#Chapter 54: Cookoff?!

Abby “This… Isn’t a prank, right?” Even as I utter those words, I feel like an idiot. But I can’t help myself; I just can’t wrap my head around this whole situation. My little restaurant was chosen as one of four finalists for the Alpha gathering out of all of the amazing restaurants in the city? The rich timbre of Calvin’s chuckle fills the room. “A prank? No, ma’am, this is as real as it gets. But, I’d advise you not to pop the champagne just yet.” I raise an eyebrow, my heart still pounding hard. “Why’s that?” “The selection process requires a cook-off,” he explains. “Each of the four chosen restaurants will compete to showcase their culinary prowess. Based on this, we’ll decide which establishment will have the honor of catering for the Alpha gathering. It will be quite rigorous.” The gravity of the competition he’s describing does little to dampen my excitement. This is an incredible opportunity, and even just being considered feels like a massi