Page 24 of Winner Takes All

“Don’t get too cocky, Victor. We aren’t finished yet,” I warn. We’re getting lots of advice from the crowd just like last time.

“Don’t burn the fish, Victor.”

“Teach him how to slice his tuna, Nikki.”

Victor laughs as he winks at the crowd. I’m having fun. It’s probably more fun than I’d have on my own. I really do like working with this man. We meld well together when we aren’t trying to destroy one another. I like how much he challenges me, making me want to be better. I wonder if I do the same for him.

We cook for the next hour, then plate our fusion sushi-tacos, tuna-herb rice, sashimi tostadas, and fruit salsa. The plate looks gorgeous, and as the crowd looks on, they applaud in approval. Once again Sia catches all of it on camera, narrating like a pro as my fans tune in to watch.

“Well guys, it looks like our dynamic duo has done it again,” Sia calls out. I laugh, but I’m feeling pretty damn good about what we’ve done.

Victor leans in close, his voice just for me. “We do make a mighty fine team.”

“You might be right,” I tell him. His grin grows wider.

The plates are handed over to the judges who make notes we can’t see. My heart’s thumping madly. I try not to let it show.

Carol steps up to the microphone. “That was fun, wasn’t it?” she asks. The crowd cheers their agreement.

“When we’re having this much fun we don’t want it to end.” My mouth drops open as I stare at her. I’ve put it all on the line and she’s saying there’s more. I don’t know how much more I have in me right now with all of these twists and turns.

“Let’s finish this contest right with a dessert challenge. We can’t leave the festival without a decadent treat, can we?” The crowd shouts no.

New ingredients are revealed to us: chocolate, cayenne pepper, mascarpone, basil, bacon, and a few more items I’ve never put together before. Why not, though? We can do it.

“Are you ready to make your cake and eat it too?” Victor asks me with a wink.

“Really, Victor? That’s all you have?” I taunt.

“I have plenty more. Just say when and I’ll give it to you,” he says. I have no doubt the dessert he’s thinking about has nothing to do with food. I’m thinking his dessert sounds a whole lot better at this particular moment, maybe at any moment.

We rush back to our stations and get to work. Victor and I easily get back into a rhythm. I’m shocked as he handles the ingredients with ease. He might be the better pastry chef; it’s never been my strong suit. I let him take the lead as I desperately want to win this. The synergy between us no longer surprises me.

“Let’s do some chocolate basil mousse, adding a hint of cayenne for richness,” he suggests.

“I love it,” I tell him. “A good mousse is hard to perfect, but you look completely comfortable.”

“Dessert is where I started. I have a sweet tooth,” he says. I look at the ingredients and smile.

“Let’s add some candied bacon for crunch. Then we’ll have spicy, sweet, and savory, a perfect combo.”

“I love it,” he says shooting me a wink. We get right into it.

The crowd is fully invested in our chemistry and cheering us on as they shout out some more suggestions. The judges use blind taste tests to avoid favoritism. We have this.

“More bacon!” someone calls.

“More basil,” another person suggests. There are always backseat cooks in the house.

“How about a kiss?” someone calls. I have a feeling it’s one of my so-called friends. I don’t even acknowledge the comment.

“Sounds like they’re getting impatient. Maybe we should give them what they want,” Victor suggests.

“Focus on the mousse not the crowd,” I tell him. The challenge flies by, and before we know it, we’re plating our final dish of the whole event. It’s bittersweet that it’s soon going to be over. Just when I realize I could do more cooking dishes withVictor at my side, we’re going to be finished. It sort of bums me. I might have two different personalities when it comes to this man.

The judges are brought back out, and Victor and I stand back with bated breaths. My heart’s thudding as I wait for the final decision. I don’t realize I’ve reached over and gripped Victor’s hand. He’s somehow grounding me in this crazy moment.

When the winners are announced, my ears are buzzing as Victor and I are pulled up onto the stage. Everyone’s clapping and cheering as Victor stands at my side, a huge check placed into our hands as the Food Network comes onto the stage to give a speech. My blood’s running too loudly in my ears to hear any of it.

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