“She has my creative energy and his mind for business. We’re convinced she’ll go far.”

“I’m sure she will.”

Dani slid the phone into the back pocket of her designer jeans. “It’s dark in here.”

“I’ve not had time to open the windows and let the light in. Whoever buys the house will have to consider better lighting.”

“Ruth always had the shades open when we were kids.” Dani carefully wove around boxes and stacked chairs toward a row of curtains covering north-facing windows. She opened each, allowing what little sunshine the gray clouds would let pass inside. “That’s better. As I get older, I don’t like the dismal days. Give me bright sunshine twenty-four seven.”

“I’m looking forward to a few sunny days. There haven’t been many in New York this winter.”

Dani traced a dusty PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED sign with her fingertip. “How is New York? You still setting the culinary world on fire?”

“That fire has been put out. I’m looking for other adventures.”

Dani raised a brow. “You’re leaving New York?”

“Taking a break.”

“Restaurant work is grueling. Matthew has had his share of ups and downs in the business.”

Ruth had said later that Matthew eventually found new backers and opened a place. He’d had limited success, and none of his three subsequent ventures hit it out of the park.

“Enough about Matthew,” Dani said. “Have you seen Ruth’s paintings? She told me she stored them all away in her spare room.”

“Paintings?”

“The spare room was her art studio.”

“I didn’t realize she was painting.” Ruth had always doodled on random blank pages or in the margins of budgets and registration lists, but she’d never painted.

“Became very prolific after you left.”

Ruth had never told Ivy. And it stung a little to know she’d told Ruth everything, but her grandmother had held back this detail. Life moves on. “I haven’t had the chance to tackle anything yet. I’ll have to clear out this room first so I have room to move.”

“I can help.”

Accepting the dumpster and this polite reunion had been easy enough. But working side by side with Dani was too much, too fast. “This is something I need to do alone.”

A pained sigh escaped on Dani’s exhale. “Okay, I’m going to slay the elephant in the room, Ivy.”

“Me ditching you or the you-sleeping-with-Matthew elephant?”

“Twelve years ago,” Dani pointed out. “And Matthew and I happened two months after you abandoned us for New York.”

“I never thought you liked him romantically.”

“When the bridge behind you collapses, the only choice is to move forward,” Dani said.

“I didn’t want to be everyone’s bridge to the future. I didn’t even know what I wanted.”

“You did a good imitation of someone who did.” Dani paused, drew in a breath. “My one night with Matthew was the result of too many beers and hurt feelings too raw to express. I was ready to forget Matthew had happened, and then I found out that flu bug I had was a baby. And my plans for art school evaporated just as money started to roll in for Dad.” She sounded annoyed. “Don’t feel sorry for me. You made your choice. I made mine, and I took responsibility for it.”