Episode 101
EPISODE 101
CALLA-LOST
Emily
This whole thing is maddening.
Misty seriously thinks I’m the one who may be the biggest threat here? Why does anyone have to be a threat? Does she truly think it wasn’t an accident?
I’m pissed as all bloody hell, and doubly pissed that Misty thinks I harmed Ariel on purpose. It’s all rubbish, really, but perhaps it’s better if Misty believes it wasn’t an accident—at least for now.
River has met my gaze a time or two since Ariel got injured. He doesn’t look pleased. Newsflash. Neither am I!
Of course, I agreed to do something. I was going to salt the dish or some other harmless tactic.
I can’t help but watch River, though. He looks brilliant in that apron and nothing else on top. Seeing his bare chest triggers all sorts of memories—the feel of his muscles under my fingertips, of his big cock inside me…
Damn.
I need to focus.
Misty, oddly, seems to be listening intently to Katie for once. Maybe she’s decided to try winning this cook-off on merits. Who the hell knows? That woman says one thing one minute and something completely contrary the next.
I slide next to Katie as she and Misty are adding the rinsed greens to the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Misty hasn’t added the pepper yet.
“Excellent,” Katie says. “You want to layer the greens in gently on top of the onions and garlic.”
Misty inhales. “It smells amazing already. How long do we sauté the greens?”
Katie gives Misty a smile.
All the while, I’m wondering what planet I’ve suddenly landed on…or rather, what alien life force has taken over my cooking partner. She’s actually being nice to Katie.
“We’ll give them about five to seven minutes,” Katie says. “You want the greens to wilt but also retain some of their vibrant green color. Keep stirring occasionally.”
“What can I do, Katie?” I ask.
“Grab the pepper that Misty chopped. We’ll add a little at a time.”
I nod and pick up the small ceramic bowl of the light-orange pepper. “The greens look dry. Do we need to add broth or something?”
“Not yet,” Katie says. “First, we let the natural juices in the greens come out. That’s where we get the earthy, nutty flavor that his dish is famous for. Once they’ve wilted down, we may add some liquid, but many times we don’t have to. Plus, it adds cooking time because the liquid has to cook off, and it may dilute the natural flavor of the dish.”
I watch as Misty moves the greens with tongs. To my surprise, the greens do produce a lot of moisture. Not that I doubted Katie, but when I sauté spinach, it wilts quickly but produces virtually no liquid at all.
“We’re ready for the pepper now, Emily.”
I take the bowl. “How much?”
“These little boogers pack a wallop. I like it spicy, but we’ll be getting mega spice from Desi’s jerk chicken, so I don’t want to overdo it. Let’s start with about a teaspoon.”
I glance around. Since moving to the States, I’ve had to get used to measuring in volume rather than weight. “Where are the measuring spoons?”
“Just eyeball it,” Katie laughs. “That’s what we all do.”
I nod and take a pinch of the pepper in my gloved hand. That looks about right.
“Go ahead and sprinkle that onto the greens while Misty continues to sauté,” Katie says. “Then we’ll add some fresh thyme sprigs and salt and pepper to taste.”
Salt and pepper? I glance around. I couldn’t find any salt when I needed it. But out of nowhere, Katie brandishes a set of salt and pepper grinders and hands them to me while handing Misty a fork.
“Emily, you add just a little each of salt and pepper, and Misty, I want you to take a taste and tell me if it needs more of either.”
How will Misty know what it’s supposed to taste like? Then again, she did say she’d had the dish before. She just didn’t know what it was called.
I grind a little of each onto the greens.
“Misty?” Katie says. “Be sure to blow on it. It will be hot.”
“What should I be looking for in the flavor?” Misty asks.
“The greens should be tender, but not mushy,” Katie replies. “The flavor should be bold with some spice.”
Misty takes the fork, twirls a small amount of greens onto it, and then daintily blows on it before taking it between her lips.
Her eyes widen. “My God! It’s delicious.”
Katie laughs. “Did you think it wouldn’t be?”
