Tart Read Online Free PDF Page A

anything.”
    Mary’s mouth lifted as she snorted a laugh. “That’s really too bad. He looks like the type who just might toss you on a counter and bang you until you forget how to speak.”
    Jules shook her head. “To look at you, no one would guess what a filthy hoor you are.” Hoor was the Delicious twist on whore , only without all the shame and yuckiness.
    Mary laughed then, a full-on laugh. “Why be a hoor if you’re not a filthy one? What’s the point of being one if not that?”
    Jules put an apron on and began to clean the espresso machine. “You want a latte before I finish cleaning this out?”
    “Hell yes. Thank you. Back to Gideon, he’s hot, no lie. A new boy in town is fun. For you obviously. He was friendly to me and all, but he looked at you like he wanted to take a bite. Also, Patrick has needed someone out there so I’m really glad for that.”
    Jules made the latte, set it near Mary’s right hand and went back to clear everything up. And they didn’t talk about Cal, though he was in between them just the same.
    “You mentioned the new staff Daisy hooked you up with. They’re working out then? You sure you don’t need any help?”
    “They’re good. My short staffing issue is finally getting fixed. Thank God for Daisy. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
    Mary’s expansion of her catering business meant she’d had to hire more staff to work the parties and other events she was hired for.
    “Honestly, I’m waiting to see if there’s anything she can’t do.” Daisy was an artist, a dancer and she had a great way with people, which made her the perfect manager of the newly expanded Tart. It wasn’t forever, Daisy had other things to do with her life, and with Tart, but they were grateful for all the help she’d provided. None of this would have been possible without her energy and ideas.
    “No kidding. And on top of that, she’s gorgeous and has a man like Levi. I’m beginning to get annoyed.” Mary grinned as she said it.
    “I think getting it on the regular-like has improved some lives around here. First Gillian and now Daisy. I’m having a long dry spell so I gotta say I’m glad Gideon is around. Maybe he can help me break that fast.”
    “So you think? I mean, like for real?”
    “Oh well, I like him. He appears to like me. I’ve known him most of my life so it’s not like he’s a stranger and I have to wait to be sure he’s not a serial killer.” She shrugged and Mary tossed a baby carrot at her head.
    “I’m a big girl. Old enough to be able to admit my parts would like to get to know Gideon’s parts better. The rest of him too. I like him.” Jules shrugged.
    Mary nodded. “Too bad he doesn’t have a brother.”
    They laughed as they worked, Jules pitching in to help load things into Mary’s catering truck before she headed off to her gig. When Jules locked up it was more than past time to call Gillian about the next thing on her to-do list.

3
    O nce she got home and settled in, Jules grabbed the phone and dialed Gillian’s number.
    “Hello there, Juliet, how may I assist you?” Jules’s godson and Gillian’s fourteen-year-old son Miles answered, making her laugh.
    “Hey, kiddo. How’s it goin’?”
    “Pretty cool. Oh! Dad said I could play with his band at the wedding. How cool is that?”
    Jules smiled at the idea. She knew how much Miles loved music, and that his father, a notable musician, had given him such a big thumbs-up was lovely. She liked Adrian Brown even more at that point.
    “That’s totally cool. I can’t wait to hear you.” Though Jules bet Gillian had told Miles that if any more Ds came home he wouldn’t be doing any such thing.
    “Thanks. He also said he’d be cool if our band played. It’d be cool if Dad came up to play a song or two with us. Mum said he would and that I should ask him. But he’s all—well, you know, he’s Adrian Brown.”
    She heard Gillian’s voice in the background. “Sure he