Also by Denise Swanson
Welcome Back to Scumble River
Dead in the Water
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Copyright © 2018 by Denise Swanson Stybr
Cover and internal design © 2018 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover design by Adrienne Krogh/Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover illustration © Tsukushi/Lott Reps, Jon Burton/Shutterstock
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The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious and are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
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Contents
Front Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
About the Author
Back Cover
To all the amateur chefs who dream of opening their own Chef-to-Go business.
Chapter 1
The tantalizing odor of pumpkin spice scented the air as Danielle Sloan watched her neighbor Ivy Drake stuff leftover Halloween cookies into her mouth. Dani had gone a little overboard trying out new recipes for the holiday, and as usual, Ivy had volunteered to handle the excess treats.
Dani was nearly a dozen years older than Ivy, who, having skipped two grades, was an eighteen-year-old junior at the local university. But over the past few months, the two of them had drifted into a sort of big sister/little sister relationship.
Ivy seemed to prefer hanging out with Dani to partying with friends closer to her own age. Most evenings, she ended up in Dani’s apartment, chowing down on whatever Dani had cooked that day while they both watched Cupcake Wars or Hell’s Kitchen.
Dani wasn’t sure exactly why she enjoyed having the girl around, but her old psychology professor would probably claim that it was because of Dani’s deep-seated desire for siblings. She had begged her parents for brothers and sisters. But all they’d come up with to assuage her only-child loneliness had been a stupid goldfish named—wait for it—Goldie.
“What are these?” Ivy interrupted Dani’s thoughts, gesturing with one hand to the cookie she was holding in the other.
“Mystic macaroons.” Dani eyed the confections critically. “I’m not sure if I should have added the chopped candy corn or not.”
“You definitely should. Candy corn is delish and corn’s a vegetable, which makes these cookies good for you. It’s a win-win,” Ivy assured her, then licked her fingers and added, “I’m so glad you quit your job. My roomies and I were dying of starvation before you started cooking for us. The only time we ever got a decent meal was if Uncle Spence took us out to eat, and I was beginning to feel like we were mooching off him too often.”
“I’m sure he enjoys the chance to spend time with you,” Dani said, squirming until her back rested against the arm of her worn, plaid sofa. “So I hope you still go to supper with him.”
She had never met Spencer Drake, but Ivy had mentioned that after retiring from a career in law enforcement in August, her uncle had taken a job as head of the university’s security department. Dani pictured him as a lonely, old ex-cop watching reruns of Law & Order as he ate his solitary meal off a TV tray.
“Oh, we never turn down a free dinner.” Ivy wrinkled her nose. “But your cooking is wicked.”
“Thanks.” Living in an apartment building full of college kids, Dani was fluent in the native lingo and interpreted Ivy’s statement as a compliment. “I’m happy you like it because I’m thrilled to get the food out of my kitchen.” She flicked a disapproving glance down at her curvy hips and belly pooch. “Otherwise, I’d eat it all myself.” Her shoulders drooped. “It’s not as if there’s a guy in my life for me to feed.”
“You were right to dump Dr. McCreepy.” Ivy shot her a sympathetic glance. “You’re nobody’s side chick.”
“Sadly, that’s not correct. He might have told me I was his girlfriend, but I was just his fill-in.” Dani massaged the back of her neck. Thinking about her ex, Dr. Kipp Newson, always made her tense. “It’s hard to believe that I didn’t realize he was engaged to someone else. Who would have guessed he’d have two Facebook accounts?”
“Me.” Ivy’s expression was a mixture of pride and guilt. “I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you, but I’m not sorry that I checked him out. I knew that loser was up to something when he claimed he worked every weekend.”
“I figured as the newest doctor hired in the emergency room, he got the worst shifts.” Dani defended herself knowing that wasn’t the complete truth.
In reality, she had known something was off with her ex, but for once, her father had been proud of her and she didn’t want to give up the guy who had finally won her dad’s approval. He had been more impressed when she’d introduced him to Kipp than when she’d graduated from college summa cum laude. Her dad was delighted that Dani was dating such a handsome, successful man, and she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge that there could possibly be anything wrong with their relationship.
However, in her heart, Dani always believed it was too good to be true. There was no way someone like Kipp Newson would
