by Alice Ward
He had come all this way to find me, to tell me about Aiden and offer encouragement. He truly was a gentleman, and I’d overlooked him for the bad boy, imagine that!
“I don’t know if I can beat him,” I confessed against his chest.
“You can, I’ll help you,” Shep said. “We have five days to prepare.”
Excitement returned, and my adrenaline started to flow once again through my veins. I was ready. I wanted this. I wanted to win. I looked up at him. “Yes, let’s do it!”
He spun me around and then put me back on my feet, holding me close again. I pressed my face into his chest and breathed him in. His scent instantly took me back to the night in the hotel. He was so attentive, so skillful. So…
Focus Claire!
“Thank you for helping me,” I whispered.
Shep pulled me from his chest and looked down at me with a wide smile. “Let’s go to Austin and get you ready to kick some ass!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Shep arranged for a private jet to take us to Austin, where we would stay in his apartment and prepare for the upcoming finale. To avoid being seen and making me the source of more tabloid fodder, we decided to leave that evening so we could arrive in Austin before daybreak in order to sneak me into his place.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Lauren asked. I held the phone to my ear so Shep couldn’t hear her through my speaker and snuck off into the bathroom.
“I think he’s sincere. After all, Asher approved him,” I whispered, hoping I wasn’t being stupid and naïve again. “And he’s been a perfect gentleman and refuses to touch me until after the competition.”
“But why his apartment?” she asked. “It’s terribly risky.”
“Because I need to practice, and although my room here has a nice kitchenette, it would be better if I had something more professional.”
Lauren sighed. “Okay, I get it. Just keep the business in the kitchen, you hear me?”
I laughed. “Promise.”
“I just don’t want him pushing you into another relationship. I think you’re vulnerable right now and need some time to heal after this.” I could hear Lauren’s worry over the line as we hung up.
I dearly hoped I was doing the right thing. I’d told her the truth. Shep had been a perfect gentleman. He hadn’t brought up the feelings he had for me or made me feel pressured in any way. I felt safe with him. I trusted him.
The jet waited for us as we ran across the tarmac and up the long metal steps. The door closed behind us, and we were instructed to take our seats. A blonde flight attendant, tall and very attractive, immediately made her way to Shep.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked. He didn’t seem interested in her; he simply smiled and declined.
“How about you?” she asked sweetly. I shook my head, even though I was starving and could think of about a hundred things I wanted.
The flight was only about an hour, and Shep promised to have a meal waiting for me upon arriving at his place. I was excited to see where he lived after seeing the farm he grew up on as a child.
During the flight, I caught myself asking more and more questions about his and Aiden’s history. I was mortified to find out about some of the things Aiden had done when younger, such as drugging girls at parties, videotaping sex without his partner’s knowledge, and hitting on much younger girls. I felt sick that I had fallen for his game.
“That’s when I decided to grow up,” Shep said. He’d already started his farm to table movement while in college and was working as the head chef at a five-star restaurant in downtown Austin. The fame and the money had gone to his head, and Aiden somehow seemed fun and exciting. “Once that happened with my sister, it was a wake-up call,” Shep noted solemnly. “I straightened up, focused on my career, and Aiden, well, he didn’t.”
The plane landed, and the attendant announced our arrival. Shep gathered our bags and delivered them out the door to someone on the other side before escorting me out onto the steps. A car waited for us, a long black Lincoln with tinted windows. Wow, he was serious about keeping this a secret.
Once in the back seat of the car, he was on his phone pushing buttons and sliding his screen like Asher. “Do you have a preference on what we eat?” he asked.
On cue, my stomach rumbled. “Just food.”
His apartment building was a tall structure with a modern look. Windows lined the building, wrapping around it for a view of the city, the harbor, and the countryside. It was beautiful.
“Good evening, sir.” A man dressed in a red vest and white pants greeted him as we walked into the main lobby. He smiled at me as I walked beside Shep and I could tell he was curious about me being snuck into the place so late at night.
“Has our dinner been delivered yet?” Shep asked.
“Yes, sir. It’s being set up now.”
We rode the elevator to the top floor and stepped out onto marble floors. Shep put his key into a large red metal door and motioned for me to enter first. It was beautiful, breathtaking really. Light teal walls were accented against brown and white brick and cream carpeting. The furniture was sleek and didn’t take the focus away from the large windows that lined the room.
“Wow,” I breathed.
“Not what you expected?” he asked with a chuckle.
Dark brown stairs led to the next floor where I assumed the bedrooms were located. A short smoked glass wall lined the open floor plan on that level, making the place look even larger than it was. I loved it.
A man exited the kitchen wearing a black tuxedo and white gloves. He smiled at both of us, then motioned towards the dining room. “Dinner is set up for you when you’re ready,” he said and then showed himself out the door.
I was starving and had no time for acting shy. “Help yourself,” Shep said as I looked at him with imploring eyes.
In the dining room, a long mahogany table sat in the center of the marble floor. White china was set at two place settings, and a buffet of food was between them. My eyes danced over all the selections. I reached over, grabbed a scallop, and popped it into my mouth. Shep laughed at my impatient behavior.
