‘Thank you, I think. But just because everyone else is loved up doesn’t mean I have to be too.’

‘No, I know. But you’re grinning about it, and that’s nice to see. You have a little glow about you.’

Did she?

‘Hah. Probably a hot flush,’ Emma jibed.

‘Mmm. Fab hot chocolate, Em.’ Holly resurfaced from the mug with a creamy white moustache.

‘Yeah, just right for a chilly autumn day.’ Emma took a sip too. Chocolate didn’t have to come just in a truffle or a box!

‘You know what? I really like this, Em, sitting here, being able to chat and have a cosy drink. Especially this time of year, when it’s nearly dark outside already.’

‘Yeah, it is kind of nice.’

‘There’s nowhere like this in the village. Me and my mates, we can’t really go to the pub at our age – well, not that I’d let on to my mother.’ She smirked. ‘And Adam’s hotel is nice, but awfully formal and more for the holidaymakers, really. You need to open a little café, Em.’ It was half said in jest. ‘So I can have a chocolate stop and a natter on my way home. My friends would love it too.’

‘And old Mrs Clark,’ Emma took up. ‘She was moaning about the climb up the hill again this morning and needed a little sit down. I brought her a chair out for a bit, so she could catch her breath. Actually – bloody hell, Hols, that’s it! You’re a star.’

‘I am? And what’s it?’

‘What we need to do – have a little coffee shop so people can have coffee and chocolate by the sea: The Chocolate Shop Café.’

‘Brilliant! Can we really do that? Have a coffee shop in here too? That’d be ace.’

‘Well, it’d have to be fairly small because we don’t have loads of room to spare in here. But yeah, why not? We could put some chairs and tables out in the front space. A couple of stools like this at the counter, maybe – and just there, by the bay windows, we could make those areas into window seats. Ooh, I can just picture it and I can smell rich, warming coffee, hot chocolates, fragrant teas … and all things chocolate.’

‘Brownies.’

‘Choc-chip shortbread.’

‘Chocolate milkshakes.’

‘Chocolate croissants.’

‘Yum, sounds lovely.’

‘Yes, I can just picture it, all cosy with cushions, snug for the autumn and winter months, when people want to come and shelter and get warm after being out walking on the chilly beach.’ Emma was getting excited now.

‘Or from a chilly school bus.’

‘Absolutely. Yes, I can really see it. Hang on, that’s it, I’ve got it – The Cosy Chocolate Shop Café.’

This could be it, Emma thought, the answer to her prayers, the extra sprinkle of luck she so badly needed.