Return of the Last McKenna. Shirley Jump

thought of the physicals and sore throats and aches and pains waiting for him back in his office. The patients expecting him to fix them, make them better. For a month, in Afghanistan, he’d thought he was doing just that, making a difference, until—

      Until he’d watched the light die in Andrew Spencer’s eyes.

      “I thought I was fine,” Brody said. “But I was wrong.”

      CHAPTER THREE

      KATE stared at the pile of orders on her desk, the paperwork waiting to be done, but found her mind wandering to the handsome customer who had come in a couple days ago. The doctor with the Red Sox basket, who had been both friendly and…troubled. Yes, that was the word for it. She’d joked with him about spreading the word about the shop, told him it would be enough to repay her work on the basket, and he’d said—

      No it won’t.

      Such an odd comment to leave her with. What on earth could he have meant? She hadn’t done anything more for him than she’d do for any other customer. Changed a bow, added some feminine touches. It wasn’t like she’d handed over a kidney or anything. Maybe she’d misheard him.

      Kate gave up on the work and got to her feet, crossing to the window. She looked out over the alley that ran between her shop and the one next door, then down toward the street, busy with cars passing in a blur as people headed home after work. The sound system played music Kate didn’t hear and the computer flashed messages of emails Kate didn’t read.

      Her mind strayed to Dr. Brody McKenna again. She didn’t know much about him, except that he was a Red Sox fan who’d been too distracted to notice the basket he’d picked out was more suited to a male than a female. Maybe he was one of those scattered professor types. Brilliant with medicine but clueless about real life.

      She sighed, then turned away from the window. She had a hundred other priorities that didn’t include daydreaming about a handsome doctor. She’d met two kinds of men in her life—lazy loafers who expected her to be their support system and driven career A-types who invested more in their jobs than their relationships.

      Few heroes like Andrew, few men who lived every day with heart and passion. Until she met one like that, dating would run a distant second to a warm cup of coffee and a fresh from the oven cookie.

      The shop door rang. Kate headed out front, working a smile to her face. It became a real smile when she saw her grandmother standing behind the counter, sneaking a red devil cupcake from under the glass dome. Kate put out her arms. “Grandma, what a nice surprise.”

      Nora laughed as she hugged her granddaughter. “It can’t be that much of a surprise. I’m here almost every day for my sugar fix.”

      Kate released Grandma from the hug. “And I’m thrilled that you are.”

      Growing up, Kate had spent hours here after school, helping out in the shop and sneaking treats from under the very same glass dome. The sweet tooth came with the family dimples, she thought as she watched her grandmother peel the paper off the cupcake.

      “Don’t tell your grandfather I’m sneaking another cupcake,” Nora warned, wagging a finger. “You know he thinks I’m already sweet enough.”

      “That’s because he loves you.”

      Nora smiled at the mention of her husband. They had the kind of happy marriage so elusive to other people, and so valuable to those blessed with that gift. Unlike Kate’s parents, who had turned fighting into a daily habit, Nora doted on her husband, always had, she said, and always would.

      Nora popped a bite of cupcake in her mouth then looked around the shop. “How are things going here?”

      “Busy.”

      “How’s the hunt for a second location?”

      Kate shrugged. “I haven’t done much toward that yet.”

      “You had plans—”

      “That was before, Grandma. Before…” She shook her head.

      Nora laid a hand on Kate’s shoulder. “I understand.”

      When Andrew had been alive, buying and opening new locations had been part of their business plan. But ever since he’d died, she’d had to work at keeping to that plan. Months ago, she’d found a spot for a second location in Weymouth, but had yet to visit it or run the numbers, all signs that she wasn’t as enthused as she used to be.

      Her grandmother smiled. “I like the idea of another Nora’s Sweet Shop, but I worry about you, honey. If you want to take some time off, I’d be glad to step in and help. Your grandpa, too.”

      Kate looked at her eighty-three-year-old grandmother. She knew Nora would step in any time Kate asked her, but she wouldn’t expect or ask that of Nora. “I know you would, and I appreciate that but I’m okay. You guys do enough for me making the daytime deliveries.”

      Nora waved that off. “It keeps us busy and gets us out of the house. You know we like tooling around town, stopping in to see the regular customers.”

      “You two deserve to enjoy your golden years, not spend them working over a hot oven. Besides, I’m doing fine, Grandma.”

      Nora brushed a strand of hair off Kate’s face. “No you’re not.”

      Kate nodded, then shook her head, and cursed the tears that rushed to her eyes. “I just…miss him.”

      She didn’t add that she regretted, to the depth of her being, ever encouraging her brother to join the military. Maybe if she’d pushed him in another direction, or dismissed the idea of the military, he’d be here today.

      Tears shimmered in Nora’s eyes, too. She had doted on her grandson, and though she’d been proud of his military service, she had worried every minute of his deployment. “We all do. But he wouldn’t want you to be sitting around, missing him. If there was one thing your brother did well, it was live his life. Remember the time he went parachuting off that mountain?”

      Despite the tears, Kate smiled. Her brother had been a wild child, from the second he was born. He approached life head on—and never looked back. “And the time he skydived for the first time. Oh, and that crazy swim with the sharks trip he took.” Kate shook her head. “He lived on the edge.”

      “While the rest of us stayed close to terra firma.” Nora smiled. “But in the end, he always came back home.”

      “His heart was here.”

      “It was indeed,” Nora said. “And he would want you to be happy, to celebrate your life, not bury it in work.”

      Before he left for Afghanistan, Andrew had tried to talk to her about the future. When he’d started on the what-ifs, she’d refused to listen, afraid of what might happen. Now, she regretted that choice. Maybe if she’d heard him out, she might have the secret to his risk taking. Something to urge her down the path they had planned for so long.

      Andrew had soared the skies for the rest of them while the other Spencers offered caution, wisdom. She missed that about him, but knew she should also learn from him. Remember that life was short and to live every moment with gusto. Even if doing so seemed impossible some days. Kate swiped away the tears. “I’ll try to remember that.”

      “Good.” Nora patted her granddaughter on the shoulder. Then her gaze shifted to the picture window at the front of the shop. She nodded toward the door. “Ooh. Handsome man alert. Did you put on your lipstick?”

      Kate laughed. Leave it to Nora to be sure her granddaughter was primped and ready should Mr. Right stride on by. Her grandmother lived in perpetual hope for great grandchildren that she could spoil ten times more than she’d spoiled her grandchildren. “Grandma, I’m not interested in dating right now.”

      “I think this guy will change your mind about that. Take a look.”

      The