He smiles and tilts his head. "Are you asking only because you can't find anything in your kitchen?"
I shake my head. "I'm asking because even if my kitchen was bare, even if I'd never find the salt and pepper or sugar for my coffee, my life would still be complete just because I got to come home to you every day.
He laughs. "Skyler West. The ultimate romantic." And then he kisses me and nods his reply. "I think my mom will be happy for us."
I nod, knowing very well that my mom will be too. They'll be knitting baby clothes for us in no time if we're not careful.
The thought warms me up and makes me want all those things right now, so I don't voice them. We're both still young and have a dream business to start up before taking any further steps.
We arrive at the location of the party, a country house that could fit about two of my cabin in the front hall alone.
"Skyler. Judson. Welcome," Samantha, the producer, says as soon as she sees us. "Feel free to take a drink from the bar. We've pre-recorded the boring stuff, so we're ready for the announcement."
We find the makeshift bar and grab a drink before sitting at the table with our name cards. We wave at the other contestants. Unlike similar reality shows, we didn't mix with the other contestants. This show really is all about showcasing the best food Vermont has to offer.
Everyone goes silent, and the lights dim as Yolanda smiles at the camera.
"We've seen the best of the best and some unfortunate accidents. Sorry, Cornelia, I don't think any of us will ever look at cream the same way again."
There's laughter around the room, and a woman a few tables away from us blushes. We have no idea what happened during Cornelia's week, but I guess we're all playing along for the show.
"One thing we can be one hundred percent sure of, dear viewers, is that whoever wins this contest, the biggest winners are us, the public, who have met new culinary talent from our state, and hopefully, we'll see a few new restaurants opening soon."
An assistant goes on stage to hand Yolanda an envelope.
"Here it is. The envelope with the result. The names inside this piece of paper will have the pleasure of reopening their restaurant and running it lease-free for a whole year. The winning prize has been granted with the generosity of the town of Burlington, which is now replacing a burned building with a brand-new and exciting business. May this be a great example to many towns around the country. And without further ado…"
There's the sound of drumroll as Yolanda opens the envelope.
"The winners are…Judson Hale and Skyler West from Maple Sky."
There's a big round of applause, and I look at Jud, who's staring back at me as if he's waiting for someone else to stand up.
When the words settle in, he hugs me tight. "We won. Sky, we won!" Then he sits back. "Did I hear it right? There's no one with a similar name or something. Is this one of those Oscar moments when they read the wrong name?"
We hear Yolanda laugh. "I can assure you, Judson, I read the correct name. Why don't you both come on stage? We want to hear how you're feeling right now."
I stand up, and Jud follows, but before we leave the table, I reach to him and give him a kiss on the lips for everyone to see. Yep. Because by the time this is aired, I want everyone to know Jud is mine and I'm his. I stop short of beating my chest with my fists, but I like when Jud holds my shirt tight as I kiss him.
"And there you have it, folks. Confirmation that your suspicions were correct. Now come on up here, boys. We want to know everything."
We join her on the stage and answer her questions. It all seems surreal.
Jud hasn't let go of my hand since Yolanda announced our names, and it's just as well because I think I may float away if I’m not holding onto him.
After the interview, there's a small party, and we get to finally meet the other contestants properly. They're all really nice people and, not surprisingly, Jud finds a lot of common ground with the chefs from the other teams.
Before the end of the party, we're all told to sign NDAs agreeing not to talk about anything related to the contest results with anyone, including posting on social media. They have social media experts that post on our behalf while the show is being aired, so I don't worry about that.
As we're about to leave, Yolanda finds us.
"Hey, guys. I'm so pleased for you. You were a class act, and it's been a pleasure to do the show with you. Jud, I have something for you. The plan is to release this when you're officially announced winners and reopen Maple Sky, but Patrick said you could see it early."
She holds out a card, but instead of taking it, Jud holds onto me.
"Thank you, Yolanda. We'll open it at home if that's okay," I say, taking the card.
Jud is quiet on the way home, but I see his leg shaking repeatedly. I'm sure he has nothing to worry about, but I hold him during the car ride and wait until we're safely indoors.
