“I love everything about you too,” she said. “But we don’t have time for that now, naughty boy.”
He slid their waffles onto the table in the breakfast nook, growling. If he couldn’t have her, at least he could feed her waffles.
“I should probably get back to the inn,” she said. “My mother and grandmother are probably beside themselves with worry. Either that or beside themselves with not having someone to clean the toilets.”
“Your family is not so bad,” he said.
“Maybe not. But it's rough not having the resources to take care of myself.
“When I win the bake-off and open my factory, you can be my business partner.”
“That doesn't sound like such a bad idea,” she mused. “I'm sure you're going to win the bake-off.”
“I like your confidence.”
After they finished eating their waffles, Donika changed into a pair of his sweatpants and a sweatshirt, not wanting to wear the square-dancing outfit home. She slipped into the cowboy boots and looked at herself in the mirror, aghast.
“You don't look so bad,” he said. “You could start a new fashion trend.”
She started cracking up on the way out the door. Grayson dropped Donika off at home. He hated leaving her. He could feel her fear through their primal bond. He hoped taking her home was enough to keep her safe.
He arrived at the event center and took his place with the remaining contestants. The producer instructed them on what would be happening that day, giving them their cues and a little pep talk.
“You have all come a long way, but there can only be one winner. If you don't win, just remember, you’ve had a tremendous amount of exposure. There are many opportunities that will be available to you after the show airs.”
The contestants all looked at each other. Charlotte Gavin had tears in her eyes, and Grayson could smell the anxiety rolling off her. He was incredibly nervous himself. He wanted to win so badly he could taste it. Not only for himself, but for Donika too. He wanted to give her a new life in Fate Valley. He hadn’t been joking about wanting her to be his business partner. He knew her expertise as a lawyer would go a long way.
When it was time, the contestants took their positions at their stations in the kitchen. The producer went through the opening instructions and the announcer came out onto the stage.
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the final bake-off! Bakers, are you ready?”
The camera panned over the bakers at their stations, each nodding their heads yes.
“Judges, are you ready?”
The judges all gave the announcer the thumbs-up.
“Then let the baking begin! Tonight, in our finale episode, the bakers will be making three recipes. First, the judges’ choice. Second, an audience choice. And the third, is baker’s choice.”
There was a gasp through the crowd as they realized they got to decide one of the recipes for the finale.
“There has been a secret envelope placed under one of the chairs in the audience tonight. Audience, look under your chairs. If you find the envelope, you will choose one of the final recipes.”
There was a shuffling in the audience and a scream went up from an elderly woman. She waved an envelope around overhead. A production assistant brought the microphone over to her and the announcer asked her what she would like the contestants to bake.
“I've always been partial to wedding cake.”
“A wedding cake?” the announcer said, looking at the contestants. “Thank you, ma'am. That's a wonderful choice.”
The contestants all murmured with panic. Wedding cakes were intricate and complicated. They could take quite a long time. Grayson made wedding cakes all the time and had a standard recipe that he used for many of his friends’ special occasions. He did a lemon cake wrapped in fondant. He knew the recipe by heart.
“Judges. What is your finale recipe?”
“We want the contestants to make a peach cobbler.”
“That's an interesting choice,” the announcer said.
“Cobblers can be tricky. The limitation is time. They only have thirty minutes to complete the cobbler.”
“The final recipe you get to choose yourself. Bakers, choose well.”
Grayson looked out at the crowd, finding Donika's pretty face amongst the other onlookers. He felt her connection deep and strong in his heart, cheering him on silently through their bond. He knew that no matter what, she was there for him. That was more important than all the money in the world.
He wanted to win for her, for them both, for their future. He was determined to give them the best life possible.
“Bakers, your first recipe will be the judges’ choice. Thirty minutes to bake a peach cobbler. Your time begins now.”
The bakers all ran off to the pantry to grab their ingredients. There were plenty of ingredients for everyone and they didn't have to fight over who got what. Grayson brought his things back to his table and began to mix the batter, making sure to use self-rising flour.
He peeled and chopped his peaches before mixing them with sugar. He melted a stick of butter in the baking pan while his peaches cooked on the stove. He poured the batter into the baking pan and then scooped the peaches on top of the batter. Grayson sprinkled it all with cinnamon before sliding it into the oven. His cobbler only had twenty minutes to cook. He was glad he had precooked the peaches in the sugar. Some of the other bakers hadn't done that.
He had his oven on at four hundred degrees to ensure that the crust would bake thoroughly, and he’d covered it with tinfoil to ensure it didn't burn. With three minutes left to go, he pulled off the tinfoil. The batter had risen over the peaches beautifully, creating a perfect crust. Just before time was up, Grayson pulled the cobbler out of the oven and put it on the counter. It smelled delicious and looked perfect. He smiled at his creation, feeling good about what he had done.
