Simmer Down - Sarah Smith Page 0,9
off the ground. You think you have the right to monopolize this area?”
A gravelly throat-clear causes us to twist our heads to the side. Again, we’re surrounded by spectators, and again, they film us with their phones. I choke down the urge to scream.
“If I may interject.”
The throat-clearer raises his hand. Matteo Roderick from Matteo Eats Maui stands at the front of the crowd. He runs the most popular food vlog on the island and gets thousands of views every day. He dines at our food truck weekly, always giving us positive reviews online and on his social media accounts. Tourists visit our food truck often because of him, and for that I have to be grateful. It’s why I resist the smart-ass remarks dancing on my tongue when he uses phrases like “flavor profiles” within earshot and when he offers unsolicited advice on how we should adjust our seasonings, why I ignore him even though he loudly chats while filming himself eating. It’s why I haven’t ripped his sandy-blond man bun from his giant head and tossed it into the ocean.
Matteo lifts an eyebrow. “As much as I love passionate discourse about culinary arts, I don’t think this style of conversing is conducive to a pleasant dining experience.”
I cross my arms over my chest, hoping it gives me an extra ounce of patience to deal with Matteo’s long-winded and patronizing monologue. I notice Callum does the same. Matteo is maybe in his late twenties but talks like a snobby food critic who’s approaching retirement age.
“I can only assume you two have heard of the Maui Food Festival coming up in May?” Matteo asks.
Callum and I nod. Everyone—every food truck, every restaurant, every tourist, every local—knows about the Maui Food Festival. It’s the unofficial kickoff to summer, with every popular local place participating in it. Any eatery with any hope of making it on the island registers for the festival. Maui restaurants set up booths and food trucks congregate in downtown Lahaina to sell their dishes. People vote online for their favorite. Those that do well are guaranteed a boost in their business for the season, but the winner gets the sweetest prize: ten thousand dollars and a spot in a commercial for the Flavor Network.
“It’s only the beginning of March, but you both plan to partake, I assume?”
Again, we nod.
Matteo clasps his hands together, as if he’s about to pray. “Then I suggest a bit of friendly competition to settle this obvious dispute you two are having.” He gestures to the clear blue ocean in the background. “This is a coveted spot, certainly. Why don’t you let your customers decide? Whichever one of you scores the highest at the festival is the winner of this spot. How does that sound?”
Neither of us speaks. All we exchange is an uncertain glance between us before turning back to Matteo.
It’s actually a solid idea. A hell of a stressful prospect though. I thought I hit the jackpot when I stumbled upon this open area months ago. I swallow back the urge to state my case, balling my fists at my side instead. I came across it first fair and square, and now I have to fight for it. I don’t have a choice though. One steady, even breath and the muscles in my neck loosen from their tension knot. I’m not willing to leave this spot. I’ll earn it all over again if I have to. It’s absolutely not what I want to do, but our livelihood rides on this.
The crevice between Callum’s eyebrow deepens. He almost looks amused. “So this is what it’s come to?”
Something soft rests at the edges of his tone. It sounds a lot like hesitation.
“You clearly have no intention of backing off,” I say.
“Not a chance in hell.” All trace of doubt has left his voice, leaving behind that hard tone I’ve come to know so well.
“Okay, then,” I say.
Matteo closes his eyes and smiles. “Splendid. And the prize is even bigger this year, since last year’s winner was disqualified after it was discovered that they were secretly working with a chain restaurant to get free ingredients. Can you believe that? Such blatant cheating.” Matteo tsks. “Festival officials are being even stricter about contest rules this year. The winner has to win on their own merits, which means no help from anyone. I hear that if there’s even the slightest hint of eateries fraternizing with each other, you could be disqualified. That certainly won’t be the case