Chapter 0203


    My eyes sparkle with intrigue. “Okay. You’re on.”


    …


    Eventually, thest 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 thefort of my home, but


    then Karl re-enters my office, holding two wine sses and a bottle of my favorite Merlot in his hands.


    “Ready?” he asks, setting the bottle down on my desk with a soft thud.


    I nce at the bottle, then back at him. “Wine? Are you trying to get me drunk before my big


    interview?”


    Karl chuckles, pulling the cork out of the bottle with a satisfying pop. “Of course not. Just thought it’d


    help you rx, get you into the right mindset. Besides, I’m thirsty.”


    “I don’t know about you, but alcohol doesn’t exactly help me think clearer,” I say, but I’m already


    reaching for one of the sses he’s filling.”


    He hands me the ss, our fingers brushing briefly. “And that’s why it’s just a ss. Or two.”


    “Fine,” I say, sipping the wine. “So how does this work? You ask me questions, and I pretend like it’s


    the real thing?”


    “Exactly,” he confirms, taking his own sip. “Ready for your first question?”


    I nod. "Fire away."


    He picks up one of the index cards from my desk, skimming it before looking back at me. “Alright. Tell


    me about a challenging situation you’ve faced in the kitchen and how you handled it.”


    I’m halfway through my answer when he interrupts me. “Wait. You’re not taking this seriously enough.


    Stand up. Pretend like you’re actually at the interview.”


    I set down my ss, a little exasperated. “Seriously?”


    “Seriously,” he insists.


    With a sigh, I stand, suddenly feeling like I’m on a stage. Karl also stands, a serious look on his face.


    He pauses for a moment, chewing his lips, before grabbing a lint roller off of a shelf and holding it out to


    me like a microphone. “Better,” he says with a smirk.


    “Seriously, Karl? A lint roller?”


    He chuckles. “Trust me, when a microphone is being shoved in your face, you’ll be d you had the


    practice.”


    I huff. “Fine,” I say, starting over, detailing a kitchen crisis involving a burnt turkey and a vegan


    substitute. He listens intently, nodding every now and then.


    “Good,” he says when I finish. “Next question. What inspired you to be a chef?”


    Karl smiles, clearly pleased. “See? You’re a natural at this.”


    “I have a question that’s not on the list,” he says, his voice taking on a sobering tone. Co?tent оf


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    My heart skips a beat. “Um, okay. Shoot.”


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    “So, when you win thepetition and have to cater the Alpha party… what will you do with the date


    you were supposed to have with Karl?”