Page 9 of A Recipe for Romance

Amelia pushed off the counter, stepping closer. “Sure. But the way you look at her... Drew, you’re a chef, not an actor. You’re terrible at hiding things. And trust me, people love to tear down those at the top. A judge getting involved with a contestant? That’s a headline waiting to happen.”

Drew’s heart kicked into overdrive. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” Amelia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Consider this a friendly warning. The culinary world can be cruel. If anyone gets wind of this, you could lose everything.”

“Amelia, please,” Drew’s voice dropped, desperation creeping in. “Don’t do this.”

She raised an eyebrow, her expression softening just slightly. “Relax, Drew. I’m not going to run an exposé. Not yet. But consider this a wake-up call. You’re playing with fire, and you both need to be more careful.”

With that, she sauntered off, leaving Drew rooted to the spot, his mind reeling. She’d seen through him. Through the stoic chef persona he’d worn like armor for years. He’d spent so long cultivating his reputation, and now... Kelsi had upended everything.

His grip tightened on the counter, his breath coming in shallow bursts.How did I let this happen?But even as fear clawed at him, he couldn’t bring himself to regret the way Kelsi made him feel. She’d reignited something inside him. She made him want to be better, not just as a chef, but as a man.

“Drew?”

Her voice was soft, concerned. Drew looked up to find Kelsi standing in front of him, flour dusting her cheek and a crease of worry between her brows. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

For a split second, he considered telling her everything—about Amelia’s warning, his fear for their careers, the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. But the words lodged in his throat. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing the flour from her cheek, the touch lingering longer than it should have.

“I’m fine,” he said quietly, managing a small smile. “Just... thinking about the next challenge.”

Kelsi’s gaze searched his face, her eyes softening. “Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know. About anything.”

Drew hesitated, her words tugging at something deep inside him.Tell her, his mind urged. But the kitchen was too open, too full of eyes. “Not here,” he murmured. “Maybe later.”

Understanding flickered in her eyes, and she glanced around the bustling kitchen before nodding. “How about dinner at my place tonight? We can talk then.”

Drew’s heart eased, the knot in his chest loosening at the thought. “That sounds perfect,” he said, his voice low, but warmer now.

As Kelsi moved back to her station, Drew let out a slow breath. The panic from his conversation with Amelia still lingered, but there was something else, too—something lighter. He’d spent years hiding behind his stoic exterior, afraid of letting anyone in. But Kelsi... Kelsi made him feel alive again.

His movements felt smoother, more deliberate as he turned back to his prep. Let people talk. Let them judge. He wasn’t going to let fear dictate his life anymore. He was done hiding, done denying himself the joy of this connection.

Chapter 7: Kelsi

Kelsi fumbled withher keys, her hands still trembling as she tried to unlock her apartment door. When the lock finally gave, she stumbled inside, leaning back against the closed door, sliding down to sit on the floor. Her heart raced, her mind buzzing with the events of the day.

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