I put up a stilling hand. I don’t want third-hand information on the feelings Knox has for me. Had for me. “Don’t.” I glance at their table again and frown, realizing for the first time what this all means. “How could they allow Flynn to sub in? We’re in the middle of the competition.”
“How could they not? Hannah’s here instead of Mama.”
That’s a valid point. “Do you know where Knox is?”
“No clue. He’s still in San Francisco though. Weston says his stuff is in his room. He’s connected to him on the other side.”
How am I going to make it through this competition? I worry the inside of my cheek until it’s raw. Where would he be?
I lean in on the table and wave Hannah and Wyatt to do the same. “How are we going to beat a Michelin-star chef?”
Hannah slaps the surface, gaining unwanted attention from everyone milling around. She smiles and speaks to the room. “Sorry, just swatting a gnat.” When everyone moves along with what they were doing, she stage-whispers. “Don’t you dare. We’ll beat him the same way we were going to beat Knox. We need this for Lillie. Now get yourself together.”
I widen my eyes and open my mouth to tell her about herself, but I realize she’s right. Maybe I can’t beat a Michelin chef cooking one-on-one, and luckily that part’s over, but I can beat him in putting together the perfect restaurant and providing a service at the end. The best part of Everheart Bar and Fine Dining is the wood hearth, and that was Knox’s idea. Everything else in the restaurant may scream money, but it doesn’t reflect any sort of originality. “You’re right. We got this.”
Dean Ellerson and Chef Buccola enter the room and my eyes shift their way as does Flynn’s. Dean Ellerson is all smiles and camera-ready, but I see past the facade now. I’d always liked her and actually felt sorry for her having to deal with my rivalry with Knox, but I see her in a whole new light now.
When the set turns hot, the presenters speak to the cameras, explaining the events today. The director already explained our cues to us beforehand, and the producer filled us in when we first arrived as well. Plus, I’ve seen every season and this part doesn’t veer from the script. I’d be willing to bet Flynn has never seen a single episode. He probably didn’t know what it was before Knox got in.
Since we left last night, they’ve transformed the set. The kitchens are completely devoid of appliances and cookware. They’re still sitting far away from each other but now there’s a temporary wall completely between them, splitting the room nearly in half. They’ve moved our family tables nearer to the audience and closer to each other. We won’t work here though. No, all the work will be done in the kitchen, separated from each other. The judges will split up, then switch, morning and afternoon until it’s done. They will advise lightly but the design—from the menu to the dining room to the kitchen to the servers to the bar—will be all us. Everything will be captured by the camera, but it will be severely edited to fit the three and a half days into a single hour-long episode.
Thankfully we get Chef Buccola this afternoon, because honestly, I’m wired so tight right now with the whole Knox thing, I’m not certain I wouldn’t go off on Dean Ellerson. As it is, I’m wary of the judge we did get, because he and Knox had something going and I never did find out what it was.
The presenters announce for us to go to our respective kitchens where our judge will be waiting. When we enter, the counters are still present, plus they’ve put a conference table in the middle with four chairs and four laptops. In the middle of the table, there are swatches, both cloth and paint, wood and tile samples, and a variety of tools that will help us decide how our restaurant will present.
Chef Buccola says, “Welcome, Townsend family. Time to get to work. First up are your ideas for the dining room. We’ll need to start construction as soon as possible to be ready by Sunday. You’ll find software on your laptops for us to get started.”
I mostly know what I want already, since I’ve been toying with the idea for a few years, but I follow the process. It’s for the best because my scattered brain needs something concrete to hold on to instead of thoughts fleeing to Knox at every step.
By the end of the day, we’ve completed the design of the restaurant and Chef Buccola was actually a big help. We listened to his suggestions or redirection with open ears and made decisions based on his input, but in the end, we designed my vision with a few tweaks.
When the cameras stop for the day, I race over to our table and check my phone. Nothing from Knox still. I pack up my belongings as quickly as possible and head for the elevators. In my haste, I forgot the rest of my family though. The driver reminds me that we’ll have to wait. I pull out my phone and try Knox, but it goes directly to voicemail.
All I can do is stew in my juices until my family traipses out.
*
I’m not sure what my plan is, but I can’t just wait around the hotel hoping Knox will show up or contact me. I also have no idea where to look if his phone is off. Wyatt, Hannah, and I step into the hotel elevator.
Hannah says, “Where could he possibly be? Would he have gone back to Austin without his luggage?”
Wyatt puts his bag on the floor and leans against the glass wall. “Weston says no. And they have that family thing where they can track each other’s phone, but Knox’s is definitely turned off.”
I shudder. I’d rather pay a larger cell phone
