Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0163
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. We don’t have the truffles, but I’ve settled on some substitutions, figuring

that it’ll be better to at least get practice on the dish rather than nothing at all.

I drizzle a few drops over the mafaldine, my eyes narrowing as I try to capture the elusive essence of

the dish in my mind. “It has to be perfect. The competition won’t allow any room for error.”

John smiles, a flash of warmth in his eyes. “You’re doing great, Abby. We’ve got this.”

But as I stir the pasta, incorporating the oil into the sauce, I know something isn’t right. It’s good, but it’s

not perfect. The aroma of the truffles fills the air, but it’s missing that rich, deep scent, the kind that

lingers on your tongue and in your nostrils.

Still, that doesn’t mean that it’s a total failure.

in the sauteed mushrooms, watching as they combine with the

give it

hands me two white plates, and I spoon generous portions

in preparation for the cook-off. We sit down at the makeshift

takes his

not with the brilliance I

says

and take a mouthful, letting the flavors play

I say, setting down my

eyes, concern etched into his features. “What’s missing? What do we need to

perfect?”

frustration building. “It’s the truffles, John. These truffles just

truffles, we can’t get

just right.”

we try a different brand?

tried three different suppliers already. Unless

our hands on European black truffles in

to just

it as perfect as it can be. And when the time comes, you’ll

me, but all they do is

when the missing element to this dish is what

towel clenched in my hand. “I think I need to take

towel onto the counter.