Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
STACI’S FRIEND AND BUSINESS partner, Alysse, was anything but sweet or dreamy when she cornered him on the balcony. Remy accepted her hard glare. He knew he deserved it.
“Okay, you had your reasons, Remy, but really, lying to Staci...it was the worst thing any man could do to her. And she thought you were different,” Alysse began. “I told myself I’d be civil. Promised Jay that I wouldn’t threaten you with bodily harm, but I want to. How could you?”
“I’m glad you’re angry on her behalf, you should be. She’s your friend. I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Remy said. “I wish I’d done things differently.”
“You still care about her,” Alysse said.
“Yes, I do. I am not going to let her keep me away. I’ve been giving her some space because of the competition but I intend to convince her that she belongs in my arms as soon as this is over,” he said.
“Fine. I can live with that,” Alysse said.
“You can?”
“Yes. I thought...well, some not nice things about you, but I am pretty good at telling when someone is being sincere and you are,” she said. “Want a brownie?”
“Aren’t those for Staci?” he asked.
“They were but I see now that you and I are going to have to plot and plan and come up with an excellent way for you to make it up to her.”
Remy was surprised at the way she said it. “We’re a team?”
“Yes, of course we are. Staci’s been alone, independent for so long. We have to stick together. She’s a tough nut,” Staci said.
“She sure is. What’d you have in mind?” Remy asked. He liked Staci’s friend and he could see why the two women would work well together. They were nothing alike, total opposites in looks and temperament but there was a good solid core in both women. A determination to get things done.
“It’ll take a big gesture on your part. Staci’s not going to believe it unless you do,” Alysse said. “Plus, you did break her heart.”
“I know that. I don’t know about big gestures,” he said. It wasn’t his style. Still, for Staci he’d do anything it took.
He thought if he could get close enough to get her into his bed he could show her how strong his feelings were for her. They had a bond between them that even this kind of mess couldn’t weaken.
“It doesn’t have to be writing her name in the sky or telling her how you feel on a Jumbotron. A big gesture just has to come from the heart and it has to be at the right time.”
Intimate thoughts of Staci led him to recognize that he was going to have to tell her how he felt first. Suddenly, it seemed so easy.
He’d never told Staci that he loved her.
He’d done everything but that because he’d been afraid to risk getting hurt.
But by being afraid and keeping her in the dark, he’d isolated her.
He’d made her feel like he didn’t care for her at all.
He knew what gesture she needed and he had the perfect solution for when to make it.
“I’ve got an idea. And it will only work if we both cook our hearts out this week and make it to the finals.”
“I hope you do,” Alysse said.
“Staci’s waiting for you inside,” Alain said as he joined them on the patio.
“Thanks.” Alysse stood. “Good luck, Remy. With everything.”
For the first time since New York he felt a surge of hope. He now knew how to win Staci back and he would use every skill he had to ensure it happened. He’d show her in a big way.
“You look very serious, son,” Alain said.
“I am, Dad. For once I think I understand why you want to retire and spend more time with Mom,” Remy said.
Alain laughed. “Glad to hear it. Tell me about the cooking you’ve been doing. Do you have new ideas for the restaurant?”
Remy did tell his father about the new ideas he had but his mind wasn’t on Gastrophile. It was on Staci and the future that he craved. He knew now that there was nothing he wouldn’t do. Nothing that could stand in the way of him winning her back.
Dinner that night was uneventful. Remy watched Staci all night long. He couldn’t help himself. He desperately needed her back in his arms.
“Why are you watching me like that?” she asked, when Christian and the others were preoccupied.
“Because I want you and I’m hoping to talk you into meeting me on the balcony like you did the first night we were in the house,” he said.
She wet her lips with her tongue and he wanted to groan as he could think of nothing but how she tasted and just how long it had been since he kissed her.
“Sex won’t make everything better,” she said.
“It can’t make anything worse.” He frowned. “Sorry, I’ve missed holding you in my arms.”
“I’ve missed that, too,” she said, “But this is the last week of competition and I don’t want to mess anything up. Maybe we can talk about this next week.”
He smiled, knowing that by this time next week he’d have won her back if all went according to plan.
THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS WERE the most intense of Staci’s life.
Even though nothing had changed between her and Remy, Staci felt more positive toward the chances of them having a relationship when the competition was over.
She sensed that he wanted to start again and she knew that she did.
But that was going to have to wait until they were done cooking.
On Wednesday both Christian and Remy were in the lead but on Thursday it was a dessert cook-off and she overtook them both and claimed the lead. Remy edged out Christian to claim the second spot in the final.
