The Christmas Set-Up Read online

  It’d sucked.

  “You see Remy yet?” Caleb asked.

  Kel’s sister had moved back here to San Francisco after getting married last year. And no, he hadn’t seen her yet. And yes, he was stalling.

  “Okay … how about your mom?” Caleb asked.

  Kel slid him a look.

  Caleb raised his hands. “Hey, just asking.”

  “Uh-huh. Do you ask all your employees such personal questions?”

  “No, just my brother.”

  “I’m your cousin.”

  “You’re my brother,” Caleb said with meaning.

  Kel sighed and looked over at Jake.

  Jake shrugged. “He likes to adjust facts to suit him. But you knew that already.”

  Ivy came out of the truck with three baskets. She served Jake first, then Caleb, and finally Kel. She handed him his basket and stood there at his side, a tiny pixie of a woman in that sassy apron, elf headband, and painted-on jeans faded to a buttery softness. Her boots were serious and kickass, and because he was a very sick man, they turned him on.

  Since she was clearly going nowhere until he tried her food, he took a bite of what looked like the most amazing breakfast taco he’d ever seen and … almost died. Spicy was an understatement. Holy hell hot was an understatement. But it was also the best thing he’d ever tasted, even if his tongue was numb.

  Ivy smiled at him. “Still think you can handle the heat?”

  Jake and Caleb were doubled over laughing, the asses. “I’m not a cop,” he managed to wheeze, holding her gaze while he took another bite. And another. No doubt, he was going to eat her food the entire two weeks he was here. If he lived that long.

  “He’s a sheriff and ranch owner in Idaho,” Caleb said. “So … kind of a cop.”

  “Also kind of a cowboy,” Jake added ever so helpfully.

  Kel rolled his still watering eyes. His grandparents had left him and Remy their ranch, which he oversaw, but had employees handling the day-to-day operations since his day job was more like a 24–7 job. “I’m just a guy on vacay,” he croaked out. The more accurate term would have been assigned-slash-leave, but hell if he was going to share that. Or the fact that his still healing broken ribs ached like a bitch, as did the deep bone bruising he’d suffered down the entire right side of his body from being pitched into the air by a moving vehicle.

  Caleb snorted. “You don’t do vacay. As evidenced by the fact you agreed to work for me for the entire two weeks you’re here. I needed him,” he said to Ivy. “He’s got serious skills. He’s going to manage security on several large projects, including my most recently acquired building, the one being renovated into condos.” He looked at Kel. “Ivy’s going to buy one with her brother, who’s an antiquities specialist. It’s a great investment,” he said like a proud parent, even though at thirty-two, he couldn’t have been more than five years or so older than Ivy.

  “Actually, it might just be me investing,” Ivy said. “Brandon just got into a deal on the East Coast I was telling you about.”

  “The auction house job.”

  “Yes, and it’s going to keep him busy for a while, so …” She shrugged. “I told him I’d go after this myself.”

  “That’s too bad,” Caleb said. “Was looking forward to meeting him.”

  Kel stopped chewing because something in Ivy’s tone had just set off his bullshit radar. She was either lying or stretching the truth, but his eyes were still watering and his throat was burning or he might’ve joined the conversation.

  Ivy reached out as if to take away his basket, but he held firm to it and kept eating. He was starting to sweat and he couldn’t feel his lips, but he also couldn’t get enough.

  “Okay, cowboy, it’s your funeral,” she said, and he couldn’t tell if she was impressed or horrified.

  A few more people were milling around her truck now, and she eyed her watch.

  “They start lining up earlier every day,” Caleb said.

  “Hey, Ivy,” one of the guys who was waiting called out. “The fuzz! They’re coming around the corner!”

  “Crap!” Ivy ran toward her truck, yelling to the people standing in line, “I’ll be back in ten minutes. If you wait and save my spot, I’ll give you a discount!” And then she slapped the window and door closed and roared off down the street.

  A minute later a cop drove by slowly, but didn’t stop. When he was gone, the group of people who’d been lining up for tacos stepped into the empty parking spot Ivy had left.

  Not ten seconds later, a car came along and honked at the people standing in the spot. “Get out of my way,” the driver yelled.

  No one budged.

  The car window lowered and a hand emerged, flipping everyone the bird.

  This didn’t make anyone move either, and finally the guy swore and drove off in a huff.

  “What the hell?” Kel asked.

  “She’s not supposed to be on the street before seven,” Jake said.

  “I’m working on getting her a city permit,” Caleb said. “They’re extremely hard to get.”

  Kel was boggled. “But … those people are blocking the street. They could get a ticket.”

  “Thought you weren’t a cop,” Caleb said, looking amused.

  Kel shook his head and went back to his tacos, and for a guy who believed in the law, when the incredible burst of flavors once again hit his tongue, he thought maybe he could understand the flagrant disregard of it in this one case.

  Wrapped Up in You

  will be available September 2019

  wherever books are sold!

  ISBN-13: 978-1-488-05805-9

  The Christmas Set-Up

  First published as part of the anthology Holiday Hideout in 2011. This edition published in 2019 with revised text.

  Copyright © 2011 by Jill Shalvis

  Copyright © 2019 by Jill Shalvis, revised text edition

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