Chapter 0265
Abby
Sunlight spills through the restaurant windows, casting a warm golden glow over the bar where
everyone is leaning. It’s right before opening, and I’ve called everyone: Chloe, Daisy, Ethan, John, and
Anton to the front. Leah is here too before work, a cardboard cup of coffee in her hand, which Chloe
gave to her on the house.
“So, guys,” I start, my voice trembling slightly. “I have something to tell you.”
Chloe looks up from her phone, a spark of interest in her eyes. Leah takes a sip of her coffee as her
eyebrows raise. John, Anton, Ethan, and Daisy lean forward. It’s now or never.
“They want me to cater the Alpha party after all,” I blurt out. “The judges areing here, on Saturday,
to try my food again.” The words tumble out like an avnche. For a second, there’s silence. Then, the
bar erupts.
“What? Seriously?” John’s voice is a mix of shock and pride.
“That’s amazing, Abby!” Daisy’s grin is as bright as ever.
Ethan’s handnds on my shoulder, his smile gentle and encouraging. “You’re going to knock it out of
the park.”
I can’t help the giggle that bubbles up. “Thanks, I—”
“You haven’t been in your kitchen for weeks, Abby,” Chloe interjects, logical as ever. “Are you sure
you’re ready?”
Theughter dies in my throat. She’s right. I haven’t cooked anything significant in what feels like an
eternity, and the thought of going into the kitchen makes my stomach churn. My skills might as well be
nonexistent right now.
“Well, um…” My voice trails off, and I’m left standing here, unsure of what to say. That’s when the first
group of customerses in for breakfast, and the group disperses with murmurs of encouragement,
leaving only me, Leah, and Chloe standing at the bar.
Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
“Look,” Leah says, cing her hand on my shoulder. “Why don’t Chloe and Ie over tonight?”
“Yeah,” Chloe chimes in. “You can cook something for us. Consider it a… practice run.”
I swallow, nodding, and meet my friends’ gazes. “Okay. Practice run. Sounds good.”
…
The smell of garlic and basil fills my kitchen as I chop vegetables with a rhythm that feels both familiar
and foreign. Leah and Chloe are due to arrive at any minute, and the knots in my stomach tighten with
each slice of the knife.
When the doorbell rings, I nearly jump out of my skin. Pulling myself together, I open the door to find
Leah and Chloe, each bearing a bottle of wine and wide smiles.
“You ready to wow us, chef?” Chloe’s eyes dance with mischief.
I lead them into the kitchen, the space that used to be my sanctuary but now feels like a prison. “Let’s
hope so.”
Leah peeks over my shoulder at the ingredientsid out on the counter. “It smells incredible in here
already.”
I offer a tense smile and gesture toward the stovetop where a pot of sauce simmers. “Just getting
started.”
Chloe pops the cork on a bottle of wine, pouring three sses. “To Abby’seback.”
We clink sses and I take a long sip, the rich vor of the wine grounding me for a moment.
Steeled by the wine, I turn to the stove and begin, exining my process as I go. The girls watch,
offering nods and hums of approval, but as I add spices to the sauce, my hand trembles.
Memories of the cook-off flood back—the cameras, the embarrassment, the sabotage, the defeat.
Leah is the first to notice the waver in my hand. “Hey, you okay?”
Chloe sets down her ss and steps closer, her gaze firm. “Abby, stop. You’re an amazing chef. One
setback doesn’t define you.”
“But—”
“No buts,” Leah cuts in. “Look at us. We’re your guinea pigs, and we’re still alive and kicking. You’ve
got this.”
I look at their earnest faces and something shifts inside of me. My friends, my team, my makeshift
judges. At least they believe in me, even if I don’t believe in myself. New chаpter av?ble on
Drаmanоvels.cом
“Alright,” I exhale. “I can do this.”
“And we’ll help,” Chloe says, pushing up her sleeves. “Right, Leah?”
Leah nods and sets her wine ss down. “We sure can.”