CHAPTER ELEVEN
Finding time alone with Aiden had become difficult during our week in Maine. The drama that surrounded us with Shep, the complaints about sabotage and the possible love triangle I was caught up in kept us a constant commodity in front of the cameras. No matter where we tried to sneak off to, the cameras found us.
I was never pulled into the producer’s trailer or confronted by Shep about Aiden’s allegations, and for that I was thankful. Gretchen seemed to push me towards Shep every chance she got, and I assumed it was all for better ratings. I avoided any extra contact with Shep, only doing what was asked and cautiously keeping my friendliness under control, even when I knew the cameras weren’t filming.
The woman who ran the bed and breakfast was sweet, but it was obvious she was becoming overwhelmed with the constant filming. I think we were all just as relieved on our final day there as she was, with me being the one with the most relief flowing through my veins. She was constantly watching over us, practically tucking us into bed at night. Each time I tried to sneak out of my room, she caught me and sent me back to bed like a grounded teenager. Any plans of meeting Aiden away from the cameras were botched by the redhead and her pink lipstick.
Gretchen rounded us up, and the crew carried our suitcases out of the bed and breakfast, placing them near a row of black Lincolns where we could see them. What a tactic, rattle our nerves knowing one of us would be grabbing our suitcase and leaving after this competition. No pressure. I had to focus more now than ever.
When Shep announced that yet another of us would be going home, we all took a quick glance at our remaining competition. I still felt I was a strong contender, but with so many others standing next to me, some professional chefs, I was still shaken by the news.
It was obvious that Shep was still irritated with Aiden as he walked around each station and made small talk with everyone except him. He tasted sauces, asked about the inspiration for each dish while the cameraman filmed, but he never approached Aiden’s station.
He complimented the creativity of my dish and slipped his hand on my lower back as he leaned in and tasted my cheese sauce. Aiden’s station was directly behind mine, and I knew he wanted him to see his hand in hopes of rattling him even further.
When Shep walked away, I looked over my shoulder at Aiden and winked. He smiled and nodded, letting me know he wasn’t perturbed by Shep’s brassiness.
“Hands up!” Shep announced loudly.
The guest judges this round were established chefs I’d never heard of before. One owned a restaurant in Las Vegas that he boasted was rated top-notch by Gordon Ramsey, and the other owned a restaurant in Los Angeles that Asher and Lauren had taken me to once. It was upscale, like really upscale, and if it weren’t for their generosity, I would have never been able to afford a meal there.
Shep had amazing things to say about Elle, Janine, and Derick’s dishes. The judges raved about how smooth my sauce was and how decadent it made my dish. Aiden was passed over even though it was his turn to be judged and Shep focused on the other three dishes, complimenting each before turning to Aiden.
“Your tuna is seared perfectly, but it could have used sauce,” Shep said. The other judges lapped up their bites and offered up some of the best compliments of the day, which seemed to irritate Shep.
They huddled together, discussing their opinions on each dish for what felt like an eternity while cameras focused on each of our faces. With so many compliments flying around, it was hard to determine which two contestants would be going home.
“Janine, Elle, and Claire,” Shep announced, and my heart sank while my fingers began to tremble. “You are the top three.” My heart fell back into place as my breath gushed out of me.
“Elle, you had the best dish of the day,” the Las Vegas restaurant owner announced proudly.
I was relieved to be in the top three and not up for elimination, but my heart raced as I stared at Aiden behind his station. He looked calm, almost cocky as his name was called for the bottom three.
Derick was safe, and he joined the three of us, while Sam, Aiden, and Liz stood before the judges.
“Sam, you’re safe,” Shep said, and Sam pumped his fist and walked over to us. That left Aiden and Liz, an older woman I’d only spoken to once or twice.
I closed my eyes and held my breath while Shep announced Aiden’s name. “Your dish was dry and lacked flavor that I would expect from a professional chef,” Shep said coldly. “But, you’re safe.” My heart calmed, and my fists unclenched at the news.
Liz was quickly ushered to the front where she was given her last comments by the judges. Shep offered up some encouraging words about her skills and told her never to stop cooking before letting his eyes fall back on the remaining six that stood before him.
“We won’t be getting on a plane. Instead, we’ll all travel by private car to the next farm in Vermont,” he announced.
Gretchen quickly rushed in and organized the group. She sent Aiden in a car with Derick and Sam. Elle, Janine, and I were assigned another car. I blew a kiss to Aiden as he climbed into the backseat of his black Lincoln. He winked and shot me a beautifully warm smile.
“You two are becoming quite the item,” Elle said. I scooted into the seat next to her and let Janine have the other window seat. “Yeah, he’s starting to get to me,” I admitted.
“So, this isn’t just for ratings?” Janine asked. “It’s real?” Her blonde hair was perfectly smooth and straight. I didn’t know how she managed to stay so put together all the time. My dark hair was frizzed from the stress of the competition and the humidity.
I shook my frazzled head. “Of course it’s not for ratings.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just something that others had suggested,” she said.
“I’m actually doing my best to avoid any drama caught on camera,” I admitted. “That’s why I haven’t spent much time with Aiden this week. The redheaded babysitter at the B&B was always on watch.”
Elle laughed. “Maybe they hired her to spy on your whereabouts.”
Janine leaned forward and covered my hand with hers. “You really like him, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I really do,” I said with a sigh and leaned back in my seat.
“So, there is nothing between you and Shep?” she asked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
“No, of course not,” I scoffed and closed my eyes.
I hated that so many rumors had been flung around during these past weeks. I wanted to ask her what she’d heard, and who had said it, but I didn’t. I wanted to relax, enjoy my airplane free trip to the next farm, and hopefully once there, spend some alone time with Aiden.
“I thought he was just a fling,” Elle said. “Ya know, since you’d been with the same man since you were twelve.”
Janine’s mouth fell open at that bit of news.
“It may have started out like that, but I guess I’m just not the fling type,” I said and shot Elle a knowing glance. I wanted to say, “Like the type to leave a bar with a stranger after just three drinks,” but I didn’t.
She smirked back, reading my mind.
“I just don’t want the cameras catching any of this drama,” I said. “I want to be known for my cooking, and that’s it.”
Elle barked out a laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“Well, Claire, you’re already known for drama, that whole scandal with Asher Reynolds and all.”
I hated that everyone knew so much about my life. When I was held up with Asher and Lauren, the tabloids dug into my entire life and brought out every skeleton I’d ever tried to hide, which thankfully, weren’t many. But I didn’t appreciate the world knowing that I’d flunked out of college my last semester and had to go back to finish. Or that I’d been with the same man since I was twelve, only to be dumped over a decade later. Hell, even the fact that I once played a man in a school play was all out there for everyone to read.
“And that’s more than enough reason for me to not want that here,” I snapped. “I deserve a break from the tabloids, don’t ya think?”
I leaned my head against the leather seat and closed my eyes again, wishing I’d sent Janine into the car first so I could stare out the window on our trip. Instead, I pretended to sleep so the barrage of questions would end.
The car came to a halt just as I almost fell asleep for real. I opened my eyes and looked out the window past Janine, noticing we had stopped at a rest area along the highway. The doors opened, and Janine and Elle both got out, leaving me room to scoot from my middle position and out onto the hot pavement.
None of the filming crew pulled their cameras from the vans, so I saw it as a chance to steal some time alone with Aiden. He must have been thinking the same thing because as soon as my feet hit the ground, he was headed in my direction. He gripped my arm and gently tugged me towards the small brick building with restroom signs.
“This has been killing me,” he muttered, slinging me into his arms and pushing my back against the wall of the building. His lips pressed into mine, and his tongue furiously devoured me. I instantly melted into his arms at his touch, and my heart raced with panic at how close I was letting him get to me, how much I was needing him.
Elle was right, this was supposed to be a fling, a rebound from my decade long romance with Royce. I was here to cook, to win, to boost my career into high gear, not fall for Aiden or anyone.
“Get a room,” Derick teased as he passed us to enter the men’s room.
Aiden pulled his lips from mine and moved his hands down my side to pull me into his erection. “This week has been hard,” he said.
“Not as hard as you are right now,” I teased.
“Five minutes,” Gretchen announced loudly.
“They’ll be getting their cameras out any minute if we aren’t careful,” Aiden warned.
I gave him a quick peck on the lips, and he squeezed my ass cheeks before we separated. He walked into the men’s room, and I walked around the other side of the building, taking the long route to the women’s.
“I’m sorry you’re going through all this. You don’t deserve it,” Elle said as I approached the bathroom sink. She pulled a towel from the dispenser and winked at me. “But on a good note, no publicity is bad publicity, just remember that. Just lighten up and enjoy the ride.”
I stared into the mirror. My eyes were red and blotchy from pretending to sleep so long in the car, and I knew stress was taking its toll. Janine popped out of the bathroom stall and quickly ran her hands under the water, meeting my eyes in the mirror. She wiped them dry on her jeans, then used her hip to push open the door, giving me a little wave before leaving.
Maybe Elle was right. I needed to lighten up and just have fun for a change.