by Leslie North
“Listen, can we start over?” He dropped his arms to his sides and sighed. “I’m sorry. This is getting messed up. I want to take you out tonight so we can talk things over.”
She studied him stonily.
“We’ve had a lot of late nights, so we deserve a night out to just have somebody else cook while we drink all the expensive wine.” He offered a smile. “You know? Let me take you out.”
Mara seemed to be considering it, judging by the way she chewed on her lip. Finally she nodded, glancing away. “Yeah. Okay. That’s fine.”
“Six o’clock?”
“I have a meeting tonight, actually, so let’s do a little later. Pick me up at my place around seven?”
“Done.”
They shared a tentative look, and Chris fought the urge to wrap her in his arms. They’d been spooning less than twelve hours ago, but already it felt like a year ago. How quickly things could change.
“See you later.” Mara hurried away before he could even reach for her hand, and he watched her head back into the multipurpose room. Things didn’t feel as good between them as they had last night, but Chris was sure he could smooth everything over.
Because one thing was certain.
He needed Mara in his daily life for the rest of this trip. He wasn’t sure what came after the contest, so he wanted to lap up every second of this sweet hometown bliss.
Mara bolted out the door of the community center right at five p.m., leaving her crew to do the bulk of the cleanup and storage for the day.
She didn’t like to outsource tasks like that—she was of the mindset that every worker was equal, therefore should have a hand in all levels of prep and takedown—but today? She had a very important meeting she couldn’t afford to miss.
The bakery of her dreams was still a distant fantasy, but this contest was one tangible step closer to realizing that dream. The prize money would be her startup funding. Which was why winning wasn’t just nice, it was necessary.
Dan’s mom, Julia, was the realtor she was scheduled to meet downtown. The perfect location had come onto the market, and Mara called her the second she’d spotted the FOR RENT sign in the window. Dan was interested in her plans for the space, since he’d heard from his mom that Mara was on the schedule for that evening. He’d been asking about her plans for the space right when Chris barged into the conversation, which made her clam up. Because Mara still didn’t want Chris to know about her bakery plans.
Dan knowing was bad enough. She didn’t want word to get out. Then, if she failed, everyone would know instead of just one or two people. She needed this to stay quiet until at least the end of the contest, when she’d know whether she had her startup money.
But until then? She had to pretend she’d already won. Pretend she’d be able to afford this amazing space and launch the bakery of her dreams.
She met Julia at the cute brick-faced building just after five. The front door was painted white, and she could still read some of the window paint from the former tenant, a little sandwich shop that had just never taken off.
“Oh, Mara, just wait until you see this place!” Julia’s eyes sparkled as she unlocked the front door. The door creaked open, and they stepped into a hardwood-floored sitting area where two little tables still remained. A glass case divided the seating area from the service area. A narrow doorway led into the mostly empty kitchen, though the previous tenants had left behind one standing refrigerator for drink storage.
“If you decide to go with this, whatever they left behind can be yours too if you want it,” Julia added one they’d done a walk-through.
“This place is so cute,” Mara said. It was hard not to let the dreaminess take over. Imagining what this place could really look like if she got her hands on it. Christmastime was her favorite time of year, and she wished she could have it up and running for this year already. A cozy nook by the windows overlooking the sidewalks, the brick fireplace crackling softly while customers ate their baked goodies and drank hot chocolate next to the totally white and sparkling Christmas tree. A shiver ran through her. Maybe Chris would even contribute his hot chocolate recipe.
No. She couldn’t think things like that. Because she needed to be smart about what the future held for her and Chris, and the likely answer was nothing.
How could the answer be anything but? He was a celebrity chef who had one clear love: his career. This morning’s brush with the rumor mill only proved it. He would leak anything to his benefit. So even if they started something nice, it wouldn’t stay nice for long.
“It would absolutely be perfect for what you want to bring downtown,” Julia said. Mara had given her a brief overview of what she intended to do here.
“How much is the rent each month?”
“One thousand.”
Mara’s stomach twisted. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t horrible. But it was more than her own mortgage payment, and the thought of making double payments every month—lease, electric, water, and more—on her current catering income was a punch to the gut.
But you’ll have the prize money to count on. That’s going to be the investment you need.
“I’m not sure there are any other spaces downtown that are quite so ideal for the type of business you’re looking to open,” Julia went on. “There are some spaces that came onto the market recently, and I know of one other that will be going up for rent soon, but all of those would require some renovations to suit your needs. This, however…” She swept her arm back toward the kitchen. “It was approved for the health license once already this year, so I don’t imagine you’d have any problem getting a new one approved.”
Mara nodded, nibbling on her bottom lip. She needed to take the plunge. Fake it till you make it. “Yeah. I’m in. I want to move forward with this.”
Julia explained what she’d need in order to formalize the paperwork. But for now, the place could be hers with a deposit of the first month’s rent. The suggestion made Mara’s heart race, but she nodded anyway. Even if she ended up not being able to go through with it, losing the deposit was the only risk she’d face. Her future bakery was worth it. She had to at least try.
