Page 164 of A Very Merry Enemy
“Tell us about your creation,” Patty says, wearing a warm smile. She reminds me of Mawmaw.
Holiday takes a breath. “This is our signature holiday cookie bar called ‘The One.’ It’s a buttery shortbread base topped with rich pecan chocolate fudge, finished with sea salt, and served with homemade Philadelphia-style vanilla bean ice cream.”
“And the inspiration?” Mary asks.
“Holiday created it,” I explain, giving credit where credit is due. “She perfected the ratios, added the fudge layer with pecans, and created the ice cream pairing. This is all her talent. I’m just her partner in crime.” I waggle my brows at her.
“Lucas was my inspiration,” Holiday says, winking at me.
The panel picks up their forks and begins tasting. I watch their faces, looking for any tells.
Marcus takes a bite and his eyebrows raise. “This shortbread is perfectly executed. The texture is ideal.”
“The fudge layer,” Mary says, taking another bite. “It’s rich without being overwhelming. And the pecans add just the right amount of crunch.”
Thomas is focused on the ice cream. “This is incredible. Simple but perfect. The vanilla doesn’t overpower the other flavors.”
Patty takes her time, tasting each component separately, then together. When she looks up, she’s laughing. “This isexceptional. The balance of flavors, the textures, the temperature—everything works together beautifully. This is the work of someone who truly understands baking.”
Holiday’s face fills with pride. “Thank you so much.”
Dominic clears his throat, then speaks. “It’srustic,” he says, his accent sharp. “Simple. Not particularly innovative. A kitchen sink dessert.”
The other four members of the panel turn to look at him like he’s grown a third head.
“With all due respect,” Marcus says carefully, “sometimes simple is exactly what’s needed. This dessert is comforting, elevated, and perfectly executed. That’s not a weakness.”
“I agree,” Mary adds. “Innovation for innovation’s sake isn’t always better. This is several classics with a twist and done exceptionally well.”
Dominic’s jaw tightens but he doesn’t argue. He makes a mark on his clipboard and doesn’t say anything else.
“Thank you for your presentation,” Patty says to us. “You can return to your station. Feel free to pass out the rest to those watching the competition.”
We walk back and I can see Holiday’s hands shaking slightly. I grab her hand and squeeze her fingers.
“Proud of you,” I whisper. Today, she stood up to Dominic twice. Our creation was praised by some of the best in the business.
“You were amazing,” she whispers to me.
“We were amazing,” I correct.
The two of us happily pass out the dessert with ice cream and people go wild for it.
“I want seconds,” someone yells.
“Me too!” another woman says.
Everyone laughs.
“That’s it! You know how it goes. Bakery is open tomorrow until we sell out,” Holiday announces.
We begin cleaning up our mess while the other teams continue working. Some are just now pulling things from the ovens. A few look defeated already, like they know their desserts didn’t turn out right.
“Thirty minutes left!” Mayor Thompson calls out over the speaker.
Right now, all I feel is relief. We did it.
Once our station looks pristine, all we can do is impatiently wait.