He pulled out my chair, then sat across from me and smiled. “This looks amazing,” he said. I agreed. Whipped Yukon gold potatoes, Mexican baby sweet corn, seared halibut, scallops, crispy Brussel sprouts and two large New York strips were all arranged delicately on the table in front of us. I tore into the food without waiting for Shep. I ate most of the scallops, a huge scoop of the potatoes, and an entire steak. He stared at me with an affection I hadn’t seen since Royce as I continued to reach across the table and swipe Brussel sprouts to pop into my mouth.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you were starving,” he said playfully.
I would have said something snarky back, but my mouth was full.
He showed me to the guest room where I would sleep and pointed across the hall to his room. “If you need anything, I’m right there.” I held my breath, waiting for him to kiss me and was surprised when he didn’t. He didn’t even mention his feelings. But the way he looked at me, it was clear how he felt. I was starting to feel it too.
“Rise and shine.” Shep’s voice echoed through the apartment. I lifted my head from the pillow and looked towards my door. I got up, walked out into the hall, and leaned over the smoked glass wall that kept me from falling onto the first floor. Shep looked up, smiled, and held up the whisk in his hand. “Time to get to work, we only have four days now,” he directed.
Working with Shep was not only educational, it was fun. He laughed at me endearingly when I botched my poached egg and held my hand steady while I fileted my first whole fish. There were so many techniques I hadn’t learned, like how to perfectly boil a lobster, how to perfect my roux, how to make ceviche, and how to quick pickle vegetables and fruits. I was learning a lot and realizing along the way that I needed to learn a lot more in order to beat Aiden. He had been cooking his entire adult life. I had only started recently
and was limited to what I learned on cooking shows and by reading recipes or experimenting in the kitchen. It was amazing having a professional chef by my side teaching me all the tricks of the trade.
The four days flew by, and on the last night, I celebrated with a glass of champagne while Shep enjoyed sparkling cider.
We walked out to his balcony and up a flight of thick white concrete stairs to the roof terrace. “One of the perks of having the penthouse,” he said casually. It was magnificent. A large stone fireplace was in the center of the roof, and while he fought with the flame against the wind up this high, I took in the spectacular view of the city. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes,” I agreed.
I sat down on the large white sectional that was placed strategically in front of the fire while still facing the city lights. Shep sat down beside me, close enough that I could snuggle under his arm. After spending so much time alone with Shep, secluded from any of the drama I’d been used to, I was beginning to have some very strong feelings for him. I couldn’t imagine leaving this place, leaving him, not even to compete. I wanted to stay here, right here in his arms and never go back to reality.
He held out his glass, and I clinked mine against it for a toast. “To winning the competition and finally realizing your dreams,” he said and pressed his lips to my forehead.
“I’ve already realized my dream,” I said softly. His eyes fell to mine, and I was so close to his lips I could almost taste them. I leaned in, pressed my lips against his, and melted into his arms.
Shep pulled back, his eyes filled with concern. My body was tingling, and I ached for him to be inside of me. It was ready for him; my heart was ready for him.
“Claire, you know how I feel about you,” he said calmly. “I don’t want to risk ruining this.”
“I was foolish before, but after this week, getting to know you, learning how wrong I had been about you…” I kissed him again. “I feel the same way about you.”
He sipped his cider and leaned forward to put it on the table before standing. “Let’s get some sleep,” he said, reaching out a hand to help me up.
I didn’t understand. Had his feelings changed for me somehow?
He must have read my uncertainty because he added, “This is what I want, you and I together, but not like this,” he said, pulling me to my feet. “Once you win the competition, and you’ve had time to absorb everything, if this is still what you want, if I’m what you want, I’ll be here waiting for you, I promise.”
Although my body burned, I admired him even more for doing what was right.
I took his hand, and he led me into the house. He kissed me softly on the cheek as he left me at the doorway of my bedroom, went into his room, and shut the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Shep woke me the next morning and put me in a private car alone. It delivered me to the Thompson Farm where Gretchen and the other crew members were waiting for my arrival.
Aiden was already on the set and ready to start. The bastard had the audacity to smirk when he saw me.
“Don’t pay any attention to him,” Gretchen warned. “Just focus on the competition.”
Eye on the prize!
I was ushered to my station where Mrs. Thompson came over and gave me a quick hug. “Beat that dirty bastard,” she whispered in my ear. I giggled at her language, but then smiled softly at the older woman and promised to do my best. I knew it must be hard for her to have the man who took advantage of her young daughter on her property, and it would be even harder to watch him win the competition and gloat.
I took a deep breath and forced a serene smile on my face as the cameras were turned on and Shep went through his introduction routine. When he introduced the three judges, my stomach began to churn. One of them was Jamie Brown, the show’s original host, now healed after his surgery and surprising everyone with his appearance.
“Tonight, it is my pleasure to taste each contestant’s meal,” Shep continued, “but our three judges will make the difficult decision of selecting the winner.”
Wait… what?