“The judges will now sample your recipes and take down their scores. You will be informed of their decisions at the end of the bake-off.”
The bakers brought their cobblers up to the judges. Grayson watched carefully as they took bites of his cobbler. Their faces were expressionless, and he couldn't read a thing. It made him nervous, and he wished that he had some clue going into the next round.
“Next, you will bake the audience choice recipe. Since they have decided on such a complex dish, you will have two hours to prepare. But you must also prepare your bakers’ choice recipe at the same time.”
Grayson gritted his teeth. Two hours was a short amount of time for a wedding cake. But he would have to make another recipe at the same time. Crunch time was what separated the pros from the amateurs and what would allow the judges to see who truly deserved to win.
“Bakers, are you ready?” the announcer asked. The bakers nodded. “Round two of the Great American Bake-off finale begins now.”
The bakers all ran into the pantry, grabbing this and that from the shelves. Grayson knew exactly what he needed for his recipes. He had already baked his famous scones for one of the rounds. But in this round, he would bake his bear claws—in honor of the shifters of Fate Valley.
He had everything he needed for the cake and bear claws back at his station. He immediately got to work. Within fifteen minutes, he had the cake batter mixed and was ready to pour it into parchment paper-lined cake pans. He popped the three cakes into the oven and put them on just the right temperature.
Then he started making his bear claws with honey and almonds, and just the right amount of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Since it was a yeast-based dough, he quickly mixed it and set it aside to rise near the warm oven. He checked his cakes and they had risen beautifully, needing just a few more minutes to bake. As the bear claw dough rose, he mixed the fondant he used to wrap his wedding cakes.
When his fondant was mixed and colored, he rolled it out on parchment paper before pulling his cakes from the oven.
He popped the cakes out of their tins and put them in the r
efrigerator to cool. With the cakes in the fridge cooling, he checked his bear claw dough and found it had risen. He kneaded the dough and began forming it into small rectangles. He filled the rectangles with the almond and sugar filling and then flipped the rectangles in half, cutting the side with the customary slits to create the bear's claws. He popped it all in the oven.
That done, he pulled his cakes out of the fridge and checked the temperature. They were cool enough to be wrapped. He had chosen a pale violet color for the fondant, since it was a similar color to the last wedding cake he’d made for his friends Thorian and Cici.
He carefully wrapped the cakes in fondant, making sure the seams were all clean. Then he meticulously stacked the cakes to create three tiers.
With his cakes stacked, he checked his bear claws. They still had a few minutes to cook so he whipped up his frosting to create the roses that would top off the cake.
With his buttercream whipped, he piped the roses onto the cake and stood back to admire his creation just as the oven dinged for his bear claws. He pulled them out and slid them onto the serving tray. They smelled perfectly delicious and he couldn't wait to serve them to the judges.
“Bakers,” the announcer said. “Your time is up.”
The bakers all put their hands in the air, indicating they were done with their recipes. One at a time, the bakers presented their wedding cakes to the judges. They were being judged not only on the taste, but also on the presentation.
Grayson looked around at the other cakes and was not impressed by what he saw. He smiled to himself, knowing his cake looked beautiful. He cut four pieces for the judges and served them each their plate. He then stood back and waited for them to taste his creation. Just like the last time, their faces were unreadable, and he couldn't get any impression if they liked it or not.
When they were done judging the wedding cakes, the judges then went on to judge the bakers’ choice recipe. The other bakers had chosen a variety of recipes from lemon bars to blueberry muffins. Grayson was confident with his bear claws. And when he served his pastry, he was almost sure that he saw one of the judges smile.
“That concludes our judging for today,” the announcer said. “The judges will confer and will be back with their final decision in just a moment.”
There was a murmur from the crowd as the judges left the room. Grayson stood behind his station with the other contestants, nervously wringing his hands. His heart smacked in his chest. He wanted to win so badly he could taste it. And it tasted better than wedding cake. He saw Donika out in the crowd and felt her sending him support through their link. His inner bear growled with appreciation.
Several moments later, the judges came back from their conference backstage and sat down at the judges’ table.
“Judges, have you made your decision?”
“We have,” said Odessa Carver. “Although all of your recipes were delicious, there's one baker who stands out above the rest. It was a unanimous decision that the winner of this year's Great American Bake-off is, your hometown boy, Grayson Baxter!”
The audience shot to their feet, clapping and whooping furiously in support of Grayson. There were a few boos amongst the crowd, but the support Grayson felt was overwhelming. Donika, unable to contain herself, came running up to the stage and threw her arms around his neck.
“Congratulations, Grayson Baxter,” the announcer said. “What do you plan to do with the million-dollar prize?”
“My mate and I are opening a bakery factory. We are going to share our love of pastries with the world. I've always believed that food is the best way to share your love. With the million-dollar prize, my mate and I will be able to do just that.”
