Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Nikki
The sun’s beginning to warm the air in Seaville as I make my way to the local farmers market. A town without a good fresh food source is sad indeed. I shop at the stores, as most everyone does, but never in the summer. I like to get my produce straight from the source without a lot of waxes and chemicals sprayed all over it. How lucky I am to live in an area with so many resources year round. I’m not sure how people survive arid climates.
As soon as I enter vendor avenue, the aroma of fresh produce and baked goods fills my nostrils, a tantalizing promise of the ingredients I need for my latest culinary creation. My competitive spirit is on high alert. This is the time to find the best of the best.
As I reach for a bunch of bright, crisp carrots, my hand collides with another and a shock runs through me, making me freeze. I don’t need to look up to know who’s standing next to me. I take in a breath and tell myself all is okay.
“We’re always going to the same items. I guess that means great minds think alike.” Victor’s voice is as smooth as butter and certainly just as slick.
I slowly look up to meet his amused gaze. “Or someone likes to copy someone else,” I tell him. His grin doesn’t falter for a second as he chuckles, the sound annoyingly rich and deep.
“Are you admitting you copy me?” he asks with practiced innocence. I want to huff and puff, which he knows. This man, unlike any other, knows how raise my hackles.
“We both know that’s the other way around,” I tell him. “I’ll be destroying you at this year’s competition.”
“I like to win against the best, so bring all you have,” he tells me.
I turn back to the stand and start filling my bag with carefully selected fruits and vegetables. Each stall we approach together becomes a battleground. He’s following me and not even trying to hide it. We’re picking some of the same items, but both go for unique items as well.
Tomatoes, peppers, herbs, roots — every choice is a calculated move. The vendors, who are more than aware of our antics, look at us with bemused smiles, and it doesn’t take long for a crowd to form around us while our neighbors whisper.
Like a wave parting, Aunt Eileen, Vivian, and Martha suddenly appear, their eyes twinkling with mischief as they watch us spar.
“Hello, ladies, enjoying yourselves?” I ask.
“Very much so. You and Victor are the best entertainment this town has ever seen,” Eileen says.
“We were just saying that the two of you should have a good romp and make up,” Martha says loud enough for everyone within a ten-mile radius to hear. My cheeks heat as I gaze at her in horror. I should be used to this by now, but somehow, they still manage to shock me.
“Oh, I miss the days of a good romp,” Vivian says.
“You ladies should be ashamed of yourselves,” I tell them as Victor laughs. I glare at him. “Don’t encourage them,” I whisper. He shrugs. He’s loving this.
“We’re too old not to say what’s on our minds. Besides, we like to see your pretty cheeks turn all pink,” Eileen says.
“I’m not having any romps,” I tell the ladies. “I’m simply here to restock my kitchen.”
“Romps in the kitchen are the best,” Martha says. “But you have to make sure you buy a high-quality table. Those cheap knockoffs won’t do.” She rubs her hip as if remembering a failing table. I don’t even want to know this story.
“The tomatoes are beautiful this year,” I say, desperately trying to change the subject. I’m not talking about anyone’s sex life in an open market.
Victor looks at me with his eyes twinkling. “You know, the ladies might be onto something,” he tells me.
I glare at him. “This isn’t happening... and that’s certainly not happening.”
His smile grows bigger. “How about a date, then? You and me without a bunch of ears listening in.”
“Nope,” I quickly reply.
“Why? Are you scared of falling for me?”
“I’m not afraid of anything. I don’t date the enemy, and I certainly don’t date men I can’t stand.”
“You can stand me quite well. I remember a few times that you’ve liked me a lot.” My cheeks flame again.
“If you think you can distract me, you’re very wrong. I’m not falling for your tricks anymore, Victor. Is the plan to wine and dine me so I’m distracted, and you can slip in and win the competition?”
His eyebrow goes up while he still looks amused. “I’d never try to distract you. I’ve come to realize that we could make an unstoppable team if we stopped fighting. Imagine what we could create together.”
“Oh, that’s good,” Aunt Eileen says.
“I love it,” Martha says.
“Do it, Nikki,” Vivian says.
“The cooking and the romp,” Martha adds.
Damn, the thought of this is so tempting, far too tempting, but I’m not giving in. This has to be a fake-out. “I work alone, Victor.” I don’t even address the ladies.
He shrugs as if this doesn’t matter, but the glint in his eyes tell me something else. “Your loss, Nik.” He pauses for a moment. “But you should know by now I don’t give up when there’s something I want.”
I’m done with this. I turn on my heel and march away before he can say anything else. My heart’s pounding so hard it’s visible from the outside of my clothes. Why is this man so damn enticing, and why am I falling for it?
It doesn’t take long for me to arrive home. I lay out my newest goodies and decide to channel my frustration into something productive. I set up my camera and start on my cooking vlog, the kitchen my stage, instantly making me comfortable in my arena.
It doesn’t take long to decide what dish I’m going to prepare, something comforting and complex, a blend of flavors that will mirror my tangled thoughts. I probably shouldn’t have the camera on when I feel this turbulent, but I can’t help myself. It’s my safe zone where I have millions of followers who want to cook along with me.
Since I decided to go all natural with my videos I’ve let my audience see the real me. They like the mistakes, like when I’m trying to figure it out, like the realness of it. They might get more real than they’re ready for today.
As I begin prepping my ingredients, I talk to the camera, the words flowing from me without much thought to them. I chop a little harder than I intended.
