Smashwords version Sweet Surrender Read Online Free Page A

boyfriend, was going to cheat on her during the two months she’d be away
helping Poppy with the bakery. Poppy sincerely hoped so, because then maybe he’d move on to mooch
off some new sucker and leave Viola alone. Viola had terrible taste in
boyfriends. Several hours later, Poppy had made serious headway in organizing
the office, and with the help of the head baker, Tomas, she contacted the
bakery’s suppliers and assured that the necessary deliveries would be made.
  Throughout the day, to Poppy’s deep mortification, Viola kept
calling her out of the office to meet the store owners from the neighborhood
who came in to introduce themselves and tell her they were glad to see the
store opened back up again.
    Even by mid afternoon, Poppy still blushed every time she had to
shake hands next to the giant vagina cake displayed on top of the bakery counter.
“Eat me!” was written in frosting on its floury lips.
    “This place certainly is…colorful,” Marty Gotschall, real estate
agent said, looking around the store. He looked like a formal high school
football player gone to fat, stuffed into a suit that just barely fit him.
 He flashed white teeth at them in a used car salesman smile, and shoved a
glossy business card into Poppy’s hand before she could jerk it away. “So
you’re the new owner?”
    “My
sister is the owner. I’m helping her out for the summer.”
    “Well,
let me know if she’s interested in selling. Good location, good location. This
neighborhood’s got potential. I’ve got a few properties for sale down here, if
she’s looking to expand.  What about you? Are you interested in securing your
future with a guaranteed-“
    A slim Asian woman with stylishly razor cut hair walked up behind
him, carrying a bowl of freshly sliced fruit. “Marty! Goodbye, it was great
seeing you again,” she said, sliding easily in between him and Poppy.
    “Uh…thanks, I mean…” With a slightly bewildered look, he waved at
Poppy and Viola and turned and headed for the door. When he walked he leaned
forward as if he were a quarterback muscling through a 4-3 formation.
Definitely ex high school football.
    “Hi, I’m Amelia. I own the fruit stand. That guy will talk your
ear off,” Amelia said, setting the bowl of fruit down on the counter. “So,
you’re helping Penelope run the store?”
    “Yes, I’m her sister Poppy. I’m just helping her out for the next
eight weeks while she recuperates.”
    “Wow, eight weeks?” Amelia looked surprised. “I didn’t know she
was that badly injured.”
    Viola rolled her eyes. “If Poppy hadn’t visited her in the
hospital right after the accident I would have thought she was faking the whole
thing so she wouldn’t have to come to work. Cock popsicle?”
    “Viola!” Poppy protested.
    “What, my foul language or the fact that I pointed out that your
half sister is a full liar?”
    “Both.” Poppy speared her with her best disapproving schoolmarm
look, but Viola ignored her and held up a cardboard display box with various
flavors of chocolate phallus pops.
    “Thanks, don’t mind if I do,” Amelia said, grabbing a popsicle
that was a swirly mixture of milk and dark chocolate, and peeling the plastic
wrapper off it.
    “Mmmm, biracial. My flavorite,” Viola sniggered.
    Poppy felt her cheeks heating up with embarrassment. Viola was
right; she really needed to loosen up.
    Viola grabbed an orange slice and dipped it in a sample jar of
chocolate body butter. “This is excellent! Try it, guys. Amelia, we will buy
one bowl of fruit slices from you every day, and put them out here for the
customers to sample. You can leave a stack of business cards by the fruit bowl
if you like.”
    “Cool beans!” Amelia beamed at her, dunking an apple slice in the
chocolate.
    Poppy felt a twinge of conscience. She’d promised her sister she’d
do everything she could to make the bakery a success while Penelope was in the
hospital. She should be networking and coming up