The words cut like swords. “Thank you, chef.” Andrew heard his heart pounding in his head.
Chef Georgie laid one of the nougat rods down on the napkin in front of her. “I agree. It’s as if you didn’t listen to the challenge at all. I think these are lovely. I’d love to have them at my next restaurant opening or gala, so let’s definitely talk. But to serve to children? This would never fly. Not to mention that you served them in a thin glass.” She tapped it with her fingernail. “You don’t have kids, do you?”
“No, ma’am.” Andrew regretted the mistake.
“I didn’t think so. One of these would get broken for sure. What if someone got hurt?”
He hadn’t even considered the glass being a problem for kids. His mind flickered to the days when there were kids’ parties at Main Street Cafe. The running. The laughter. She was so right. He’d blown it.
Andrew’s T-shirt clung to his body under the heavy chef’s jacket. He ran a finger under the collar.
“Chef Collin. What are your thoughts?”
Chef Collin straightened. “Okay. It’s an elaborate dish. It might be a little too over-the-top frou-frou for a kids Valentine’s Day party, but I know my kid would eat it. It’s good. The technique was on point. The paw prints are playful. I’d give you this to take away with you. Listen carefully to the theme of the challenge.”
“Yes, chef,” Andrew said. “Thank you.” He turned and walked off stage as the theme music played.
When he exited the stage door, Lori led him back to his dressing room. He was angry with himself for making the stupid mistake.
“It’ll be fine,” she said.
“Thank goodness it’s a double elimination, or I’d be going home right now.”
“But you’re not. It’s one so-so round. Be flawless the rest of them. I have a feeling you’ve got it in you.” Lori flung the door open to his dressing room and then spoke into her radio. “We’re in the dressing room.”
Over her radio, a crackled voice commanded, “Thank you. Next contestant. Come forward.”
“What was I thinking? I’d have been better off making a simple cupcake.” My training is more mature than this. I’m not going to be able to just pull old recipes out of my hat and execute.
“They just couldn’t appreciate what you made,” Lori said, trying to be supportive.
“No. They were right.” What did it matter anyway? He had a great trip home, and he was earning a nice stipend on top of his vacation pay to be here. So what if he got eliminated? He’d go back to Paris and step right back into his role at the restaurant. Not a darn thing wrong with that. Or call Kelly, get his whole life back. His phone. His freedom.
If he got the boot today, he’d drive back down to North Carolina and spend the rest of the time there with Kelly. Those RBA things weren’t usually more than a few days long. She might even be back already.
Lori’s phone rang. She spoke quickly, then headed to the door. “You ready to go back to the hotel?”
“Absolutely.” He followed her to the limousine. The ride back was quiet. He was glad she respected him enough not to force conversation.
When they got up to their rooms, she asked if she could come in. “You’re mad,” she said as she closed the door behind her.
“I’m disappointed. I thought they wanted excellence. I didn’t know I was supposed to be making school cupcakes. I mean, who can’t make those?”
“Trust me, not everyone.” She raised her hand slowly in the air. “Like me.”
He snickered. “You can’t cook? Really?”
“Not a lick.”
“How’d you get a job here?”
“I’m studying journalism. This internship was on the list, and it sounded way more interesting than the others. And it is. I loved it so much I stayed on. That was three years ago. It’s pretty cool. I meet people like you.” She sat down on the couch in the sitting area of his room and called in a pizza. “You made it to the next round. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Everyone is making it to the next round.”
“So, nothing to worry about. Let it go. Your Sesame Apricot Rose Nougat sticks were delicious. All three judges said so.”
“They also said a lot of other things. Weren’t you listening?”
“I was, but trust me, anything can happen in these rounds. Relax.”
“Relax?” His voice rose a note. “I practically burned a bridge with the man who mentored me for the past seven years to be in this stupid contest.” He swept a hand through his hair. “What was I thinking, coming here for this?”
“That you wanted to showcase your skills. Maybe that you want to use that money to fulfill your dream of having your own restaurant.”
He plopped down on the other end of the sofa. What he was really thinking was he wished he’d ditched the contest and followed Kelly. After seeing her at the restaurant, he believed more than ever that they were meant to be. Who bumped into someone in New York City? It was meant to be.
He glanced over where he’d left the postcard on the nightstand in the other room.
But it wasn’t there.
He got up and walked into the bedroom and flipped on the light.
“No way.”
“What’s the matter?” Lori asked.
“Maid must’ve stolen my postcard.”
“The one to Kelly in North Carolina?”
He peered around the corner. How did she know? “Yeah.”
“I saw it when I picked up the call sheet this morning. I dropped it in the mail slot in the hall on my way down.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t sure whether to be mad or thank her. It wasn’t really the worst thing that could happen. He wasn’t sure he’d have had the guts to send it himself anyway. “Okay. Yeah. Thanks.”
“Andrew you’re
