Skye opened her mouth to admit they hadn’t had time to agree on something yet, but Alexis beat her to it. “We’re thinking a ginger-soy glaze over seared mahi mahi,” she said smoothly. “With a pineapple and bell pepper stir-fry on the side.”
Chef Marco’s eyebrows shot up. “Sounds promising,” he said. “I like it. Let’s see how well you two can execute it.” He clapped Skye a little too hard on the shoulder and moved on.
Skye exhaled slowly and willed herself not to stab Alexis with the cutting knife. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Lucy discussing something with Amy. She was bent over the table, and their heads were close together. When Lucy looked up, she caught Skye watching and grinned.
Heat prickled up Skye’s neck, but she quickly turned back to the cutting board before Alexis could catch that too.
“So, where did you disappear to last night?”Alexis said, reaching for the pineapple.
“I didn’t disappear,” Skye shot back and grabbed a red pepper. She needed to keep her hands busy. And she sure as hell didn’t want Alexis to see the fear in her eyes. “I simply went to the beach for some air.”
“Mmm.” Alexis tilted her head. The knife in her hand glistened from the low-hanging bulbs as she chopped off the pineapple’s spiky crown. “That’s funny, because Lucy seemed to have vanished from the cocktail party right around the same time you did. Coincidence?” She arched a brow, and Skye had the sudden urge to smack her hand over Alexis’s mouth before she said anything incriminating since the cameras wererightthere.
“I have no idea,” Skye replied, keeping her eyes on the table. “Maybe she went to the bathroom or something.”
“Maybe.” Alexis flicked her eyes sideways, her voice thankfully lower than before but not quite low enough for Skye not to feel panicky. “But I feel like there’s more to it, you know. I feel like she might’ve followed you out.” She leaned in just enough for her words to curl quietly between them. “I hear she’s got quite a proclivity for skinny dipping. Do you know anything about that?”
Skye froze mid-chop and stared at the half-cut pepper in front of her.She knew.Alexis fucking knew!She’d probably even seen them in the surf. Naked, and arms tangled. Mouths crushed together. And yet, for some reason—a miracle maybe—she hadn’t screamed it across the room.
“What the hell do you want from this?” Skye muttered under her breath. Chef Marco was at the bench adjacent to theirs, where Cleo and Nova were partnered up. One set ofcameras was angled at them, and another was focused on Lucy and Amy, so at least Skye was sure no one had overheard. Or at least she hoped.
Alexis leaned closer. “I want to win,” she whispered. “And that means you’re going to pick me at the final lei ceremony.”
Skye opened her mouth to snap back, but then the cameras swung toward them, and Alexis didn’t even hesitate. She dropped her hand onto Skye’s wrist as she reached for the ginger and leaned in close. “I have to say, there’s nothing quite like cooking with your future partner,”she said loudly.
From across the room, Amy burst out laughing. “Keep dreaming, Alexis.” She shook her head and reached for a whisk, which she then flourished in the air like a wand. “You’ve been acting way too cocky the last few days.”
“She has, hasn’t she?” Nova smirked and then leaned over her station, pointing a spatula in Alexis’s direction. “Hasn’t anyone told you that too much confidence can cause a big head? Careful, Lex. You don’t want to end up looking like the Queen of Hearts.”
Alexis pulled a face. “Better a big head than no crown at all.”
“Oh boy,” Amy said, slipping around Lucy to grab a spoon from the other side of the table. “Looks like she’s already beyond saving.”
“Cute,” Alexis said, flashing a cold smile.
“Oh, come on, Lex,” Nova chuckled. “We’re just pulling your leg.”
“Right,” Alexis snapped back. “Just watch, I’ll be the only one laughing during that final lei ceremony.” She glanced at Skye and winked.
Skye’s blood turned ice cold.
“Shouldn’t we ask the bachelorette whatshewants?” Lucy quipped, catching Skye’s eye from across the room. “Isn’t she the one making the final decision?”
Alexis shot Lucy a look that could’ve sliced through steel. One eyebrow arched like she was daring Lucy to say another word. Skye felt another chill rush down her spine. What would it take for Alexis to explode and blurt out what she knew? Or at least presumed she knew? Would another look from Lucy do it? Or maybe a little comment? Would Skye not agreeing with her over the thickness of the diced red pepper be the last straw? Skye sure as hell wasn’t prepared to find out. There was too much at stake.
“Alright, ladies,” she said, hands up like she was trying to calm a classroom of fifth graders. “We should probably all concentrate on our dishes. We wouldn’t want to disappoint Chef Marco.”
Chef Marco nodded, looking far too entertained by the tension in the room. He cleared his throat. “Yes, let’s get back to work. I want to smell those ginger-soy aromas dancing through the air. And remember, presentation matters just as much as flavor.”
Skye caught sight of Marla hovering behind the bank of cameras. She mouthedWhat the hell was that all about, but Skye just ignored her. There was too much going on already. Skye had way too much on her plate. Not only did she have to worry about Alexis and the secret she kept on the tip of her tongue, but she was also starting to panic about what was going to happen after the show. Would she keep her job? Would she have to admit to the winner that she was just the substitute? Would that even matter if all of this came out? And most importantly, would she choose Lucy? Or would she fold and crash and give Alexis what she wanted for the sake of the show?
“We’ll sear the fish first,” Alexis said, standing so close to Skye that the smell of her shampoo filled Skye’s nostrils until she could hardly breathe. “I need you to dice the peppers really thin.”
“Why don’t you dice the peppers so that they are exactly how you want them?” Skye retorted.
“Because I’m head chef,” Alexis replied, already reaching for the fish. “And you’re my sous chef. So, get going, Skye. Chop. Chop.”
The next hour went by in a dizzying blur. Ginger and sesame oil wafted everywhere. Alexis continued barking out directions. Skye chopped and stirred and kept her tongue despite wanting to tell Alexis several times to go fuck herself. Lucy’s laugh kept floating across the room, and once, Skye had even dropped a teaspoon on the floor hoping Lucy would notice. Which she had, and they’d shared a small smile that the camera may or may not have picked up.
