Page 10 of A Recipe for Romance

“What just happened?” she whispered to the empty room, her breath shaky.

Images flickered in her mind—Drew’s early arrival at the studio, the way he’d actually listened to her ideas for the show, his eyes meeting hers with a spark of something she couldn’t quite name. An electric charge hummed beneath their exchanges, pulling her closer to him in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

Then there was the challenge. Watching him work, his movements fluid and confident, his dish a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. The judges had been speechless, the contestants in awe. But what struck her more was the passion she’d glimpsed in his eyes—something raw and real that she hadn’t seen before.

It wasn’t just his skill that drew her in. It was the way his gaze softened when they talked, how the walls he kept so carefully built around himself seemed to slip just a little. And when he’d asked her, with a strange mix of vulnerability and determination, if she’d come over tomorrow to cook together...

Kelsi let out a nervous laugh, tipping her head back against the door. “I’m going to Drew Carlson’s house. To cook. With him.”

Her pulse quickened at the thought, her nerves a tangled mess of excitement and dread. What was she supposed to wear? More importantly, what was she supposed to say?

Pushing herself to her feet, Kelsi moved toward the kitchen, her mind on autopilot. She poured herself a glass of water, but her eyes caught on the stack of recipe cards sitting on the counter. Her mother’s handwriting, faded and worn, tugged at something deep inside her.

She reached out, brushing her fingers over the edge of a well-loved card.Five-Spice Apple Pie. Her mom’s favorite. The one she used to make on rainy afternoons when the world outside felt a little too overwhelming.

A wave of emotion surged up, tightening her throat. What would her mom think of all this? Of her spot on the show, her growing online following, and Drew—gruff, intimidating Drew with his Michelin stars and complex layers?

“You’d probably tell me to go for it,” Kelsi murmured, the edges of a smile tugging at her lips. Her mom had always encouraged her to take risks in the kitchen, to follow her instincts.The heart of every dish is in its story,she used to say.

Kelsi wondered if she was finally beginning to understand what that meant.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her back to reality. It was a text from Zak.

Zak: Hey superstar, great job today! Drew’s fusion idea was a hit with the producers. You two make a good team. ;)

Kelsi stared at the message, her stomach flipping. A good team? Was that what they were becoming?

Her fingers hovered over the screen before typing a response.

Kelsi: Thanks! It was really all Drew’s idea. I just threw out a suggestion.

She hit send before she could overthink it. It wasn’t a lie—Drew had taken her offhand comment and turned it into something spectacular. But a warmth spread through her chest, Zak’s words lingering in her mind.A good team.Was that how Drew saw them, too?

Her phone buzzed again.

Zak: Don’t sell yourself short. Drew doesn’t use just anyone’s ideas. He must really respect you.

Respect. From Drew Carlson. It seemed impossible, and yet... the thought sent a small thrill through her. The way Drew had listened to her earlier, the way he’d smiled—actually smiled—when he invited her over, felt like a glimpse into something more.

But even as excitement fluttered in her chest, a quiet voice whispered in the back of her mind. No matter how many likes or views she racked up, that voice always told her she wasn’t a “real” chef. She wasn’t Drew, with his years of experience and accolades. She was just the content creator, the girl with a camera and a knack for making things look pretty.

Kelsi sighed, sinking onto the couch and pulling a pillow over her face. Excitement warred with self-doubt, tangled in the growing attraction she couldn’t quite shake. Drew had kept her at arm’s length for so long, but now... now it felt like he was letting her in.

Was this real?Or was it just a fleeting glimpse behind the curtain of the tough, controlled exterior Drew showed the world?

She groaned, flipping over and grabbing her laptop. If she couldn’t make sense of her emotions, at least she could lose herself in work. There were videos to edit, posts to schedule, a brand to maintain. But as she scrolled through the footage, her mind kept drifting back to Drew.

Her cursor hovered over a folder labeledDrew BTS—the behind-the-scenes shots she’d captured of him working with the contestants, the rare moments when his stern mask cracked, revealing something warmer beneath. She clicked the folder without thinking, her breath catching as images filled her screen.

Drew, his brow furrowed in concentration. Drew, laughing with one of the contestants. Drew, tasting a dish, his expression softening as he experienced the flavors. The intensity in his eyes, the rare smile that lit up his face—it all hit her in a way she hadn’t expected.

Kelsi closed the laptop with a soft thud. “Oh, Kelsi,” she whispered, “what have you gotten yourself into?”

The hours slipped byas Kelsi worked, but her thoughts kept returning to the same question: what would tomorrow bring? Was it a date? A cooking lesson? Or something more? The uncertainty made her palms sweat, her heart race.

Her phone chimed again, and when she saw Drew’s name on the screen, her heart skipped a beat.

Drew: Looking forward to tomorrow. Any allergies or foods you don’t like? Want to make sure I have everything we need.

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