For the Love of Cake (14 page)

“It can’t be easy having such an unstable mentor.”

Mason sighed.

“What?” Shannon snapped.

Mason tried to smooth things over. “I think what he meant to say—”

“I heard what he said. And I know what he meant.”

“Man, you lesbians really do stick together, don’t you?”

Shannon laughed, because she couldn’t do anything else with the rush of adrenaline currently coursing through her.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Technically, she’s bi, isn’t she?” Ned’s disgusting leer made Shannon want to slap his face. “That’s so hot.”

“I don’t see what any of that has to do with her ability to mentor.” She refused to let him bait her into a discussion about his opinions on homosexuality. First, they weren’t relevant. And second, she didn’t really care what he thought about her lifestyle.

“She’s a walking publicity stunt. That’s got to be a big distraction from the work. I mean, I don’t have to worry about reading about Jacques’ sexual exploits in the tabloids tomorrow.”

“We can’t even read the tabloids while we’re here,” Lucia said calmly. “And she’s never been anything but professional with me.”

Mason looked at Shannon. “She’s flirted with you, hasn’t she? But that’s probably because she knows you’re a lesbian.”

“No, she hasn’t.” Shannon glared at him. She could distinctly recall her every interaction with Maya, and, yes, there had been some flirtation. But she wouldn’t admit that to the other competitors. Besides, she’d barely spoken to Maya in several days unless it had to do with the competition. Every day she stood stiffly in front of Maya while she critiqued her work.

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you.” He hooked his thumb in Ned’s direction. “She’s never looked at him like that.”

Before Shannon had a chance to respond, Ned jumped in again. “Hey, I’m not saying she doesn’t have some talent. She won her season, after all. But think about it—why do you think the producers invited her to mentor this year? The show was getting stale. They needed a ratings boost, and Maya Vaughn has always been good for that. From the first day of her season, she’s been a sideshow—a gimmick.”

“Yeah? Have you looked in the mirror lately?” Alice shot back.

Ned narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look around this table. We were all picked to appeal to a certain demographic. The producers get thousands of applicants, maybe more. Do you really think we were the twelve most talented? We’re all here for a reason.”

Shannon folded her arms against her chest, nurturing a newfound respect for Alice. She would have expected Alice to agree with Ned just because she apparently had a thing for him. Instead, she’d spoken her mind against him.

After they finished their meal, Shannon seized the opportunity to separate from the group and head back to the hotel. When she left them, they were headed into a blues bar in Printer’s Alley.

*

“The network is about to start airing the new season. In fact, tonight’s the premiere. You won’t see it.” Hugh waited out the chorus of boos that followed. He paced around the cluster of tables where the chefs were seated. “Remember, your phone calls are still being monitored. And the ban on talking about the show’s progress is still in effect. This may be even more difficult now, because naturally your friends and family will talk about things they’ve seen. But you can’t. And you shouldn’t ask them about the show. Until we break before the finale, none of you are to know what’s airing.”

He covered a few more points, then led them to the kitchen and handed them over to Eric as filming began.

“There will be no immunity in today’s elimination. Regardless of the outcome of this challenge, this could be the last day in the
For the Love of Cake
kitchen for any one of you,” Eric said dramatically.

They murmured appropriately as they’d been instructed by Hugh, even though he’d just given them the same information before shooting started.

“Cupcakes are all the rage these days, so much so that whole shops are popping up dedicated only to gourmet cupcakes. Today, you’ll be baking your favorite flavor of cupcake to donate for an elementary-school bake sale. You will prepare forty-eight cupcakes to set up at a table at the school. The contestant who sells the most cupcakes the fastest wins a reward. Would you like to know what it is?” Since this was the one part they hadn’t been warned about, Eric paused for the expected chorus of yeses, then continued. “The top two contestants get one-on-one time with the mentor of his or her choosing.”

