Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Take a Break Fiction Feast

Chloe Larkin loved her job at Carlton’s cards. The small department in which she worked with Lisa Fairclough and Ben Simmons was responsible for coming up with the little ditties that appeared inside the cards that Carlton’s produced. Although Lisa and Ben were adept at their job, they both acknowledged that Chloe was in a different league. Given her talent for choosing exactly the right words for gift cards, it was somewhat ironic that when it came to matters of the heart, Chloe struggled to express her feelings. It was obvious to everyone at Carlton’s that Chloe and Ben were attracted to one another, yet, for one reason or another, the pair had never become an item. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Lisa urged Chloe to say something to Ben,…

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Kev looked up suspiciously as Mandy walked in carrying two expensive-looking carrier bags. ‘What have you got there?’ he asked. ‘Just two dresses,’ said Mandy, smiling. ‘Don’t worry, I bought them both in the sales, they were great bargains. I saved over £50.’ ‘Oh yes? You mean the shop gave you £50 to take them away?’ asked Kev. ‘No…’ ‘Then you didn’t save yourself any money, did you?’ he smiled. Mandy frowned. Kev could sometimes be a bit too mean when it came to money. ‘I’d save more money if I gave up paying rent on my pokey flat now I’ve moved in here with you,’ she said. ‘You don’t want to go doing that,’ said Kev, looking worried. Mandy smiled at him. She and Kev were a perfect match,…

Molly had been on the lookout for Freddie coming home for some time, but he was late. That was nothing new. His dad, Brian, was as unreliable at returning or picking him up on time as he had been at doing anything since they’d met. She’d just nipped to the loo when her doorbell rang. She rushed downstairs and opened the door quickly, to find just Brian there. Molly knew something was wrong instantly. Her ex avoided her eyes and looked really shifty as he stood on the doorstep. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked, folding her arms. ‘Where’s Freddie?’ ‘Er, he’s still in the car,’ said Brian. ‘He’s not actually feeling very well.’ ‘Well, don’t just leave him sitting there, bring him in, poor love!’ said Molly, brushing past Brian and…

I was feeding Emily in the lounge when I heard the front door open. Justin came in, kissed the top of Emily’s head, then sat down in the armchair opposite. ‘How has she been today?’ ‘Perfect,’ I said. ‘Of course she has,’ he said. ‘She is perfect.’ I looked down at our daughter and smiled, before looking up with a mock-serious frown. ‘You’re late. Doesn’t your boss know you have a family to get home for now?’ ‘There has to be another baby monitor nearby. There’s no other explanation’ ‘Actually, Nic, I’ve been shopping.’ I hadn’t even noticed the John Lewis bag. Now Justin opened it and took out what he’d bought. ‘I figured that even if we don’t need it just yet, we will soon.’ Justin’s eyes found mine…

Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel as the miles flashed by, Lucy Spicer hummed the song she and her sister Kate used to warble with their parents as they drove to The Cottage – ‘I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden.’ It was their dad Ian’s favourite song. The Cottage had been in the Spicer family for years and they’d spent all their holidays there throughout the year. Until an unexpected development. Lucy and Kate’s parents had retired and decided to move to Spain. Spain! About as far from a Devon cottage as you could get! Once they got over the surprise, Lucy and Kate understood that, however much their parents loved The Cottage, they had decided that a dramatic change was needed at this…

Cathy looked admiringly at the pale lilac cashmere jacket in the shop. ‘I wonder if Richard’s going to buy this for me for our anniversary?’ she said to her friend, Sue, as she stroked it wistfully. ‘I pointed it out to him specially when we saw it last week.’ ‘Not if you pointed out the price tag, too,’ laughed Sue. ‘You know what a skinflint he is.’ ‘But it’s reduced!’ Cathy protested. ‘That should be part of the attraction. Richard can never resist a bargain.’ ‘Does he even know it’s your anniversary next month?’ Sue asked her. ‘Have you told him?’ ‘No, but I’ve put a big red asterisk against the date on the calendar. Not that he’ll forget. Last year when he did, I was so upset that I…

Tony and I were so excited about going away. We hadn’t had a holiday in three years, because we’d been saving up for this one – a luxury winter cruise for two whole weeks! We hadn’t been the most adventurous of travellers, over the years. Not that we didn’t want to, but we simply didn’t have the spare cash. When our kids were still kids, we always made sure to get a week away somewhere, but often it was just a caravan at the seaside, or being put up by relatives who kindly took us in. It was Tony who had pointed out that, in a couple of years, it would be our silver wedding anniversary, and we really should mark it with something special. ‘We’ve worked so hard, building…

Cuddled together on the sofa, Claire and Mike enjoyed watching the couple on TV arguing. Not one of the soaps, they could be quite predictable. Claire preferred reality shows – and this one, where presenters drove buyers around a county looking for their dream home, never failed to amuse her. ‘This is the perfect space for my collection of model planes,’ the 30-something man said, surveying the elegant room that opened on to an outdoor area. The French doors, oak floorboards and red velvet chaise lounge silently voiced their protest. His wife was less silent. ‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘This will be my study.’ She indicated the prospect that beckoned outside. Green fields and rolling hills dotted with cows. It could have come straight out of a Constable painting. ‘We’re…

Fiona groaned as the alarm signalled the start of another working week. ‘I wish I didn’t have to go to work,’ she muttered. It was the thought of her fault-finding boss, impossible to please customers and the awful percolator coffee in the staffroom that made her feet drag. It was ages before she sat in her car and turned the ignition key. Nothing. She tried again and reluctantly the engine attempted to catch. ‘Boy, I wish I didn’t have to drive you any more.’ A picture crossed her mind of a sleek, shiny red convertible. Wouldn’t that be nice? ‘Come on, you heap!’ She thumped the steering wheel and tried one more time. The motor didn’t exactly roar, but it did at least settle into a meek mutter. Fiona put…

