Page 73 of Sweet Surrender

She keeps ticking off her fingers. “Cocky as hell. A man who can wink at a woman and make her forget her own name.”

I roll my eyes, again, last night front and center in my mind. My name wasn’t exactly forgotten but damn if all thoughts didn’t leave my head. “You’re going a tad overboard.”

“You married that. Him. What the hell, Hendrix?” Clearly it’s sinking in and settling now with her.

I exhale and smile. “I did.”

Her phone rings for a second time and she pushes it to voicemail. “So why keep it a secret?”

“To minimize the drama that comes with it. He likes to keep his personal life as private as possible. Plus, we know people are going to dig into my past when they find out who I am. No doubt the fact that I just got out of a relationship will be brought up. Then there’s the snap decision to get married—”

“Which is so not like you but that I’m loving for you.”

“And just so we can keep our privacy a bit longer before we’re surrounded by prying eyes and chaos.”

“I can understand that. Appreciate it.” She squeezes my hand. “Thank you for trusting me.” She smiles. “Gizmo is one lucky man, Hendrix. And I am sure he knows that, which is why he was so quick to marry you. A secret friendship. Sigh. It’s so swoony, and it’s what you deserve.”

I smile as my chest aches in the best way.

“You didn’t get a shower or a bachelorette party or any of that stuff.”

“That’s okay. I don’t need it.”

“I’m doing something for you. When this is all out and people know, you’re going to get that damn party you deserve.” Her phone rings again and she groans as she looks at it. “It’s the café. Something must be up. I have to go.”

“Of course.”

She pulls me in for a quick hug and then throws her head back and laughs. “This is the craziest shit I’ve ever heard.” She turns and heads toward the door. “Absolutely bonkers and I love every single moment of it for you.”

I watch the door shut behind her, and for the first time, breathe what feels like a sigh of relief.

Josie was my first test if I could pull this off, and other than my mother, probably one of the hardest because she knows me so well.

And I did it.

She believed me.

So there’s that.

And she never once told me I was stupid. That, I appreciate, more than she could ever know.

Now it’s time to bake and ice some cookies.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Gizmo

“He’s late,” Vince says when I walk into the studio.

“Giz is never late,” Rocket says and looks at me. “You’re the most on time fucker of all of us and yet you’re late.”

“I got a haircut.”

Laughter rings out. “You’re so full of shit you stink, Giz. You have swagger,” Hawkin chimes in as he shifts behind the soundboard.

“You’re swaggering.” Rocket snickers.

“Yep. No doubt. Someone definitely got fucking laid last night,” Hawkin says.