Martin said, “One of them is going to go home a hundred thousand dollars richer. I think either way, you’re going to be forgiven by at least one of them.”

The studio audience laughed.

Dawn began to read,

“Dear Martin,

I love your show. Even the bakery in our town, The Cake Factory, schedules their breaks around the viewing schedule of your show so their employees can stay motivated and proud of the work they do. I’d love to nominate not one, but two people to compete in your special Valentine’s Day edition. Now, I’m not the husband or wife or fiancée as the call-out at the end of the show on December fifteenth stated, but I know two people who were once so in love that no one expected to ever see them apart. Kelly grew up in our hometown of Bailey’s Fork, North Carolina. She’s such a good person. Hard working and caring, a great part of our community. She built The Cake Factory in our hometown. Not only is it the bakery everyone goes to for every special event, but she also brought jobs to our community as her online company has expanded. Now people all over the nation are enjoying her recipes right out of our small town.”

Kelly couldn’t see a thing for the tears welling. She didn’t dare brush them away, hoping no one would notice.

“My brother was engaged to Kelly when my Aunt Claire arranged for him to go to France to a very elite pastry school for six months. The whole time he was gone, he and Kelly worked on recipes from thousands of miles apart.”

An awww crossed the audience like the wave.

Dawn continued, “Careers and opportunities have kept them apart, but neither has found that special someone. I think both of them are worthy of the title of Best Four Square Valentine’s Day Bake-Off Pastry Chef, and if it brought the two of them together, then it would be the icing on the cake.”

Someone in the audience whistled.

Kelly swept away the tear that fell to her cheek.

Andrew tapped his heart with his right hand. “Thanks, sis.”

Dawn pulled her hands to her mouth and blew kisses toward them.

“She’s right. We’ve never had talent so closely matched.” Martin waved toward her. “We might need to hire you to do some casting.”

“I’m available,” she said.

Martin turned back to them. “It was shocking for us to get almost the same dessert from you both.”

Kelly clicked her thumb against her fingernail.

“Our hidden cameras caught you two talking about the last round backstage.”