Chapter 12 Kelsi
T he early morning light filtered through the kitchen windows, casting a warm glow over the organized chaos before Drew. His hands moved with practiced precision, slicing vegetables and seasoning meat, but his thoughts were miles away. Today wasn’t just any day. Today, he and Kelsi would have “the talk”—the one that would decide how they navigated their relationship amid the intensity of the show. The weight of it pressed on him, a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.
A soft knock on the door snapped him from his reverie. He wiped his hands on a towel, his heart racing as he crossed the kitchen to open it.
Kelsi stood there, a tentative smile on her lips, holding a small bag in one hand. "Morning, Chef," she greeted lightly. "Brought us some fuel. Thought we might need it for the day."
Drew couldn’t help but smile, the tension in his chest easing slightly at the sight of her. "You're a lifesaver," he said, stepping aside to let her in. "Coffee’s already on if you want some."
Kelsi set the bag down on the kitchen island and inhaled the comforting scent of brewing coffee. The quiet domesticity of the moment didn’t escape Drew. It felt right, her being here, sharing the calm before the storm. But the unspoken tension in the room quickly reminded him that this wasn’t just another morning.
Kelsi broke the silence first. "So," she began, taking a breath, "I guess we should talk about us. About how we’re going to handle things moving forward."
Drew nodded, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, you’re right. It’s getting complicated." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Amelia’s circling, the media’s getting nosier, and we can’t keep pretending nothing’s happening between us."
Kelsi’s eyes softened, and for a moment, the vulnerability in them tightened something deep in his chest. "Drew, I need to know," she said carefully. "Is this—are we —worth it? Because if we’re doing this, I need you to be all in. No doubts, no second-guessing."
Her words hit him square in the gut. He stepped forward, taking her hand gently, and met her gaze with a fierce honesty he’d kept locked away for too long. "Kelsi, you’ve brought something back into my life that I didn’t even realize was missing. You’ve reignited my love for cooking, for... everything. So yes, you’re worth it. You’re worth everything ."
Her eyes glistened, and she squeezed his hand, a smile breaking through. "Okay then," she said, her voice steady. "How do we make this work?"
For the next hour, they worked through their options. They talked about telling the producers after the finale, going public when the time was right, or keeping their relationship discreet for now. Each suggestion came with risks, but the more they talked, the clearer their path became.
"What about your career?" Drew asked, voicing a concern that had gnawed at him for days. "If word gets out, it could hurt your brand. You’ve built something amazing, Kelsi. I don’t want to be the reason you lose any of it."
Kelsi smiled softly, shaking her head. "Drew, my followers value authenticity. They care about the story behind the food—and this," she gestured between them, "is part of my story now. Sure, some people won’t get it. But the ones who matter will."
His heart swelled at her words. How had he gotten so lucky? He reached out, gently cupping her cheek. "You’re amazing, you know that?"
She grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I do. Now, are you going to kiss me or just keep talking?"
Drew didn’t need to be asked twice. He pulled her closer, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both tender and charged with everything they hadn’t said. For a moment, the world outside disappeared. There were no cameras, no media, no Amelia threatening to expose them. Just them, and the connection that had been building from the moment they met.
When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads rested together, and Drew whispered, "Whatever happens, we face it together. Deal?"
Kelsi smiled, her breath warm against his lips. "Deal."
They spent the rest of the morning going over strategies, sneaking in stolen kisses between ideas. Drew marveled at how easily they fit together—Kelsi’s innovative thinking balancing his methodical approach. She understood the public side of things in a way he never could, and he realized just how much he respected her for it. By the time they had to leave for the studio, they had a solid plan: stay discreet, be honest when necessary, and face whatever came their way—together.
Before they left, Drew pulled her into one last embrace, holding her close. "You know," he murmured, "I never thought I’d find someone who gets me the way you do. Who challenges me and has my back."
Kelsi looked up at him, her smile soft but full of conviction. "Right back at you, Chef. We make a pretty good team, don’t we?"
"The best," Drew agreed, feeling a surge of certainty. "And we’re going to prove it to everyone."
They left separately, as they always did, maintaining their professional distance for the cameras. But as Drew arrived at the studio, watching Kelsi pull into the parking lot just a few spots away, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. He wasn’t just here to judge a competition. He was here to show the world what passion—real, undeniable passion—looked like. And Kelsi was part of that story, as much as she was part of his.
As he walked onto set, greeting the crew with his usual calm authority, Drew felt a new energy coursing through him. Whatever came next—Amelia, the finale, the inevitable scrutiny—they’d face it head-on. Because for the first time in years, Drew Carlson felt alive. And it wasn’t just because of cooking—it was because of her .
Whatever challenges lay ahead, he knew one thing for sure: his life had been forever changed by a pink-haired, fiercely passionate woman who saw through all his defenses and loved him anyway.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way.