Page 11 of Winner Takes All

“If you think you can distract me, you’re very wrong. I’m not falling for your tricks anymore, Victor. Is the plan to wine and dine me so I’m distracted, and you can slip in and win the competition?”

His eyebrow goes up while he still looks amused. “I’d never try to distract you. I’ve come to realize that we could make an unstoppable team if we stopped fighting. Imagine what we could create together.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Aunt Eileen says.

“I love it,” Martha says.

“Do it, Nikki,” Vivian says.

“The cookingandthe romp,” Martha adds.

Damn, the thought of this is so tempting, far too tempting, but I’m not giving in. This has to be a fake-out. “I work alone, Victor.” I don’t even address the ladies.

He shrugs as if this doesn’t matter, but the glint in his eyes tell me something else. “Your loss, Nik.” He pauses for a moment. “But you should know by now I don’t give up when there’s something I want.”

I’m done with this. I turn on my heel and march away before he can say anything else. My heart’s pounding so hard it’s visible from the outside of my clothes. Why is this man so damn enticing, and why am I falling for it?

It doesn’t take long for me to arrive home. I lay out my newest goodies and decide to channel my frustration into something productive. I set up my camera and start on my cooking vlog, the kitchen my stage, instantly making me comfortable in my arena.

It doesn’t take long to decide what dish I’m going to prepare, something comforting and complex, a blend of flavors that will mirror my tangled thoughts. I probably shouldn’t have the camera on when I feel this turbulent, but I can’t help myself. It’s my safe zone where I have millions of followers who want to cook along with me.

Since I decided to go all natural with my videos I’ve let my audience see the real me. They like the mistakes, like when I’m trying to figure it out, like the realness of it. They might get morerealthan they’re ready for today.

As I begin prepping my ingredients, I talk to the camera, the words flowing from me without much thought to them. I chop a little harder than I intended.

“Don’t we all hate how men have a way of getting into our heads? One minute we’re totally focused, know what we’re doing, and more determined than ever before. We’re ready to face the world and bring down a tornado. But then men enter the picture and get us all flustered, making us forget we’re leaders,making us forget what we’re doing. They throw us off our game with their delicious scents, their smooth velvety voices, and their little smirks that tell us they know exactly what they’re doing to us.”

My onion is almost mashed, I’m chopping so hard as I say this. Do I stop? No, that would be too wise. “Take Victor for example. He’s the kind of man who thinks he has everything figured out, that he can simply waltz right back into town and straight into my life. He then thinks it’s his right to turn my world upside down. Well, let me tell you, that isn’t going to happen. He might know how to push my buttons, but it goes both ways because I know how to push his as well. He does it on purpose though. I’m innocent in all of this.”

I dump the onions, garlic, and peppers into my hot pan and the sizzle soothes my frayed nerves. I give them a stir, then move on to my next step. I wish my viewers could talk back with me. Maybe they’d stop me from my rampage.

“Don’t even get me started on the men who think they can distract you with some flirtation, and that cocky little smile they seem to perfect by the time they’re five. They think they can charm you with secret ingredients and dates. Well, that isn’t going to happen. No matter how smooth these men think they are, they’re nothing but little boys making up for small... body parts. They might think they’re smooth and confident, but they don’t know us. We women are much too smart to fall for their charm, aren’t we?” I smile at the camera, feeling much better already. Not that Victor has anything small about him, but if he happens to watch this video it might just be a punch to his ego. This makes me happy.

I decide I need more garlic. I like my kitchen to be filled with the aroma of frying garlic. I reach for some and smash the clove with the flat of my knife before chopping it up and throwing it in the pan.

“The thing is, the one thing they’re really good at is making us second guess ourselves. One minute we’re utterly sure of our paths, and the next we’re wondering if maybe, just maybe, those men aren’t as bad as we initially thought. They might even have us thinking we’re the one who needs to make some changes.” I pause and let out a sigh.

“That’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s the trap. Anyone asking us to change is in the wrong. We perfect ourselves through years of experience. Sure, we might make some mistakes along the way, but this only shapes us into who we are today. It’s never wrong to take different paths, never wrong to grow as a person. If we want to make changes, that’s okay, but it’s not alright for a man to ask us to change.”

I give my pan a stir and smile as the sweet, comforting aroma of cooked vegetables hangs in the air. There’s nothing I like more. I look at my camera once again.

“Here’s my advice, ladies: don’t let these men get to you. Stay focused on your goals, and stay true to who you are. These men might be charming, handsome, and even be decent cooks, or good lovers, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. We don’t have to fall for it. Always keep your eyes on the prize and don’t let anyone, no matter how much they might make your heart race or your body quiver, derail your plans.” I cut and add some tomatoes to my pan, stirring vigorously. The sizzle and vibrant colors are quite inviting, if I do say so myself.

“Remember that the best way to a man’s heart might be through his stomach, but the best way to keep him on his toes is to never let him think he’s won. He can chase you all he wants, but you have to stay in the lead. Otherwise it’s too easy to trip and have him climb all over you.”

I add some more ingredients then turn the heat down as my sauce simmers, the ingredients melding together perfectly.“Maybe if we stick to this, these men will realize they’re the ones who need to step up their game.”

I pull out some of the fresh pasta I made yesterday, boil it for three minutes then begin plating my dish. I top it with sauce and add a sprinkle of fresh basil. I hold the plate up for my viewers to see.

“Here’s to us, to strong, independent women who know what we want and aren’t afraid to go after it. Here’s to not allowing some man to come in and mess up our carefully crafted plans. Cheers.”

I stop the video and smile. I hit the post button, my words and dish out there for all the world to see. Well, it’s out there for my followers to see at least. I take my dish and move to the back deck to taste. It’s delicious. Just because Victor got me flustered doesn’t mean he has the power to mess me up. I’m damn good at what I do.

I’m barely finished with my meal when my phone rings. I smile when I see Sia’s name. I immediately answer.

“You’re trending, girl!” she says with laughter as soon as I pick up.

“I’m always trending,” I tell her with confidence.

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