The Florist and the Pastry Chef: The Bake-Off

• 35 •

Paisley

After a three-hour delay, we're sitting in a meeting room with the rest of the competitors, the judges, and the producers. It's crowded; I'm sitting on Sebastian's lap, and because Margaux is sitting next to us, I have to be careful when I move my elbow, otherwise I risk hitting her in the head.

Wherever I look, people are frowning or scratching their heads (figuratively speaking). No one was expecting such a turn of events during this competition. Filming wise, I don't think the producers know what to do. With Harper and Simone's team out of the picture, what excuse do they come up with when this airs on television? I doubt they want to bring sexual allegations to the surface—no one ever does because they're so taboo. Which they shouldn't be. They should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly, without bias. Too bad the world is so messed up. All this network and production company cares about is their reputation.

I cross my arms, a small crease forming between my brows as a question forms in my brain. Dane must have some evidence if he came forward. And when I think about how flamboyant Simone and Harper are, it wouldn't shock me if they were doing what they did to Dane to other people as well. Maybe he made an anonymous post online and got some responses. We think the world is a vast fishbowl where we'll never run into people who have experienced the same or similar situations. In reality, the world is so interconnected it's easy to find supportive people.

Sebastian gives me a nudge, and nods to the front, where Aubrey and Lillian have now broken from their circle. They take position at the front, by the stained whiteboards. The lighting makes them look jaundice. I draw my bottom lip between my teeth, waiting for their announcement. Something tells me the competition will end sooner that we thought.

Aubrey removes her glasses and pinches her nose. Sighs. "This is not what we were expecting. Prior to casting, we did extensive background checks. Simone and Harper had no indicators of sexual assault. We apologize if this has made anyone feel unsafe. Should you want to leave the premises, you are free to do so. We will compensate for your time."

A murmur surges through the crowd. I exchange a glance with Sebastian. His eyebrows are furrowed. Sebastian is easy to read; I know he's been feeling a little homesick these past couple of weeks. He's had enough of this competition, but I also know he's not one to give up. Once he's committed to something, he'll follow through. There's a fire in his indigo eyes that instills fear in others. He can intimidate people when he's set on something.

"In addition," Lillian adds, "we will be asking you to sign an NDA while the investigation is ongoing. Aubrey and I and the rest of the team are shy of details; we don't know if this alleged sexual assault happened on site or off-site yet. Either way, our lawyers have instructed us to keep it under wraps until they release more information."

My eyes widen slightly, and murmurs continue to radiate through the crowd. That's something that hadn't crossed my mind. Maybe Simone and Harper targeted Dane again. I rub my bottom lip because it's sore from me chewing on it. It's an anxious bad habit I can't kick to the curb. I'm surprised it's not covered in scars.

From the corner of my eye, I sneak a peek at Dane. He's sitting with Dani on the far side. They're so close you'd think they were bound by superglue. But I can see how tightly his arm is wound around her. How she continues to run her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. My mouth pinches to one side. There's nothing artificial about their love, and I'm happy for them. Happy they have each other. Many people can live on their own, but sharing your life with someone is special.

Sebastian clears his throat. "We should finish the competition. I don't speak for everyone, but many of us travelled a far distance to be here. As tempting as compensation sounds, I would rather finish the competition." He gazes around the room. "I say we put it to a vote. Give teams some time to discuss their options."

Lillian holds Sebastian's gaze for several seconds before nodding. "That's probably our best option as of right now." She looks at Aubrey, who bears a grim expression. "We'll give you all some time."

Aubrey and Lillian file out of the room, followed by other staff members. As soon as they're gone, conversation breaks out between the different teams. The first few minutes are loud because people are converging into different areas to gain a fraction of privacy. It's loud, but not loud enough that I can't hear my own thoughts. I'm not sure where I stand on the competition. Finishing it and potentially winning would be fantastic. But I miss the familiarity of home and our daily routine as a family.

Once we've gathered in the corner, Sebastian asks, "What are we thinking?"

"We finish the competition," Dani says. She gives Dane's hand a squeeze. "We're so close, and I'm confident we can win it. Why come all this way just to give up?"

Margaux tosses her dark hair over her shoulder. "I second that. We're Kings. We don't give up."

Sebastian presses his lips into a firm line, nodding. "I'm on board, too. But we want this to be unanimous. Paisley? Cadence? Dane? What do you think?"

Dane raises his hands. "Bro. I'm not part of the team anymore. Paisley's back. If you want to finish, you have my full support."

Everyone looks at Cadence and me, then we exchange a glance. Cadence shrugs. "I'm okay with completing the competition, too." She looks down, picking at her nail polish. "I'm not ready to leave yet."

The glance she throws over her shoulder at Griffin pulls at my heart strings. I blow a raspberry, leaning against the wall as I cross my arms across my chest. Swooning over their cuteness can be saved for later. "Then I guess the final decision is up to me." Sebastian reaches for my hand and laces his fingers through mine. The squeeze he gives is comforting, and it helps centre me a little. My gaze travels around our group. "Truthfully, I want to go home. I miss having a routine and working and continuing to build my life with Sebastian. But this competition has been fun and we've created memories—both good and bad. It would be a lie to say I have no interest in winning. All I want to do is win this tournament." I take a deep breath. "So let's do it. Let's win this thing and go home champions."

A smile blossoms across Sebastian's face and he pulls me close, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "We've got this, Pais."

"Damn right we do!" Margaux cheers. "We're taking the money and the trophy back to Montréal."

While we wait for Aubrey and Lillian to return, the conversation continues on. It's primarily focused on the competition and what potential upcoming challenges we'll have. For me, it's difficult to focus on the competition because Dane is being so quiet. He's smiling and nodding, but there are subconscious actions that tell me he's not entirely here. Such as his thumb running up and down Dani's wrist. The way his gaze averts to the doors every so often.

Although I want to ask him if he's okay, I also don't want to intrude. Or potentially trigger him. There are boundaries to recognize when discussing traumatic experiences. Like letting the victim bring it up so they don't feel obligated to answer your questions.

"You okay?" Sebastian asks, leaning down.

"Fine," I whisper. "Just thinking about Dane."

Sebastian looks at his best friend, a subtle smile on his lip. "He'll be okay. Give him some more time to process everything. I know it's strange to see him so quiet."

I lean my head against Seb's chest. "I think I want to kill them," I murmur. "Simone and Harper."

"Join the club," he murmurs back. "They deserve to rot in hell."

My arms snake around his torso, and I pull him close, thankful for this small moment between us. "We need to win this for him."

Sebastian kisses my forehead. "That's the plan, Pais."