“I’ll take it under advisement. I’m guessing with your newbie cooking skills, I’ll have to bring my A-plus game to the cooking table.”
“Okay. Fair. But I make a great teammate. I’ll do whatever you say with a ‘yes, chef!’” This could be a great angle for her article. Winning a cooking competition to help fund a culinary charity. Plus, the view from inside she’d already planned on when Judson had signed her up. “If you ask me to chop carrots, I’ll say ‘how many?’ If you want me to layer a sandwich, I’ll ask ‘how high?’”
Zach held up a hand. “Okay, I get it. You’ll do what you’re told. Somehow, I doubt that.” His voice was easygoing. Flirtatious? No. Couldn’t be.
The one-minute warning buzzer sounded.
“I should…” Ava threw a thumb over her shoulder. “Notes for my article and all that.”
“Go.” Zach shooed her away, but she found her feet had soldered themselves to the ground.
“What’s your plan for this round?” She fumbled for her notebook and pen.
“I was going to make ratatouille, but I changed my mind. I’m making almond-crusted walleye with a side of potato confit.”
“So fish and chips, then?”
Zach colored. Oh, he was fun to tease. His face broadened into a smile.
“Right. Fish and chips.”
“Lucky for you, that’s one of my favorites. Don’t turn this one green.” Her feet unstuck themselves from the ground, and she sped off to find someone to interview. Zach’s laugh chased her all the way to the edge of the tent. She’d come back later to press him for an answer.
She stepped out from under the shade of the cooking pavilion and into the sunny midday. An aroma of caramel corn wafted toward her. The food on the midway smelled amazing.
Her phone chimed with a text. Emily.
Emily
Guess what? I GOT THE JOB!!!
A string of emojis followed her words. Several shocked faces, then balloons, then the fingernail-painting lady, five stars, then, weirdly, the cowboy-hat-wearing smiley guy. Ava smiled and shook her head.
Ava
I knew you would! Congratulations. I’m so proud of you.
Emily
They want me in LA by the end of the month.
Ava’s heart pinched. She was happy for her friend. But now there was one less reason to stay in Chicago. She’d better make her letter shine. Too bad she couldn’t come up with the right words. Every time she sat down with a notepad, her brain froze. Tomorrow she would have to buckle down and write something, no matter what.Lord, please help me!She couldn’t lose this house. Not to mention write a series of articles that would win her a remote job.
She sent a few kiss emojis back to Emily.
Ava
Seriously, friend. I’m so thrilled. You’ll be amazing. I can’t wait for you to show me around the City of Angels.
Her phone pinged with another text, and she braced herself to decipher Emily’s emojis. Instead, her grandma’s name popped up.
Grandma
Just heard from your mom. Her yacht is being featured on Life Afloat again. Sounds like that’s why she didn’t make it home for Christmas. The episodes will start airing soon.
Ava suppressed an eye roll. There was always something. Grandma tried to put a good spin on it, but the truth was, her parents found their occupations more interesting and important than their daughter. Her mom could have chosen differently. The validation of the public and the glamour of her chosen lifestyle would win out over her daughter any day.
Still. No need to take that out on Grams.