Can I help make your birthday cake, Mum?’ I pause in my task of buttering a baking tin. ‘I’d like that.’ I hope my voice sounds more pleased than surprised. Lily’s a good kid. She’ll peg out laundry when asked, but she never volunteers for housework. She’d rather paint the shed or pressure wash the patio – big jobs with dramatic outcomes. ‘You know I’ve got an ulterior motive?’ Lily grins. Could Teresa have put her up to this? I quickly push the thought away before it spoils precious mother and daughter time. ‘I should have guessed. Cooking isn’t your thing.’ ‘Some cooking’s OK, like putting a pizza in the oven. I like to see results quickly. Or if a job takes a long time, I want it to stay…

Susie grinned at Tricia as she walked into the office. ‘I don’t believe it!’ Tricia said. ‘It’s before nine on a Monday morning and you look like you’ve got that Friday feeling! What’s happened?’ ‘Richard!’ said Susie, sitting down at her desk. ‘I think he’s going to propose!’ ‘Really?’ Tricia gasped. ‘What?’ asked Helen and Rachel rushing over. ‘Susie’s getting engaged!’ cried Tricia. ‘Congratulations!’ said Helen. ‘Didn’t we say you two would end up together!’ ‘When did he propose?’ asked Rachel, perching on the edge of Susie’s desk. ‘Come on, tell us all about it!’ ‘Hold on, hold on, he hasn’t actually asked me yet,’ said Susie. ‘He’s just been hinting.’ The smile on Tricia’s face faded. She looked at the other girls. Susie had thought her ex, Rob, was…

The morning dew soaked Fiona’s fluffy slippers as she climbed over the fence into her neighbour’s garden, shivering in her cotton pyjamas. Hopefully, Mrs Newman was still asleep. She swooped on the black hen scratching in the veggie patch. Her hens had nearly an acre to peck about in. Why did they keep escaping? Fiona and Tom had bought a smallholding where they could grow veggies and keep chickens. But everything was going pear-shaped since the hens realised that they could fly. ‘What are we going to do with them?’ she asked. ‘I’ll clip their wings.’ ‘You can’t, Tom. That’s cruel.’ At lunchtime, she heard a commotion next door. Shouting and squawking. Followed by a sharp knock on the door. Mrs Newman looked far from pleased. ‘You’d better see what…

So, Mum. What do you think of the place?’ asked Dan. I loved our new house, Dan and I would be blissfully happy in Kilburn Road, I knew it. He held my hand as his mother took her first tour about the ground floor of our new semi-detached. ‘You would have a lovely view of the garden with the sofa over here’ ‘Oh yes, it’s very nice. Very modern. Very open plan. Lots of laminate. Can you use that fireplace?’ ‘Oh yes, we can buy logs in winter. It will be all cosy.’ I have to say, Ruth was still a bit of a mystery to me. A widow, she favoured tweed skirts and jackets, and reminded me of a headmistress. We’d only met previously four times. Back then, both…

Er, hi Tim. This is a bit embarrassing but I just wanted to say… well, um, there’s no easy way of saying it so I’ll just come out with it. I fancy you. In fact, I think it might be even more than that. ‘I know that sounds crazy, especially at our age, but I’ve had this feeling ever since we first met. It was at the school summer fair remember? You were manning the tombola and I was braving the hoards ambushing the bouncy castle. ‘I came over and asked if you had change for a £10 note, and then our eyes met and something – chemistry? electricity? I’m not sure – passed between us…’ Jenna stopped speaking. She gazed at her face in the bathroom mirror a moment…

Hearing a heavy sigh, Sara looked away from her screen to her colleague on the next desk. ‘What’s wrong, Amy?’ ‘It’s Dylan. I’m getting fed up with all the tricks he plays on me.’ Sara nodded. ‘He did that to me when I started here. It’s his way of showing he’s not interested in you as a woman, you’re just one of the team. I’m surprised it’s still happening though. When did you start working here?’ ‘A couple of months ago, early December.’ ‘That’s odd. He usually stops after a week or so,’ Sara smiled. ‘Maybe it’s his way of saying he likes you.’ ‘I hardly think so,’ Amy frowned. ‘Besides, I’m not interested in dating anyone at the moment. I just want him to stop.’ ‘You could always trick…

Ken had been acting weird for a while now, but Caroline knew better than to press her husband of 45 years. Something was bothering him but he’d tell her in his own time, she was sure. It didn’t stop her wondering though. Had he had an accident with the car and sneakily had it fixed? It wouldn’t surprise her – not after the lengths he’d gone to when she’d had a bump last year. It hadn’t even been her fault but Ken had gone on and on about it, making jokes about women drivers. If he’d scraped his new Tesla, he’d definitely want to keep that from her. ‘I’m sorry, Caroline, but I seem to have done something rather silly’ Could he be ill? She didn’t think so, apart from…

Spread positivity, the rock said. Maisie rubbed one finger over its smooth turquoise surface. Her favourite colour. There was a little heart after the message too, and just seeing it sent a jolt through her making her think of Adam. She swallowed hard, having never heard of the idea of kindness rocks until they’d discovered one together on a romantic walk through the woods. They’d been leaving some monkey nuts for the squirrels when Adam had dug his hand into the crook of a tree and pulled out a yellow painted stone with the message, Spread the love. Holding the stone flat in his hand, his eyes had lit up. ‘Isn’t this great? I saw it on social media a few years ago. Apparently, it’s a worldwide thing of painting…