1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 bay leaves
2 tsp Worcestershire
1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
Season shrimp with Creole seasoning and set aside. In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium heat. Add sausage, celery, bell pepper, and onion. Cook until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire, salt and peppers. Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook about 20 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in shrimp, cover and cook for 10 additional minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions.
Yield: 6 servings
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Does Knox have a plan?
We have lunch on set so I don’t get a chance to talk with Mike. He and the Dolter sister left, but not together. The other families are all seated at their tables, eating and chatting. I don’t look at the Everheart table.
Mama seems to be doing fine and even taking her medicine in front of me and Wyatt, something I’ve never seen her do.
“Any idea what the next challenge is? You’ve watched the show.”
I’d asked her to watch as well, but somehow, she never found the time. Wyatt either.
“There are several challenges they’ve done in the past that we haven’t done yet. If we make it to the finals, it’ll be to design a restaurant and menu including bar service. That’s been the same through the seasons. They want to see what you’ll do with their prize.”
Mama taps her chin, deep in thought. “I suppose you’ve already been working on that.”
I think back to my handwritten menu lying on my desk at home with Knox’s notes. I thought he was trying to improve what I had, but he’d only scribbled in notes of encouragement until I took the pencil from him. I don’t tell Mama about it though.
“I have some general ideas but we need to make it out of this round first. Some challenges left are: a unique twist on an American favorite or Sunday brunch.” I think about a family favorite as another challenge, but I hope to God they don’t give us that one. “There’s also secret ingredients, but I guess we did that already.”
Wyatt pulls his phone out of his bag, the vibration loud at our quiet table. His face lights up, so we know who it is. He gets up from the table, phone in hand, without a backward glance.
“That boy has it bad.” Mama takes a sip of her water, looking at Wyatt’s retreating back.
“I still can’t believe how on board you and Daddy are. He’s barely out of college.”
“I like Hannah. And she’s good for him. Plus, they promised a long engagement. Now if we could get you on track in that department.” She glances around.
I frown because she appears to be peering at the Everheart table but that can’t be right. Even if Knox and I didn’t have problems, she hated them before I even knew they existed.
“Who are you looking at, Mama?”
“Who me? Nobody. Where’s your new handsome friend, Mike?”
“Mama, we’re right in the middle of a competition. Get your head in the game.”
She narrows her eyes, staring lasers through me.
“Uh, ma’am.”
Lillie smirks, reminding me who I’m talking to. My mother has sacrificed too much for her children to be disrespected. She will light this place on fire before allowing us too much trash talking. A little is okay, but we know how far to go.
When lunch is coming to a close, Wyatt returns to the table. I roll my eyes and head to the bathroom before facing our long afternoon.
Knox is waiting for me again as I leave.
“Dude, seriously. Am I going to have to report you for being a bathroom creeper?”
He has the gall to look abashed. “At least I didn’t go inside. It seems to be the only time I can get you alone. Do you have plans tonight? I need to talk to you.”
I blink.
Cocky Knox returns. He crosses his arms and widens his stance, smirking all the while. “Ever since the first day we met, I’ve affected you the same way. Speechless again, Amber?”
That gets me in gear. “Ever since the first day we met, I’ve had to stop and ponder how I could be so unlucky.”
He leans in, and his breath heats my face, smelling of Starburst candy. “If you meet me later, I’ll tell you exactly what I thought the first time we met.”
I look into his eyes. Topaz again. The same color as the first time I ever saw him. And I’ve only seen them this color a couple of times since; I haven’t been able to figure out what that means.
There’s a struggle going on within me. My mind races to all possibilities of why he would want me alone. Most of them aren’t good, but when I respond, there’s only one word I utter. “Okay.”
The smirk is gone, and his eyes twinkle. “I’m in room 1520. Come when you’re ready.”
He circles back to the set and I lean against the wall, biting the inside of my cheek. I’m not sure what just happened. Either I’ve just walked into the biggest trap he’s set for me yet. Or…I have a date with fucking Knox Everheart.
*
The second competition of the day is one I don’t see coming. It hasn’t been employed on previous seasons.
Lee says, “Families. For this next competition, the judges will pick what you will cook.”
Aaron adds his two cents. “Townsend and Ortiz families, you’re up first.”
I lean against the counter next to Mama and Wyatt and listen to the presenters. There’s a bit of a Knox-toned ringing in my ear, making it difficult to concentrate. Did he plan this? Does he want me off my game?
Aaron and Lee build the drama, playing with the camera, along with us and the Ortiz family. I refocus so that I don’t miss anything. Knox plays
