Page 53 of Falling for You
She took her bottle and nearly downed it in three gulps. Her skin was tender and flaming red, a tell that her lies were cooking her from the inside. Over the last few weeks, she’d had every opportunity to tell Evan that she and Eric had dated. She could have told him one night after work when it was only the two of them in the diner. She could have told him last week when she was over for a sleepover in his pillow fort. They’d spent the night cuddling and watching kung fu movies, and CeCe didn’t want to break the spell. Their relationship seemed too close to perfect, something that was foreign to CeCe.
Max stepped between the pair. He licked his lips twice before speaking, struggling not to stutter. CeCe felt white-hot flames of guilt course through becauseshemade her friend this uncomfortable. “W-we were just saying, why don’t you two go through the checklist for the food truck? I’ll stay here and do the interview with what’s-his-face?”
Evan’s face fell, and he looked between his boss and his girlfriend. “Did something happen?” Snaking his arm around her waist he added, “are you okay being here?”
His look of utter concern made her stomach sour. Carefully twisting the top back on her empty water bottle, she nodded, her neck so tense she felt the tendons pop with the movement. Her mouth felt dry and grainy, so she yanked Evan’s bottle from his hands and took another long pull. When she’d finally collected herself, she felt like a drooling, defective bobblehead.
Before anyone in their group could say anything, a familiar voice boomed behind her. “I thought I saw the unmistakable pixie that is CeCe LaRue.”
CeCe stifled a groan as she turned to face her past head-on, literally. “Hello, Eric,” she greeted with a tone she hoped sounded natural. She wanted to reach out and slap him for using her old nickname. A nickname she’d never really liked, as she was conscious of her height.
Eric looked just like his TV show, overly polished and shiny. There was at least a quarter inch of stage makeup on his face, and his hair was slicked back with so much product, she feared it was a fire hazard.Everyone, keep your propane tanks away from our fearless host!
Eric snapped to his cameraman, who lowered the camera and took a dramatic step back. In a low tone only she could hear, he said, “I’ve been looking for you all day. Why haven’t you returned my texts?”
CeCe stood to her full five-foot-two inches and asked, “How’s your wife?”
The question hit its mark and had its intended effect. Eric blanched, adjusting his collar and finally acknowledging they weren’t alone. “Gentlemen, nice to meet you. I’m Eric Watson.”
Evan looked back and forth between Eric and CeCe before extending his hand for a shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Evan Lawson.”
Before the other man could reply, Max leaned in and introduced himself. “And I’m Max Sanchez. We’re looking forward to getting started tomorrow. Thanks for putting this on here in central Ohio. We don’t always get the big events and competitions.”
Eric snapped again, bringing the cameras and lights back on. “Well, it’s nice to meet you all. Coming to Ohio seemed like a great way to showcase other midwestern chefs. I guess the culinary world exists outside of Chicago,” he said with a laugh that grated on CeCe. The assistants and cameraman laughed at the terrible joke. “Looking forward to seeing what you’ve got,” Eric said, his gaze latching onto CeCe.
When Eric and his entourage finally walked away, CeCe felt herself deflate as the tension eased from her muscles. Who knew seeing your heartless, cheating ex could be so exhausting?
Max handed her his unopened water bottle, and CeCe drained it as she collected her thoughts. Next to her, she felt Evan tense as Eric laughed at something another contestant said. It was clear he wasn’t a fan of the man. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look a little ...”—Evan studied her face and finally offered—“red.”
CeCe’s cheeks burned under Evan’s attentive stare, and she couldn’t hide her nerves any longer. “Nervous about tomorrow, I guess.”
Evan’s eyes traced the lines of her face, inventorying her expression before responding. “What did he say to you? You look like you saw a ghost.”
CeCe spluttered. “A ghost? I hardly think seeing your ex ...” she faltered and hastily added, “boss. Ex-boss. Seeing a former boss can be stressful. Especially since we didn’t end things on great terms.”
Before Evan could respond, Max stepped closer and took their empty water bottles. “There’s a gap now before the orientation. You guys want to find some lunch? I need to find Gin.”
As if on cue, Evan’s stomach rumbled and the mood lightened. “You want to try that Korean place we passed on the way into town?”
CeCe smiled, knowing how much Evan loved all things Korean. While Buckeye Falls was growing and offering a wider variety of restaurants and shops, it still lacked anything Korean. “That sounds great. I’ll hop over to the restroom and meet you guys out by the truck.”
Max clicked away on his cell phone, alerting Ginny to their plans. She had taken over the diner’s promotion of not only the competition, but the general marketing as well. Max would have been happy with just the locals knowing about the competition by word-of-mouth, but Ginny wouldn’t let it go. CeCe was glad Ginny was tenacious, as the exposure could really take the diner places. Granted, she never wanted the diner to be like Eric’s restaurant in Chicago, but there was definitely room to grow.
“Gin will be here in twenty. She’s mingling with some vendors.” Max tucked his phone into his pocket and looked at his staff. She could tell he was nervous. She needed to set the record straight, but it wouldn’t do well to upset their flow before the competition. “I’ll meet you guys later on. Enjoy lunch.”
Evan took her elbow and turned CeCe toward the exits where the restrooms were. “I can meet you over there. Does that work?” CeCe merely nodded as she stared into Evan’s honest eyes. They were so clear, so open to her. While his blind trust should have made her feel invincible, it made her stomach sour.
CeCe bolstered herself. Maybe they could get through the competition without Eric being a problem? Heck, maybe she wouldn’t have to tell him ever. Then Evan would always look at her like that, with an affection that made her feel six feet tall. “Sure,” she managed to say, despite her dry throat.
Evan kissed her cheek and promised, “See you in a minute.” CeCe shivered at his touch, and not in a bad way. She stood in place and watched Max and Evan disappear into the crowd. She sighed and turned in search of the restrooms and a few moments of peace.
As soon as she started walking, she hit a wall. A familiar wall that smelled like expensive cologne and a hint of spice. “Finally got you alone.” Eric’s voice was a low rumble.
CeCe pulled free of Eric’s grasp and put a foot of space between them, but it wasn’t enough. Sharing the same oxygen as him seemed too much, too intimate. After Evan’s kiss a moment ago, she wondered how she ever fell prey to Eric’s charms. Not knowing what to say, CeCe simply asked, “What do you want?”
Eric smirked, and it made CeCe’s stomach lurch. “I want you,” he said.
Her eyes rolled without her permission. “That’s a pretty cheesy line for such a famous chef. I’m sure Hilary loves it when you flirt with everyone you meet.”
