Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
RHETT
This is a nightmare.
I know my mother will be on this video chat, and the whole world will see how much she disapproves of my life choices. Or, worse yet, she will pretend to be Mother of the Year. I don’t know which side of her I’ll get, but I’ll surely get one of them.
Dan leads us to a room off the foyer that usually remains locked. He opens the door, ushers us inside, and closes it behind us. There are cameras on the walls and a speaker in the room where he can talk to us.
“Savannah, you’re up first. Please have a seat in the chair.”
I sit in a chair in the corner of the room, away from the cameras, to give Savannah at least some semblance of privacy.
Moments later, she squeals. I crane my neck so I can see her sister’s face. She has a head full of curly brown hair. They look nothing alike, except for the smile.
“Sissy!”
“Sadie!”
I feel like plugging my ears. They’re talking several octaves higher than I do.
“You’re doing so good! I watch every show, and I even catch the live stream when I can.”
“You’re paying for the live stream?” I can hear the worry in Savannah’s voice. She sounds like a mother.
“It’s not that much. We only have five minutes, so let’s not waste it. How are you?”
“I miss you so much!” I hear Savannah’s voice breaking.
“I miss you, too. Everything is good, though. We’ll see each other soon enough. I’m so proud of how well you’re doing!”
“Thank you.”
“And that Rhett guy… he’s a hottie!”
“Sadie! Hush up!”
“No, seriously, everybody is obsessed with you two!”
“Really? Why?”
“Because you’re freaking adorable! The overflowing sink. The dance in the kitchen. All of it. It’s so sweet!”
“But we’re not…”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know you keep saying that, but that man is in love with you. No joke.”
She turns her head and looks at me, her face turning red. “No, Sadie. Everybody has it all wrong. We’re just… friends.”
“Friends with Rhett from pastry chef school? Um, no. That would never happen.”
“But we’re in love? We can’t just be friends?”
“No! With that kind of passion, you either hate each other or love each other. And the audience has assessed the situation as being L-O-V-E!”
I don’t know why she spells it out.
“Two minutes left!” The producer calls out. This feels like a prison visitation.
“Sadie, you’re a hopeless romantic,” she laughs.
“And you can’t see what’s right in front of you, sissy.”
“All I see is a competition I need to win so we can change our lives. That’s what I see.”
“You’re impossible,” Sadie says, groaning.
“How’s work?”
“It’s work. Dull and boring.”
“I’m going to do my best to win this for both of us, okay?”
“I know you will, sissy. You’ve never let me down a day in my life. Even if you don’t win, you still haven’t let me down. You’re my hero.”
Savannah wipes away some stray tears. I force myself not to walk over there and hug her.
What gets me is how Connor found her connection to her sister to be a bad thing. How is that even possible? Savannah and Sadie are best friends. I can see that with my own two eyes. Any man who wouldn’t encourage the woman he supposedly loves to have a great relationship with her sister is a selfish jerk. And yes, Connor is definitely that.
The two of them continue chatting until a producer calls time and ends the video just as they are blowing kisses at each other. It’s adorable, but I’m never telling her that.
“Okay, Rhett. You’re up!”
Savannah walks over as I stand up to give her the chair.
“Glad you got to do that, Sunny,” I say, smiling.
“Now it’s your turn,” she says, touching my arm. “Have fun!”
Sitting in front of the screen, I imagine what my mother will say. Will she say she’s proud of me for the first time? I guess it’s possible, but not probable. Maybe my dad will be there. We’re not close like you’d think a father and son would be, but maybe he’s proud of how I’m doing for once.
After a few moments, I realize no one is popping up on the screen for me. Producers are huddled in the corner talking, but I can’t tell what they’re saying. I glance at Savannah, who gives me an encouraging look. Something isn’t right here.
“Um, Rhett,” the producer says as she walks closer, “unfortunately, we weren’t able to connect with your loved one.”
I sit there a moment, trying to take in her words. “What does that mean? There’s a connection problem?”
She shifts back and forth on her feet like she’s uncomfortable. “No, not exactly.” Of course, a cameraman comes in close to get a good shot of the look on my face. This can’t be good.
