Page 17 of The Baking Games

So, that meant I worked during the day to pay for those classes. But did that get me any points with my parents? Did they see me working hard and think, “Wow! Our son really wants this, so we should support his dreams!”

Nope.

As I’m thinking through all of this, I don’t realize that I’m standing in the doorway of Savannah’s room now, staring at her like some kind of lunatic. She glares at me, and I quickly continue down the hallway. I have no place to go in particular. I just want to see what this house has to offer. I head back downstairs to investigate.

I had hoped my mother would be excited for me when I called to check on my father and tell her about the reality show. She was most definitely not excited for me.

“You’re doing what?”

“It’s a great opportunity. I could win a huge money prize, a book deal, and I get to make a wedding cake…”

“Rhett Jennings! You must get out of this whole thing immediately!” Her screeching voice made my ear drums twitch.

“Why would I do that?”

“Do you even care about your family?”

I don’t know how to answer that one.

“Of course,” I say, underwhelmed.

“Then you have to get out of it!”

“I’m not getting out of it, Mother.”

“Rhett, please. This is embarrassing! Our friends are going to see this. Oh goodness, we’ll have to skip the Summer Formal at the club. I can’t show my face there.”

“Because of the facelift?” I know I shouldn’t say it, but I can’t help it. My mother’s recent plastic surgery has made her look like she got stuck in a wind tunnel for a few weeks, and her face never went back to normal. Or like one of those dogs with big flappy cheeks sticking its head out of the car window.

“You know exactly what I mean. I don’t want to be too harsh, but…” Since when had she not been harsh? “Well, I’m just going to be blunt like I am with my patients. Like Susie Coleman, who came in this morning and won’t take her blood pressure pill regularly. I said to her that she’s going to die.”

“And you think I’m going to die? By going on a reality show?”

“You’re going to ruin any chance you have of getting into a good school or working as a doctor or lawyer.”

“When will you get it out of your head that I’m ever doing those things? Because I’m not. I’ve repeatedly told you this, and you don’t listen. I sure hope you listen better when your patients talk to you, Mother. For their sake, I hope you listen.”

“Rhett, I’m not supporting you in this. Any of it. This has all gone too far.”

I pause for a long moment. “You’re right. It has gone too far. I’m done being judged and criticized for following my passion. Goodbye, Mother.”

When I hang up the phone, I fully accept that phone call might be the last time I’ll ever hear my mother’s voice. I should feel sad, but what I actually feel is free.

SAVANNAH

I might’ve gotten myself in over my head. Now that I finished getting berated by one of the producers, I want to hop the next bus back to my tiny, crappy apartment and hug Big Thelma.

Well, maybe that’s a little too far-fetched, but still. I don’t think I thought this whole thing through. I just saw dollar signs. I saw Sadie waving at me as I dropped her off at some fancy college. I saw myself signing a lease on my new bakery.

I did not see myself locked in a house with my arch-rival and my ex-boyfriend. Don’t even get me started on Lainey. I would love to meet her parents and see what kind of people raised a woman like that.

I can’t stay in the room anymore. Maggie is taking a nap despite all the noise of people talking and shouting at each other up and down the hallway like a bunch of college students moving into their dorm rooms.

Lainey has disappeared, but when I enter the hallway, I see her talking to Connor in front of his room. She seems fine now, with her huge smile and her index finger touching his chest. Weird.

I go in the other direction and down the staircase. I don’t know where I’m going. This house is huge. I just need some air, so I look for any exit I’m allowed to go out of. A cameraman is following me the whole time, so I can’t get a moment’s peace unless I tell him I need to pee.

Only I do need to pee. I have a very small bladder. It’s one of many endearing yet annoying qualities about me.

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