“Don’t we all hate how men have a way of getting into our heads? One minute we’re totally focused, know what we’re doing, and more determined than ever before. We’re ready to face the world and bring down a tornado. But then men enter the picture and get us all flustered, making us forget we’re leaders, making us forget what we’re doing. They throw us off our game with their delicious scents, their smooth velvety voices, and their little smirks that tell us they know exactly what they’re doing to us.”
My onion is almost mashed, I’m chopping so hard as I say this. Do I stop? No, that would be too wise. “Take Victor for example. He’s the kind of man who thinks he has everything figured out, that he can simply waltz right back into town and straight into my life. He then thinks it’s his right to turn my world upside down. Well, let me tell you, that isn’t going to happen. He might know how to push my buttons, but it goes both ways because I know how to push his as well. He does it on purpose though. I’m innocent in all of this.”
I dump the onions, garlic, and peppers into my hot pan and the sizzle soothes my frayed nerves. I give them a stir, then move on to my next step. I wish my viewers could talk back with me. Maybe they’d stop me from my rampage.
“Don’t even get me started on the men who think they can distract you with some flirtation, and that cocky little smile they seem to perfect by the time they’re five. They think they can charm you with secret ingredients and dates. Well, that isn’t going to happen. No matter how smooth these men think they are, they’re nothing but little boys making up for small... body parts. They might think they’re smooth and confident, but they don’t know us. We women are much too smart to fall for their charm, aren’t we?” I smile at the camera, feeling much better already. Not that Victor has anything small about him, but if he happens to watch this video it might just be a punch to his ego. This makes me happy.
I decide I need more garlic. I like my kitchen to be filled with the aroma of frying garlic. I reach for some and smash the clove with the flat of my knife before chopping it up and throwing it in the pan.
“The thing is, the one thing they’re really good at is making us second guess ourselves. One minute we’re utterly sure of our paths, and the next we’re wondering if maybe, just maybe, those men aren’t as bad as we initially thought. They might even have us thinking we’re the one who needs to make some changes.” I pause and let out a sigh.
“That’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s the trap. Anyone asking us to change is in the wrong. We perfect ourselves through years of experience. Sure, we might make some mistakes along the way, but this only shapes us into who we are today. It’s never wrong to take different paths, never wrong to grow as a person. If we want to make changes, that’s okay, but it’s not alright for a man to ask us to change.”
I give my pan a stir and smile as the sweet, comforting aroma of cooked vegetables hangs in the air. There’s nothing I like more. I look at my camera once again.
“Here’s my advice, ladies: don’t let these men get to you. Stay focused on your goals, and stay true to who you are. These men might be charming, handsome, and even be decent cooks, or good lovers, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. We don’t have to fall for it. Always keep your eyes on the prize and don’t let anyone, no matter how much they might make your heart race or your body quiver, derail your plans.” I cut and add some tomatoes to my pan, stirring vigorously. The sizzle and vibrant colors are quite inviting, if I do say so myself.
“Remember that the best way to a man’s heart might be through his stomach, but the best way to keep him on his toes is to never let him think he’s won. He can chase you all he wants, but you have to stay in the lead. Otherwise it’s too easy to trip and have him climb all over you.”
I add some more ingredients then turn the heat down as my sauce simmers, the ingredients melding together perfectly. “Maybe if we stick to this, these men will realize they’re the ones who need to step up their game.”
I pull out some of the fresh pasta I made yesterday, boil it for three minutes then begin plating my dish. I top it with sauce and add a sprinkle of fresh basil. I hold the plate up for my viewers to see.
“Here’s to us, to strong, independent women who know what we want and aren’t afraid to go after it. Here’s to not allowing some man to come in and mess up our carefully crafted plans. Cheers.”
I stop the video and smile. I hit the post button, my words and dish out there for all the world to see. Well, it’s out there for my followers to see at least. I take my dish and move to the back deck to taste. It’s delicious. Just because Victor got me flustered doesn’t mean he has the power to mess me up. I’m damn good at what I do.
I’m barely finished with my meal when my phone rings. I smile when I see Sia’s name. I immediately answer.
“You’re trending, girl!” she says with laughter as soon as I pick up.
“I’m always trending,” I tell her with confidence.
“Oh, you’re really trending with this one. I’ve been sitting here for the past five minutes reading the comments section, laughing my butt off. Do you realize how much of a rant you went on about Victor?”
I pause as my heart lodges in my throat. “I didn’t go on a rant. I was simply doing a cooking video and having a chat with my lady followers,” I say. I’m trying to remember everything I said. I wince as a bit of it comes back to me.
“I take it you and Victor ran into each other today.”
“Yes, at the farmers market and the man’s simply insufferable,” I grumble.
“Well from your video, it sounds like he might be insufferable, but you want him anyway.”
“No I don’t,” I tell her. I sound like a damn three-year-old.
“You’ve been talking about him an awful lot for not wanting him.”
“I admit he gets to me... a little bit... but that doesn’t change how I feel about him. I can’t stand the man.”
“I think everyone’s right, you’re protesting too much. Maybe you’re mad at yourself for wanting him, but you do have feelings.”
“There might be some feelings, but they’ll pass,” I insist. Even I hear the doubt in my voice.
“We’ll see what happens,” Sia teases. “Please figure this out before the competition. Don’t let the man distract you.”
“Don’t worry, Sia, I’m more focused now than ever before. Nothing will stop me from winning this year.”
“You can win and still have some fun,” she says.
“I’m always having fun.”
“You can have kinky fun.”
“You worry about the kink, I’ll do the cooking,” I tell her.
We chat for a few more minutes then end our call. I lean back and think about the emotions flowing through me. I’m afraid Sia’s right, I do have feelings for Victor. I don’t know what I’m going to do about it. For now I’ll focus on what I can control. It’s all I can do.