Accidentally Engaged(69)
No, Reena wasn’t. After that fake (or was it real?) lovers’ spat, Reena’s mind was racing again. She took a deep breath. They’d practiced their picnic menu in the backyard of Shayne’s house only yesterday. She could do this. It was all comfort food she could make with her eyes closed.
They were making grilled naan, chicken tikka skewers, grilled corn on the cob with chili and lime, and kachumber salad—classic picnic food, as far as she was concerned. The chicken wouldn’t be as good as if she’d had more time to marinate it, but when they’d practiced it using the freshest spices available, it was still tasty. And the naan would have less time for the yeast to ferment, which worked fine for a flatbread.
She needed to stay focused. With cameras on them, and the other teams surrounding them, it was no wonder her nerves were so high. Not to mention being severely shaken up by an argument with her boyfriend/fiancé/whatever who just claimed none of this was real.
Nadim seemed fine, though. Charming grin, spring in his step. He winked at her the moment headset lady gave the go-ahead to get their ingredients. And he kissed her cheek right before they started cooking.
So, Reena kept going. Pretended this was all real.
But it wasn’t easy. Within minutes of starting, Reena cut herself with her chef’s knife. She was able to wave down Anderson to get a bandage while Nadim took over duties requiring sharp implements.
She was putting the corn on the grill when the chef and camera crew arrived together.
“And here are our lovebirds! You know, you two have been so popular, I heard someone is creating actual fan-fiction of your wedding! How are you feeling going into the semifinals as crowd favorites? Pressure getting to you?”
Nadim grinned. “It’s like any other day cooking with my love.”
Michelle grinned. Reena had always liked Michelle Finley and had been excited to learn she would be the chef host for today.
“Tell us, Reena, why have you chosen to grill the corn with the husk off? Won’t the kernels get dried out?”
Thankfully, they’d expected this question. “This is how corn is cooked on streets in India and in East Africa. That’s where both Nadim and my family are from. The kernels are a little dryer this way, but I think the flavor is more concentrated. And after I sprinkle it with chili and lime, I guarantee, you’ll never want to grill corn with the husk on again.” She smiled as she turned the cobs using large tongs.
“Indo-East African cuisine seems to be a common thread between you two.”
Nadim grinned. “Completely. It feels like a relief to be committed to someone who not only comes from the same corner of the world as me, but who also understands that these recipes, passed down from our mothers and grandmothers, are like the cornerstone of our culture.”
“So, you think you two are so great together because of your shared cultural background?”
He laughed. “No! Not only. But we do have that bond. Honestly, I think food is why we work so well. I love being with someone who loves cooking and eating as much as I do. It feels like home, you know?”
“You two are an inspiration. If you win this thing, I’m going to insist the network give you a show dispensing relationship advice while cooking.”
Reena managed not to cringe. The thought of her giving anyone relationship advice was so laughable. And them together—the only advice they could give was how to grift others to win free cooking courses.
Because, as Nadim told her, this wasn’t real.
“Whoops!” Michelle pointed at the grill. “Smells like your corn might be a little too blackened. I’ll leave you for now, but I’ll be back to see what happens with that chicken!”
Sure enough, the corn was almost completely black on one side. Reena sighed as she turned the cobs around. Nadim’s hand landed on her waist.
“I screwed up,” Reena said.
“It’s okay. We’ll serve it blackened side down.”
They managed the rest of the hour with no more burned food or broken skin, and Reena felt better about their finished meal. She still worried that her little screwup with the corn might cost them votes, but after peeking at the other contestants’ finished picnics, she saw that theirs weren’t all picture-perfect, either.
After the filming, all the contestants met up for a giant picnic to taste the food they’d prepared. This was followed by a tour of the FoodTV studios, and finally a five-star tasting meal at a top restaurant. Reena thoroughly enjoyed herself. The other contestants were charmingly supportive of one another and so damn nice that she hoped they would somehow all win. The Jeffs were particularly delightful, and Reena was stoked that Jeff Gryzbowski even shared his recipe for the Polish baked cabbage they’d made in round two. Like good polite Canadians, no one asked intrusive questions, and it didn’t feel like she and Nadim were faking anything—because they weren’t. They might not actually be engaged, but they felt like a couple.
After dinner, they all went to the cocktail lounge in the hotel lobby to chat some more. All in all, it was a great evening with her boyfriend. She realized then just how much she wanted to keep him.
*
On the way up the elevator to their room after leaving the bar, Reena smiled at Nadim.
“I had fun tonight,” she said.
“Yeah, me too. Man, you Canadians, though. I was so ready to throw down and be competitive, but everyone was so…pleasant. Cooperative.” He chuckled.