Page 13 of Sensuous

My attack shocks her, and she takes a step back. I wait for her to say something in return since I doubt she’s the type of person to not strike back, but she’s silent even as she continues to stare at me like she can’t believe I had the nerve to talk to her like that.

Sick of dealing with her shit, I turn to walk away but then remember what she said about me flirting my way through my audition. I hadn’t planned on telling anyone how I got onto the show, but for this woman, I’ll mention it.

Turning back to face her, I say with a healthy heap of smugness, “Oh, and by the way, I didn’t have to audition to be on this show. The producers came to my restaurant and asked me. Yeah, that’s right. They found me, not the other way around. There. Now you have a reason to hate me. Glad I could help you out with your misery.”

I watch with pure pleasure as her mouth drops open in utter shock at the news that unlike her, I didn’t have to try out for this competition. Now she can hate me for a valid reason instead of whatever bullshit she thought she held against me.

Kat doesn’t have anything to say to that, so I walk away feeling good that she finally got a dose of her own medicine. Whatever her problem is, I don’t care. She just needs to stay the hell away from me for the duration of this show or we’re going to have words again, and next time I won’t be anywhere close to as nice as I was this time.

CHAPTER SIX

Kat

I watchAlex walk away and wish I was one of those people who always had a snappy comeback for shitty men who are convinced they’re God’s gift to the world. Who the hell does he think he is?

Then again, the fact that he didn’t have to audition for this show while people like me did tells the whole story about who he is or at least who the producers think he is. Alex March isn’t just some guy who cooks food at a nice restaurant. He’s special, and he knows it.

At least now I have a better reason than my jealousy to hate him.

For the next half hour after I get through my interview, I listen to the rest of the contestants have theirs and learn some really interesting things about them. Josie, the youngest one out of all of us at barely nineteen, began dying her hair jet black when she was fifteen because of some superhero character I’ve never heard of and when she’s not working at a restaurant like the rest of us, she plays Dungeons and Dragons. The guy calledMurphy is actually named Carter, but he hates his first name and clearly holds it against his parents for choosing that name, if his snide little comments about them are any indication. And Angus with the Scottish accent only lived in Scotland until he was five, but he thinks he got his accent because both his parents have heavy Scottish accents.

These people I like. None of the other contestants flirted with the producer’s assistant or acted like he or she was God’s gift to the world in every answer. Unlike Alex March, who clearly believes he’s special.

“Okay, everyone, that was great!” Shane says to all of us when the final interview is complete. “Let’s call it a day. Go home, relax doing all those great things you told us about, and be back here tomorrow for another day of reality television fun. Thanks!”

We all nod and begin talking amongst ourselves as we head back to our places on set. Emma congratulates me on doing so well in my first interview, and I tell her I think she’s a master at that because she really was fantastic. I don’t know about her cooking skills, but her personality practically radiates out of her when she’s talking about her life and that’s got to count for something, I’m sure.

“I heard you and Alex going at it,” she says in a low voice, as if she’s worried I might be angry that she was eavesdropping.

Which is exactly what decent people think when they mention overhearing something.

“He’s an ass, and I thought someone should tell him so he doesn’t keep walking around like he’s Jesus Christ able to walk on water,” I say as I pretend to straighten up my station.

“Do you guys know each other outside of this show? You two seem to really have it out for one another.”

I shake my head and paste a smile on my face, even though I’d like to give her my honest opinion of him. “No. Well, we metonce at a club when his cousin introduced him to my friend. He didn’t impress me then either.”

Mentioning the fact that my own father raved like some doting parent about Alex’s culinary prowess the time we all ate at CK doesn’t seem like anything I’d like to include at the moment. I know how it makes me sound. Jealous. Well, Alex March doesn’t need my insecurities helping him with Emma.

“Try not to let him get to you. Focus on you because I think you have a real chance of winning this thing, Kat. You’re great on camera, and Maria loved your dish today. Don’t let your dislike for him cloud your vision here.”

I nod, knowing she’s right. Whatever that egotistical bastard does or doesn’t do on this show has nothing to do with me. I need to remember that.

“Thanks, Emma. I think you’ve got a terrific chance at winning too. You forget that vegetable lasagna, and I’ll forget Alex. Deal?”

“Deal! Now I’m going to go home and watch some trashy TV to relax tonight. See you tomorrow!”

“Bright and early!”

Emma scribbles something on a slip of paper and hands it to me. “This is my number. I thought we could exchange, and if either one of us needs a pep talk and we aren’t here, we could call and hear a friendly voice.”

I take her number and smile. “That is so sweet. Thank you. Let me get you mine.”

When I finish writing out my number, I hand it to her, happy to have a friend here. “Thanks for being so great, Emma.”

She waves off my compliment and tucks the slip of paper I gave her into her purse. “We girls need to stick together. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

After she leaves, I busy myself fixing everything just the way I like it for the next day, and by the time I finish, I look up to find myself alone in the studio. I really must have been in the zone.

---