Page 93 of Fire and Icing

“What happened?” She rubs her eyes and looks around.

“You fell asleep. We both did.”

“What time is it?”

I stand up, grab my phone off the side table, flick on a bedside lamp and tell her the time.

“I’m calling the kitchen for dinner,” I say. “They can deliver it.”

“Good. I’m starving.”

Emberleigh stretches her arms overhead and then tucks her legs in under herself and curls onto the love seat. I try my best not to look at her with my feelings written all over my face. With her, timing is going to be everything.

The next morning, we return from breakfast with the other contestants to find a notice slipped under our door.

Congratulations, you’re one of three couples in the semi-finals.

Contestants need to arrive on set at eleven a.m.

Today’s Category will be Opposites Attract–A Fusion of Flavors.

Desserts will be judged on:

Balance of Contrast – Flavor opposites must work together, not compete.

Technique Mastery – structure, texture, flavor execution

Cohesive and Aesthetic Presentation

I hand Emberleigh the paper.

She reads it and says, “We’re going to do a Mexican/French fusion.”

“Which do I get to be?” I ask her. “The Mexican or the French guy?”

I fake accents for each and she looks at me through her lashes as if I’m incorrigible.

“I’m going to work out in the gym,” I offer. “Want to come? We’ve got a few hours before we have to be on set.”

Surprisingly, she says, “Give me a minute to get ready.”

Emberleigh emerges from the bathroom in a cute workout outfit of lavender leggings and a matching workout tee.

“I thought you didn’t do gym things,” I say.

“I don’t. I just like the sets. I wear them because they’re cozy and cute.”

“They definitely are,” I say without thinking.

Her eyes snap to mine. I just smile.

“So, tell me what we’re baking today.” I shift the subject before she has a chance to protest my compliment.

Emberleigh fills me in on her plans to make a spiced Mexican hot chocolate churro pavlova.

“We’ll fill the pavlova with dark chocolate mousse infused with chili and cinnamon. Top it with a swirl of cool whipped mascarpone-lime cream, and finish it with candied pepitas, lime zest, and a hint of sea salt.”

“I know what hot chocolate and churros are. We’ve got churros everywhere in California. But I have no idea what a pavlova is. And the rest of that sounded really unusual … but not bad.”

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