Page 77 of The Baking Games

Rhett: What do you mean?

Producer: Viewers want to know if you have real feelings for Savannah. Do you?

(A long pause. Rhett looks uncomfortable.)

Rhett: I do.

Producer: So you’re dating?

Rhett: No. Not exactly.

Producer: Then what would you call it?

(Another long pause)

Rhett: I would call it me falling in love with Savannah, and her not realizing it.

SAVANNAH

It feels like the competition went into overdrive the last two weeks. At our third main challenge, Dan suddenly announced that we would have double eliminations from now on. Everyone was terrified of being sent home. The fewer people that are here, the more likely your chance of being sent home.

In week three, we had an edible art challenge. I made a vase with flowers. Rhett made a vintage car, which I still don’t understand how he did it. Connor made some abstract art piece. Of course, Rhett won the competition. His was, by far, the best.

Unfortunately, Sophia and Hank didn’t fare so well, and both of them went home. I really thought it would be me when one of my flowers literally flopped onto the counter while Chef Alain was talking to me. But the audience apparently saved me, and I don’t know why.

Our week 4 challenge was to create macarons that were ocean or beach-themed. I created a tiki bar cake, while Rhett created a beach scene complete with umbrellas and lounge chairs. Again, it was amazing.

Sometimes, I wonder how in the world his family can’t be proud of him. Rhett is talented and should have a cheering section at home. I can only hope that seeing him on TV will make them eat their words and tell him how they were wrong.

Tanya and Nate went home during week 4. Again, I was shocked because Nate had created a better cake than me, or at least I thought so. Tanya, on the other hand, had lost her way in the competition. Missing her kids had become unbearable, and I will always believe she threw that last competition so she could go home.

Sometimes, there are more important things than winning a competition.

Now that we’re entering week five, I’m ready to push and win this thing. The only people left are me, Rhett, Zara, Maggie, Lainey, and Connor. Two more people will leave this week, and then the final four will battle it out in week six.

I guess Rhett was wrong about us needing to be in a fake relationship to win. I’ve reminded him of that several times—using the word hippopotamus so viewers don’t understand—and he just smiles.

I think we’ve become good friends, and things are easier now that we’re not chained together. Although I still feel those feelings sometimes, it’s not hard to escape them now that the chain is gone.

“I still can’t believe Nate got sent home,” Rhett says as we sit on the couch in the courtyard. “Now it’s just me and Connor in the room.”

“Sorry about that,” I say, laughing. Connor is still a snake. He tried to sabotage me in last week’s challenge by stealing the mixing blade I needed. Turns out his congratulations the week I won was him trying to distract me from the fact that he wanted to sabotage me. Producers had a talk with him and gave him a warning.

“We’re getting so close to the end that I can taste it.”

“Yep. I can’t believe I get to see Sadie in a couple of weeks. I hope I have good news for her.” My eyes tear up.

“You miss her a lot, don’t you?”

“So much,” I say, my voice cracking. “Who do you miss?”

He pauses for a moment. “No one.”

“Really? That makes me sad for you.”

“It makes me sad, too.”

“Why don’t you do something about it then? Get on one of those dating apps?”

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