Page 63 of Off the Grid
Would Addy and Jo even like me if they were here? Would they want to be my friend if they knew me in real life? Or would I just push and push and push, the way I always do, until I pushed them right out that door with everyone else?
No, she realized as a smile spread her lips, fully aware of the answer to her question.Because they’d never let me.
McKenzie thought back to the conversation that started it all, two long years ago during the premiere season ofThe American Baking Championship. Everyone in the online forum had been raving about one of the contestants for weeks—a grandmother who had always dreamed of becoming a professional baker, but had been unable to chase her dreams due to the societal constraints of motherhood at the time. At least, that was what the woman portrayed, but McKenzie hadn’t been buying it. Normally, she was all for a female-empowerment angle, but something about that granny had rubbed her wrong. She never said anything, because, well, she’d been more of a lurker on the page than an active participant. But the more and more the comment thread filled with adoration, the more McKenzie wanted to snap—until finally, she did.
@TheGourmetGoddess: Okay…no one else wants to admit it, but I can’t bite my tongue anymore. Who else thinks that old lady would cut a bitch? I don’t trust her.
The words had felt so satisfying as she typed them, but as soon as she pressedsend, her hackles rose.Shit! I don’t want to get into a comment war. Why did I do that? Why? Why?She hated putting herself out there, even online. Silent observation was much more fun.
But then, to her surprise, a reply popped onto the screen.
@TheBakingBandit: Oh, I’m with you! The woman’s got evil-genius in her eyes!
@TheBakingBandit: She’s a shark in a dainty old lady’s body!
@Sprinkle-Ella: She reminds me of my gran…
A grin immediately widened her lips. McKenzie sat up and leaned over her keyboard, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she eagerly typed.
@TheGourmetGoddess: She’s totally going for the nostalgia sympathy angle. Everyone is eating it up!
@Sprinkle-Ella: She is! I totally fell for it in that first episode where she baked that coconut cake! It looked exactly like the one my memaw used to make. (NOT my gran. She’s on my dad’s side. *shivers*). I got all the warm fuzzies from that…
@TheBakingBandit: It’s a great play—she knows what she’s doing. Sly old fox!
@TheBakingBandit: Did you see the way she pulled that Le Crueset pan from the bottom oven? She’s not as fragile as she looks… I almost respect the hustle, but she’s stealing all the attention away from my beloved Joe!
@Sprinkle-Ella: JOE! Cue the sigh… Love him :)
@TheBakingBandit: I was sucked in by that smile and I’m not even sorry!
@TheGourmetGoddess: Smile?! Did you see his petits fours in the second episode? They were perfect. The layers, the edges, the glaze!
@TheBakingBandit: Can I get a hell yeah?!
@Sprinkle-Ella: Heck yeah!
Soon after, the comment thread had been overrun by granny-stans fighting the three of them and commenting about how horrible their accusations were. McKenzie closed the page—online armies were the bullying of the new age, and she didn’t have time for it. Right when she’d been about to close her computer, an email popped into her inbox.Subject: You have been invited to private chatroom by: @TheBakingBandit.
McKenzie deleted it.
Two minutes later, a second email arrived.Subject: You have been invited to private chatroom by: @TheBakingBandit.
McKenzie rolled her eyes and deleted it again, thinking,Ugh. I just wanted to make a snarky comment. We don’t need to braid each other’s hair.
Then a third email came—this time with the subject,Open me… You know you want to…The address of the sender was @TheBakingBandit. McKenzie spared a moment to wonder how the hell the girl had found her email address, then clicked.
Dear @TheGourmetGoddess, join us on the dark side. From your new best friends, @TheBakingBandit and @Sprinkle-Ella. PS: I make a mean sugar cookie and it travels well :)
McKenzie thought about deleting it—she’d been late for work and was about to run out the door at the time—but then another invitation to the chat arrived. At first, she’d accepted just to tell them to stop harassing her. But as soon as the chat popped open, she was greeted with…
@Sprinkle-Ella: YAY! You’re here :) My real name is Addy, by the way. I’m a wedding cake designer!
@TheBakingBandit: Woot woot! Thought that email might entice you! I’m Jo :) Home baker aspiring to become a pro one day!
Before she knew what she was doing, McKenzie’s fingers raced across the keys. She didn’t process her response until it popped onto the screen.
@TheGourmetGoddess: Name’s McKenzie, French-trained pastry chef in NYC. Now back to the good stuff, what did you think about evil granny’s lemon meringue pie?
