Dames stomped his feet and started to panic. “What are we going to do? Are we going to starve to death?!”
Felicity jumped in right away. “Dames, no one’s starving today. We’ve still got snacks–we can eat those!”
They decided to skip using their points to get ingredients for lunch. Instead, Felicity grabbed Dames and the two of them dove into their stash of snacks.
Dames tore open a bag of cheese puffs. Normally, he’d have to beg Selene just to get five or six, but now he could cram his mouth full of all kinds of chips and crackers, and there was nothing Selene could do about it.
Felicity loved those snacks too, so the two of them sat together, munching away, the crunching sounds filling the air.
While they were trying to fill up on junk food, the scent of real food started wafting over from the other end of the camp.
The other parents had begun cooking. Some, hoping to cozy up to Harrison, invited him to join their families for lunch, but Harrison refused every single invitation.
He could see right through their motives. After all, accepting favors comes with strings attached, and he had no desire to get mixed up with such scheming people. “Whoa!”
“Wow!!”
Dames was drawn by the chorus of awestruck shouts from the kids.
He jumped up and looked over to where the noise was coming from.
A bunch of kids, Daph among them, were crowded around watching Luke Holloway work his magic with a frying pan.
A burst of flame shot up over three feet high, making the kids squeal with a mix of fear and excitement.
Daph’s group had racked up the most points, so they’d traded for the best ingredients.
Luke Holloway was cooking up a storm. He started by simmering a pot of syrup, then expertly carved strawberries into delicate rose shapes, drizzled them with
1/3
Chapter 191
syrup, and turned them into strawberry lollipops encased in a glassy sugar shell.
Each one looked like a crimson rose frozen in crystal.
Luke handed the strawberry treats to Daph, who began passing them out to the eager kids.
Selene noticed Luke Holloway was clearly using this as a chance to show off his culinary skills–something completely at odds with his usual low–key attitude.
sn’t this a bit much?” Selene muttered, eyeing the sheer amount of food he was prepping. There’d be more than enough for a dozen people.
“Whe im done, invite all the kids over to try some,” Luke said. “Once they’ve had a taste, they won’t listen to Damien’s nonsense about ostracizing Daph anymore.”
A warm feeling spread through Selene. “The kids already think Daph walks on water,” she thought.
Earlier, Daph had told her Mr. Shaw was teaching home ec class, which only made Luke Holloway chuckle dismissively.
Opportunities don’t just fall into your lap–you have to create them yourself. With his culinary prowess on full display, let’s see what tricks Adrian could possibly pull
next.
Luke Holloway offered Selene one of the strawberry lollipops, presenting it to her like a single rose.
Selene laughed as she took it. “You do realize I’m not one of the kids, right?”
Luke gazed at her, his eyes soft and full of affection.
“You’ll always be my kid.”
Selene took a bite; the sugar shell shattered in her mouth with a satisfying crunch.
Luke turned away, catching Harrison’s glare out of the corner of his eye–a look that suggested he’d better watch his back, or a knife might just come flying his way.
At the long table, the kids sat in a row.
“Daph, your uncle’s food is amazing!”
“My granddad’s the head chef at a five–star hotel, but your uncle’s cooking is just as good!”
Daph stuffed her mouth, then gave Luke Holloway a big thumbs up.
312
10-52
Chapter
Luke sat across from her, one hand braced on his knee, a wild, lopsided grin spreading across his face to reveal a row of perfect white teeth.
“Next time you see Mr. Shaw, tell him your uncle once cooked for the presidential banquet. Maybe then he’ll finally give up on trying to win people over through their stomachs.”
Chapter 192
