Chapter 28
Ivy’s stomach hadn’t unclenched since Henderson said—ignite half the damn coastline.
She stared out of the passenger window. The landscape blurred past. Her mind was still in Henderson’s cabin with the damning images on his screen.
I’m going to have to tell George.
The thought was a lead weight in her stomach.
He’d spent months researching this investment, convincing the bank that BlackRock was sound. He’d staked their family’s reputation on this deal working out. And now she had to tell him it was built on lies.
She glanced at Ryder. His jaw was set, both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. Just this morning, she’d woken in his arms feeling that this time things could actually work out. That she could have something good.
She shouldn’t have expected it to last. That was always the cue for everything to go to hell.
She turned back to the window, snow spiraling off heavy branches.
Everything slipping.
The wave power initiative she’d looked into could work as an alternative—sustainable, lower risk. But it wasn’t as immediately profitable as oil, and convincing George to pivot now? After he’d invested so much political capital in BlackRock? That conversation was going to be brutal.
Ryder slowed as they entered Aurora Cove. Snow blanketed the rooftops, softening the town into postcard stillness. She sensed a shift in him before it was visible. A quiet recalibration. As if just knowing Ellie was close changed something in him.
She followed his gaze as he slowed to park.
Sarah stood on the curb in full uniform, holding Ellie’s hand. Ellie bounced in place, a blur of pink parka and yellow hat.
The tension riding Ryder’s shoulders eased, and for the first time since Henderson’s cabin, something unguarded warmed his expression. He pulled to the curb and killed the engine.
Ivy buttoned her coat at the waist. She needed to leave and find George—figure out how to deliver the news that could blow up everything they’d worked for. But before she could move, Sarah had lifted Ellie to the window.
“Daddy! Daddy!” Ellie’s gloved hand hit the glass.
Ryder shot Ivy an apologetic smile and opened his door. Ellie launched herself at him, and he caught her, swinging her up into his arms.
“I missed you, bug. You have a good time with Auntie Sarah?”
“Me choc-lit marsha-mallow, Daddy.” She planted a wet toddler smooch on his cheek.
“That sounds delicious,” Ivy said softly, against the squeeze in her throat.
Ellie giggled. “Me miss Daddy.”
“Missed you too.” He nuzzled her hair, and Ivy had to look away from the naked affection in his expression. “You had hot chocolate with marshmallows with Auntie Sarah?”
Ellie ducked her chin in agreement. “Marsha-mallow, Daddy.”
Ivy had been invisible for so long she’d forgotten what it felt like to be seen. She was George’s sister. The family’s problem-solver. The person who handled crises so everyone else could breathe easier. She’d always been a function, not a woman who was seen.
Now, watching Ryder blow raspberries against Ellie’s neck and make her shriek, something cracked open in her chest.
She could almost see it—Ellie perched on her lap with a hot chocolate mustache, Ryder across the table from them, grinning.
No titles. No responsibilities. Just a life where she belonged.
And God help her, she wanted all of it—the town with its quiet pace and genuine welcome, Ellie with her sticky fingers and glitter, Ryder with his quiet strength and the way he looked at her like she was a woman worth protecting.
Here, for the first time in her life, she felt like she fit.
It was so dangerously easy to imagine staying.
To conjure mornings in his kitchen and Ellie’s laughter and a life that wasn’t just managing crises and meeting other people’s expectations.
She sighed.
She should pull herself together, tell herself this was just sex, a few stolen days. Except she’d never been good at lying to herself, and she wasn’t about to start now. Because it wasn’t. Not for her. And from the way Ryder had looked at her this morning, maybe not for him either.
Maybe.
Fuck.
Ellie squealed, hands splayed across Ryder’s face. Afternoon light caught in his hair, softening the lines around his eyes. He looked at his daughter with such pure love, it made something hurt behind Ivy’s ribs.
This.
The ordinary magic of belonging.
She wanted to stay in this truck. Just listen to Ellie’s funny chatter. Go home with them both and forget everything else.
Not someday.
Now.
But the information Jack had given her sat like a bomb in her bag, ready to blow apart everything she and George had worked toward.
“Ivy?”
Ryder studied her, Ellie nestled against his shoulder, long lashes framing her eyes.
“I should go find George. Tell him about Henderson.”
“Yeah.” But his gaze stayed locked on her, searching. “You holding up?”
No.
Her hand locked on the door handle. With one tug, she’d be back on the path she always walked. One hesitation, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever escape Ryder’s gravity.
“I’m fine.” Her voice stumbled on the lie, throat raw.
She pushed the door open, cold air rushing in. Her free hand curled in her coat pocket, nails digging into her palm. “You’ll come by later?”
“Count on it.” His hand twitched as if he meant to stop her—just for a second.
She climbed out before she could change her mind, before she could do something stupid like ask him to come with her, or tell him she didn’t want to go at all. The door closed with a solid thunk.
She headed around the hood, aware of Ryder’s gaze tracking her.
She lifted a hand, puffing cloudy breaths. “Sarah—hi. I owe you an apology. For taking off like that.”
Sarah beat her gloved hands together. “It’s fine. Ryder texted me late last night. You okay?”
“Mostly,” Ivy said. “A few bruises. Nothing serious.”
“The car crash sounded scary. I had Mitch tow your rental to the garage earlier this morning. He’s giving it a once-over, but it’s probably totaled.”
“Oh, right.” Ivy pressed her gloved hands together. “Please thank him for me.”
“I will. You sure you’re okay? You’ve been through a lot.”
“I’m fine,” Ivy waved her hand. The lie was bitter on her tongue.
Sarah nodded, clearly unconvinced but too kind to press. “If you need anything, my cell’s on twenty-four seven. I know what it’s like being new here—people underestimate how much Alaska throws at you.”
“Thank you,” Ivy said, meaning it.
“Someone’s saying goodbye.” Sarah jerked her chin upward.
Through the window, Ellie waved at her, small mitten flapping. Ryder raised one hand in goodbye, but his eyes held hers for a beat longer.
He saw her. Really saw her.
And that made it so much harder to leave.
She could turn around. Climb back in that truck. Let George handle this mess for once.
But too much depended on her getting this right. That had to matter more than what she wanted.
She waved back, then forced herself toward the hotel without looking back.
This was what she did—walk away. Pretend she didn’t want more.
But the lie caught in her throat.
It didn’t feel safe anymore. It felt like surrender.
Because everything real to her was sitting in that truck.