne flavours, fudge bags, and her new mini ‘hat boxes’ made of chocolate and filled with truffles. They were so pretty, and proving popular.

And, yes! Adam had phoned her yesterday to say the hotel manager had loved the samples and the idea. They were willing to try an initial fifty boxes, if she could just get them there for Valentine’s Day as that would be a perfect time to start. So it had been a very late night indeed.

Emma’s hands were sore from tempering all the chocolate she needed (she did have a machine that was a great help, but she had so much to make she was hand-tempering too) and her fingers ached from the intricate work – the piping, filling, mixing – and on top of that her feet were sore. Last night, even though it had been well after midnight when she’d finished the last batch of the day, she’d soaked in a huge bubbly bath for a full hour until the water had gone cold. But she’d been up early at 6.00 a.m. this morning as it was Valentine’s Day tomorrow, so she was making more of the chocolate ‘hat boxes’, as over half of them had already sold. It was hard work, but also lovely seeing everyone come in to choose their special gifts on the lead up to the big day: young lads of about twelve years old up to elderly gents, women, little girls wanting something for Daddy, a flow of customers looking for just the right thing, or sometimes needing a little inspiration. Emma enjoyed suggesting some of the current favourites or a new flavour she was trying out. It was so nice to think her chocolate creations were going to be gifted and hopefully make someone smile – that was one of the best things about being a chocolatier.

Holly had helped her yesterday afternoon, being a Sunday, and was coming in again today straight from the school bus, which was a godsend. It was hard to make the chocolates and serve, so if Emma needed to make up any last-minute batches she could. Or, if (fingers crossed) there was a busy run of customers, at least there were two of them to keep the queue down.

This week’s sales so far, along with the fabulous hotel order – hopefully the first of many – had thankfully lifted the finances, and she had now saved nearly enough for next month’s rent hike – yes! So she was going to write that letter tonight, as soon as the shop closed, and send it off to her landlord first thing tomorrow.

Of course, her supplies were now low, so she’d have to put in another online order for the high quality Belgian chocolate callets she used as the base for all her creations. She could cover her bills for now, but it would still be a juggle, and there was never much left for any luxuries (or indeed some of the necessities) for herself. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she had bought any new clothes, but it wasn’t as though she was off anywhere glamorous. The beach for walks with Alfie and the cottage, kitchen, and shop were her main bases. At work she always wore a black apron (to hide the inevitable chocolate smears), teamed with black trousers and a plain white T-shirt; it didn’t really matter what was underneath as long as it was clean.

Five o’clock rolled around so quickly. It had been another hectic day, with a rush over the lunch hour. Emma had managed a bite of Marmite on toast at around 2.30 p.m. for her lunch with a quick cup of coffee. She loved good coffee, and when she had time would grind her own beans. It was one of the few things she spent a little more on – having a really lovely cup of coffee from her cafetière really perked her up, especially on hectic days like this. She had been so glad when Holly arrived about an hour ago.

The door chimed and in dashed the young man from the hotel. He was checking his watch. ‘Sorry, are you about to close?’

‘Oh, hi, Adam. No, you’re fine. We’re opening a little later tonight, with it being Valentine’s Day tomorrow.’ Emma smiled.

She could swear she could feel the heat rise in the room. Holly was blushing furiously beside her.

‘How’s the hotel order going?’ he asked. He looked slightly uncomfortable.

‘Oh, you didn’t need the mini boxes for the hotel today, did you?’ She felt her heart race. She was sure they’d said for Valentine’s Day, and had planned to get them finished and delivered first thing in the morning. She felt a little anxious – she couldn’t afford to screw this up already.

‘Oh no, tomorrow is fine. Helen said for Valentine’s Day.’

‘So, how can we help today?’ Emma asked brightly, feeling relieved, as she shifted slightly out of the counter area. ‘Holly, would you mind helping here? I have another batch of dark chocolate hearts to make.’

‘Of course … so, what would you like? The usual, is it, coffee creams and the orange creams?’

‘Aah, yes, please …’

Emma couldn’t help but listen in as she walked slowly towards the inner door of the shop. He sounded uncertain, as though that wasn’t what he was in here for at all. She paused just in the doorway, curious.

Holly got the box out ready, four of each flavour as per usual. Wrapped them up, did the purple gift bow, and then weighed and priced them, which came to the normal five pounds twenty.

‘Um …’ He sounded a little uncomfortable. ‘I’d like something else. Another gift box, one like that, but a bit bigger this time.’

Emma could imagine Holly’s shoulders sinking at that point, though she’d be trying her best to disguise it.

‘And what would you like in this one, some truffles and ganaches from the counter, maybe?’

‘Yes, a selection, please. I’m not sure which – what kind of things would you recommend?’

‘Well, I love these Baileys truffles, so definitely a couple of those, and Emma has just been making a new passion fruit filling, so you could try that. The raspberry and white choc is very good too, as is the hazelnut praline.’

‘Any more favourites?’ he prompted.

‘Yes, there’s the salted caramel, better not miss that. They really are delicious.’

‘Two of them as well, in that case.’

She had filled all twelve cases now. ‘Done?’

‘Yes, that’s fine. Thank you.’

‘What kind of gift-wrapping?’ Holly asked, still managing to sound cheerful.

‘I’ll let you decide.’

So she went for a bright pink bow and ribbon, which she tied beautifully.

Emma was now spying subtly from the inner doorway. Bless her, Holly was being so helpful, even though she was probably feeling gutted inside. The tension in her assistant’s fingers was apparent, however, as she struggled to tie the bow.

‘Right, so together that’ll be twelve pounds fifty, please.’

She popped the two boxes in one of their crisp white paper bags.

The young man paid, then gave Holly a smile, which she returned wistfully.

‘Bye, then,’ she said.

‘Thanks. Bye.’ He turned at the last, with a nod.

After the door to the shop closed, Em heard Holly let out a long, low sigh. As she peered further around the door frame, she saw the young girl’s head drop and her hand lift to sweep away a stray tear. ‘Life is sooo not fair.’

She just had to go and give her assistant a hug.