My heart sank. I had been banking on Shep being one of the judges, so I’d at least get one vote. Then he turned and winked at me, and I knew that what he was doing was right.
I needed to win this with my talents, on my merits. I needed to do this on my own.
And he believed that I could.
More than that, I believed I could do it too.
Our instructions were simple, create a menu and prepare it in two hours. My thoughts drifted to my week with Shep; he had been molding me for this moment. All the foods we’d prepared were five-star worthy and made a perfect menu pairing. I was ready, psyched, and determined to beat the smug smile off Aiden’s face.
The two hours felt like they were flying by as I created my roux, stirred my pan sauce, and filleted my fish. Aiden seemed calm, cool, and collected as he worked at his station. My heart pounded as I finally plated my dishes and stepped back just as they called the time.
Jamie and the two Michelin star chefs in white coats approached alongside Shep, and I forced my breathing to calm down as they stepped up to my station.
Shep tasted each dish first but didn’t offer any comments. He simply stood back while the judges took their turns at my creations. I wanted to punch the camera as the black lens stared at me.
I couldn’t stand the silence. I was used to having some input as they tasted, but this competition was different. I would have to wait until they tasted Aiden’s and then worked out their decision behind our backs. It was almost more than I could bear.
My heart raced, and I felt sweat beading up on my forehead. The lights were brutally hot, but they weren’t what stoked the fire inside me. Aiden turned to me, winked, and mouthed “good luck.” I wanted to turn away as rage flowed through my veins at his arrogance. Instead, I smiled sweetly and mouthed “you too.”
The look on his face was priceless, going from arrogant to uncertain in an instant.
He’d expected me to cower, and like all bullies, he didn’t like it when his victim didn’t run and instead fought back.
I stared out at the crowd and saw Lauren, Asher, and Jackson rooting me on. Kennedy was too pregnant to fly, but she had sent her best wishes in the form of flowers, a basket of candy, and a giant teddy bear that wore a chef’s apron and hat. Both my parents came down with the stomach flu and had to cancel their flights at the last minute. Mom cried when she told me they couldn’t come.
Elle stood beside Lauren, but there was no one else there for Aiden. I assumed that someone who spent his life destroying everything he touched wouldn’t have much support. Elle would find out soon enough, I presumed.
“We have come to a decision,” one of the judges announced.
Instead of the soul crushing fear I thought I’d feel in this moment, an immense calm rolled over and through me. I smiled at my friends and then gazed at Shep. After all, they were the only things that really mattered.
The seconds ticked by as Aiden and I both stood in front of the cameras, waiting for one name to be called. The winner. But I’d already won.
I’d stretched my wings and flown. Got shot down and recovered to fly again. I’d learned many lessons and experienced bliss and agony within moments of each other.
The judge handed Shep an envelope, a small square of paper that contained one name. I felt weightless as he opened it, reached in, and pulled out the card.
I closed my eyes, so thankful for every moment, good and bad, I’d experienced these past nine weeks.
“Claire Walker!”
That was my name.
My name.
I opened my eyes, and it was Shep’s face I saw first. Pure joy and pride was stretched across it.
He really said my name!
Adrenaline shot through me, and my calm was replaced with the thrill of victory that could only be described as euphoric.
My body unfroze, and I was suddenly jumping and
clapping and running into Shep’s arms. Then I was passed to Lauren, who was sobbing as she bounced up and down. Asher patted me on the back and Jackson let out a loud whoop into the air.
I won, I actually won!
From the corner of my eye, I saw Elle move past us and assumed she was heading to Aiden to comfort him, but I didn’t look back.
“Let’s go tear up this town!” Lauren exclaimed.
I fist bumped her. “I have to film my final one-on-one, then I’m ready.”
Shep was waiting for me to return to the set with open arms. “I knew you could do it,” he said.
“I was worried when you didn’t judge the competition,” I admitted.
He squeezed me harder. “Yes, that was a last minute decision.”
“One that you knew about?” I asked.
“One that I made,” he said sternly. “You needed to win on your own, and I needed you to know you won on your own.”
Play fair, win fair. Big Jake’s words rang in my head. I smiled, savoring the moment.
“Gretchen is waiting for you behind the producer’s trailer,” he said, motioning in her direction. “Get this interview done and then go have fun with your friends.”
I grabbed his arm, panic setting in. “You’re coming too, right?”
“No, not tonight. I’m sure you need some time alone with your friends,” he insisted, then his voice lowered, grew deeper, “But I’ll see you after?”
Desire and longing and something I didn’t want to yet recognize spiraled through me, taking my breath with it. “Yes,” I whispered.
His pupils dilated, and the pull between us grew more intense. “Go.”
I stepped away and winked at him, before heading towards the producer’s trailer for my final shot.
“You’re a dirty little whore,” Aiden said as I turned the corner.
I turned to look over my shoulder, but no one else was around. Refusing to show fear, I continued walking towards the trailer, ignoring his comments. I knew he was bitter about losing.
“You want this cock?” he asked sarcastically and then let out a deep laugh.