Читать книгу The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop: The perfect heartwarming summer escape from the Kindle bestselling author - Caroline Roberts, Caroline Roberts - Страница 10

Even when you fall in love with someone new, you never stop loving and thinking of that first person – not when they had died only a few months before you were due to be married.

There was a phone call that Emma had been meaning to make for a few days now. That Monday evening she picked up her mobile and dialled.

‘Angela, hello. It’s Emma.’

‘Oh Emma, how lovely to hear from you. How are you, darling?’

It had been a month since she had spoken to Angela. She was Luke’s mum – Luke, Emma’s fiancé, who at only twenty-six had been knocked off his bicycle by a lorry and killed instantly. Luke, whose photo still sat on Emma’s dressing table.

‘I’m fine, thank you.’

‘And are you still with your young man?’ Angela asked.

‘Yes, I am. It’s going well.’

‘That’s good. I’m pleased for you, Emma. Really.’

It must be hard for her to say that when they both knew that it should have been her son’s place next to Emma in the world. And yet, here was a mother, generous with her love and good wishes, despite all the pain and the might-have-beens.

‘Thank you.’ Emma’s voice had quietened. Although she had fallen in love with Max only recently, and Luke was no longer here, it still felt a little like a betrayal.

‘And how has The Chocolate Shop been doing, and the new café? You must tell me all about it.’

And so the conversation moved on to easier topics, chatting away about chocolate and village life. Emma asked after Luke’s father, John, and the family.

‘Oh, the lovely news is that Nathan is coming back home for a while. Finished his travelling, as far as we know, and is looking for work back in England.’

‘That’s good. Send him my love, won’t you?’

‘Of course.’

Nathan was Luke’s younger brother. It had hit him extremely hard, losing his sibling in such a sudden, horrendous way. Just a month after the funeral he had upped and left his job and set off with a backpack and a few possessions. He’d been travelling and working his way around the world ever since, with just the odd visit home, but he’d never settled. Every now and again, Emma would spot a new Facebook status with some amazing scenery or mention of a hostel with newfound friends in another foreign country.

‘Aw, it’ll be lovely to have him home again,’ said Emma, suddenly realising that for Angela, in a way, it must have felt that she had lost both her sons that year, and all those years since.

‘Yes.’

‘Well, you take care, Angela.’

‘You too. And you know you are always welcome if you ever want to come and stay.’

‘Thank you.’

‘So lovely to hear from you, Emma.’

‘Yes, it’s been good to chat. Lots of love.’

They still felt like family. Just speaking to Angela brought back so many memories, happy times and the saddest of times too. After putting the phone down, Emma realised she had tears in her eyes, but the best antidote for sadness was work, Emma had found. So she was soon in the shop’s kitchen, making buttery flaky pastry ready to turn into chocolate croissants that would be just-baked and still warm for the arrival of her customers in the morning. Another day with customers to serve and chat with, chocolates to craft, bills to pay, a spaniel to walk, and a heart to keep healing.