For the Love of Cake (29 page)

“She’s just mad because my guys were winning all the money she paid hers. And her band
still
liked me better.”

“Damn right.” She grinned at him, the love between them evident in the light in her eyes. “But I taught him a lesson.”

“I don’t think they care about that,” he broke in. “Aren’t we here to talk about cakes?”

“I started sitting in on his little games. A couple of nights of getting his pockets emptied by a girl and the poker games suddenly stopped.”

“Luckily, by then, I’d convinced her to sneak away and have dinner with me.” David puffed his chest out.

“Ha. Dinner was just a means to an end for you.” Viola swatted his arm.

“Hey, a boy’s gotta eat, too.”

Maya searched out Shannon’s eyes, and when she found them, a wave of arousal swept over her. She’d used dinner as a ploy to get Shannon alone as well. It had worked for these two, and now they were planning their lives together. Maya hadn’t made plans for the future in almost a year. But now, thinking about what she might have with Shannon after the circus of this show was over filled her with an overwhelming sense of hope and anticipation—and fear.

*

Shannon watched from across the room as Alice interviewed David and Viola. They’d been brought to a downtown restaurant where the show had rented out a private room. The interviews were taking place first, in an area apart from the rest of the chefs. After they were through, the celebratory dinner would begin. She’d already sat through Ned’s interview and now Alice’s, her nervousness growing with each passing minute. Would it be inappropriate for her to down a shot—or two—from the bar while she waited?

She recalled her badly botched first consultation with Maya, and anxiety tightened her stomach. She’d definitely come full circle. Her ability to satisfy this couple, as well as her entire future, could hinge on this moment. She pushed her shoulders back and straightened her spine. She could do this. She wasn’t the same starstruck woman she’d been when she started this show. She’d learned new techniques and grown as a chef, and this couple deserved to see that. She would do this.

“You’re up,” Hugh said, gesturing for her to join the couple.

She nodded and strode forward, projecting more confidence than she felt. David and Viola both rose to greet her.

“It’s so great to meet you both. I’m a fan of your music.” She shook David’s hand. When she turned to Viola and extended her hand, she found herself pulled into a hug. Viola was surprisingly strong for such a tiny woman.

“Congratulations on making it this far,” David said.

“Thank you.” They exchanged pleasantries for a few moments longer, then settled in around the small table. While David tried to fold his large frame back into the small chair, he caught Shannon trying not to laugh at him.

“There aren’t too many chairs around for a guy my size.”

“At least your feet always touch the floor,” Viola joked, lifting her feet and swinging them.

“David, could you describe Viola for me?” Shannon dove right in with her questions.

“Describe her?” He looked at Viola then back at her.

“Not physically. But who is she?”

He looked at her and smiled, showing off the dimples that no doubt made countless young fans swoon. “She’s the strongest woman I know, but still feminine and dainty. She loves her expensive shoes, but when she wears them, she complains that her feet hurt. And actually, I think she’s sexiest when she’s onstage and she kicks them off and sings barefoot.”

“No one is looking at my shoes when you get up there with me anyway. All of those young girls are just screaming for him.”

“And what is it about him that appeals to you?”

“What makes
me
scream for him?”

Shannon laughed. “I suppose you could put it that way.”

“He’s gorgeous. Just looking at him makes me weak. I can be having the worst day, but then I see him and—well, maybe it’s still a crappy day, but it’s a little better.”

Shannon nodded politely. He was a good-looking guy but not exactly her type. Across the room, she caught sight of Maya and decided maybe she understood. Just being close to Maya lifted her spirits.

“I can tell from that look on your face that you know what I mean,” Viola said.

Shannon jerked her eyes away from Maya. She searched Viola’s expression but didn’t see any hint that she knew
who
had captured her attention.

“He’s my best friend. Like the kid you grew up next door to and can share any moment with. But then there’s this side of him—of us, and when we’re together, I can’t get enough of him, you know?”

“I do.” She skimmed her eyes over Maya once more but brought them back to the couple in front of her.

