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 The knock on the door interrupts my pity party, and for a split second, I debate whether or not to even answer it. But before I can make up my mind, the door creaks open and I catch the sight in the vanity mirror—Karl, his blue surgical mask lowered, his brown eyes shining and a bouquet
“I’m just so tired of it, Karl,” I murmur into his chest, a sob quaking my body. Karl holds me for a few long moments, his hand rubbing my back as I sob into his chest. But when the sobs finally subside, and I slowly lift my head to look up at him, his gaze is fixed sternly on the wall behind us
Abby Vanessa walks up to me, her heels clicking softly on the tile floor. The room slowly begins to pick up its volume again, but I feel lost in a giant void. “Are you okay, Abby?” Vanessa asks, her voice pulling me back to the present. “I-I’m fine,” I murmur, although the words feel lik
“Thank you,” I finally manage to say, my voice so low it’s almost a whisper. “I… I think I needed to hear that.” “We all do, from time to time,” she says, her eyes softening as she reaches out to squeeze my arm. “So, whenever you find yourself doubting your worth or questioning your place in thi