Read Online Worth the Risk by Meryl Sawyer - Free Book Online

lemongrass.
    That’s where she’d first met Joey and his parents. Lexi had been looking for locals to help plant exotic vegetables to sell to restaurants through City Seeds. The Transes couldn’t help because they needed their six plots to fill their lemongrass orders from chefs, but she’d gotten to know them and they’d taught her about Asian vegetables.
    Charmayne held up a plaque. “The second place winner goes to the Lemon-Rosemary Cake created by Shelby Tibbets,” Brad announced.
    Above the round of applause, Amber said, “I knew she would at least place. She’s a really good cook.”
    Shelby walked up to the podium, all smiles, to receive the plaque.
    â€œThe judges really liked the delicious flavor of your cake,” Brad told Shelby and the audience.
    Shelby bowed slightly, beaming at her parents, who were seated in the second row. “Thanks,” she said as the audience clapped.
    Brad waited a minute for Shelby to leave the stage before saying, “First runner up goes to Peter Nguyen’s Lemon Grass Panna Cotta.”
    Amber dug her fingers into Lexi’s arm. “He’s Joey Tran’s cousin. Guess where he got the lemon grass?”
    Lexi had never heard of lemongrass until she visited the community garden. Peter had used it to give traditional Italian panna cotta a creative spin.
    The Transes and Nguyens stood, clapping and stamping their feet as a short boy with glossy black hair gelled up like a rooster’s tail shuffled up to the podium. His lackluster smile revealed his disappointment.
    â€œPeter’s good and he expected to win,” Amber told her. “He bragged about his ‘invention’ for weeks.” Amber made it sound like a crime.
    As Peter was congratulated, Lexi was alarmed by the fierce look on her sister’s face. She knew Amber was stubborn and difficult to deal with at times, but she’d never been this determined before. Lexi wasn’t sure how she should respond if Amber lost. How did you encourage someone when they were confronted with failure?
    Lexi realized she knew very little about mothering. How could she give Amber advice the way a mother would when she had had so little mothering herself? Aunt Callie had been loving, but she’d had no parenting skills.
    As Peter left the stage, Lexi ventured a sideways glance at Amber. Her back was rigid, her eyes focused straight ahead.
    â€œPlease,” Lexi whispered to herself, “let Amber win.”
    Brad held up a gleaming gold-colored metal plaque that was much larger than the others. Even from the midsection of the auditorium where Lexi was sitting she could make out the words: Winner of the Light-and-Healthy Bake-Off. “This year’s winner…”
    For a second the room froze. Then Lexi realized Brad had said, “Amber Morrison. The chefs chose her Ali Baba Chocolate-Raspberry Tart as the best entry in this contest.”
    Amber spun around in her seat to bear-hug Lexi. “I can’t believe I won!”
    â€œYou deserve it,” Lexi assured her. “You worked really hard.”
    Lexi’s heart filled with pride and wonder and she blinked back tears as she watched her sister walk up to Brad and Charmayne. How thrilled their parents would have been, Lexi thought. When they’d died, Amber had been so young. It would have been difficult to imagine the self-assured girl that Lexi saw on the stage.
    â€œThe chefs commented on the delicious flavor of this tart,” Brad told the audience. “It uses unsweetened chocolate and whole fresh raspberries. Amber used unsweetened coconut, which gives the tart a unique texture. She also used a sugar substitute and whole wheat flour, which cuts back on the calories and is healthier.”
    â€œAmber will now represent Stovall Middle School in the final round,” said Charmayne. “The winner will receive a thousand-dollar cash prize and an internship as my