“What’s going on?”
“Nobody showed up, Rhett.”
I feel like my lungs have caved in on themselves. I expected my mother wouldn’t be happy for me, and maybe she’d even say something negative on national television. Still, I never anticipated that no one in my family would show up for me.
“Oh.”
I don’t want to look at Savannah, but in this moment of feeling alone in the world, I can’t help it. She suddenly feels like a life jacket in the middle of a raging river. Nothing prepares me for looking over at her and seeing the sadness on her face. The empathy.
“I’ll give you a minute,” the producer says, leaving the room. It feels so dark and heavy here with just Savannah and me.
“Rhett, I’m so sorry.” She stands and walks closer. I stand because there’s no reason to sit. I’m not waiting for a video call. She reaches out to touch my arm, but I recoil.
“No. It’s fine. Let’s just get back to the competition.” I try to walk around her, but her tiny little frame somehow stands in my way. She moves closer, puts her arms around my waist, and presses her cheek into my chest. There are no words. She’s just there .
“You didn’t deserve this, Rhett,” she says softly. “You’re worthy of people being proud of you. You’re worthy of being loved just for who you are. You’re worthy of people showing up for you.”
I feel hot tears welling in my eyes, threatening to spill over and never stop. I haven’t cried since my grandmother died, and even then, it was only at the funeral. I don’t let myself get deep in emotions—any emotions—because I fear I won’t make it back to shore. So, why does this feel safe right now? She’s a tiny little woman, and she makes me feel so seen and safe.
“We need to go,” I murmur, pressing my lips against the top of her head.
“We have time,” she says without moving. So we stay there for several minutes. She feels so perfect in my arms. How will I ever let her go? Not just now but at the end of this competition.
I use all my strength to pull away enough to let her release her hold on me. The tears slide back down into their ducts, and I suck in a breath.
“Thanks,” I say, unsure of what other words to use. I know what I feel but can’t say it on TV. There is no privacy in this place.
“Are you okay? We can stay in here longer…”
“No, it’s fine. I’d rather get on with it.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
Why is she so dang nice? How does someone come from her background and still see the world in a positive light?
I open the door, and the light from the foyer pours in. I don’t want to go back to where the other contestants are and answer a bunch of questions, so I turn for the stairs.
“Come on,” Savannah says, grabbing my hand and pulling me up the stairs. I have no idea what she’s doing.
We reach the top of the stairs, and she pushes me into the bathroom. She’s strong for such a small woman. A producer is hot on our heels, but Savannah stands between me and her in the doorway.
“What are you doing?” the producer asks.
“We need a moment,” Savannah says, reaching around and turning off her mic pack. She points at me to do the same.
“You can’t keep doing this!”
“Try to stop me,” Savannah says and shuts the door. I’m in shock. “Is yours off?”
I nod. “That was pretty epic,” I say, laughing.
“You deserve privacy after that whole fiasco. Who does your mother think she is, anyway?” She pulls me away from the door to the other side of the bathroom. We’re pressed into a small alcove that should house a shelf but doesn’t.
“She’s never been proud of the path I chose. I shouldn’t have been surprised.”
Savannah puts her hands on my chest, and I feel prickly shivers run up my spine. What is this woman doing to me?
“I want you to know I’m proud of you, Rhett. I never thought I would say that in a million years, but it’s true. You’re a good guy. You’re talented. You’re kind. You don’t have to keep pushing people away. I just wanted you to know that without a bunch of cameras around.”
I can’t help myself. I pull her into a tight hug. No one has ever said anything like that to me, and I want to soak it in. I want to feel comfort in a way I’ve never felt it before. Everything in me wants to kiss her right now, but I know she doesn’t want that. She’s just such a nice person who wants to help.
“Thank you again.”
She looks up at me. “You deserve all the good things, Rhett Jennings.”
I want to tell her she’s the best thing. The very best.
“Can I tell you something?”
“Sure,” she says, stepping back.
“I haven’t been honest about something with you. And it feels like I need to get this off my chest.”
“Okay. What?”
“I don’t work on yachts with celebrities.”
