Page 32 of House of Desire

“That’s my brother’s and my favorite meal.”

“I can see why. Okay,” he says, setting the fork in the bowl and pushing it toward me, “you need to take this away from me. Thank you for cooking for me. And I’ll be holding you to your promise.”

I grab up the dish and float across the room back to my station as Leslie goes last.

My mind races a mile a minute at the implications that if he expects to hold me to my promise, he intends to keep me until the hometown dates at least. Despite my desire to show off my bakery, my first thought is of getting to spend more time with Parker.

Metal chair legs screech across the floor as Parker pushes back and stands, shocking me out of my thoughts. Suddenly, I want nothing more than to run from this room and not hear his judgment. But my obligation to the show keeps my feet rooted in the spot like an aged oak tree.

“Thank you all again for such lovely meals. I know cooking for another person, especially a food that holds sentimental value to you, is a precious gift. Carmen, the technicality of your dish won me over. Will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?”

Hope sours into hurt and I have to quickly avert my tear pricked eyes. For the first time during this entire endeavor, I realize that I am not the only person vying for Parker’s attention.

And how much I want that attention for myself.

“I’d love to,” Carmen tells him and at his smile, I die.

“Did you get enough to eat?” Philip asks, rolling a lint roller down my arm. I want to protest, but I know it’s easier to let him do his job. The black car turns on a gravel driveway that turns into a paved driveway the closer we get to the winery.

“I did, thank you.”

While the audience is told we go straight from the group date to the solo date, that’s not actually the case. We are always given an hour or two to get showered and changed before we are expected at the next event. If the date is going to include eating, they also give us time to eat beforehand as well.

We park and the van with the camera equipment and two different camera people pulls up beside us. They are out of the van and grabbing up their cameras before the driver can open my door.

One immediately begins to get setting shots while the other gets ready for Carmen’s arrival. Philip tells me what we will be doing. Everyone but the camera people clear out as the car pulls up. The door opens and my palms begin sweating.

Carmen is smart and beautiful. And intimidating.

A part of me wishes I had chosen Anastasia’s meal. But Carmen’s was just as good. And my attraction to her is just as strong.

It was like flipping a coin on who to pick.

“You look gorgeous,” I say as she makes her way to me. Her dress is a deep plum with strappy gold high heels that make her legs look a mile long. She looks as if she was going on a sultry date to a Michelin star restaurant.

“Thank you. You look wonderful.”

I’m in a soft pink button-down and light khakis with loafers. I look like a member of a golf club. Carmen mentioned liking preppy looking men on our first solo date. But I feel like I’m wearing a costume.

Her arms slide around my neck as she gets close. My hands automatically go around her and pull her body against mine. Soft lips press against mine. The kiss is nice, but the cameras being present keep me from deepening it. I pull back and give her a smile so as not to hurt her feelings.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hello. Thanks for picking me.” Her voice is coy.

“I’m glad we can spend more time together.”

Our first date was a little awkward, as all first dates are, but by the end it felt nice and relaxed. The heat of her body is replaced by the cool air around us when she retreats.

“Tonight we are going on a short tour of this beautiful, family-owned vineyard and then our host, Amelia, is going to let us do a tasting. Sound good?” A rhetorical question, since it’s not like production would allow us to abandon the date if we didn’t want to do it.

“Sounds perfect,” Carmen says, demurely. “I love wine.”

“Me too. My best friend introduced me to it and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

We all turn and walk into the winery. Amelia is small but well honed for work. Like a sharpened sickle.

“Welcome to Grape Expectations. You are going to regret those shoes,” she says to Carmen who just laughs.

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