Late morning, they drove down to the beach to get some fresh air and give Alfie a bit of exercise. Emma pulled up in the car park in the dunes, and slowly, due to Max’s injuries, they walked down the track to the sands. He was struggling a bit, so said he’d sit on a rock for a while and watch as Emma took Alfie for a short stroll to the shoreline, where the waves frothed in. The sound of the sea, its rush and pull, was relaxing, rhythmic. Alfie was having a ball with a stick she was throwing into the waves for him, which he fetched back to her countless times, full of bouncy spaniel energy.

Emma looked out across the sea and thought of Luke, and how arbitrary life could be, how harsh; and yet it could also be beautiful. She turned to see Max, who waved at her from his rock seat. This patient, kind, sexy man who she had a feeling might be about to play a part in her future.

She headed back towards him, Alfie at her heels.

‘Okay?’

‘Absolutely,’ he answered. ‘Just been enjoying the view.’ He smiled. ‘Fancy seeing you here again,’ he quipped. ‘Haven’t I met you here before?’

‘Possibly.’ She grinned. And that fateful day with the scarf, exactly one year ago, came to mind for them both.

Thank heavens it had been a wild, windy day this time last year, or they might never have stopped to say hello. Who knew where life would take you next?

Max stood up with a wince. ‘Ribs.’ He gestured.

They walked back to the car steadily, hand in hand, then stood at the top of the rise, more or less in the exact same place where they had kissed last Boxing Day. Emma leaned across, being extra careful not to bang into his damaged shoulder, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. He pulled her closer with his good arm, and the kiss grew deeper, full of tenderness, passion, yearning and hope.

When they finally pulled away, Emma smiled.

There might just be some room in her tattered heart after all.

Acknowledgements

In the making of this book I had to research and of course taste a lot of chocolate! Thanks to the wonderful Louise Frederique, chocolatière-pâtissière at her fabulous chocolate shop and café, Cabosse, in Warkworth. Also to the lovely June Carruthers who not only welcomed me into her home, but also showed me how to make truffles and chocolates by hand, as well as craft the most amazing things – the filled chocolate hat-box idea is all hers.

Bev Stephenson, thanks for a great phone chat talking out the highs and lows of chocolate-making and answering my many questions.