Free The Perfect Ingredient (Dare Valley) by Ava Miles Page A

he?” he asked.
    She shook herself and regained her composure. “My father. We didn’t know he was coming tonight. He had a surgery scheduled.”
    Her sisters locked arms and went over, leaving Elizabeth to wander over to the Mavens and the Butlers. He kept his eyes on the Hales. Natalie’s sisters awkwardly hugged their father. He realized the other man was their brother, and the kid could only be his son. The family resemblance was unmistakable. Then Matt Hale came over with Jane, and the tense family greeting continued.
    “I don’t want to keep you,” he said, wondering what the older man had done to create such a rift between him and his children. Terrance didn’t know much about the Hales, but he knew they were close.
    Her smile had teeth. “Please do. In fact, why don’t I introduce you to my mother? She won’t admit it, but she’d appreciate a little moral support tonight. It’s the first time she’s seen my dad since she left him in the fall.”
    Now he had a good picture in his mind.
    “I’d enjoy meeting her, and since you’re both from Dare Valley, you can tell me what you think this place’s perfect ingredient is. I love to hear about what a place has to offer and how I might use it in my cooking.” Her suggestion to add the honeycomb from a local Dare Valley producer to the dessert on his new menu only made him want to hear what else she had to offer him.
    The sparkle returned to her eyes. “That would be fresh-picked huckleberries from the mountains. My mom used to make them into jam, but our neighbor used them on venison. I felt bad for Bambi, but I pretty much gobbled it up.”
    Huckleberries.
    “Do they taste like blueberries?” he asked, feeling that familiar excitement. “I had some in New Hampshire once.”
    “No, ours here in the Rockies are different. They’re ruby red and translucent. Tastier. I’ve had ones both sweet and tart. Their flavor is intense because they grow in the wild.”
    “When can you pick them?”
    She threaded her arm through his and led him in the opposite direction of the woman who was captivating his thoughts. “July. I know a place in the mountains. If you’d like, I’ll take you, but you have to cook for me.”
    “Deal.”
    His heart started to beat faster like it always did when he learned about a possible new contender, but he couldn’t stop from looking back over his shoulder at Elizabeth.
    His pulse tripled, and for a minute he forgot about the huckleberries. He cursed under his breath and drew out another hundred.
    Natalie only raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to lose all your money if you continue on like this.”
    “I have plenty of money,” he growled.
    When they arrived at the table clustered with people in their golden years, he had no trouble picking out Natalie’s mother. She had the same lovely cheekbones as her daughter.
    “Mom, this is Chef T.”
    When he took April’s hand, he made sure to hold it while he talked to her. Even he could see the valiant effort she was making not to look past him at her estranged husband.
    “It’s good to meet you. We’re big fans of your show.”
    “Please call me Terrance. Natalie was just telling me about your huckleberry jam. I’m always looking for what a place has to offer. Huckleberries sound like just the thing for me to use on our summer menu.”
    “The huckleberries around here are quite special,” she said. Her hand was relaxing now, so he finally let go.
    “And let me introduce you to my wonderful uncle, Arthur Hale, and some of Matt’s incredible campaign volunteers.”
    The trio of older woman looked like they ate Charlotte Royale for dessert every day with rose hip tea. He was charmed since he didn’t have contact with any of his own elderly relatives. His mother had burned every bridge to her family with her drug habit.
    “It’s great to meet everyone. I hope you enjoyed the food.”
    “Especially the chocolate chip cookies,” Joanie said, “but there was something