Chapter 28
Donika jumped up and down, throwing her arms around Grayson’s neck as the cameras rolled and people cheered all around them. She was so proud that he had won the bake-off that she could barely contain her joy. Her smile spread across her face and her heart beat like a bass drum.
“I'm so proud of you,” she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.
The show was over. The cameras stopped rolling and the audience began to filter out of the event center. Grayson had his arm around her waist. The other contestants begrudgingly congratulated him, and the judges shook his hand.
With all the congratulations given, Grayson and Donika walked through the back of the event center. He grabbed his things, and they started for the back door.
“I'm going to treat you to a night out on the town,” he said with a smile.
“We can start planning that baking factory of yours,” she said.
“That's a wonderful idea. I want you to come stay with me from now on.”
“Me too.”
They went to the inn so Donika could grab her things. She shoved everything in her plastic boxes and took them outside.
“Where are you going?” Adele asked.
“I'm going to stay at Grayson's from now on.”
The other guests were sitting in the parlor and looked up from their tea. They would be leaving soon, now that the bake-off was over.
“All right then,” Adele said with a frown. “We’ll miss you around here.”
Donika hurried out of the inn, knowing her mother was disappointed. She probably wanted to keep her around longer. Donika was losing her mind, working as domestic labor for her family. She had much more to offer. Still, the last few weeks had taught her a lot and she didn’t regret it.
She made it out to her SUV and threw her things in the back. She knew her family missed her. She would have to come visit them more often.
Grayson drove off ahead, saying he would hop in the shower first. She climbed behind the wheel of her car and hurried down the road. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she noticed Martha standing on the porch with her arms crossed.
Donika made it to Grayson's house, and he was already dressed for a night out on the town when she arrived.
“I'll just hop in the shower and get ready.”
She went upstairs and took a quick shower. When she was done, she got dressed, fixed her hair and makeup, and met Grayson downstairs in the living room.
“All set?” he asked.
“I sure am,” she said, wrapping her arm through his.
When they arrived at the Fate Valley Resort, there was nothing short of a party waiting for them.
The audience, the judges, and the production crew from the show had already arrived and were drinking champagne. Camera flashes popped all around as the couple walked into the restaurant. A reporter from the local newspaper shoved a microphone in Grayson's face.
“How does it feel to have won a million dollars in the Great American Bake-off?” the reporter asked.
“It feels good,” Grayson said.
“At the end of the show you said you were going to open a baking factory? What are your plans?”
“I intend to produce the wholesome goodness I bake in the Fate Valley Café and Bakery to distribute to the world.”
“That's very exciting,” the reporter said. “How do you intend to distribute internationally?”
“That's a question for my lawyer,” he said, patting Donika's hand.
They pushed through the crowd and went to the table he had reserved. The hostess set their menus on the table and smiled.
“We have a complimentary bottle of champagne for you. And the chef has prepared a special dish just for you tonight.”
“That sounds amazing,” he said.
A moment later, the wine steward poured their glasses of champagne while the rest of the restaurant settled down in their chairs. The hostess ushered the reporter out the door, telling him he could no longer bother the guests.
“I think you’ve become a local celebrity,” Donika said.
“I didn't expect this.”
“I'm sure everything will go back to normal soon.”
“I sure hope so.”
The waitress brought their first course of lobster bisque and Caesar
salads. The second course was chicken cordon bleu and steamed vegetables. Everything was delicious. Donika’s stomach was pleasantly full by the time they were done. They had drained an entire bottle of champagne and they were both feeling quite good.
“Do you want to go look at the warehouse?” he asked.
“I would love that.”
“I have the keys. Liam gave them to me earlier today.”
They drove over to the Fate Valley Café and Bakery and approached the large building next door.
“This can easily be renovated into a baking factory,” Grayson said.
He shoved the key in the lock and turned it. They walked inside, and he flipped on the lights. Donika gazed around at the space, her mouth dropping at the size.
“The mixers can be over there, and the ovens can be over there,” Grayson said.
“This is amazing. You can do anything in here.”
“This building is what originally gave me the idea. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it. Since it was right next door to the bakery, I couldn't help but think all I had to do was expand. But I had no idea how to go about it. There are all kinds of licenses and regulations when it comes to mass-producing food.”
“I can definitely help you with all of that,” she said.
He walked over and swept her up in his arms, kissing her deeply.
“Have I told you how much I love you today?”
“You've been a little busy,” she said with a chuckle.
“I should never be too busy to tell you how much I love you.”
He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck, loving the feeling of being so close to him. It felt as if nothing would stand in the way of their love and their life together. Donika couldn't help but think about the lawsuit still looming over her head. She had to put an end to it somehow, so it didn’t ruin everything. Donika felt Grayson grow hard against her stomach.
“Want to get out here?” he asked, taking her hand and leading her to the door.