Page 79 of The Baking Games
A part of me wants to quit the competition and run screaming for the hills. Of course, there are no hills here, so I guess I’d just run screaming into traffic.
The other part of me wants to beg the producers to chain me to Savannah again. It was the happiest time of my life to be chained to that woman for three days. I imagine what being with her all the time would be like.
That’s it. I’m making an appointment for a mental health evaluation as soon as I get home. This isn’t my brain.
I remember seeing those old 80’s commercials that showed a fried egg and said, “This is your brain on drugs.” Well, this is my brain on Savannah.
“Earth to Rhett.” There’s Zara’s hand again. She’s staring at me, obviously annoyed, as I look at the door instead of the pool table. Apparently, it’s my turn.
“Oh. Sorry. I was just, um…”
“Why don’t you just tell her?”
“Tell who?”
“Savannah. Why don’t you just tell her you love her?”
My mouth drops open. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on, man. Everybody can see you salivating over that girl. Everybody but her, of course.”
“Not true.”
“Liar,” she says, putting chalk on her cue. “The great Rhett Jennings is in love with his pastry chef school rival, and she has no idea. The movie script practically writes itself.”
I take my shot and miss. “You’re wrong.”
“No, I’m not. And it’s okay if you’re not ready to admit it. But you may only get one shot, Rhett. Don’t miss it like you just missed that one.”
SAVANNAH
Today is the reward challenge. For some reason, I woke up really missing my sister. Like the kind of missing someone where you could make a bad decision and leave the competition.
But knowing my sister, she would kill me. Like literally go to prison for stabbing me with her little craft scissors if I came home early.
She would never let me live it down, and she would taunt me forever until I needed a restraining order. So, no, I won’t be quitting.
“Good morning, contestants. Welcome to the week five reward challenge!” I don’t know how Dan is always so chipper, day or night. I’d like to see what medications he takes and maybe borrow a pill or two.
“Good morning,” we all say in unison like robots.
“Today’s challenge is a decorating duel!” I have no idea what that means. “The judges have chosen a beautiful cake from the Internet. Your task is to replicate it exactly and finish with the fastest time. You have all the tools and decor items at your stations. Judges will be looking at your attention to detail. The cakes have already been prepared and have cooled. All you have to do is decorate!”
“What do we win?” Maggie calls out. She’s gotten a lot more vocal and comfortable in this competition.
“Glad you asked, Maggie,” Dan says, winking at her. I swear those two are flirting with each other all the time. “The top two contestants will get a very special reward today. I can’t say what it is right now, but trust me, everyone wants this reward.”
Ooh, mystery. I like a good mystery.
A few moments later, Dan counts us down, and we begin. We have ninety minutes to decorate a very intricate cake, and I don’t know how any of us will do it.
The picture of the cake appears on the screen, and I want to cry. It’s a replica of a Christmas tree, complete with detailed little ornaments on every limb.
I stare at the image for what seems like ten minutes before my hands finally start to move. Everyone is hard at work, and no one is looking anywhere but at the picture or their cake.
I’m curious about today’s reward and want to win it. Being here has brought out a competitive side of me that I didn’t even know existed. It feels good to strive for something and actually see it within reach.
“Man, this is going to be a challenge,” Rhett says in my direction.