Shannon flipped through her mental catalog of cupcake recipes. Chocolate-chip cookie dough? Kids love chocolate-chip cookies. No, cookie cupcakes weren’t creative enough. She glanced at Maya, who was deep in conversation with Jacques. He and Wayne were both incredibly talented. If she won, she could choose one of them and still be the envy of every chef she knew. If she won, choosing one of them would be less complicated than spending time with Maya.

She had successfully avoided being alone with Maya since the night in the fitness room. During one exercise, the mentors had gathered their teams to teach them a new technique. Shannon had stood behind Alice as they clustered around Maya’s workstation, keeping Alice between them to combat the butterflies in her stomach at being so close. As Maya bent over her cake, expertly applying icing in a complex pattern, Shannon gave in to the urge to look freely at Maya. She’d traced her eyes over the top of Maya’s bowed head, imagining burying her hands in her white-blond hair. She could practically feel the point when the silky strands would give way to the texture of shorter hair over her ears.

She imagined bending to tease the shell of Maya’s ear with her lips before kissing the back of her neck, just over the tattoo of a cluster of vibrant lilies. She leaned closer. The tattoo was very well-done, each delicate petal arching away from the center so lifelike that Shannon imagined she could reach out and run her fingers along the fine edges. Shannon had never been with anyone with tattoos. Would the colorful skin feel different against her lips?

Maya raised her head and looked right at her. Caught off-guard, Shannon didn’t get her eyes away in time, and once Maya’s had locked on hers, she couldn’t.

“Chef Hayes?” Maya lifted a brow, letting Shannon know she’d been caught.

“Uh—yes?” Did she miss something important?

“I asked if you’re ready to try this for yourself.”

“Absolutely, Chef.” Her face flamed, but, though she was sure Alice and Lucia were looking at her, she remained fixed on Maya.
God, yes, she wanted to try it for herself, and she wasn’t talking about the technique.

Later that afternoon, while working on her own cake, she’d looked up to find Maya watching her with an expression of confusion. When their eyes met, Maya’s brow drew in tighter, then smoothed as her eyes dipped to Shannon’s mouth and back up. Shannon broke the contact first. Since she had no idea how long the exchange had actually taken, she glanced around to see if they’d been caught and she came face to—well, lens with one of the camera guys. He’d kept his handheld trained on her, a smug smile on his face. She’d pressed her lips together and spun away.

Since then, she’d tried to become more surreptitious in her study of Maya, which only made her more aware of just how many times she sought her out. Even though Maya wore jeans and a white chef coat on the set, when Shannon looked at her, she still saw those short-shorts and the smooth planes of her abdomen giving way to the swell of her breast. If she could see her only as a spoiled, albeit hot young celebrity, she’d be a lot better off. But she couldn’t shake the memory of the soft, slightly vulnerable look in Maya’s eyes that hinted at more depth.

Still debating her cupcake flavors, she snuck another glance while Maya was still distracted by Jacques. She wasn’t close enough to hear what they said, but Maya gestured as if she were physically describing something, sketching the shape with her strong, angular hands as she spoke. She paused to rub her neck, and Shannon followed the line of her deep-red fingernails into the collar of her chef jacket. When her hand stopped, Shannon continued to visually trace the neckline of the black tank top visible between the flaps of her jacket. She tore her eyes away and shook her head but silently acknowledged that she was kidding herself if she thought she would choose anyone but Maya. She wouldn’t miss the opportunity for private tutoring from a chef of her caliber. Yes, that was why she had to win. She had absolutely no personal reason for wanting to be alone with Maya. Kidding herself again.

Two counters down, Alice appeared relaxed and confident. Given that she owned a cupcake shop, this challenge should be easy for her. Based on her opinion of Maya, she wasn’t likely to want time with her. But she shouldn’t be counted out as competition for the win.

Focus. Think.
She couldn’t afford to lose precious time planning. Teachers, staff, and parents would attend the bake sale along with the elementary students. She needed a flavor that appealed to the kids, yet enticed the adults as well. Peanut butter and jelly. Being in a school might make the grown-ups feel nostalgic toward the classic combination.