Friday morning dawned bright and sunny in California and as she and Remy entered the Premier Chef studios and went up in the elevator they both looked at each other remembering their first day here.
Remy hit the stop button on the elevator.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving us the chance to start over.”
“Truly?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, hi there, I’m Staci Rowland.”
“Ah, the cupcake baker. Nice to meet you, cupcake girl,” he said.
She shook her head and smiled at him. It had been so long since he’d called her that. She missed it, she realized.
“I’m Remy....Remy Cruzel,” he said. “I’m the Executive Chef at Gastrophile in New Orleans.”
“Of the famous Cruzels?” she asked.
“One and the same. I’m here to prove I can cook but now that I’m meeting you...cooking is actually the farthest thing from my mind.”
“I didn’t see that in your bio,” she said.
“That’s because I’m keeping my true identity a secret but I have a feeling I can trust you.”
“Trust is a big thing for me,” she said.
“I can understand that,” he said. “I—”
She fake stumbled into him and he caught her. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek but he turned his head and kissed her full on the lips instead. He held her tenderly in his arms. She had missed the feel of his arms around her, too. He drew her closer to him.
“That’s what I wanted to do when you fell into me that first time,” he said.
“I would have called the cops,” she said.
“Would you have?” he asked. “My kisses are pretty good. Maybe you’ve forgotten.”
He leaned down and kissed her again slowly and passionately and she wrapped her arms around him, wanting to hold him close. But the elevator doors opened and they sprung apart.
“Ladies first,” Remy said.
Heading down the hallway to the studio, they entered and found that the entire cast had been invited back. Staci had a quick catch-up with Vivian and then it was time to get ready for the taping.
They were both miked and had stage make-up put on and then sent to their stations.
Staci had been practicing her menu in her mind since the beginning of the week.
The dishes they’d prepared throughout the week would be the ones they’d make today.
She knew she had to improve on her appetizer course, which she’d lost to both men.
“Welcome, Chefs. It seems like a long time ago when you first stood in this room and now we’re down to two would be Premier Chefs left standing before us. Chef Rowland and Chef Cruzel,” Hamilton said.
“You two have impressed us by winning Quick Cooks and challenges but mostly you’ve won us over with your fabulous dishes,” Lorenz said.
“Today is your last chance to out-do the competition and claim the title of Premier Chef,” Pete said.
“Chefs, it is time to start cooking,” Fatima chimed in. “The cameras are rolling. We’ll begin with appetizers and you will each have thirty minutes to prepare them. Your time starts now.”
Staci cooked her heart out but Remy’s dish won five points and hers only four.
The next round was a tie with them both scoring five points each.
Staci was nervous and so afraid she might lose but then she thought, as she watched Remy cooking, that she’d gained more the last six weeks than she’d ever expected to.
At the dessert round, she was completely focused and felt confident.
Remy went first, presenting his dessert to the judges and after a few minutes they asked for hers.
The judges tasted her Crème Freche Torte and sent her and Remy to the main studio to await the final results.
There, Remy quickly pulled her into his arms away from the cameras and the audience.
“Now it’s time for me to do what I should have done in New York when we were at the Empire State Building. In my heart I knew then that I loved you more than life itself. I wanted to tell you but was scared that if I did and you later found out about my lie you would never believe in our love.
“And while it’s too late to change the past,” he said, staring into her eyes. “The future is ours and I mean to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you give me another chance at being the man of your dreams?”
“Yes, Remy,” she said. “I will. I love you, too and can’t think of anything I’d like better than being with you.”
When it was time, Remy and Staci re-entered the studio holding hands.
“So perhaps we have something else to celebrate?” Hamilton asked.
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“Good, now maybe we can get on with our show,” Hamilton said smiling at both of them.
Fatima announced, “The dessert round has been the toughest yet and the hardest to judge but after much deliberation we are happy to announce that Staci Rowland is our winner!”
Staci turned to Remy who hugged her and kissed her and lifted her off the ground. “I knew you could do it.”
“Not without you,” she said with a smile, knowing she had truly found it all. Now that she had the Premier Chef title and had put the past behind her, her future was filled with love, and the man of her very own sweet dreams.
Coming Next in the One-Night Scandals Series…
One night changed everything.
Now their secrets are about to explode.
When a forbidden attraction turns into an unforgettable mistake, two strangers discover that walking away isn’t an option—and neither is telling the truth.
Hidden pasts. Dangerous temptation. A scandal that could destroy them both.
Get ready for Her Deepest Secret — a steamy, emotional romance where passion has consequences…and love demands courage.
Keep reading for an excerpt of Her Deepest Secret!