When Cupid Missed

WHEN CUPID MISSEDA FEEL-GOOD ROMANTIC COMEDY S J CRABB CONTENTS Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35EpilogueMore Books by S J Crabb ♥ Copyrighted Material Copyright © S J Crabb 2023 S J Crabb has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work. This book is a work of fiction and except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only. NB: This book uses UK spelling. WHEN CUPID MISSED This book was previously published as Will You by the same author. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. William Shakespeare When a rival shop opens opposite, Nelly is shocked to discover it’s owned by her schoolgirl crush. Jack Mason, captain of the football team and popular guy. He was always well out of her league and being the nerdy daughter of the Headmaster, she never stood a chance. Fast forward a few years and he’s back in her life. However, love quickly turns to hate when your dream is threatened, and Nelly wastes no time in telling Jack exactly what she thinks of him. However, Jack doesn’t take the hint and has an indecent proposal for Nelly that she can’t turn down. When things get complicated, she wonders if she’s made a huge mistake. There’s no backing out now, and it’s not just Nelly and Jack who are struggling. Cupid’s arrows are missing every target and it will take a miracle to get happily ever after back on track. For fans of feel-good romance. Enemies to lovers, fake relationships, small-town romance, unrequited love, and clean romance. CHAPTER 1 The aroma hits me as soon as I open the door. It awakens my senses and calms my soul. Yes, this is what I love—an instant fix. Better than drugs and the only smell I ever want to savour — chocolate. As I peer around the little shop, I smile to myself. I have a passion and it’s all around me. Chocolate. I knew what I wanted from a very early age and that was to open my own little shop selling the product that interests me the most. Luckily that dream came true and six months ago I opened the doors to my very own chocolate emporium. Chocolatti. I never dread coming to work. In fact, I wish it came with a little flat above it, but unfortunately the one above this shop has a tenant already. Mr Bryan. He has lived here for close to twenty years and owns the freehold to the building. As landlords go, he’s a good one and may be a little eccentric, but has a heart of gold. He pops down most days for a chat and I count my lucky stars that I found such a little piece of paradise so close to home. Collingdale is a small town that just made the grade up from a village. There aren’t many shops but the ones here are interesting and different from the chains in the nearby larger town. It’s a lovely place to be and a lot of the customers are regulars. I have grown quite fond of them and look forward to hearing about their everyday lives as they crowd through the doors every day. Maybe crowd was the wrong word to use. More like a steady trickle – ok, a slow drip as they pop their heads around to say hi. Trade is ok but could be a lot better and I have to work doubly hard to meet the rent every month. However, I would open twenty-four hours a day if it meant making this business a success. As I start the day, I shake off the worry at the door. It will be fine. Something will happen and everything will come good in the end. Maybe a busload of chocoholics will screech to a halt outside and spend their body weight in chocolate. Perhaps a Hollywood producer will decide this is the perfect location for his next blockbuster and pay me a year’s takings to rent the shop for one week. Possibly an eccentric customer will donate a large proportion of their sudden lottery win to be kept in chocolate for a year and maybe fate will shine down on me and deliver me the customers I need every day just to keep this place going. I hear the door chime and look up as Richie stumbles through the door. “Nelly, darling, I need a fix of chocolate crunchies before I pass out.” Laughing, I reach for my friends’ usual guilty pleasure and smile. “I thought you were in Paris.” “I was. I came home last night a day earlier than planned because Roger’s home today and I wanted to be here to welcome him home.” “How is he?” Richie shrugs. “I don’t know. I expect he’ll fill us in on all the gory details later. You can see why I need the chocolate now.” I smile at him sympathetically. “Well, if you need any help, you know where I am.” He nods gratefully. “Thanks darling. I’ll be taking you up on that offer before the day is out if I know my boyfriend.” Richie’s boyfriend Roger has just had knee surgery. He’s not the most ideal patient in the world and Richie will have his work cut out. Richie works as an Air Steward and is always off on some trip or another which will be difficult for Roger when he gets home. He