As Eric gave the cue for them to begin working, she quickly gathered her ingredients and constructed the batter for a vanilla cupcake. She stripped the insides out of vanilla beans to add a richer flavor to the cake. After she’d filled several trays with batter and slid them into the oven, she turned her attention to the filling and icing, working on both simultaneously. She was dimly aware of the other chefs moving around, gathering ingredients, going back and forth to the ovens, and running mixers. The aromas of various cakes baking mingled together, and the sweet bite of sugar cut through them as most of the chefs had moved on to toppings and fillings.

When she’d finished whipping her buttercream and tasted it, she glanced at the clock. The heavy mixture didn’t have the right consistency, and the peanut butter overpowered the flavor. She debated for only a second before setting that batch aside and starting again.

She jogged to the oven and pulled a tray out, judging from the appearance that the cakes would cool to a nice spongy texture. After she’d removed all of them, she squeezed strawberry filling into each cake while they were still a bit warm, though she’d have to let them cool further before icing them.

While her second frosting attempt whipped in the mixer, she rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck from side to side. Eric and Maya, followed by a cameraman with a handheld, had started talking to the chefs at the other end of the room from Shannon, while Jacques and Wayne hung back and continued watching the progress.

Shannon tested her new batch of icing, pleased that it tasted exactly like she’d hoped. The light texture practically melted on the tongue, leaving just the right tease of peanut butter in the wake of the perfect sweetness. With only ten minutes left on the clock, she filled a pastry bag and pulled the first tray of cupcakes in front of her. As she swirled icing on top of her cakes, she heard Maya talking to Lucia, whose station was next to Shannon’s. The low timbre of Maya’s voice seemed to vibrate through Shannon, and she had to pause and steady herself. After a quick breath, she sprinkled the tops of each cupcake with a dusting of crushed peanut-butter-sandwich cookies to add a bit of crunch. When Lucia said something that made Maya laugh, Shannon’s hand shook and she spilled some of the coarse crumbs across the counter. She cursed under her breath but kept moving. Any cupcakes that weren’t complete couldn’t go to the school and she’d start the bake sale at a disadvantage.

She reached under her counter and pulled out two prefolded bakery boxes, then glanced up and caught Maya looking at her. Instead of looking away, she held her gaze, steeling herself for the moment when Maya stepped closer to her counter. But when Maya moved, Eric caught her arm and pulled her in the other direction. Disappointment flooded Maya’s expression, and though Shannon knew their exchange would likely have been brief and mostly impersonal, she missed having that moment with her as well. Maya glanced at Eric, shook off his arm, and walked over to Shannon’s station. Without a word, she pulled the bowl containing her failed attempt at icing closer. She dipped a finger in, and then, while Shannon tracked every movement, she lifted it to her mouth. Shannon’s heart beat like crazy as Maya’s tongue slid along the side of her finger.

“Thirty seconds,” Eric called out, giving Maya a pointed look. She nodded, glanced at Shannon, then returned to where Jacques and Wayne waited.

Shannon shook off her distraction and hurriedly finished packing the cupcakes inside and had just closed the lid on her second box when he called time. She held her hands up and stepped back almost in unison with the other competitors.

C
HAPTER
T
EN

“I hope you’ve thought of more questions than you had for that first consultation,” Maya joked, as much to calm her own racing heart as to put Shannon at ease.

When she’d heard that Shannon and Alice had taken first and second at the bake sale, she hoped Shannon would pick her. Since the tutoring session would take place in front of the cameras, she knew spending time semi-alone with Shannon was flirting with danger. She didn’t feel like expending the energy it would take to keep her expression neutral. She didn’t usually have so much trouble controlling her own reactions and had never wanted so badly to completely let down her guard with someone. That thought alone should have had her curling into a fetal position and shutting Shannon out.

“I wish I could say I felt more prepared. But you tend to put me off balance,” Shannon said.

They sat across from each other at one of the tables in the lounge, leaning forward and resting their forearms on the table in a mirror image to each other. The other chefs had been sent back to the hotel. Alice and Jacques had been taken to the kitchen to film their one-on-one time, and Maya and Shannon were instructed to wait until summoned.