Also by Denise Swanson

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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

Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

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.

All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

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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

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