Chapter 0328
Abby
The rest of the night goes by in a whirlwind. John, Anton, and I are like a well-oiled machine, sending
out te after te of well-received meals. There are a fewints and dishes that are sent back,
but we handle everything in stride.
“Abby, table seven sent back their steak,” Daisy says, returning with the te. “They asked for medium
Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
well and they got medium rare.”
I nod at John, who is already throwing another steak on the grill. “Tell them we’re sorry, and bring them
another appetizer while we make a new one,” I say without batting an eye.
Daisy nods and disappears, leaving the three of us in our element again.
“You know, despite a couple of hups here and there, tonight has been pretty much seamless,” John
points out as he watches the steak.
He’s right; it has been seamless, in more ways than one. For the most part, at least. I keep thinking
about the fleeting dance I shared with Karl, and no matter how much I try, I can’t get it off my mind. And
although I won’t admit it to Chloe or anyone else, I don’t think I want to get it off my mind.
But I don’t know where things will go from here, and that’s the confusing part. For all I know, Karl may
go home to his pack to focus on his Alpha duties, and I’ll get caught up in my work, and that will be the
end of whatever is happening between us.
And frankly, I don’t know which oue I’m hoping for. Do I want it to fizzle out on a good note with
thisst magical night on my mind, or do I want to open myself up to a second heartbreak?
Before I can process my thoughts, suddenly, out of nowhere, Mr. Thompson strides into the kitchen.
“Abby,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. There’s a serious look in his gaze. “Do you have a moment?”
Fearing the worst, I nce at John and Anton, who give me a subtle nod to indicate that they’ve got the
kitchen under control.
“Yes,” I reply. “What do you need, Mr. Thompson?”
“Follow me.”
My heart leaps into my throat as I wipe my hands on my apron and follow him out into the hallway.
The three judges from the cook-off—Vanessa, Logan, and Xavier—are standing there, and my
stomach churns with nervousness. I saw each of them on their own tonight, but wasn’t expecting to see
them together again; and especially not right now.
“Good evening,” I manage to say, trying to keep myposure. “Is everything alright?”
Vanessa steps forward with a warm smile. “Everything is more than alright, Abby,” she says in that
gentle, soothing voice of hers. “We just wanted to congratte you on a sessful Alpha gathering.
The food tonight has been outstanding.”
I can’t help but smile as a sense of relief washes over me. “Thank you so much,” I murmur. “It’s been
an honor to cook for all of you.”
Xavier then steps forward. “Abby, since tonight has been such a sess, we may have more
opportunities for you,” he says. “It could involve traveling overseas for some special culinary
experiences. We can’t give you all the details right now, but we wanted to let you know. If you’re not
interested in traveling, we won’t bother you with it.”
My heart skips a beat at his words. “Really?” I ask, taken aback.
He nods. “Yes. Is that something you’d be interested in, Abby?”
Even though I don’t know the details, the thought of traveling overseas for new opportunities fills me
with excitement, and I find myself nodding vigorously. “Y-Yes, of course,” I manage. “Thank you for this
opportunity. I’d love to hear more about it.”
“Excellent,” Xavier says with a smile. “We’ll be sending you the details at some point in the near future.”
Logan, on the other hand, steps forward, and his gaze is intense, inscrutable. He doesn’t say much, but
the weight of his words hangs heavily in the air.
“I’ll be expecting improvement in the future.”
His words leave a gaping hole in my chest. Expecting improvement. Was tonight not enough? What
else do I need to do in order to prove myself?
I nod, not knowing what else to say. It’s clear that Logan’s standards are high, but I’m determined to
meet them someday, no matter how difficult or even impossible that may be.
“Well,” Vanessa says, adjusting her purse on her shoulder, “again, it was a lovely night, Abby. You’ll be
hearing from us.”
“Thank you,” I manage to respond with a smile. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
They say their goodbyes and walk away with Mr. Thompson on their heels, leaving me standing there,
feeling like my head is spinning after what they just told me. The possibility of future opportunities and
travel is exhrating, but Logan’s words linger in my mind.
Improvement—I need to keep pushing myself to be better, to rise to the increasingly difficult
challenges that he throws my way. I need to prove myself, to show him that I am as capable as he
thinks I am.
But will that even be possible, or will he keep moving the goalposts, always expecting something from
me that’s just out of reach?
“What happened?” John asks, his brow furrowed.
I hesitate for a moment, unsure of how much to share before the whole overseas travel thing is a bit
more concrete. “The judges just wanted to say goodnight,” I reply vaguely.
Anton raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “That’s it?”
John and Anton exchange a knowing nce. “Don’t mind him, Abby,” John says with a shake of his
head. “He’s just contrarian. But overseas travel? That’s exciting!”
But much to my surprise, I’m shrugging. “If Logan wants improvement, then he’ll get improvement. I’m
not bothered by hisments anymore.”
The two of them raise their eyebrows almost in unison. Dr?мanоvels
“That’s very mature of you, Abby,” Anton says with a chuckle. “I wish I could let things, how do you
say… ‘Roll off my back’?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “It’s a work in progress. Trust me.”
The thought of traveling overseas for any culinary opportunity is intriguing, and honestly, it’s an
opportunity that I know I can’t pass up.
But how will it fit into my life here, into my work at my restaurant?
And how will it fit into whatever is budding between me and Karl?