Page 124 of Ours to Lose
While we did make it into the final round and got to serve our food to the judges, one of the bigger and more well-known restaurants ended up winning the whole thing. Jillian heard it was because they liked the idea of another longtime Philly establishment being a part of celebrating the local institution, a touch we couldn’t offer yet as a start-up.
I was fine with it, especially since Pépère wasn’t the winner. Christian’s menu submission hadn’t even landed them a spot in the final round.
Meanwhile, Arden Catering got featured in the magazine as an honorable mention. It wasn’t something the magazine planned to offer, but the judges loved our menu so much they decided to add it to the mix. I had no idea what it would mean for business, but my guess was we’d need to hire another chef soon.
After another minute of Jillian talking me up, I politely excused myself, and Gabe and I weaved through the crowd to our friends. We were down to three minutes until midnight, and most of the group was together in a cluster on the edge of the dance floor, ready to ring in the New Year.
“They’re here,” Dani said, beaming as brightly as the engagement ring on her finger. “We can ask them.”
I hugged her first, then Jase. I’d seen them a week ago at the staff holiday party, but we’d missed our Monday night get-together so I could prep for tonight. Most weeks, the four of us did dinner together, either out at a restaurant or at one of our apartments, but sometimes we went dancing or had a game night with Evan. And on the weeks it couldn’t happen, Dani and I tried to plan something with the girls instead. “Ask us what?”
“Okay,” Neela said, her arm around Robin’s waist. “Would you rather get ten million dollars or never have to eat ever again?”
I scrunched my brow and looked at Jase. “Ten million dollars.”
He tipped his head. “That’s what I said.”
“Zach said never eat again,” Robin informed us.
All eyes went to Zach, who tried to use his much shorter boyfriend as a shield. “It would save me time, okay? I’d still eat when I wanted to.”
“I’m with Zach,” Gabe said. “I’d get way more done if I didn’t have to think about food.”
“Yes,” I said, “but Zach’s literal job is to think about food.” He’d officially become Ardena’s sous chef six months ago and was crushing it.
“Speaking of jobs,” Jase said to Gabe. “The gym opens in what, ten days?”
“Eleven,” Gabe said with a grin. “I saw you and Colin on the registration list.”
“Hell yeah. You’re close enough to where Colin works that you may poach him from his current gym for good.”
Gabe had found a building in Queen Village for his boxing gym, just a few blocks south of Colin’s art gallery. It had been in need of major repairs, but since Gabe needed to gut it anyway to turn it into a boxing gym, that hadn’t been a problem. And since he was still living with his dad and Evan at his dad’s house (when he wasn’t staying with me), he had a second stream of income renting out the apartment up top.
At least, he would once Noah began making professional money. He’d won the silver medal in his weight class at the Olympics over the summer with Gabe in the crowd cheering for him right next to Noah’s dad. Now, Noah was transitioning to professional boxing with Gabe as his coach. He’d moved into the apartment above the gym, which Gabe was letting him stay in for free until he had more steady earnings.
Given how quickly sign-ups for the gym’s public classes had filled, I wasn’t too worried about Gabe needing that extra income for the gym to stay afloat. Even with the two assistant coaches he’d hired.
Evan wandered up beside me, hands in his pockets and a scowl on his face.
“What?” I asked. I followed his glare to a pretty brunette with fair skin and a French-style bob that looked chic against her sharp features. Maybe she’d tell me where she got her hair done.
She flipped Evan off.
Or maybe not.
“Get rejected?” I asked.
Evan scoffed. “Please, I work with her. I have no clue why she’s here, seeing as her idea of fun is staking out the office refrigerator to snap at anyone who dares breathe near her precious grain bowl. I assumed being in a room full of humans having an actual good time would be her worst nightmare. But I guess ruining my night makes up for it.”
“How’d she ruin it?”
“I was having a perfectly lovely conversation with her friend until she butted in.”
Ah. That explained the lack of lady on his arm. “Sorry. I promise a New Year’s kiss isn’t everything.”
He broke his glare with a roll of his eyes. “Whatever.” Something caught his attention behind me. “Dad made it?”
Gabe’s head whipped around. “Where?”
