He just chuckled. It took only a couple of minutes to spoon the portions onto the plates. After they were lined up along the island, she went to call everyone in. Spirited debates about flavor, sweetness, and balance of spices ensued as they went back and forth. Reflecting on what she’d gone through with her ex, he had to wonder whether that played a part in the way Serenity now stood off to the side nervously biting her lip and wringing her hands. For him this challenge had been nothing more than a way to have a little fun with a group of people he’d begun to think of as friends. It obviously meant more to her, and the vulnerability he saw tore at his insides.

The group huddled together for a few more minutes, then Natasha held up a blue plate. “We have a winner! But I have to tell you it was so close. The blue one edged the gray one out by this much.” She put her thumb and index finger very close together.

“Then we’ll declare it a tie,” Gabriel said.

“I can go with that,” Dana chimed in. “Now can we eat?” Laughter filled the kitchen.

Serenity playfully bumped Dana. “The asparagus has another five minutes, but everything else is ready to go.”

While everyone carried the various dishes out, Gabriel hung back with Serenity.

“Well, since it wasn’t really a tie and you won, what do you want?” Serenity asked, leaning against the counter with her arms folded and a mock pout.

Gabriel closed the distance between them and placed his hands on the counter, effectively pinning her in. He bent close to her and whispered, “What I want, more than anything, is to share another amazing kiss with you.” Her eyes widened, and a soft gasp escaped. “However, I have a confession to make.”

“What?”

“The yams I made are still in a pot on my stove because the amount of cinnamon in them is enough to choke you or send somebody to the hospital. These”—he gestured toward his casserole dish—“belong to Ms. Ida.”

Serenity stared at him for a full minute before she burst out laughing.

A wry smile curved his lips. “You think we can keep this little faux pas between us? And since you’re the true winner, we’ll take your trip whenever you’re ready.”

She made a show of thinking. “Well…since you did own up to cheating and I’m going to get my prize, and I’m feeling generous today…I guess so.”

Moving closer and leaving mere inches between their bodies, he asked, “Does that generosity and the fact that I told the truth mean I can still get the kiss?”

“Um…everybody’s waiting for us.”