Mara scribbled out a check to Julia and handed it over, her heart pounding.
This was it. The first step on the journey to seeing the bakery for real, instead of just a tantalizing dream.
Once they wrapped up their appointment, Mara was ready for a small celebration. She still had over an hour before she needed to meet Chris, so she swung by the downtown coffee shop for a chai latte. When she breezed back out onto the street, a brand-new Mercedes Benz was just parking in front of the coffee shop. The car glistened black, practically sparkling. It was hard to look away.
The man who exited the car looked slick and rich—perfectly styled blond hair and an ear-to-ear grin. She couldn’t tell if he was about to hit on her or sell her insurance.
“Mara, right?” he asked.
She blinked, looking around discretely. He had to be talking to her…but how did he know who she was?
“Uh, yeah.”
The man stepped forward, his long overcoat reaching past his knees. He offered a black-gloved hand. “I’m Ryan Casewell, one of the network executives behind your show. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
She blinked a few times, timidly offering her hand. Part of her didn’t believe him. The other part wasn’t surprised that she could tell from first glance that he was some sort of big-city industry type. “Wow. Nice to meet you.”
“Enjoying the show?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s…” Her mind went blank. “It’s been a real experience.”
“So what’s it like to compete against a celebrity like Chris?” That smile kicked up a notch, glimmering and smarmy. “I bet you’re the star of your family now, huh? Small-town girl going up against the celebrity chef?”
Her lips thinned, and she couldn’t tell if her plasticized smile had melted into a grimace. “Oh, you know. It’s just been so thrilling for
all of us. What a joy it is to be in the vicinity of celebrity Chris!” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Every day I ask him for a new autograph.”
Ryan smirked just as a second car pulled in next to his. Someone else got out, followed by Chris. She chewed on her lips as she watched him. His face lit up when he spotted her.
“Mara!” He jogged over to her. “I was just about to call you. They asked you to be here too?”
“No, no.” She waved her hand dismissively toward Ryan. “I just ran into him on my way home.”
Chris squeezed her arms, making her forget, momentarily, how annoyed she’d been. “How did your appointment go?”
“Very well.”
“I want to hear about it. But I think I have to miss dinner.” He frowned. “Don’t hate me. These guys showed up on a whim today to talk business, and they want to talk over dinner. Can I come over after?”
She tried not to feel disappointed as two more slick businessmen types joined Ryan on the sidewalk. She offered a small smile to Chris, trying to put her feelings aside. She understood—she just wasn’t so sure she’d be willing to receive him later, whenever that was.
“Just text me when you’re done,” she said. He squeezed her wrist before walking away with the other men. She watched them go for a moment, feeling Ryan’s words reverberate through her.
Maybe he was right.
She was just the small-town girl who cowered in the celerity’s shadow.
She needed to wise up before it was too late.
12
Chris hummed to himself early the next morning as he worked on the smaller details on his gingerbread skyscraper. He’d woken up in an excellent mood. Better than excellent, actually.
He’d woken up in a stellar mood. Because everything was on track, and he was about to get the show of his dreams.
The surprise arrival of the network executives always spelled either celebration or disaster, and in rare cases, both at the same time. But last night had been pure celebration. Based on the pilot episode of this competition and the rave response from test audiences to the holiday-themed contest, the execs were giving his globetrotting cooking show the green light.
Exactly what Chris had been gunning for all these years. And finally, it would be his.
He started whistling as he pumped out tiny green dots across one of the windows of the skyscraper. He’d hated cancelling on Mara the night before, but he was sure they’d make it up, and soon. It would have been sooner if he’d had his way, but when he texted about going over the night before, she claimed she was already in bed and not feeling well.
So tonight would be the night. It had to be. Because he was just shy of breaking out in hives from wanting to spend another night with her.
He paused to check his phone. Odd. It was almost nine thirty and Mara still wasn’t in. She was always early, just like him. He glanced around the room. Mara’s team was hard at work on whatever task list she’d left them with. But no Mara.
Chris dropped the pastry bag and rolled his neck in a slow circle. It was time for a break anyway. This sort of meticulous, detail-oriented stuff was his least favorite part of baking and decorating, and he loved to hand the bulk of this work over to his team. But still, he had to show up for some of it.
He washed his hands and then floated out of the multipurpose room, humming yet again. Damn, he couldn’t wait to get started on the globetrotting culinary show. This had been his brainchild a full three years ago. Something he’d been working toward. Something that he was positive would become his dream job.
It wasn’t that he disliked his cooking show or owning a restaurant or occasionally publishing cookbooks when his manager told him he should. He’d just been pining for the open road. For something different and distant. This contest had just been the means to the end.
And now, the end was in sight.
An impassioned conversation drew his attention once he was in the hallway. One of the voices sounded like Mara’s. He followed the sounds, and when he rounded the corner into the lobby, Mara and Dan were just stepping into the building and shrugging off their coats. Dan pressed a hand to the small of her back as they headed for the hallway while Mara chattered happily.