For the next ten minutes, she talked to them about what they each envisioned for their wedding cake as well as for David’s groom’s cake. Their lives revolved so much around music, but neither of them mentioned it as a theme in their wedding. Viola talked about David’s love of the outdoors and of being with his friends and family. His fondness for hosting poker games was mentioned once again as one of his favorite ways of bonding with his buddies, most of whom he’d brought into his band or road crew over time.

Shannon discovered that Viola harbored a fondness for photographing wildflowers. As they traveled, she would make the driver pull the bus over and would run out into a field on the side of the road to get a shot. She also cherished the memories of growing up in a small town—of cornfields and hanging out with her friends down by the river at the dam. No matter how famous she got, how many cities she visited, and how many homes they bought around the world, at heart, Viola remained the country girl she was raised to be.

When Shannon’s time was up, she felt good about the interview, but she wished she had more time to visit with them.

Once more, Viola hugged her. “Best of luck, sweetie,” she whispered.

“Thank you.” She gave David a quick hug and rejoined the rest of the group on the other side of the room.

Hugh raised his hand and gave a loud whistle to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, chefs. The interviews are finished. Dinner will be served soon. Tomorrow, you all head home to begin preparations for the finale. But for tonight, have a drink or two, relax, and enjoy the evening. David and Viola have agreed to join in the celebration.” He held up a finger in warning. “But no talk about the finale or your designs. No work tonight, just play.”

The atmosphere in the room relaxed as the contestants, mentors, and crew dissolved into a mingle of people, some of whom moved to the bar, and others clustered in groups for easy conversation.

Shannon saw an opportunity to catch Wayne alone and hurried to his side.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to know this or not, but I understand that I owe you some thanks,” she said quietly.

Wayne smiled. “You don’t owe me anything. I lobbied for the three most deserving chefs.”

“Well, thank you, just the same. Your opinion means a lot to me.”

“Best of luck in the finale.” He raised his glass in salute. “Excuse me. I need to speak with Hugh before he disappears.”

As he stepped away, she stood apart from the others for a moment longer, letting herself take in the surreal moment. She’d just made top three on
For the Love of Cake
. If she’d been told even a year ago that she’d be on the show, she wouldn’t have believed it.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Maya’s voice close to her ear made her shiver.

Shannon turned to find Maya holding two glasses of champagne. “I hope you don’t think you’re going to impress me with cheap champagne.”

Maya narrowed her eyes. “Should I be concerned that you seem to constantly want me to impress you? If you’re going to be this high-maintenance through our whole relationship, it could get trying.”

“I am not high-maintenance.” Shannon swatted Maya’s arm, ignoring the reference to a relationship.

“We’ll see.” She touched the rim of her glass to Shannon’s. “Congratulations, Chef Hayes.”

“Why thank you, Chef Vaughn.” She took a small sip. “What’s next? Are you heading back to New York?”

“Tomorrow morning. I have an early flight. Unfortunately, before the show started, I gave Wendy free rein over my schedule during the break. She took advantage and filled my itinerary.”

“I’ll miss you,” she said softly, because she couldn’t contain her words.

Maya smiled. “Me too.”

“It sounds like you’ll be too busy.”

“So will you.”

Shannon sighed. “Don’t remind me. I don’t want to freak out about my lack of ideas for these cakes.”

“What? You just did the interview. Give that time to marinate, and something will come to you. Besides, you heard the man—” she nodded in Hugh’s direction—“for tonight, no work, just play.”

“Ah, so you’re just trying to comply with your contractual obligation.”

“Exactly.” She set her glass down and grabbed Shannon’s wrist. “So let’s go join the rest of the group and enjoy this night before you start stressing about the next step.”

Shannon allowed herself to be pulled along, though she’d already started dreading saying good-bye to Maya tonight. She’d see her again at the finale, but they hadn’t talked about whether they’d stay in touch over the break. She’d been telling herself Maya would flee Nashville at the first chance, despite her hope that she might stick around, and she’d just confirmed her suspicion.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY

“Hey, welcome back.” Jori hugged her, then pulled back and held her at arm’s length. “It’s so good to see you. How are you?”

