Wrapped Up in You - Jill Shalvis Page 0,15

of the bay. She had no idea where she’d gotten it, but she’d had it for years and years, and was a big part of the reason that when she’d decided to settle somewhere, she’d landed here.

She also had a picture of her mom on a stage at a piano, singing with a melancholy look on her face that made Ivy ache, though she had no idea why. She’d rarely seen that soft side of her mom.

The third and last pic she had was of her and her aunt Cathy, her mother’s sister, at a state fair. Ivy had been five, her hair rioting in wild red waves around her face. Her smiling face, because she’d been in Cathy’s arms in front of a Ferris wheel. Cathy, the only true mother figure Ivy had ever had, had died from cancer the year after the photo had been taken. She didn’t remember a whole lot of that time, but she could still remember Cathy always telling her:

Be smart.

Be brave.

Be vulnerable.

Her heart pinched at the memories. She’d hopefully done the smart and brave parts, but she’d actively done her best to never be vulnerable. She figured Cathy would understand.

There were also a few trinkets: a teeny little notebook she’d used as a journal for a few years. A Beanie Babies bear dressed as a chef, given to her at her first cooking job by her boss, one of the few positive male role models she’d had up until that point. She’d been fifteen. Of course, he’d thought she was eighteen, but that was the story of her life. Pretending to be what she wasn’t in order to get what she needed.

The last thing in the box had been a gold and diamond necklace, the one she’d taken with her when she’d run away from home. It’d been given to her by her aunt Cathy who’d worn it every day of her life. About six months before her death, she’d carefully coiled it up and put it into Ivy’s palm. “For when you need me,” she’d said quietly.

It’d been years after her death before Ivy had understood what her aunt had meant. The necklace had turned out to hold not just sentimental value, but was worth several thousand dollars. Aunt Cathy had known that if Ivy ever needed money fast, she could sell it.

She’d been wearing it until recently, when the clasp had broken when she’d been at work. She’d been meaning to bring it home, but it’d slipped her mind. And now it was gone.

And she hadn’t told Kel. She didn’t know why.

Okay, she did know why. Because although it could’ve been just a random thief who’d stumbled upon it, she wasn’t feeling that explanation. Nothing was ever that simple, at least not in her life. In her mind, there was only one person on the planet who’d known she had that necklace.

Her brother.

She had no idea what that meant. Had Brandon found her? And if he had . . . what did he want?

She got out the utensils and cooking implements she needed and then quickly started measuring and mixing dry ingredients. She preheated a pan, added the wet ingredients into the dry, mixed everything, and then gently folded in fresh blueberries.

While the pancakes cooked, she put everything meticulously away and got out some eggs and a thick slice of ham. She preheated another pan and flipped the pancakes. Cracking the eggs in a perfect break—so satisfying—she put them in next to the ham that was almost hot all the way through. She slid the pancakes onto a plate. Toast went down. Then she slid the eggs and ham onto another plate. Turned the pancakes, buttered the bread, and quickly and efficiently cleaned up after herself before packing the prepped food up in a special to-go protective container, slinging the strap over her shoulder.

She opened the back door and found several people standing there waiting, most of them her regulars. “I’m so sorry, I’m closed until eleven,” she said, pointing to the sign.

“But you’re making bacon,” Sadie said. “I could smell it across the courtyard. I’d kill for bacon.”

At Sadie’s side, Haley and Tae both nodded.

“We earned bacon this morning at the gym,” Tae said.

“I earned bacon in a much more satisfying way,” Sadie said with a smile.

Sadie was possibly the only person Ivy had ever wanted to be her best friend. She’d never really had one, so she wasn’t quite sure. But she imagined that Sadie would be a perfect