Yield: Enough Milk Chocolate Sauce for 6 individual soufflés or one large soufflé.
Chapter Twelve
Hannah was so tired when she got off the plane, she could barely keep her eyes open. They’d stayed up late celebrating on their heated patio, and the stress of the first night’s competition, coupled with the relief and euphoria she’d felt when Team Swensen had been declared the winner, had led to a night filled with both joyful and stressful dreams.
Now it was time to get off the plane, and Hannah stepped out into the aisle so that Ross could open the overhead bin and take out their carry-on luggage.
“Thank you for flying with us, Miss Swensen,” the stewardess said when she beckoned Hannah toward the door. “Congratulations. I watched the competition and my husband and I were hoping you’d win.”
For a moment Hannah was speechless. She hadn’t realized that the stewardess had watched the Dessert Chef Competition.
“Thank you!” she said quickly to cover her surprise. “I’m really thrilled that the competition is coming to my hometown.”
The stewardess leaned closer and lowered her voice so that it couldn’t be overheard by the others standing in line behind Hannah. “My friend at the desk says there’s a whole contingent of people from Lake Eden waiting for you at baggage claim with signs, and balloons, and bouquets of flowers. She said the baggage guy said there’s even a squad of cheerleaders there from Jordan High in Lake Eden.”
Hannah knew she must have looked shocked, because the stewardess laughed. “Don’t worry. I told her to snag you when you and your party come down the Jetway. She’ll show you another way out and someone will collect your baggage for you.”
“That’s . . . very thoughtful,” Hannah said, wondering if they did this sort of thing often.
“No problem. We do it all the time with celebrities. Sometimes they want to avoid the fans and just get in their limo and go home.”
“But I’m not a celebrity!”
“You are to them. And you were on national television. And you’ll have even more fans if you win the entire competition. You might even get your own baking show and then you’ll be a celebrity dessert chef.”
“Oh my! I didn’t even think of that!” Hannah drew a deep breath and let it out again. “Thank you for being so thoughtful about the other way out and everything, but the people that are waiting for me are probably family and friends. They’re going to be really disappointed if I don’t show up at the baggage claim carousel.”
“You really are nice,” the stewardess said, motioning Hannah toward the door of the plane. “Most celebrities don’t want to be bothered.”
“I heard that,” Ross said, grinning as he handed her the smallest carry-on. “Eat it up, Hannah. You and Michelle deserve the acclaim. We’ll be ready to shoot some really good footage.”
As Hannah walked up the Jetway, she knew she was wearing a puzzled expression. She wasn’t a celebrity . . . was she? She’d have to ask Ross later, when they were alone. He’d know, one way or the other. She really wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a celebrity. She was perfectly happy being Michelle and Andrea’s sister, Ross’s bride-to-be, Moishe’s human mommy, Delores Swensen’s daughter, and owner of The Cookie Jar with her partner, Lisa. Anything other than that was an unknown position that she wasn’t sure she wanted to explore.
“Welcome home, Hannah!” Mayor Bascomb was the first to greet her when they arrived at the baggage carousel.
Hannah put on her best smile, just as Ross had told her to do. “Thank you, Mayor Bascomb,” she said in a clear voice. “I’ll be so very glad to be back at home in Lake Eden again, and I know that Michelle feels the same way.”
“I do! We’re so excited about bringing the Food Channel Dessert Chef Competition home with us, Mayor Bascomb.”
It was Hannah’s turn to speak and she picked up right on cue. They’d rehearsed it while they were waiting for the cart to drive them down to baggage claim.
“I just know that everyone involved in the competition will love Lake Eden,” Hannah said, hoping that she sounded sincere. She’d overheard Chef Duquesne refer to Lake Eden as a one-horse town that didn’t even have a decent restaurant, and Gloria Berkeley had referred to Hannah’s hometown as Hayseed Central, but she certainly didn’t want to think of that now.