My mouth goes dry.
Breathing feels optional right now. No matter how hard I try to focus, my attention keeps drifting back to Taylor, standing just out of the corner of my eye.
“Overall,” Garrett adds with a rare, genuine smile. “The standard was exceptionally high. You should be proud of yourselves.”
Beside me, Taylor shifts her weight. Our pinkies brush for half a second. I don’t know if she means to do it, or if her body subconsciously reaches for me like mind does to her.
I want to grab her hand, but I hold back.
“The first baker advancing to the finale is…”
The pause stretches, long enough to make my pulse pound. No one breathes.
With four of us left and three spots available, the odds feel better than they have all season. But for one of us, this is the end.
And we’re so close it almost hurts.
“…Diane.”
Diane gasps, both hands flying to her mouth before she breaks into applause along with the rest of us. She laughs through tears as Magnolia pulls her into a hug, Garrett shaking her hand with pride.
I clap with everyone else, smiling as she wipes at her face.
But my chest tightens anyway.
That leaves three of us.
Garrett and Magnolia exchange a long look. She gives the smallest nod, and he looks down at his card again.
“The second baker joining Diane in the finale is…”
Another dramatic pause. My heart is already hammering.
“…Alex.”
For a second, I don’t move. I just stare at him, like maybe I heard it wrong. Then the tent explodes into applause and relief hits all at once. I didn’t feel certain today—none of us did—but hearing it out loud loosens the knot in my chest.
Diane wraps an arm around my shoulders, and Judy claps me on the back. I manage an awkward laugh as the judges step forward, shaking my hand.
But my eyes are already searching.
Taylor is beaming.
Her eyes are bright, a little glassy, but there’s something genuine in her expression—like she’s truly happy for me.
“Congrats,” she mouths.
This isn’t how I wanted this to happen because now it’s down to just her and Brandon for the final spot.
My heart drops as I take in Taylor’s defeated stance. It’s subtle, but I know her better than anyone else. She’s already preparing for the worst.
When they step forward, the space between us feels larger than it should, even though she’s only a few steps away.
She glances at me and I give her what I hope is a reassuring nod. Inside, everything twists tight. Brandon is a professional. Everyone knows it. We run in the same circles. He knows my family, for God’s sake.
His bakes have been flawless all season, and there’s no world where that doesn’t matter.
The judges turn to Taylor first.