She tilts her head slightly. “You lied about where you work? Why?”
“Because it’s embarrassing.”
“Rhett, I work in a grocery store bakery with a scary lady named Big Thelma. Not exactly a four-star restaurant. It’s not likely I would judge you.”
I take in a breath and blow it out. Why is this so hard to admit?
“I work on a cruise ship.”
“And?”
“I work in the kitchen of a cruise ship.”
“So?”
I can’t help but laugh at her response. All this time, I was afraid of admitting I didn’t work for some big celebrity on a yacht, and she did not react.
“I guess I just bragged a lot to make people think I was doing better than I was. My family also thinks I work on yachts.”
“Why lie?”
I sigh. “I thought it would impress them. Make them proud of me.”
“I’m so sorry that your family let you down today, but that’s on them, Rhett. Working on a cruise ship is amazing! You get to go to all those beautiful places and meet new people. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Why do you always make me feel better, Sunny?”
She smiles. “I guess we were meant to be friends instead of enemies.”
SAVANNAH
If I knew what Rhett’s mother and father looked like, I would hunt them down and smack them.
Who doesn’t show up for their kid? Who allows him to show up on TV and be embarrassed?
As addicted as my mother was, I still knew she loved me. She couldn’t do much but showed us love when she could. Her brain just loved drugs and alcohol more.
I can’t think about it much because tonight is another main challenge. Two more people are going home; it can’t be me and Rhett. This is week five. I just need to make it through this challenge to get to finals week. Then, I really have a chance at this money.
Rhett has been quiet after our bathroom meeting. I don’t know if I did too much. Maybe I shouldn’t have hugged him. Maybe that was too far. Not everybody likes physical touch.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Maggie sits down next to me on the outdoor sofa. There are so few of us here now. I remember when the courtyard was full of contestants.
“It’s been quite a day, Maggie.”
“I heard about Rhett.”
I snap my head sideways. “What? How?”
“One of the producers told me during my confessional.”
“No talking about production!” one of the producers says over the intercom. It’s still so unnerving to know they’re listening to our every word. It’s also irritating that they shared Rhett’s situation with another contestant.
Maggie rolls her eyes. “Anyway, I’m so sad for him. I like Rhett.”
I lean my head back and look up at the sky. “I’m sad for him, too. And if his family is listening, you’re a bunch of jerks!”
“I never had kids, you know. I wanted them so badly, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me and my husband. I would give anything to have a son like Rhett.”
“You would’ve been a great mother, Maggie. I know you would have given such unconditional love to your kids.”
She wipes away a stray tear. “I would have. But you know God had other plans. Instead, I became an English teacher. I watched so many wonderful children grow up. Some of them still send me letters and pictures of their own kids. The circle of life and all that.”
“I hope to have kids one day. First, I have to find the right man.”
She looks over at me and smiles. “Honey, I think you already have.”
“Connor? No way!”
“Not Connor. I’m talking about Rhett.”
“Rhett isn’t interested in me like that, Maggie. It just looks that way.” I can’t blow Rhett’s cover. I can’t let the audience know that he’s just acting to get votes. It might ruin his game.
“Honey, that man is head over heels for you.”
I laugh out loud. “No, he’s not. One day, after this show ends, I have lots to tell you.”
She eyes me quizzically. “I can’t wait.”
SAVANNAH
The kitchen is buzzing with anticipation. The tension in the air is palpable as the remaining contestants gather around Dan, who is standing at the front of the room. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. This is the last challenge before finals week, and the stakes have never been higher.
Rhett, Lainey, Connor, Maggie, Zara, and I stand shoulder to shoulder, ready to face whatever the competition throws at us today. Dan clears his throat and raises the microphone to his mouth,
"Welcome to The Baking Games ! This is the last challenge before finals week, and today, we have a special theme for you: holiday desserts. You'll design a dessert dedicated to your favorite holiday. That can be Christmas, Halloween, Easter, or even Arbor Day if that's your jam."
Even though what he said wasn’t all that funny, there’s a requisite laugh. Holidays mean comfort, warmth, and nostalgia for most people. So the other contestants, minus Rhett, of course, seem to be excited about this challenge.