Jealousy spiked inside him while the remaining puzzle pieces clicked together. She showed up late. With Dan. After throwing Chris off her trail the night before.
Yeah. They were fucking.
Chris’s forearms went tense as they approached. Mara’s gaze swept up and landed on him, and she gasped, stopping mid-stride.
“Chris!” She laughed nervously.
“I better go,” Dan said, cocking a finger toward Mara. “But let me know when you need anything, okay?” He trotted off the other way down the hall, leaving Mara and Chris in tense silence.
“I was actually just about to call you and make sure you were okay,” Chris said, feeling a lot like an idiot. He ran a thumb over his knuckles, all the happiness of his good news dissipating. Mara could still deliver the worst gut punch of them all. “You’re late. I was worried.”
“Yeah. I’m late. But everything is fine. You don’t have to worry.” She stepped closer, nervousness written all over her face. God, he’d caught her red handed. And the thought of Dan waking up in her house when Chris still hadn’t even set foot inside it—that burned most of all. Who knew how long they’d been dating? He’d been right to doubt her all along.
He just hated having proof of it.
“It was weird. You’ve never late.” He clenched and unclenched his jaw a few times, mulling over his next words. “Was there something that made you late?”
Mara’s mouth parted, and her eyes slowly narrowed to slits. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, just admit it, Mara,” he said in a low tone. “You and Dan have been fucking. I get it.”
Mara’s gasp sliced through the air, and she glanced around. She glared and pointed behind him down the hall. “Come on. Follow me. We’re going to talk about this.”
On the inside, he rolled his eyes. What else was there to talk about when she was blatantly fucking her ex from high school? Honestly, it was probably a revenge tactic. Well, he’d fallen for it. And now here they were. In the last week of the contest and everything that had been beautiful between them was now broken and shattered once more.
He followed her anyway. She stormed down the hall and into the lounge. It was empty. Once the door clicked shut, she turned to him with hands on her hips.
“I can’t believe you think that I spent the night with Dan.”
He scoffed. “Why wouldn’t I? Every time you show up here, it’s with him. Every time I look around, you’re talking to him. Either you guys have been banging since high school, or this guy is on the hunt.”
“He is on the hunt,” Mara spat. “But I turned him down the first day of filming. Not like you care to hear the truth.”
Chris narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
“And you know what? It doesn’t even matter.” Mara clutched at the sides of her face, looking up at the ceiling as she took a few steps away from him. “I can’t handle this anymore. You never trust me. It doesn’t matter what I tell you, you’re always gonna think Dan and I are hooking up.”
“Well, you haven’t given me many reasons to trust you,” Chris countered.
Mara’s eyes widened and she turned to him in slo-mo, the way haunted dolls do in horror movies. “Excuse me?”
“You act like you’re hiding state secrets when I ask about your appointment yesterday. And now this. I guarantee you weren’t going to tell me why you got here late.”
Mara’s gaze darkened. “I don’t know why it matters.”
“Because you matter! Christ, Mara. I’m trying to get to know you again. I thought we were, I don’t know, doing something here.” He laughed incredulously.
“Yeah. I thought we were too.” Mara’s lips thinned. “But you keep your own secrets, so it doesn’t even matter.”
“My own secre
ts?” Chris barked out a sharp laugh. “Like what?”
“Like the fact that you outed us to the network before we ever had a chance to talk about things?” She threw her hands up. “Like you thought I’d just be okay with that?”
Chris massaged his forehead, shaking his head. “I didn’t out us to the network. It was the director. He’s spotted us; he knows there’s something here. I couldn’t deny it.”
“So you wait for me to find out from the rumor mill of journalists?”
Chris ground his teeth, but before he could say anything, she barreled on.
“I can’t trust you. I’m not telling you what’s going on because I don’t trust you. Okay?”
“Are you serious right now? You’re the one acting untrustworthy.”
“Well, this is how trust works.” Mara crossed her arms, her lips curving downward. “You have to believe me when I tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Dan and I have nothing going on. Okay? I literally hadn’t even seen him for ten years until a week ago.”
Chris scoffed.
“But I guess you’re just too busy being Celebrity Chris to hear anything I have to say,” she spat.
That comment stopped him in his tracks. He blinked a few times, his hands curling into fists. “What does the fact that I’m a celebrity have to do with anything?”
“Your career,” she said with a teenage-grade duh tone to her voice. “You can’t see anything other than your career.”
“Of course my career is important to me,” he said slowly, as though explaining basic math. “I’ve been working toward my dream for a long time now. Or don’t you have any dreams to work toward?”
Her throat bobbed, and he knew he’d overstepped. He hurried to add, “I didn’t mean that. I’m just saying, we both have important careers that we’re working on, so why am I wrong to go after my goals?”
“I’m not saying you have to sacrifice anything,” she said, her voice low and wavering. When she dragged her green gaze up to him, the rawness almost split him in two. “I just want you to believe me when I tell you that you have nothing to worry about.”