The Cook-Off
Location: East of Town Square
With: Spencer
Time: 5:46 p.m.
This was Meredith's fourth year entering her great-grandmother's chili recipe into the annual Summer Shine Fest's Chili Cook-Off. Each year she came in third and last year she had fallen to fourth. She spent months of tweaking; researching ingredients and flavor profiles, messing and cleaning her parents' kitchen, and driving two towns over for a special (and expensive) grass-fed beef. She was sure the blue ribbon was hers for the taking this year. She imagined the shining blue satin sitting right next to her sixth grade spelling-bee champion trophy in her bedroom and smiled. Less than fifteen minutes until the voting began. Her hands began to dampen against a wave of nerves as she checked and re-checked the pot of chili warming at her booth. She spotted Spencer near her table and offered him a haphazard wave. "I can give you a sneak preview, if you'd like," she said, holding up an empty paper cup. She leaned in a lowered her voice. "I'm pretty certain Ruth won't beat me this year." She glance at the old woman's booth next to her with narrowed eyes.
