Abby The weight of the world feels like it’s pressing down on my shoulders like a leaden weight, and just when I think it can’t get any heavier, Karl appears in the doorway of my office. “Is everything okay, Abby?” he asks, and there’s a genuine concern in his eyes that almost—almost—makes m
Abby The weight of failure feels almost physical, like there’s something sharp and heavy literally lodged in my chest. I stare at the computer screen displaying “Truffles Unavailable” in blunt, red letters. I’ve sent countless emails to suppliers, spent hours scouring online marketplaces, an
Karl It’s almost midnight when I put my car in park in the dimly lit alleyway, and I can’t believe I’m here right now. “Abby will see how much you care once you get these for her,” my wolf says, satisfied. “Yeah,” I answer out loud as I cautiously get out of the car. “We’ll see about that
“Karl?” Adam’s voice catches my attention, and I whip around to see him standing in the doorway of the kitchen. “What are you doing here?” I swallow my pride and walk up to him, trying not to show my embarrassment. “You’ve got a minute? I need to ask you something.” Adam nods and gestures fo
Abby “Okay, John, pass me the truffle oil,” I call out, my focus entirely on the pan in front of me. “Got it,” John replies, handing me the small, dark bottle. The kitchen is close to closing time, and John and I have been spending every free moment today trying to get this recipe right.
“You know,” I chuckle, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, “when I first went to culinary school, I thought I would be facing all of these obstacles. Older men not taking me seriously, financial issues, critics.” “And you have faced all of that and then some,” John teases.
Abby The shock of seeing Karl drenched and out of breath still hangs in the air as my mind races, trying to piece together why he’s in this state, why he’s been missing all day. “Karl, what happened? Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? We needed you toda
“So, what now?” he asks softly. “About the competition, I mean.” I sigh, my mind racing back to the hours John and I spent in the kitchen, the relentless pursuit of a perfection that now seems so utterly… pointless. “I think I just have to accept that I can’t practice this recipe the right w
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha