CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Shep arranged for a private jet to take us to Austin, where we would stay in his apartment and prepare for the upcoming finale. To avoid being seen and making me the source of more tabloid fodder, we decided to leave that evening so we could arrive in Austin before daybreak in order to sneak me into his place.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Lauren asked. I held the phone to my ear so Shep couldn’t hear her through my speaker and snuck off into the bathroom.
“I think he’s sincere. After all, Asher approved him,” I whispered, hoping I wasn’t being stupid and naïve again. “And he’s been a perfect gentleman and refuses to touch me until after the competition.”
“But why his apartment?” she asked. “It’s terribly risky.”
“Because I need to practice, and although my room here has a nice kitchenette, it would be better if I had something more professional.”
Lauren sighed. “Okay, I get it. Just keep the business in the kitchen, you hear me?”
I laughed. “Promise.”
“I just don’t want him pushing you into another relationship. I think you’re vulnerable right now and need some time to heal after this.” I could hear Lauren’s worry over the line as we hung up.
I dearly hoped I was doing the right thing. I’d told her the truth. Shep had been a perfect gentleman. He hadn’t brought up the feelings he had for me or made me feel pressured in any way. I felt safe with him. I trusted him.
The jet waited for us as we ran across the tarmac and up the long metal steps. The door closed behind us, and we were instructed to take our seats. A blonde flight attendant, tall and very attractive, immediately made her way to Shep.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked. He didn’t seem interested in her; he simply smiled and declined.
“How about you?” she asked sweetly. I shook my head, even though I was starving and could think of about a hundred things I wanted.
The flight was only about an hour, and Shep promised to have a meal waiting for me upon arriving at his place. I was excited to see where he lived after seeing the farm he grew up on as a child.
During the flight, I caught myself asking more and more questions about his and Aiden’s history. I was mortified to find out about some of the things Aiden had done when younger, such as drugging girls at parties, videotaping sex without his partner’s knowledge, and hitting on much younger girls. I felt sick that I had fallen for his game.
“That’s when I decided to grow up,” Shep said. He’d already started his farm to table movement while in college and was working as the head chef at a five-star restaurant in downtown Austin. The fame and the money had gone to his head, and Aiden somehow seemed fun and exciting. “Once that happened with my sister, it was a wake-up call,” Shep noted solemnly. “I straightened up, focused on my career, and Aiden, well, he didn’t.”
The plane landed, and the attendant announced our arrival. Shep gathered our bags and delivered them out the door to someone on the other side before escorting me out onto the steps. A car waited for us, a long black Lincoln with tinted windows. Wow, he was serious about keeping this a secret.
Once in the back seat of the car, he was on his phone pushing buttons and sliding his screen like Asher. “Do you have a preference on what we eat?” he asked.
On cue, my stomach rumbled. “Just food.”
His apartment building was a tall structure with a modern look. Windows lined the building, wrapping around it for a view of the city, the harbor, and the countryside. It was beautiful.
“Good evening, sir.” A man dressed in a red vest and white pants greeted him as we walked into the main lobby. He smiled at me as I walked beside Shep and I could tell he was curious about me being snuck into the place so late at night.
“Has our dinner been delivered yet?” Shep asked.
“Yes, sir. It’s being set up now.”
We rode the elevator to the top floor and stepped out onto marble floors. Shep put his key into a large red metal door and motioned for me to enter first. It was beautiful, breathtaking really. Light teal walls were accented against brown and white brick and cream carpeting. The furniture was sleek and didn’t take the focus away from the large windows that lined the room.
“Wow,” I breathed.
“Not what you expected?” he asked with a chuckle.
Dark brown stairs led to the next floor where I assumed the bedrooms were located. A short smoked glass wall lined the open floor plan on that level, making the place look even larger than it was. I loved it.
A man exited the kitchen wearing a black tuxedo and white gloves. He smiled at both of us, then motioned towards the dining room. “Dinner is set up for you when you’re ready,” he said and then showed himself out the door.
I was starving and had no time for acting shy. “Help yourself,” Shep said as I looked at him with imploring eyes.
In the dining room, a long mahogany table sat in the center of the marble floor. White china was set at two place settings, and a buffet of food was between them. My eyes danced over all the selections. I reached over, grabbed a scallop, and popped it into my mouth. Shep laughed at my impatient behavior.
He pulled out my chair, then sat across from me and smiled. “This looks amazing,” he said. I agreed. Whipped Yukon gold potatoes, Mexican baby sweet corn, seared halibut, scallops, crispy Brussel sprouts and two large New York strips were all arranged delicately on the table in front of us. I tore into the food without waiting for Shep. I ate most of the scallops, a huge scoop of the potatoes, and an entire steak. He stared at me with an affection I hadn’t seen since Royce as I continued to reach across the table and swipe Brussel sprouts to pop into my mouth.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you were starving,” he said playfully.
I would have said something snarky back, but my mouth was full.
He showed me to the guest room where I would sleep and pointed across the hall to his room. “If you need anything, I’m right there.” I held my breath, waiting for him to kiss me and was surprised when he didn’t. He didn’t even mention his feelings. But the way he looked at me, it was clear how he felt. I was starting to feel it too.
“Rise and shine.” Shep’s voice echoed through the apartment. I lifted my head from the pillow and looked towards my door. I got up, walked out into the hall, and leaned over the smoked glass wall that kept me from falling onto the first floor. Shep looked up, smiled, and held up the whisk in his hand. “Time to get to work, we only have four days now,” he directed.
Working with Shep was not only educational, it was fun. He laughed at me endearingly when I botched my poached egg and held my hand steady while I fileted my first whole fish. There were so many techniques I hadn’t learned, like how to perfectly boil a lobster, how to perfect my roux, how to make ceviche, and how to quick pickle vegetables and fruits. I was learning a lot and realizing along the way that I needed to learn a lot more in order to beat Aiden. He had been cooking his entire adult life. I had only started recently and was limited to what I learned on cooking shows and by reading recipes or experimenting in the kitchen. It was amazing having a professional chef by my side teaching me all the tricks of the trade.
The four days flew by, and on the last night, I celebrated with a glass of champagne while Shep enjoyed sparkling cider.
We walked out to his balcony and up a flight of thick white concrete stairs to the roof terrace. “One of the perks of having the penthouse,” he said casually. It was magnificent. A large stone fireplace was in the center of the roof, and while he fought with the flame against the wind up this high, I took in the spectacular view of the city. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes,” I agreed.
I sat down on the large white sectional that was placed strategically in front of the fire while still facing the city lights. Shep sat down beside me, close enough that I could snuggle under his arm. After spending so much time alone with Shep, secluded from any of the drama I’d been used to, I was beginning to have some very strong feelings for him. I couldn’t imagine leaving this place, leaving him, not even to compete. I wanted to stay here, right here in his arms and never go back to reality.
He held out his glass, and I clinked mine against it for a toast. “To winning the competition and finally realizing your dreams,” he said and pressed his lips to my forehead.
“I’ve already realized my dream,” I said softly. His eyes fell to mine, and I was so close to his lips I could almost taste them. I leaned in, pressed my lips against his, and melted into his arms.
Shep pulled back, his eyes filled with concern. My body was tingling, and I ached for him to be inside of me. It was ready for him; my heart was ready for him.
“Claire, you know how I feel about you,” he said calmly. “I don’t want to risk ruining this.”
“I was foolish before, but after this week, getting to know you, learning how wrong I had been about you…” I kissed him again. “I feel the same way about you.”
He sipped his cider and leaned forward to put it on the table before standing. “Let’s get some sleep,” he said, reaching out a hand to help me up.
I didn’t understand. Had his feelings changed for me somehow?
He must have read my uncertainty because he added, “This is what I want, you and I together, but not like this,” he said, pulling me to my feet. “Once you win the competition, and you’ve had time to absorb everything, if this is still what you want, if I’m what you want, I’ll be here waiting for you, I promise.”
Although my body burned, I admired him even more for doing what was right.
I took his hand, and he led me into the house. He kissed me softly on the cheek as he left me at the doorway of my bedroom, went into his room, and shut the door.