“I’m sorry, Beau, but you won’t be moving onto the live show. Judges?” Grace asked.
Son of a bitch! Niko wanted to fist bump the air but he settled for sharing a relieved smile with Diana.
Elaine clasped her slender hands and offered an apologetic grin. “This round was difficult. All of you are very talented and aesthetically, your dessert was exceptional. Your cake was dry and your ice cream was slightly over-churned, small things but big in a competition that’s so tight. We wish you all the best and thank you for competing on 3Square.”
Niko held out his hand. Beau ignored it, nodded tersely to the judges and stomped off the set.
Diana glanced at Niko and raised her hand for a high-five. She was his competition for the last show. A worthy opponent. Nodding, he returned his gaze to the panel of judges.
“Contestants, congratulations on your wins. Both of you were evenly matched and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us during the finale,” Grace said.
Alice’s voice came over the intercom, clipped and to the point. “That’s a wrap for tonight. Congratulations contestants, please meet with your AP for the round review.”
He stepped back to his station to find Chloe sitting in his chair. Alice leaned back in her own, legs crossed, notepad and pen in hand. His niece was talking and Alice was writing furiously.
What the hell? He told her no interviews with Chloe without him or Hallie present, and his sister was nowhere in sight. He rushed to her side; jaw clenched. “What are you doing back here, kiddo?” he asked, keeping his words even.
“I came to see ‘the behind the scenes’ Alice gets to watch on a monitor, and listen through an ear piece.” Chloe angled her head to reveal a small, plastic object tucked into her ear. Niko could forgive a lot of things but he drew the line at exploiting Chloe. He was already uncomfortable with his own role and he wasn’t about to let Alice take advantage of her.
“Alice, a word.” He moved to the next station as she followed. Arms crossed, he leaned against the stove. “Why the hell are you interviewing Chloe?”
She wrinkled her brow and clutched her notepad to her chest. “Hallie gave me permission.”
He pointed to Chloe. “You’re interviewing her alone. We had an agreement and—”
“Wait.” Her eyes widened the slightest bit and understanding replaced her confusion. Her icy stare cut through him. “You think I’m interviewing Chloe? She’s talking to Brooke over the microphone. See, her lips are still moving.”
Niko ran a hand through his hair and settled his palm on the back of his neck. Shit, he’d stepped in it this time. “Look, I’m sorry but Chloe has a bad habit of wandering off. Before she was sick it was troubling, now it’s downright dangerous. Does Hallie know she’s here?”
“Yes, I texted Hallie. Next time, don’t jump to conclusions.” Her lips thinned, adding a bite to her words. “I gave you my word and I don’t intend to break it. Chloe snuck on set and we were in the middle of filming. It was easier to let her stay.”
“I know it’s hard to tell her no, but she needs to learn it’s not acceptable to act out. She has boundaries and I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t indulge her bad behavior. It’s hard but we can’t treat her special or she’ll take advantage of it. Illness aside, she’s a kid, and kids need boundaries.”
“Point taken. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you, but this show is built around Chloe and I want to make sure she gets the full experience.” She raised her hand to her ear, arched her neck, and listened intently. Her face went pale. “Niko, are we done? We’re having an issue with Beau. I’ll send Brooke to go through the post-show with you, I—”
“Where’s Alice?” Beau asked, storming onto the kitchen set.
Alice imperceptibly flinched before she straightened her spine, shoulders rolling back. Her producer mask fell into place and she dropped the hand still holding her notepad to her side. “What did you need, Beau?”
“The judges’ decision is bullshit. My dessert was better than the other chefs. My brownie wasn’t dry and my ice cream was perfect. I don’t make shitty food.”
“I’m sure you don’t. The judges made a unanimous decision and I stick by their decision. It’s unfortunate that you lost, but the rules are clear.”
Niko had to hand it to her, she appeared cool under fire but her grip on the notepad told a different tale. He maneuvered himself closer to her side as Beau invaded her personal space.
“It’s bullshit and you know it. This show is fixed and I’m going to sue your ass.” Beau raised his hand and shoved his finger into her face.
Alice stood her ground, her smile turning more brittle by the second. “I understand you are upset but you made a commitment and agreed to the terms of the show. The judges have the final say about who stays and who goes. I can’t change the outcome.”
“Bullshit. You can override their decision.”
“No, I can’t override the judges and they were unanimous. I’m sorry but those are the rules.” She kept her tone steady without blinking or backing down. His respect for her intensified but he’d been in enough fights to recognize how fired up Beau was. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“Your show is rigged.” Beau took another step into her space, and tried to use his size to intimidate her.
Enough of this bullshit. Niko stepped between them and met the shorter man’s narrowed eyes. Damn, he hated bullies. Always had. “Back off, Beau.”
“This is none of your business.” Beau puffed out his chest and twisted his thin lips in a snarl. “So get the fuck out of my way.”
