Page 43 of Desirous

I can’t mention falling for Kat or anything about how great things are with her, but I did have a good time in the end. “I always find a good time in everything I do, so I definitely can say I had fun with this. You have to make the best of what you’re given, and at times, that was absolutely where I was on this show, but all in all, I think I can say I had a good time.”

Ten minutes later after half a dozen more questions about the people I worked with, what I learned about being a chef, and what I plan to do if I win the million dollars, my interview is over. Maria and Shane thank me for my honesty, although I have a feeling they would have appreciated me more if I never told them the truth about what happened with Emma at CK. That’s on them. I walk away from all of this with a clear conscience.

I watch a few of the other contestants give their interviews, and then it’s time for Kat’s. As she walks by, I whisper, “Good luck,” and get a faint smile in return. She’s nervous, but she shouldn’t be. She proved herself to everyone here, especially Maria and Shane. She should be nothing but proud of her time on Chef on Chef.

“Kat, it’s been pretty wild, hasn’t it?” Shane says, giving everyone a laugh with the understatement of the entire show.

She takes a deep breath and lets it out in a rush before answering, “It has been wild, but it’s also been a great experience for me, and for that, I want to thank you and Maria.”

The entire studio falls silent at her response, and I sense all our fellow contestants and even the producers have a newfound respect for her. I like that for Kat. She deserved better than she got for most of the show, but she showed them she was tough. She says that makes her a bitch. I say it makes her a strong woman.

And there’s nothing sexier in my mind than a woman who knows her own power.

“What did you learn from being on Chef on Chef, Kat?” Maria asks.

Straightening her back, she sits tall on that purgatorial wooden stool and answers, “I learned that I shouldn’t be afraid to be who I am. Not everyone is going to like me, but that’s okay. I like me. In fact, I like me a lot, and I’m proud of what I did on this show.”

I can’t help but smile as every answer she gives gets better and better. By the time she’s finished, I’m sure she’s going to be the winner. That will make my surprise less than I hoped it would be, but her having that money to open her own restaurant will be all I could wish for her.

When she walks up to me after her interview is over and the next one has begun, she whispers, “I did okay, didn’t I? I wasn’t too cocky, was I?”

“You did great. Cocky or not, I think you’re going to win this.”

Kat shakes her head. “I can’t believe that. I wasn’t even here for a bunch of days. I bet it’ll be you. They love you. The camera loves you, and I bet the audience is going to be crazy about you.”

With a smile, I whisper, “Just as long as a certain chef is crazy about me. That’s all I care about.”

Before she walks away, she leans in and says in a low voice, “She is.”

Kat peeksaround me at the dinner I’m making her to celebrate the end of our time on Chef on Chef and my big surprise for her. “That smells incredible! You really should have won, you know. That lamb dish you made for the finale yesterday was so good I thought Maria was going to ask to have your babies.”

I shake my head and laugh at the way she describes what was actually more like Maria merely enjoying some good lamb. “I’m still blown away that Angus won. Not that his affinity for haggis wasn’t interesting, but I didn’t see him as the guy who was going to walk away with the million bucks. And how about him deciding to open an Asian fusion restaurant? Angus the Asian fusion lover. Go figure.”

She wraps her arms around my waist and presses her cheek to my back. “I did not see that coming. It’s okay, though. I think you and I can say we won more, even if we didn’t get the grand prize.”

Glancing back at her, I nod. “No doubt. Are you ready for the world’s best meatloaf?”

“I am,” she says with a giggle before releasing her hold on me. “I’ll get the plates. You work your magic.”

“I’m not sure what I can do with a lowly meatloaf, but I’ll try. Maybe a sprig of parsley will make it look pretty.”

Kat snuggles against my side,the two of us stuffed from eating too much meatloaf. Who knew something so run-of-the-mill could be so delicious? See, this is why she’s talented, even though she doesn’t think she is.

“I’m forever adding bacon and cheddar cheese to meatloaf from now on,” I say while I run my fingertip up and down her arm.

“You’ve never had it like that? I figured everyone at least put cheese in their meatloaf,” Kat says with a chuckle.

“Nope. In fact, when you mentioned making meatloaf, I cringed a little because I’ve always hated it.”

She sits up and stares at me in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me? We could have made something else, something at least that you knew you liked.”

“Because I trusted you. You’re a talented chef, Kat. I knew you wouldn’t suggest it if you didn’t think it was good, and you were right. I think the weight I put on from that dinner says so too,” I say with a smile.

Leaning in, she kisses me sweetly. “Thank you for believing in me. I don’t think I do that enough, but you’re so confident that when you say you trust me, it means a lot to me, Alex.”

“I do believe in you. You’re a great chef. In fact, I think you’d be an even better chef if you had a better place to work.”

I’ve been waiting for hours to spring this on her. Actually, it’s been days since I talked to my father and Kane about my idea, and all that time, I’ve been dying to tell her.

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