She made her entrance and stood on the X like she’d been instructed.

“This self-taught baker has grown one of the most successful online cake shops around. If you haven’t tried her desserts, you need to put them on your list right now. We’re pleased to have her with us on this Four Square Valentine’s Day Bake-Off.”

She smiled, wishing she could see what she looked like on camera. Was she standing straight? Could they tell she was shaking?

“Okay, contestants. Go to your counters,” Martin continued.

She moved to the spot in front of the counter. Another X on the floor. That made it easy.

“As always, this is a blind competition. No one knows who they’re competing against.”

The quartz countertop was so shiny that the lights made it sparkle as if it were under water. She folded her hands on the counter in front of her. A large wicker basket sat not two feet away from her.

Her hands left a foggy sweat print on the counter. She swept at the mark and put her hands behind her back.

Inside that basket was the first challenge. She’d seen the show enough to know that this was an invention challenge. She prayed her practice with Sara would pay off.

Right now it was her and her kitchen.

“Contestants. Please take your first surprise ingredient out of Cabinet One.”

She opened the first cabinet and removed a bag of pastel-colored conversation hearts.

“The theme is love. All of you have the exact same ingredients. Open your baskets!”

Kelly took out the ingredients one at a time and placed them on the counter. Dark chocolate chips, whole raw almonds, and cayenne peppers.

“You have ninety minutes to make six servings of whatever you like, but you must use each of these ingredients to complete a dessert fit for a fiftieth wedding anniversary.”

The theme music for the show began playing, and Martin announced, “It’s show time, and the four contestants are being filmed on The Four Square Cooking Show set. The arena-styled soundproof kitchens keep the contestants out of view and earshot of one another, but the cameras are on them every step of the way. Your time starts…now!”

Thankful for the ninety minutes, and the digital clock that had begun the countdown in numbers twelve inches high in front of her counter, Kelly ran straight to the oven and turned it to 350 degrees, then ran for the pantry, pulling all the staples she’d need.

She made a fiftieth wedding anniversary cake for the Millers three weeks ago, but there was no way she could replicate that in ninety minutes. And she wasn’t sure if she could integrate the cayenne and pull it off. Time was of the essence. At least six individual desserts would be much easier to manage on the clock, since both the baking and cooling times would be cut dramatically.