It wasn’t just romantic woes that were on Emma’s mind; her struggling finances were at the forefront too. Business was usually a little slower at this time of year, and every quiet week put more pressures on the rent fund. Emma lived a pretty frugal life as it was, not spending much on clothes or shoes, keeping her food bill to a minimum, and she never took a holiday away (though she didn’t know where she’d head off to on her own, anyhow) so there weren’t many other places to make cutbacks. Even with the hotel and deli new business, unless she could improve her income further, she would soon be struggling, even with the Christmas season coming up.

Oh, and on top of those concerns, she hadn’t had a phone call or text from Max yet. Yes, it was still only the day after they’d met up, but he was there in her thoughts, along with the will he/won’t he call burning question.

The door clanged. Emma looked up, shaking herself from her financial-no-call-gloom.

‘Oh, hi, Holly.’ Now that was a lovely sunny smile to cheer up a grey day. ‘How are you?’

‘Good, thanks. Just off the bus.’

Blimey, was it that time already?

‘I was going to call up at the hotel to see Adam before I head home and I thought I’d say hi.’

‘Aw, that’s nice. Thanks. Time for a cuppa?’

‘Yeah, sure. Even better if you can make it a hot chocolate?’ Holly gave a grin.

Ooh, yes, that sounded a good idea. It was getting dark and the sky outside was a whirl of autumn leaves. It was now officially the season for hot chocolate with whipped cream and a chocolate flake.

Emma pulled through the two stools from the kitchen and set them up beside the counter; that way she could still keep an eye on the shop.

‘So, how’s it all going, then?’ her assistant asked her five minutes later, as Emma came through, popping two lush-looking hot chocolates in front of them. ‘Heard you had a date over the weekend?’ Holly continued.

Not another one! The Warkton grapevine certainly spread like wildfire. Even old Mrs Clark had quizzed her earlier over her milk chocolate brazils order, after commenting that it was a bugger of a windy day.

‘Six foot two, bit of a hunk, built like Gerard Butler, with the face to match,’ Emma responded to Holly, tongue in cheek. May as well spill the beans and get it over with. The whole village was no doubt talking about it.

‘Ah, so that guy came back then.’ Holly looked serious.

Well, he did look a bit like Gerard Butler.

‘So, what was he like?’

‘Nice … we got on well.’ Em was playing it fairly cool.

‘Woo-hoo. Good for you, Em. It’s about time you found a hunky man and a bit of happiness.’