For me, holidays were always a letdown. Christmas usually involved a TV dinner if we were lucky, and sometimes we would get a gift from a local charity of some kind, but most of the time, my mother would forget it was even a holiday. Never mind things like Halloween or Easter. I never went trick-or-treating, but thankfully, Sadie did because I took her myself. Once, I even set up an Easter egg hunt in our apartment. While sad to others, those days are among my favorite memories of me and Sadie.
The only time we got to celebrate anything was if the school had a party for it. Going home from school and leaving all the fun behind was always so upsetting. I knew other kids were going on Christmas break to spend time with their families, open their gifts, and sit by the Christmas tree drinking hot cocoa. We didn’t even have a Christmas tree most years, but I don't feel bad for myself. It's just a stark contrast in these sorts of situations where I have to think of something holiday-related when that really hasn't been a part of my past.
Dan continues. "Let's ask a question of one of our contestants. Social media is buzzing with queries for you folks. Connor, tell us, what has been the most surprising thing that you've learned while you’ve been in the house?"
Connor suddenly gets a look on his face. A smirk. I know it well, and I know it isn’t good. He steps forward slightly and turns to look at me and Rhett.
"Well, Dan, I was shocked to learn that Mr. Fancy Pants Pastry Chef over there," he points to Rhett, "doesn't actually work on yachts with celebrities like he told everyone. Turns out he's just a lowly cruise ship cook."
The room falls silent. I can feel the anger radiating off Rhett. I know this will throw him off his game, which is exactly why Connor has done it. My heart sinks when I see a look of betrayal on his face. He thinks I told Connor. I try to catch his eye so I can shake my head and tell him it wasn’t me, but he's turned his head away, his jaw set in a hard line.
Clearly taken aback by this onscreen revelation, Dan tries to regain control of the situation. "Okay, well, thank you for that, Connor. Why don't we go ahead and get to the challenge? You have three hours to create your holiday-themed dessert. Remember, this is the last challenge before the final, so you want to give it everything you've got. Your time starts… now!”
We all rush to our stations, the energy in the room shifting straight to frantic. I’m trying to focus on my dessert and whatever idea I can come up with, but I can only think about what just happened with Rhett.
And then Maggie's words echo in my mind. She thinks Rhett is in love with me. I steal a glance over at him only to find him glaring at me. He is extremely angry, and I can tell his composure is shattered. I don't want this to be the reason that he goes home. I start to walk towards his station, and he holds up his hand and shakes his head. "Don't."
I realize that I'm doing this for my sister. I can't get distracted right now, even if it means that I have to talk to Rhett later if we’re both still here by then. I'm sure we can work this out. But for right now, I have to focus.
I stand in the kitchen for a moment, close my eyes, and try to think of something that I can make. I finally come up with a Thanksgiving-inspired pumpkin spice cake with maple frosting. I will craft a Turkey out of fondant for the top, maybe even a small dinner table with food on it if I have time.
I take a deep breath and try to block out the noise. I have to concentrate. This isn't the time to get lost in thought. I gather my ingredients and start mixing my batter, but my hands are shaking.
"Hey, Savannah?” Lainey calls out from her station, which is now next to mine on the other side. Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. "You look a bit flustered. Everything okay?"
I force a smile. "I'm fine, Lainey. Thanks for your concern."
"You'd better keep it together. You wouldn't want to mess up in front of the judges."
I grit my teeth and go back to work. I start mixing my batter, and I can hear Rhett muttering angrily under his breath at the station next to mine. I look over and see him throwing his ingredients together carelessly. This is a rare sight because he's always so precise.
The minutes tick by, and I keep trying to focus on my own work, but my mind keeps wandering back to Rhett. Why does he think I would betray him like that? How can I prove to him that I didn't?
As I finally move to put my cake in the oven, I catch Maggie's eye from across the room, and she gives me an encouraging smile. Her presence is always a comforting reminder that not everyone in this house is against me. I take a deep breath and decide I have to push through and handle things with Rhett later. I am determined to finish strong.