heard Lassiter’s voice next to me and blearily blinked my eyes. I jerked away from his body, sitting up with a start when I realized I’d fallen asleep with my head on his shoulder.
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” I mumbled, embarrassed. “How long was I out?”
“Not long. Boulanger just posted the results.”
I yawned and stretched, still exhausted even after my catnap and pulled myself to my feet. I stood next to Lassiter reading down the list. Only the top five would make it to the next round.
“Jacob Silva.”
“Kailey Fowler.”
“Elizabeth Rios.”
“James Lassiter.”
“Ethan Martin.”
“Fuck yeah,” I crowed. Lassiter’s grin echoed mine and I stuck my fist out. For a second he didn’t react. When he finally curled his fingers into a fist and bumped it against my own I grinned wider.
“Congrats, Lassiter. Now I get the chance to kick your ass in the next round.”
“You can try, Martin, but you know I’m better at baking than you are.”
I snorted at his words. “Whatever. You’re the one who tutored me so if I suck, you suck.”
When I heard Reed’s voice behind me, I felt the brief flash of camaraderie I’d shared with Lassiter fade. “Martin made it, but I didn’t?” He sniffed. “Well, I know who Boulanger’s favorites are now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, with two more judges besides him? I call bullshit on your theory.”
“It’s a pity your sister dropped out of the running, but it’s for the best. It’s not like she belongs here anyhow. This competition is for the cream of the crop and she obviously doesn’t have the chops to be here.”
White-hot rage shot through me at his words. When I turned on him, Reed stumbled back against the wall. No one talked shit about Claire. No one.
“Jackson, don’t you ever talk about my sister. She has more talent, drive and determination than you have in your little finger. More brains too.”
I balled my fingers into a fist as Jackson’s face blanched in fear but I froze when I felt Lassiter’s hand on my arm.
“If you punch him like he deserves, he’ll go whining to the judges about how you hit him, Ethan. It’ll cost you your spot. Don’t let him ruin everything you’ve worked for.”
I stepped back and shook off Lassiter’s hand.
“Fuck off, Reed.”
Jackson straightened himself up to his full height and attempted to look tough. “It’s for the best. I’m much better at the business side of things anyhow.”
When he wandered off to annoy the hell out of someone else, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and took off. Claire was out of the running for the scholarship, I’d had some weird moment with Lassiter and I needed to work my ass off to pass the next round of competition. What I didn’t understand was why I was happy Lassiter had made it to the next round as well. He was my direct competition, so why were we suddenly starting to feel like a team?
Chapter Fifteen
Jamie
I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into pastry class on Friday afternoon. The first round of competition on Wednesday night had been brutal after a full day of lecture and class. At the end, I was exhausted, but elated to be continuing on to the next round.
I still couldn’t get a read on Ethan, which was beyond frustrating. As mercurial as he was, I couldn’t predict whether he’d be agreeable or act like he wanted to rip my head off.
“Monsieur Lassiter? Since Mademoiselle Martin is still sick, I would like you and Monsieur Martin to continue to be partners.
Oui?
Merci.
” Chef nodded and moved on to the next station.
We’d practiced pastry dough and fillings all week but today we were making several desserts and putting it all together for Chef Boulanger’s inspection and grading. I could only hope cooperative Ethan would make an appearance today.
I stared at the ingredient list and closed my eyes, turning my head to crack my neck. I hadn’t slept much since I was still stressed over
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” I mumbled, embarrassed. “How long was I out?”
“Not long. Boulanger just posted the results.”
I yawned and stretched, still exhausted even after my catnap and pulled myself to my feet. I stood next to Lassiter reading down the list. Only the top five would make it to the next round.
“Jacob Silva.”
“Kailey Fowler.”
“Elizabeth Rios.”
“James Lassiter.”
“Ethan Martin.”
“Fuck yeah,” I crowed. Lassiter’s grin echoed mine and I stuck my fist out. For a second he didn’t react. When he finally curled his fingers into a fist and bumped it against my own I grinned wider.
“Congrats, Lassiter. Now I get the chance to kick your ass in the next round.”
“You can try, Martin, but you know I’m better at baking than you are.”
I snorted at his words. “Whatever. You’re the one who tutored me so if I suck, you suck.”
When I heard Reed’s voice behind me, I felt the brief flash of camaraderie I’d shared with Lassiter fade. “Martin made it, but I didn’t?” He sniffed. “Well, I know who Boulanger’s favorites are now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, with two more judges besides him? I call bullshit on your theory.”
“It’s a pity your sister dropped out of the running, but it’s for the best. It’s not like she belongs here anyhow. This competition is for the cream of the crop and she obviously doesn’t have the chops to be here.”
White-hot rage shot through me at his words. When I turned on him, Reed stumbled back against the wall. No one talked shit about Claire. No one.
“Jackson, don’t you ever talk about my sister. She has more talent, drive and determination than you have in your little finger. More brains too.”
I balled my fingers into a fist as Jackson’s face blanched in fear but I froze when I felt Lassiter’s hand on my arm.
“If you punch him like he deserves, he’ll go whining to the judges about how you hit him, Ethan. It’ll cost you your spot. Don’t let him ruin everything you’ve worked for.”
I stepped back and shook off Lassiter’s hand.
“Fuck off, Reed.”
Jackson straightened himself up to his full height and attempted to look tough. “It’s for the best. I’m much better at the business side of things anyhow.”
When he wandered off to annoy the hell out of someone else, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and took off. Claire was out of the running for the scholarship, I’d had some weird moment with Lassiter and I needed to work my ass off to pass the next round of competition. What I didn’t understand was why I was happy Lassiter had made it to the next round as well. He was my direct competition, so why were we suddenly starting to feel like a team?
Chapter Fifteen
Jamie
I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into pastry class on Friday afternoon. The first round of competition on Wednesday night had been brutal after a full day of lecture and class. At the end, I was exhausted, but elated to be continuing on to the next round.
I still couldn’t get a read on Ethan, which was beyond frustrating. As mercurial as he was, I couldn’t predict whether he’d be agreeable or act like he wanted to rip my head off.
“Monsieur Lassiter? Since Mademoiselle Martin is still sick, I would like you and Monsieur Martin to continue to be partners.
Oui?
Merci.
” Chef nodded and moved on to the next station.
We’d practiced pastry dough and fillings all week but today we were making several desserts and putting it all together for Chef Boulanger’s inspection and grading. I could only hope cooperative Ethan would make an appearance today.
I stared at the ingredient list and closed my eyes, turning my head to crack my neck. I hadn’t slept much since I was still stressed over
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