On Thursday KCC calls an emergency meeting. I have no idea what this is about. I’m the first one to arrive at HEAT.
Zack comes in next. I don’t know how to avoid him. He sees me and heads over. I don’t have time to run to the washroom to hide.
“I need to explain,” he says as he approaches. “The video is all over.”
“What?” I worried about this briefly between thoughts about kissing KCC. People are probably watching the video and laughing at me. Everything Jeff and Dixon said is out there now. And able to be replayed over and over again.
“No, no. It’s not like that,” Zack says. “Sure, when I heard those guys trashing you, I started filming. But I edited the video and put it online to expose them. What they said wasn’t cool. Everyone agrees. Look at the comments. They’re all on your side.”
Zack hands me his phone. The video has been reposted a lot of times. The only negative comments are about Dixon and Jeff. The rest are supportive of me, saying how they hope I win and show those two what it means to be a winner.
“I wanted to explain, but you ran off. I never meant to make you worry,” Zack says as I hand back his phone.
“I was worried,” I reply.
“Don’t be,” he says. “Jeff and Dixon can say whatever they want. They’re out. You’re not.”
Dennis and Mama Bear arrive. We are called into KCC’s office. It is a small room with a desk and computer, two chairs and a leather couch. We all sit down.
“So I know you’re all wondering why I called you here,” says KCC, leaning against the desk, looking as cool as ever. “Thanks largely to Zack’s online presence, the competition has blown up. It’s bigger than we even hoped, and we’ve decided to make some changes. I talked it over with staff. We’re swamped with reservation requests.
“So the first big change is, we’re selling tickets to the competition. Second, we’ve decided to give it our prime spot on Saturday night. You three will be cooking on our busiest night of the week instead of between services.” KCC pauses for a moment before revealing the most surprising part. “As of right now, we’re sold out, no standing room.”
KCC continues to detail the changes. I stare at his lips and think about how just a couple of days ago I was kissing them. The couch smells like him.
KCC ends the meeting. He tells me to stick around for a few minutes. I leave with the rest of the contestants and linger by the office door. Mama Bear pulls me over to the bar. He looks completely different out of his dress and wig.
“Do you know why KCC told you to stay?” he asks.
“No,” I answer, although I have suspicions and hopes.
Mama Bear frowns. “Just be careful with him. Okay? Especially when you’re alone.”
“Sure,” I say as KCC opens his door and calls me. I hurry in, excited to be alone with him.
KCC sits on the couch. He pats the seat beside him. I sit.
“I wanted to make sure you’re good after everything,” KCC says.
“I’m good,” I say with a smile. “I felt much better after our chat.”
“Me too,” KCC says. “I wanted to talk to you more. You want to be a chef, right?”
“A pastry chef,” I say. “I want to open up bakeries.”
“I could help with that. You could win this competition. There’d be a job at HEAT for you. You could see how a kitchen runs. I’d like seeing you run around here too. You’d be a great addition to the staff.”
“Really?”
“For sure. But it’s a lot of hard work. It’s not just the food and cooking you need to know. Anyone can learn that. It’s the whole thing. The atmosphere. The experience. The nuts and bolts of a business. I can help you learn that too,” KCC says. He puts his hand on my thigh and begins rubbing.
I put my hand on top of KCC’s. He moves it to his chest. I stroke his chest hair. It is bristly and tickles my palm. He leans in close. I kiss him along his jawline as he explains how much to mark up food and how to calculate overheads.
The door to KCC’s office opens. I jump up.
“Brandon, seriously, you don’t knock anymore?” KCC says.
Brandon looks professional in dress pants, shiny, pointy-toed black shoes and a crisp, pressed dress shirt.
“It’s my office too,” Brandon replies. “What were you boys up to in here?”
“Brandon’s my partner,” KCC says.
“Oh. I’m Theo.” I avoid looking directly at Brandon.
“The cub from the contest,” KCC adds.
Brandon nods.
“KCC was telling me about costs.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say.
“Brandon’s the numbers guy in our relationship,” KCC says. “Maybe he should join us. Sit back down, Theo.”
I follow KCC’s orders, although I don’t really understand. Brandon sits on the arm of the couch, sandwiching me between his knee and KCC.
“It must be cool to work with KCC,” I say.
Brandon laughs. “When I don’t want to kill him. Don’t let him fool you. He’s not easy to work with. He’s even harder to live with.”
I’m confused. “You live together?” I ask. “Like roommates?”
KCC laughs now. “If it were the 1950s. We’re partners. Husbands.”
I stand up again. “Oh my god. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry,” I say, looking from Brandon to KCC as realization hits me. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have…” I can’t believe Brandon’s not angry after walking in on me kissing his husband.
Brandon puts his hand on my arm. “Sit down. It’s okay. KCC said you’d interest me.”
“What?” I ask.
Brandon strokes my arm. KCC reaches out and pats my ass.
I squirm. It’s not that I don’t like KCC touching me. It just feels weird knowing he’s married and his husband is right there.
“Sit down,” Brandon repeats. “It’s okay. Let’s talk numbers. Two plus one.”
I don’t sit down, not really sure what Brandon and KCC are talking about. “What?” I ask.
Brandon and KCC stand up.
“Maybe this will help explain,” Brandon says. He leans in and kisses me.
Before I can respond, KCC turns my head. He kisses me too.
Brandon moves his mouth to my neck.
“Oh. Two plus one. Three,” I say into KCC’s mouth.
KCC pulls back. Brandon’s mouth is on mine again.
“Business is often who you know,” KCC says as he kisses me again.
A part of me doesn’t believe this is happening. A part of me is cheering me on. I’m kissing not one, but two handsome, successful men. They’re even willing to help me and my career. And one of the guys is KCC, a chef and celebrity I’ve crushed on for ages. This is a fantasy scenario. A part of me really likes kissing them and feeling their lips on my neck, their tongues licking my earlobes, their hands stroking my sides. I kiss them back.
But a part of me wants to leave the office right this second. That part nags at me after the three of us finish making out. It reminds me they’re married. It tells me I just met them. It tells me Mama Bear said to be careful, especially alone with KCC.
KCC and Brandon say they’ll see more of me again soon.
I give them each a kiss goodbye.