Sharing the Love of a Good TART by Lauren Dane Giveaway

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• ISBN-13: 9780425253250
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
• Publication date: 11/6/2012
• Pages: 352
• Sales rank: 559
• Series: A Delicious Novel Series
• Book Heat: SCORCHING HOT
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• Buy Now!!

Overview

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All Rights Reserved, The BerkleyPublishing Group


Releasing in digital formats and trade paper, November 6!

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Jules let herself in the back door of Tart and her phone started buzzing in her bag so she fished it out. “Hello?”

“Do you still have my copy of Tigana?”

She smiled at the sound of Cal’s voice. “I don’t think so. I gave it back. I’m not home right now, but if you can’t find it, let yourself in and check my shelves.”

“It can wait. I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.”

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She rolled her eyes. He had a beautiful home with a beautiful view and he was the messiest person she knew. Clothes everywhere, books all over the place. Thank goodness he’d gotten a housekeeper the year before.

“Did you get a sudden yearning to read fantasy? Do you want me to come over and look for it?”

“You would totally do that for me.”

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She cocked her head, though he couldn’t see it. “Of course I would. Just like you’d come over to my house to fix my leaky faucet.” Which he had done only the month before.

“I take it you’re going to Delicious tonight? Save me a seat. I have to run over to Seattleto grab some paperwork so I might be late.”

She frowned. “Will do. Gideon will be here tonight. I know he wants to see you.”

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“What about you?”

“What about me what? Will I be there?”

Mary poked her head out into the hall and narrowed her gaze when she caught sight of Jules. “Uh-oh, your sister discovered me. Protect me.”

He laughed. “You’re on your own for that. I have to run; I’ll see you later.”

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It wasn’t until he hung up that she remembered he never answered her question.

He hung up and paced a little.

She’d brought up Gideon.

Brought him up in a friendly way, but it was unmistakable that she’d been in contact with him and that they’d discussed Cal.

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He really did have to run over to Seattleto pick up some papers. He may as well get it done. He had to push it to make the ferry in time, but he’d done it enough that he had the pattern down.

Regardless of any business between him and Jules, his sister was having her first night at the new space and he needed to be there to support her.

He pulled his shoes on and grabbed his work bag. The rest of his house was a mess, but his office was always spotless, so at the very least he always knew where his car keys, work bag and anything else work related and important was.

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He got in his car and the first thing he noted was Jules’s hair thingy on his stick shift. It made him smile to see it. They’d taken a drive up to Vancouver together in the fall. Mary had come as well. They’d all stayed in a fabulous little boutique hotel and had shopped and eaten too much and had a great time.

Her smile. It hardened his entire body just thinking about it. Juliet had the most beautiful smile. Open. Big, perfect white teeth. There was nothing wishy-washy about a true Jules smile. Her joy was apparent on every part of her face.

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They’d been close for decades now. Each boyfriend or girlfriend Cal had had was jealous of her. And he understood why in retrospect. While he’d never cheated on anyone he was with—it wasn’t part of his make up to do so—he’d been closer to Jules than any of them. Had sought her out to relate a funny story with, or to share a secret.

He liked to tell people she was his best friend. But that wasn’t entirely fair, he knew. He wanted Juliet. Had wanted her since he’d been eighteen and she fifteen. He’d been her first kiss. She’d made him do it, convincing him someone else would do it if it wasn’t him and she could trust him so why not just show her what she’d been missing.

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It had been an exciting moment. One he still recalled from time to time. One moment she’d been his little sister’s annoying friend and the next she’d been, well, a girl worth kissing.

But he’d shoved that part away. She was too young. He had older girls to sniff around, and, as he’d come to discover, some boys too. That part of him and Jules had gone dormant, but it was still there, sleeping, not always so quietly, beneath the surface.

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She’d been a fixture in his life. Always there for him when he needed her. If he lost that he’d never forgive himself. As long as she stayed in the friend camp that had been possible. To always have her in his life.

He’d been repeating this to himself over and over since Mary had come to his house to tell him about Jules dating Gideon. It was true. Mostly.

If she was with Gideon, he could have them both around. It would be good. 

Wouldn’t it?

***

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RASPBERRY TART COOKIES        

2 3/4 c.sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. (2 sticks)butter, softened

1 pkg. (3 oz.)cream cheese, softened

1 c. granulated sugar

1egg

1 jar (12 oz.)raspberry preserves

10xconfectioners' sugar

• Divide dough in half and refrigerate other half. Roll out to a thickness of 1/8 inch with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out with a 3 inch round cookie cutter as many circles as you can.

• Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Roll out remaining dough; cut out in 3 inch circles. Cut out centers with a 1/2 inch round cutter. There should be an equal number of solid and cut-out circles. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheets from oven to wire racks. Let stand 1 minute before removing cookie sheets. Cool completely.

• Heat preserves in a small saucepan to melt slightly. Spread each of the solid cookies with a thin layer of hot preserves.

• Top each with cut-out circle and press together gently to form a sandwich. Place on wire racks. Sprinkle tops with 10x sugar. Spoon a dab of preserves into opening of each cookie. Let stand to firm slightly. Store in tightly covered containers in single layers with wax paper between each layer. Recipe courtesy of cooks.com

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