BooksBarbecue
Back Sweet Surrender
Chapters (73)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
  3. PRAISE FOR K. BROMBERG
  4. ALSO WRITTEN BY K. BROMBERG
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  64. CHAPTER SIXTY
  65. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  66. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  67. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. EPILOGUE TWO
  73. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“No. That’s not . . . I just figured that’s who you’re normally with. Since you’re writing new material.” I try and talk my way out of sounding like a jilted lover jealous of his bandmates. That wasn’t my intention. My comment was more reflexive at his surprising request.

“True, but tonight I want to eat with you. I’ll even cook.”

I level him with a dubious look. “You? Cook?”

His grin is lightning quick. “I’m a man of many talents.”

“I’m well aware.”

We stare at each other across the distance. Our smiles are wide but the look we exchange holds a quiet acceptance that we’re slipping into different territory? That this has gone from a contract to friendship? That we enjoy each other’s company outside of the twisted sheets?

I don’t know but it’s doing funny things to my insides and catching me off guard.

“Yes. I’d like to have dinner with you. I don’t know how late I’ll be though.”

“That’s okay. I can wait.” He raps his knuckles on the counter. “Have a good day at work.”

I take my first sip of coffee as my head spins from the whirlwind that is Jase Gizmodo.

“Oh, and Cookie?” he calls over his shoulder.

“Yeah?” I look after his very fine ass walking down the hallway.

“You look sexy as hell in my shirt. Make sure to have that on later when we get home.”

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Gizmo

My daily check-in with Sammy told me she was going to be exhausted when she finally got home.

An endless line of customers. Some media trying to sneak its way in the bakery and score an interview with her. Fangirls hanging out in the alley hoping for who knows what with her.

I swear she’d rather walk barefoot over broken glass than ask for help. That’s going to change, starting with tonight.

With me doing this for her. Because my world she’s stepped into is a lot for anyone to handle, especially for someone not used to this life like I am. So when she walks in the door in a bit—her shoulders tight with tension, her usual fire dulled by the weight and stress of the day—I know tonight’ll be just what the doctor ordered.

Relaxation without any strings attached.

And yeah, maybe that comes in the form of me ordering her favorite takeout, but still, the effort is there.

As are the ideas I have in mind to keep this growth sustainable for her once I’m out of the picture. The uptick in customers is great for her now, but how does she sustain this when all is said and done? What will make her stand out from the other cookie bakeries in town?