“I’m good.” She couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “I’m great, actually.”

“Great? Like final-three great?”

“I’m not supposed to say.” Almost against her will, her head bobbed in an enthusiastic nod.

“Oh my God.” Jori threw her arms around her again.

“Hey, I said I can’t say. I’m neither confirming nor denying.”

“Sure. Sure. I won’t tell anyone.” Jori winked. “Except Sawyer, and she can keep a secret.”

“Seriously. This goes in the vault.”

“Okay. I know.”

“I actually came to see if you meant it when you said I could come back anytime.”

“Of course I did. But I’m confused. Why would you need to come back?”

“I need to work, Jori. Otherwise, I’ll go crazy sitting around and doing nothing and just waiting for the finale.”

“Shouldn’t you be preparing for said finale?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “I have time for both. Or I can make time for both. It’s probably just as detrimental if I spend too much time thinking about it, too.”

“Okay, but you’ll probably want to stay in the kitchen. Let Mackenzie handle the front. We’re already getting people in asking about you. And they all want to know if you’re a finalist.”

She grimaced. Hiding the fact that she’d made the final three for the next eight weeks would be harder than she’d anticipated. “I have another favor to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“Once I have concrete plans for the final project, I need to practice. Where better than a commercial kitchen—”

“Absolutely. You can do it here.”

“It needs to be after hours. I’ll need the peace, and I don’t want anyone seeing it.”

“You’re going to work here all day, then spend evenings here as well? You’ll be sick of this place.”

“Maybe. But other than getting to know my granddaughter, I don’t have any other plans during the break.”

“No plans to see a certain chef we both know? Okay, I don’t really know her, but I’ve met her.”

“What? Why would I—”

“Don’t even think about playing coy with me.” Jori held up a finger. “I’ve been watching the shows. I see the sexual tension between you two. In the beginning, not so much, but lately—”

“Seriously?” Heat rushed to Shannon’s cheeks. “It’s that obvious?”

“Eh, maybe not to everyone. But I know you.”

Shannon grinned. After again swearing her to secrecy, she filled Jori in on the progress of their relationship thus far. She skipped over most of the sex, but Jori did manage to pry a few illicit details out of her.

“She’s amazing. She’s gorgeous, obviously, but more than that, she’s sweet and sensitive.”

“And sexy,” Jori added.

“Yeah, that too. I just feel good when I’m around her, you know?”

“It seems like she feels the same way about you. So what’s the problem?”

“You know her reputation. Her lifestyle is way too fast for me.”

“That doesn’t sound like the woman you just described. So it seems like you need to figure out who you trust more, the media’s image of her or your own interpretation after having spent time with her.”

“I don’t know if it’s that easy.”

“You’re afraid.”

“Of what?”

“That you won’t be enough for her. Believe me, if anyone understands this, I do. Maya’s a lot like Sawyer, both outgoing and charismatic. In the beginning, I didn’t think I’d be enough to hold her interest. You think Maya is worldly and could have anyone, so, why you?”

Shannon shrugged. “Maybe.”

“
If
those stories are true and she’s dated all of those people, there must be a reason why none of them stuck. They weren’t what she was looking for.”

“And you think I am?”

“You have as good a chance as anyone. Don’t sell yourself short. You have a lot to offer.” Jori squeezed her arm. “So where did you leave it?”

“She went to New York this morning—prior commitments. She didn’t say when she’d be back. I gave her my cell number. We’ll see if she uses it.”

*

“We need to start thinking about what’s next.” Wendy picked the maraschino cherry out of her drink and dropped it in her mouth.

“Next? I’m not even done with the last project. And you’ve got me pretty booked for the two months I’m free.” Maya pushed her salad around on her plate, wishing she could have ordered a burger. But the Southern food and sweets from her time in Nashville had caught up with her, and now it was time to tighten the belt—before she had to loosen hers.