“Yes. I...he and I had a bet and he had to cook me dinner since I won the challenge.”
“Did you learn anything you can use from his cooking?” Vivian asked.
“I did. But that’s not why I did it.”
“It should be. Unless you’re not here to win. And giventhe way you are cooking I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason you are here.”
“You’re right, but I think...
Vivian shrugged. “I’m the last one to give another woman advice on a man but you should watch your back. Everyone here is playing an angle.”
“Even you?” Staci asked.
“Hell, yes.”
Was Remy still playing an angle? It would be easier for her to believe in that than to trust him. But it almost felt like it was too late to stop the feelings that were welling up inside of her. She didn’t want to be a fool again.
She needed to keep her distance. Starting tomorrow she’d back away. It was the only smart thing to do.
“What’syourangle?”
“Don’t give away my strengths,” Vivian said. “Not even to you, girlie!”
Staci smiled at her. “Come on, Viv. You can trust me.”
“Is that what Mr. Man said to you?” she asked. “I’m not trusting anyone. I like you but when it comes down to it, there can only be one winner and I’m going to be champion.”
Staci realized that what Vivian said was true. But there was more to life than winning. In five weeks the prize would be handed out and either way, win or lose, she was getting on with her new life. She’d already started pulling out of the day-to-day running of Sweet Dreams so she could pursue new directions. This show...her time here was supposed to help her decide where to go next. Would that be enough though?
Her new feelings for Remy could influence where she ended up but truly was she going to follow a man she’d met on a cooking show? She knew she had to figure out her priorities. She’d already decided to put some extra distance between them and as of this instant she understood that it wasn’t just a good strategy for the game but also for her life.
The only person she’d ever truly trusted had been her grandma and when Rosalyn had died Staci had been alone in the world. Her mother, albeit kind hearted, had never been emotionally stable enough for Staci to lean on and she had to remind herself that the only one she could count on was herself.
That didn’t mean she regretted anything with Remy. It simply meant that she was going to remember the truth behind every emotion. He was doing what was right for him. She had to do what was right for herself.
“Well, I hate to break it you, Viv, but I’m going to do my level best to beat you and if today is any indication I think I’m off to a good start.”
“You are, girlie, but the judges now expect a higher standard from you. You’ll have to keep cooking up to it.”
Staci wasn’t worried, even brokenhearted and alone she’d always been able to keep a clear head in the kitchen. This would be no different.
“We will see next week, won’t we?”
“Yes, we will,” Vivian said. She got under her covers and curled up on her side. “I hope I didn’t speak out of turn saying what I did about Remy. It’s just I don’t want to see a chef as good as you go home because of a man.”
She got under her covers too and reached over to turn out the lamp on her nightstand. She’d already thrown away one chance because of a man, she didn’t want to let it happen again.
“Me, either,” she said rolling over and punching her pillow but it didn’t relieve the frustration flowing through her. She’d started to believe that Remy was different but listening to Vivian was like talking to herself. She knew that men lied. It made sense that he’d be playing an angle. They were competitors after all. But the man who’d held her tenderly and told her about hisfather and the constellation...that man she wanted to trust.
Promising herself she was smart enough not to make the same mistake twice. Promising herself that she’d be cautious where Remy was concerned. Promising herself that she’d weigh everything he said to her and not just trust him blindly.
Vivian slept restlessly and her dreams were tortured visions of the kitchen in Paris. Remy and Jean-Luc were both there watching her cook and then tasting her dishes and judging them to not be good enough.
And a part of her woke to the feeling that she was determined to prove that this time she was going to be the one who judged them. This time she’d walk away the winner. This time she wasn’t going to risk her heart so easily.
REMY HAD SUSPECTEDTHAT things wouldn’t be as easy as they’d seemed that night on the beach, but he hadn’t anticipated Staci ignoring him or how he’d react to it. Frances had gone home and the next week of competition had pitted the men against the women in a restaurant challenge. Each team had to choose a captain, plan a menu and then run a pop-up restaurant for one night. The diners ate in both restaurants and voted on their favorite dishes. Whichever team had the most votes would win the team challenge and whichever chef produced the favorite dish would win the individual prize.
The men had chosen Christian fresh off his win in the bottom three challenge to be the leader. The women had chosen Staci. Remy wasn’t surprised but he did wonder how the mantle of leader would sit with her.