“I knew it would be good.” Misty swallows. “But this is excellent.”
Katie beams. “So many people think greens are blah, but this is truly one of my favorite dishes, and also one of my specialties. I’m so glad you like it. I always say that if it makes you hear steel drums, it’s done!”
Misty turns to me and hands me a clean fork. “You’ve got to try it, Emily.”
“Sure. All right.” I take the fork and help myself, blowing carefully to cool the greens. Then I taste it. Flavor bursts onto my tongue. It’s spicy yet earthy, as if I’m eating it right out of the ground. The consistency isn’t slimy at all, and the garlic, onion, and thyme are all perfect complements. For a moment, I actually think I hear steel drums. “I agree with Misty. It’s divine.”
“It’s only going to get better.” Katie smiles. “Go ahead and take it off the heat, Misty. We’re going to add a splash of coconut milk to give it a touch of tropical sweetness.”
“I’m not sure it can get any more delicious,” Misty says, turning off the burner.
“Trust me, it can.” Katie moves the pan to a cooling rack. “We’ll let it cool for a bit before we add the coconut milk.” She smiles again. “You ladies did a fantastic job! If you’ll excuse me for a moment, I need to see to a few things. I’ll be back in five minutes, and we’ll add the coconut milk.”
“Thanks, Katie,” Misty says, returning the chef’s smile. “This has been a blast!”
A blast?
Which personality am I dealing with now?
Once Katie has left the kitchen, I turn to Misty. “So you enjoyed yourself after all.”
Misty doesn’t meet my gaze. “I just figured I’d give it my all. Once I start a project, I always do my best.”
I can’t help raising my eyebrows at her statement. Apparently Misty and I have found a common ground, because I don’t believe in doing anything half-arsed either. Maybe she’s given up on sabotage and decided to try to win the right way. I still don’t trust her, but perhaps I could offer an olive branch. It couldn’t hurt.
“Listen,” I say to her. “Let’s start over. I don’t know anything about you.”
“You know I’m the heiress to the Holmes Hotel empire.”
“Yes, and you know I’m a fashion designer in New York, but what do we truly know about each other?”
Misty looks away. “No one ever asked me anything.”
“You didn’t ask me anything either.”
She shrugs. “True. I guess I have a difficult time getting to know people. You and Ariel got to know each other before the men arrived. You and Sienna too.”
Her mention of Ariel makes me wonder how she’s doing. I look around the kitchen and raise my voice. “Does anyone know how Ariel is? Marc and Sebastian seem to have disappeared.”
“Seb said she was going to be okay,” Alex says.
“Oh, good.” I remove my gloves and wiggle my clammy fingers. “I’d go check, but I’m sure I’m the last person she wants to see.”
Misty nudges me.
“What?” I say.
“Nice move. It helps to look sorry.”
I open my mouth to tell Misty that I am sorry, but instead, I change the subject back to her interests. “Tell me something about yourself.”
She scoffs. “Like what?”
“Something other than your riches and your infatuation with River Barrett.”
“It’s not an infatuation.”
I resist an eyeroll. “Okay. Not an infatuation. Tell me something that has nothing to do with your family’s empire or why you’re here.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
For the love of God… “I’ll start, then. My favorite color is blue. What’s yours?”
“Blue.”
“There. We have that in common. I’ll go again. My goal in life is to be a top fashion designer and see my designs on celebrities at the top galas in New York and Los Angeles. You go.”
“I’ve been to a lot of those galas. They’re not all they’re cracked up to be, Em.”
Em. She’s using a nickname. That’s a good sign. “Tell you what. Next time you go to one, I’ll personally design a spectacular outfit for you. Deal?”
She smiles then, and it seems truly genuine. “I’d love that.”
“Great. Now, your turn. I told you my life’s ambition. What’s yours?”
Her smiling demeanor darkens in a flash. “That’s not something I have an answer for.”
“Oh? Why not?”
She shrugs. “It’s part of why I’m here. I’ve been lost for so long. I can’t move forward with my future until I have answers about my past.”