Free Sweet Surprises by Shirlee McCoy Page A

didn’t break up with him. He’s a doctor.”
    â€œHe’s also a bastard, Millicent,” Brenna said.
    Millicent’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. “No wonder he broke up with you. No man wants to be disrespected by the woman he loves.”
    â€œNo man wants to look at yellow hair, orange skin, and a size twelve body squeezed into a size ten dress, but you’ve still managed to find yourself four husbands.” The words just kind of flew out of her mouth.
    Flew out and hit Millicent right straight in the heart. She slapped a hand to her chest as if she wanted to make sure it was still beating. “Are you implying that I squeeze myself into too small clothes?” she demanded, her eyes blazing.
    â€œThat didn’t come out the way I meant it.”
    â€œThen, how, exactly did you mean it to come out?”
    They’d reached Chocolate Haven. Thank God. The OPEN sign hung in the front window, a few people lingered near the door, holding white bags or gold boxes.
    â€œI’d like to explain,” she said as she opened the door. “But, I have to work.”
    She walked inside, skirting past customers who were peering into display cases. Byron was behind the counter, his craggy face set in the smile she remembered from her childhood. He was in his element at Chocolate Haven, happy and content and always a little excited by the people who came for his chocolates.
    â€œSorry I’m late, Grandad,” she said.
    â€œLate? I opened ten minutes early. We’re getting close to the end of summer vacation. People are anxious to have their last few treats before the kids are back in school. I had extra help this morning and was ready to open, so I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t.” He smiled at a young mother who was holding a baby and the hand of a toddler. “What can I get for you this morning?”
    â€œMy sanity?” the woman said with a sigh as the toddler pressed his face against the glass case. “Matthew, no. You’ll smear the glass.”
    â€œHow about some chocolate drops for you, young man?” Byron put several into a small white bag and handed it to the boy. “And a pound of s’more fudge for you this morning, Annie?” he asked the young woman, and she smiled tiredly.
    â€œYou know me well, Byron.”
    â€œAlso know that husband of yours. He’ll probably eat half of it, so I’ll just give you a little extra. A woman needs to keep nourished when she’s got little ones.” He motioned for Brenna to step behind the counter. “You want to fill the order for me, doll?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œYou remember how to use the scale?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œRing up the order?”
    â€œSure.” It had been years since she’d helped at Chocolate Haven, but she’d worked retail in New York City. How much more difficult could this be?
    â€œWe’ve got those fancy new boxes.” He nodded toward the boxes that lined a shelf. “And stick one of those gold stickers your sister likes on it to keep it closed.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œGood. Now, I’m going to walk on over to the diner. I decided I had a hankering for one of the pecan rolls.”
    â€œYou’re kidding, right?”
    â€œI never kid about pecan rolls.”
    â€œSh—” She pressed her lips together, eyeing the cute little kid and the tiny baby. “Okay. Fine. I can hold down the fort.”
    â€œI never doubted it.”
    Brenna lifted three pieces of s’more fudge and set them on a waxed-paper-covered scale. She wasn’t paying all that much attention to the weight, though. She was too busy watching Byron looking at his reflection in the display window, smoothing down the flyaway remnants of his silver hair.
    Good God in heaven!
    He really did have a thing for Laurie.
    â€œYou look great, Grandad.”
    He scowled. “And I care