Blaze (Heat #3)(18)

I reach forward to cup his cheeks in my hands. I don’t give a shit if Pamela or anyone else sees us. "I'm scared, Tyler."

"There's nothing to be scared of, Cadence," Pamela interjects. "Act natural and be yourself."

I'm grateful for her kind words, even though she's now resting her hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Thank you, Pamela."

"I love you, Cadence." Tyler's eyes lock on mine. "You go out there and show the world what an amazing chef you are."

I tighten my hands on his face before I brush my lips over his. "I can do this. I know that I can."

***

As soon as the director signals that we've gone to commercial after my segment, I feel all the tension leave my body. I rest my elbows on the counter of the portable kitchen as I pull in a heavy breath.

"Whoever hired you for this is a genius, Chef," Percy, the male co-host of the show approaches me from the left. "I just watched you. You did a fantastic job."

I didn’t notice him or anyone else who had gathered on the set to watch my debut. The only person I sought out in the crowd was Tyler. I looked at him twice. The first time was when I realized that the cooktop on my set wasn't working.

I heard people scrambling around trying to come up with a solution. I laughed it off, telling the home audience that cooking is a fluid experience and if we have to come up with a Plan B, we'll do it. I placed the ground turkey in my recipe to the side, opened a can of chick peas as a protein substitute and continued on to finish my spicy lettuce wraps.

The second time I glanced at Tyler was when I presented the finished dish and spoke about how my job at Nova had given me the foundation to cook with passion. I even snuck in a small recommendation for the grilled swordfish that I know they'll be serving during launch week.

"If this is a sign of what's to come, you're going to be more successful than any of us ever imagined you'd be." Barbara hurries into place behind Percy, her hand darting to his forearm. "She nailed it, don't you think, Percy?"

"She hit a homerun." He nods. "I better watch my back or you'll steal my job from right under me, Cadence."

"Thank you for believing in me," I say to both of them. "I was scared. I'm glad it went as well as it did."

"This is only the beginning," Barbara crows. "The world awaits you, Chef. The best is yet to come."





CHAPTER 20


I step off the set and into Tyler's arms. He smiles down at me, his breathing labored, his face flushed.

"You look exactly how I feel," I joke. "What's wrong? Did Pamela send you a shot of what's up her skirt?"

He chuckles, the sound low and rich. "I've been avoiding her all morning. She found another victim."

"Lucky him." I cock a brow. "How do you think I did? I feel like it went really well."

His hands dart to my shoulders. "You never cease to amaze me, Cadence. You looked like you'd been on camera for years. You were comfortable and relaxed. The way you handled the turkey setback was flawless."

I mull his comments over for a minute, absorbing each word. "I was worried that this job would come between us. I thought you might think I'm selling out."

"You're showing people how to cook for themselves." He smiles wide. "It goes against my desire to have them come to Nova to eat but there's a beauty in preparing a meal with your own two hands. You're helping people understand and appreciate food, Chef. How is that not a great thing?"

The weight of all of the emotions of the past few days crashes down on me. I feel a tear welling in my eye. "Food is such an important part of my life. I know cooking intimidates some people. I want to show them that it's not difficult. Anyone can cook."

"You're going to do that." He brushes his lips against my temple. "If you need any help, I'm here for you. I can contribute in any way."

I bury my face in his chest, resting against the soft fabric of the light blue dress shirt he's wearing. "I'd like that. I'll need your help. They have chefs on board to help but I value your input. You're an incredible chef. "

"Tyler is incredible," Pamela says from somewhere behind me. "He can't compare to this man though. Why the hell did no one tell me that Chef Sergio Firi is your father?"

I look up at Tyler's face. I ask the question even though he's already nodding in response. "Sergio's standing behind me, isn't he?"

"I will walk him out of here myself if that's what you want," he says quietly. "I don't want you upset."

My lips twitch as I debate what to do.

"I saw him with Pamela right as your segment ended. I have no idea how long he's been here." His gaze volleys to the area behind me, and then back again.

"I'll talk to him." I sigh on an exhale. "I'll get it over with."

"I'm right here with you." He slides his cheek against mine. "I won't leave your side."

***

I turn toward Sergio just as the door closes behind me. Barbara eagerly offered up her office to me when I told her I needed a private place to speak to my dad. I didn't have to introduce the two of them. She fawned over him for a solid two minutes until he finally promised her that he'd stop on his way out of the building to sign something for her. The last I saw of her, she was rushing out the door of the studio, headed in the direction of a bookstore.