My eyes sparkle with intrigue. “Okay. You’re on.” … Eventually, the last of the staff say their goodbyes, flicking off the lights and turning over chairs on tables. I’m almost tempted to do the same, to call it a night and retreat into the comfort of my home, but then Karl re-enters my offic
Abby My cheeks flush a deep shade of scarlet as Karl’s question hangs in the air, an unspoken tension filling the room. I suddenly feel very aware of every minute detail: the way the soft glow from the desk lamp casts a shadow on his face, the almost-empty wine glasses on the edge of my clut
Karl I was sitting in my apartment one night after work, flipping through N*****x with a glass of whiskey in my hand, when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. Picking it up, I let out a soft sigh. It was Marcus, and it was late. It wasn’t like him to call this late at night. We had only just spok
Abby It’s been raining cats and dogs all morning, but I’m too excited to care. All I can think about is the anticipation buzzing in my chest as I make my way up the walkway to the upscale studio where the interviews for the cook-off are being held. “Hello,” I say from under my umbrella to a
He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Frederick. Pleasure.” “Same to you,” I respond with a smile. Frederick pauses, then licks his lips and speaks. “It’s making some waves, you know. Your reputation about your staff. You should consider yourself fortunate if it doesn’t affect you
Abby My heart feels like it's doing somersaults in my chest as I stammer out my words. “You’re—you’re Vanessa Greene. The Vanessa Greene.” “The one and only,” Vanessa says, her voice as soft as a gentle breeze. She offers her hand, and I feel the warmth of her skin as our palms meet. My hand
The audience murmurs. A smattering of applause ripples across the small crowd. Sarah flips her cue cards. “And when did you start cooking, Abby?” “I was eight. My mom loved to cook, and I was her little sous-chef. Cutting, stirring, making a mess mostly,” I chuckle. “But the love for cooking
Abby Applause begins to ripple across the studio audience, but all I see is Karl, sitting in the back, staring down at me. He’s wearing a blue surgical mask, but I know it’s him. I can tell by his eyes, by the way that my wolf stirs ever so slightly just from looking at him. “Wow, Abby,” Sarah s
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