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.

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

give it a

white plates, and I spoon generous portions onto each, taking

for the cook-off. We

as John takes his

but not with

good,” he says

mouthful, letting the flavors play across my taste

down my fork with a

features. “What’s

perfect?”

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

truffles, we

just right.”

a different brand? Maybe it’s the supplier?”

exasperated. “I’ve tried three different suppliers already. Unless a miracle happens,

see how we can get our

eyes meet mine, unwavering. “Then we’ll have to

can be. And when the

words are meant to comfort me, but all they do is make me even more frustrated.

is what is

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

towel onto the counter.