Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 117- Mansions and Menus

Sunday, July 21st, 2013

"So," Janice starts, panning the handheld camera between Abel and me, "what does it feel like knowing you'll be facing off against your partner in the finale? Abel?"

"I'm going to preform at the same level I would versus anyone else. It helps that I get to cheer for either side winning, however."

"What about you, (Y/N)? What happens when one of you has to move to London? Have you discussed what comes next, or is the relationship not to that level yet?" Janice asks, focusing the beady lens on me.

I have to stop myself from placing my hand on my stomach and instead reach over the gap and lace my fingers through Abel's. Oh, our relationship is to a much further level than even Janice could imagine, I think to myself smugly.

"We'll find some way to be together, I'm sure of it. But as to specifics, we haven't figured anything out yet," I answer confidently.

"Well, it might be different for Abel, you know," Janice says, smacking her lips once. "You might up and move, but Abel has a family. Are you going to ask him to move all the way to London just for you?"

The not-so subtle low blow toward my lack of a family reignites embers of sadness and fear in the pit of my stomach. Abel and Ramsay are my family, but both of them have families aside from me. Am I really important enough for them to alter their lives so drastically?

As I sit in uncomfortable silence, Abel speaks.

"Of course I'll move to London for her. My family is used to me being overseas at this point and frankly, your question was incredibly rude. You cannot presume that her parents having passed away means she has no family. I don't want you putting disparaging thoughts of abandonment into her head when she needs to concentrate," Abel says, his voice steady yet powerful.

Janice scoots back in her seat, and I spot Gordon's gaze over Janice's shoulder. He smiles gently before returning his eyes to the road, and I feel my stomach knots unclench. The knots fully relax when Abel strokes me, his fingertips running across our joined hands.

"I wasn't intending to be rude, I'm sure (Y/N) knows that." Janice casts me a glance, and I attempt to keep a grimace from forming on my face in front of the camera. "I'm just doing my journalistic duties, chronicling the first Hell's Kitchen lover's finale. You two have quite the stir going back at the studio and on social media. Your story is very interesting for more than your talents."

She leans in, her hawk-eyes flicking between us. "I'd love to uncover more for the audience at home."

"So what do you have in mind to ask? Will this have anything to do with cooking, or just our love life? Because as you can see," Abel raises our joined hands in front of the camera, giving Janice a pointed look, "we're quite strong together. There isn't much else to tell on that front."

"You're giving me unusable footage," Janice says with a scowl. "You know you aren't supposed to address me directly."

"I'd be happy to provide usable footage as soon as you ask appropriate questions. Yes, I know we signed a contract, but signing away our personal integrity was not a part of that deal. I ask that you keep your inflammatory remarks out of the interview."

Janice's lip becomes a hard line.

"Fine."

She presses a few buttons on the camera and turns it back toward us. "Alright, let's try this again."

For the rest of the drive to the suite, Janice stays to the topics of cooking, Hell's Kitchen, and when she does touch on relationships, she only asks about the competition-related aspects of dating a rival. By the end, I'm almost having fun doing a joint interview with Abel. But of course, Janice can't leave us on a pleasant note.