‘Ah, I wondered. You seem … different. John and I have talked about this a lot and we’d like to think you could find someone one day. Someone to make you happy.’ Angela smiled. ‘God knows, we’ve all had far too much sorrow. Emma, please don’t feel that you don’t have the right to be happy again.’

‘Thank you.’ Tears were misting the two women’s eyes. A mother, a fiancée, who loved the same young man so very much.

They made their fond farewells in the teashop’s car park, after Emma had had a big cuddle with Barney, who, from the exuberant wags of his tail, definitely remembered her.

‘Thank you so much for coming all this way, Emma.’

‘You’re so welcome. It’s been lovely to see you both again.’

‘You’ll have to come and stay sometime.’

‘Yes, I will do. Thank you. Take care.’

‘You too, my lovely.’

‘All the best.’ John gave her a warm hug.

‘And don’t forget what I said,’ Angela reminded her.

‘I won’t.’ A tear escaped her eye as Emma drove off.Oh, they were such lovely people, they hadn’t deserved what life had thrown at them.

44

It had been on her mind all night, this sense that she’d let something go, something so special. She had to find him.

A phone call wouldn’t be enough. It couldn’t show him how she felt, and if he was as cheesed off with her as he had every right to be, would he even bother to answer?

She had had some long days this week at The Chocolate Shop since meeting up with Luke’s parents, and had put the emotions down to feeling tired. But even after a good night’s sleep, there it was, this nagging, dragging, lonely feeling. It was Max. She missed him. And, the only thing that was going to put that right was to see him again – to try and explain how she felt. He’d mentioned his building project down at Jesmond, near some church or chapel which had been converted to a house.

She was in the shop on her own today. Being a Monday, Bev was working at the surgery and Holly was at school, but if she put up a sign to say it would be 11.00 a.m. opening today – surely that wouldn’t hurt just this once. It was now nearly eight o’clock. That gave her three hours; it was an hour’s drive each way, so there would be a bit of time to see him and talk with him. That’s if he still wanted to see her, after her cool dismissal of him after the market. Oh hell. She cringed just thinking about it.