‘Yes,’ Amber told him. ‘That was their big surprise.’
‘Life’s full of them at the moment,’ said Josh, taking her hand in his as they walked towards their families.
Amber’s mum and Cathy were looking a little teary as they stepped forward to embrace them although at arm’s-length in deference to their wet clothes.
‘How wonderful,’ said Cathy, reaching out to squeeze Josh’s arm. ‘I knew this would all work out.’
‘What are you talking about?’ said Josh, leaning down so that Grandma Tilly could kiss him on the cheek.
‘Our little plan, of course,’ said Amber’s mum.
‘To get you two together,’ added Cathy.
Amber looked at Josh in amazement before they turned back to their parents. ‘Are you saying this was a set-up?’ she asked.
‘Well, we hoped things might work out between the two of you, of course,’ said Cathy, smiling. ‘But this is even better than we had imagined. Do you mind?’
Amber looked at Josh once more as he burst out laughing.
‘Not particularly, Mum,’ he said. Then he reached out to take Amber’s hand in his. ‘But please leave me in control of my love life from now on.’
‘So, is anyone going to show me around my shop?’ asked Cathy.
Josh raised his eyebrows.
Cathy laughed. ‘OK. Your shop.’
‘I’ll let Grandma Tilly do that,’ said Josh, glancing down at his wet clothes. ‘We need to get changed.’
‘Isn’t it marvellous what they’ve achieved?’ said Amber’s mum, looking around at the crowds milling around in Riverside Lane.
‘It feels like a village again,’ said Grandma Tilly.
As Josh led Amber away, he told her, ‘They’re right. It feels like home again. And it’s all down to you.’
She squeezed his hand as they walked up the steps and into the shop. ‘I seem to remember that you were right beside me the whole time, so you can take some of the blame as well.’
He stopped to draw her into his arms. ‘Mostly I was unpacking boxes,’ he said, smiling down at her.
‘Or sitting in the middle of the river,’ she said as his head dropped down to hers.
‘That too,’ he murmured, as their lips met.
And as they kissed once more, outside on Riverside Lane, the snow finally began to fall.
47
It was the last weekend before Christmas and the shop was all ready for the last-minute rush.
‘It looks great,’ Josh told Amber as he looked around.
She followed his gaze and had to agree with him. All the shelves were packed with daily necessities, as well as a wide range of home-made goods ready for the festive celebrations. Boxes of chocolates and Christmas cakes jostled for space alongside wrapping paper and Christmas cards. A row of ruby red poinsettias were lined up on the bonnet of the tractor. Below, in the various crates, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, carrots and parsnips were piled high waiting to be peeled for Christmas dinner.
The Christmas music played on the radio and the fairy lights twinkled on the oak beams that crossed the ceiling.
‘Do you think we’ve forgotten anything?’ she asked.
Josh shook his head. ‘You’re joking,’ he told her. ‘There’s no room for anything else in here.’
Thankfully the shop was no longer the chaotic mess it had been when she had first arrived. Everything was organised and in place despite the shelves bursting with goods.
‘Yep. I think we’ve covered every shopping requirement,’ she said, smiling.
‘Absolutely,’ he said, laughing. ‘Cranbridge Stores. Everything you never knew that you needed!’
‘Oh! I like that!’ she told him, her eyes gleaming. ‘We should put that on a sign outside!’
‘I was joking,’ he said, stepping forward to draw her into his arms.
‘I’m not,’ she said, looking up at him. For a second, she couldn’t breathe, such was the love she felt for him. He continued to have that effect on her, each and every day.
A smile played on his lips as he leaned forward, a gleam in his eyes that was full of intention.
The bell rang out over the front door and he reluctantly let go of her. Josh rolled his eyes before walking away.
‘Good morning,’ said Tom, heading through the shop.
‘Good morning,’ said Amber, smiling. ‘Coffee?’
‘Yes, please,’ he told her, reaching out to a nearby basket full of decorated cookies. ‘I am also going to buy this snowman biscuit, but on the absolute assurance of secrecy. Otherwise it’ll ruin my reputation as a hard businessman.’
‘Of course,’ Amber told him, handing over his full flask of coffee.
‘I’ll have that robin cookie as well,’ he told her, slipping both into his pocket. ‘For Molly, that is.’
‘I understand,’ said Amber, grinning.
‘Shut up,’ muttered Tom. ‘I don’t know why I ever liked you.’
He gave her a wink as he paid for his purchases before heading out of the shop.
Amber enjoyed the banter and conversation that she had with the customers. Working in the shop had given her a sense of belonging she hadn’t had before. Now that she had a daily connection with other people, she never felt lonely any more.
It was incredible how the small daily interactions made all the difference to her self-confidence as well. Small acts of kindness went a long way too. She felt happier, more connected and ultimately healthier for it too.
Of course, the love of a good man helped as well. Josh told her how much he loved her each and every day. The thought of spending the rest of her life with him brought her a sense of peace and happiness she never knew possible. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else but Cranbridge.
As she headed over to the window, she glanced at the fireplace, where, with one last design flourish, she had placed a couple of framed photographs. There was one of the shop as it had looked in the 1900s, as well as Todd next to the tractor and playing his guitar on the veranda. She felt sure that Josh’s dad would have approved of the changes that they had made to the shop. Certainly, Grandma Tilly and Cathy had voiced their admiration for all that they had achieved.
Todd would definitely have adored the fact that the tractor was now a much-loved feature of the shop. In fact, as word of the new and improved Cranbridge Stores had gone beyond the village, many new visitors were asking to have their photographs taken next to it. Josh was even talking of incorporating a tractor into a new sign outside the shop.
Amber glanced out of the huge bay window. It was a beautiful frosty morning on Riverside Lane. The snow had melted, but the cold temperatures had remained. The ground outside was glistening white and the blue sky reflected in the steady flow of the river, shallow once more.
More importantly, the lanes and avenues of Cranbridge had begun to come back to life and people were out and about. Everyone was starting to connect once more. They used the benches outside the shop to sit and chat. Neighbours would wave and chat with each other. Mums would come in for a coffee and a gossip. It was becoming a community again.
The Christmas fair had been a huge success and had brought more customers than ever before into the shop. Yes, things were still tight, but they were scraping by. After all, they had a reason to keep fighting to keep it open. Because Cranbridge Stores meant something to the village and to the family as well.