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.

mushrooms, watching as they combine with the mafaldine. “Okay, let’s

it a

I spoon generous portions onto each, taking

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

takes

not with the brilliance I had hoped

says cautiously.

pick up my fork and take a mouthful, letting the flavors play across my taste buds. “But

down my fork with

etched into his features. “What’s missing? What do we

perfect?”

my head, frustration building. “It’s the truffles, John. These truffles just don’t have the

right truffles, we can’t get

just right.”

brand?

three different

how we can get our hands on

unwavering. “Then we’ll have to

when the time comes, you’ll be ready

are meant to comfort me, but all they do is make

this dish is what is supposed to

stand abruptly, my towel clenched in my hand. “I think I need to take a

towel onto the counter.