Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 209

The audience murmurs. A smattering of applause ripples across the small crowd.

Sarah flips her cue cards. “And when did you start cooking, Abby?”

“I was eight. My mom loved to cook, and I was her little sous-chef. Cutting, stirring, making a mess mostly,” I chuckle. “But the love for cooking stuck, long after I learned to clean up after myself.”

People laugh; even Sarah chuckles. And for a moment, the stage doesn’t feel too big, the lights not too bright. I can do this.

“So, what would you say is your signature dish?” Sarah leans in, interested.

I feel a flicker of excitement. “Oh, that would have to be my rosemary-infused lamb with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. It’s rustic, hearty, and incredibly flavorful. The rosemary and garlic come together to create a sense of home, no matter where you are.”

Sarah’s eyes light up and she looks over at the crowd. “Doesn’t that sound delicious?” she asks, to which the crowd murmurs in response.

“It’s a customer favorite for sure,” I beam. “It’s actually adapted from one of my mother’s recipes. I love to give my customers a taste of home.”

“Of course,” Sarah says, smiling.

The interview continues in a myriad of laughter, awws, and light applause. With each passing minute, I begin to feel more and more relaxed, like I’ve done this a thousand times. I almost forget that the audience is even there, and it feels like it’s just me and Sarah having a conversation about food.

But then, Sarah throws me the one question that I was most dreading.

“So, Abby, what is your biggest inspiration?”

I freeze. My eyes involuntarily flicker to where Vanessa is seated on the sidelines with the other judges, her afro a glorious halo under the studio lights. It would be so easy to point at her, to say her name. She’s the woman I’ve idolized for years, the dream I’ve chased in my sleep, and she’s right here.

“It’s my team,” I say, my voice tinged with emotion. “My staff at La Belle Vie. Every last one of them. They’re the true heroes of every dish that comes out of my kitchen, the backbone of every service we provide. They’ve been there through thick and thin, through failed recipes and kitchen meltdowns, through stellar reviews and terrible ones.”

I pause, and time seems to stop. I glance up across the crowd, and my heart does a flip.

Because amongst the crowd, I see one familiar pair of brown eyes, sitting all the way in the back, looking down at me.

Karl.

I clear my throat, my eyes locking with his. “They… They remind me every day why I fell in love with cooking in the first place—because it brings people together, in the best and worst of times, even when you want to give up. So, yes, my biggest inspiration is this incredible group of people I’m lucky to call not just my staff, but my friends.”

I pause, letting my words hang in the air. A smattering of applause erupts, growing louder and echoing in the studio.