‘What about the lasagne?’
‘I’ve eaten it.’
Alison’s eyes widened. ‘All of it? That was four portions.’
‘Shoot! No! You pussy. You kick like a girl.’
Her throat tightened. Had he forgotten or was it simply that he didn’t care anymore? She wasn’t sure which was worse.
Thirty minutes later, Alison sat in Dave’s van in a deserted corner of the supermarket car park and prised open the flap on a five-pack of custard doughnuts. Saliva filled her mouth as she breathed in the sweet vanilla scent.
She paused as she pictured Sarah’s eager expression when she’d reassured Alison that she wasn’t a lost cause. Closing the bag, she took a deep breath. She could do it. Starting now, she was taking control back. Then she pictured that familiar look of contempt on Dave’s face that morning and that tiny flicker of self-belief fizzled out. Sorry, Sarah. Maybe another day.
‘To family,’ she whispered, taking a doughnut out of the packet. ‘I miss you all so much.’
Six minutes later, Alison licked her sticky fingers and stared into the paper bag. All that remained was a small dollop of custard and a sprinkling of sugar.
No wonder.
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We hope you enjoyed this exclusive extract. The Secret to Happiness is available to buy now by clicking on the image below:
About the Author
Jessica Redland is the author of nine novels which are all set around the fictional location of Whitsborough Bay. Inspired by her hometown of Scarborough she writes uplifting women’s fiction which has garnered many devoted fans.
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Visit Jessica’s website: https://www.jessicaredland.com/
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Also by Jessica Redland
Standalone Novels
The Secret To Happiness
Christmas at the Chocolate Pot Café
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Welcome To Whitsborough Bay Series
Making Wishes at Bay View
New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms
Finding Hope at Lighthouse Cove
Coming Home to Seashell Cottage
About Boldwood Books
Boldwood Books is a fiction publishing company seeking out the best stories from around the world.
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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Boldwood Books Ltd.
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Copyright © Jessica Redland, 2020
Cover Design by Debbie Clement Design
Cover Photography: Shutterstock
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The moral right of Jessica Redland to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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Paperback ISBN 978-1-83889-138-1
Large Print ISBN 978-1-83889-788-8
Ebook ISBN 978-1-83889-140-4
Kindle ISBN 978-1-83889-139-8
Audio CD ISBN 978-1-83889-236-4
MP3 CD ISBN 978-1-83889-785-7
Digital audio download ISBN 978-1-83889-137-4
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Starry Skies Over the Chocolate Pot Cafe Page 31
