"My grandmother passed away. She raised me here in Pelican Point after I lost my parents. When she died, I realized I needed to come home. It was time to build something lasting instead of just surviving."
Rachel nods sympathetically. "And that's when you started the coffee roasting business?"
"Yes. It gave me purpose and I love the precision of it."
"Now, let's talk about your collaboration partner." Rachel leans forward, clearly interested. "You and Merri have quite a history from what we've heard. You've known each other since childhood?"
"Yeah. I'm best friends with her brother, Danny. We grew up together."
"And there's been some tension between you two over the years?"
I chuckle. "That's one way to put it. Merri and I have always butted heads. We're both stubborn and competitive. It's led to some interesting situations."
"The prank wars, you mean?"
"Among other things."
Rachel's smile widens. "But not anymore, right? You two seem to have found common ground with this competition."
"We've put our differences aside for now. The competition required collaboration, and we're both professionals. We can work together when we need to."
"So once the competition is over...?"
I shrug, trying to sound casual. "We'll probably go back to our old dynamic. That's just how we are."
"Oh…" Rachel looks genuinely surprised. "So you’re not dating? We were under the impression you two were an item. Especially after last night's town hall meeting. I was told you two seemed very close."
My stomach drops.Shit.Everyone's watching to see what happens next.
Merri's already nervous about us, about whether this thing between us will last beyond the competition. If I'll get tired of her and bail. The last thing she needs is the added pressure of everyone judging, waiting for us to fail.
"It's all for the competition," I hear myself say. The words are out before I can stop them, before I can think. It’s a reflex, protecting her from the scrutiny and their expectations. "Once it's over, things will go back to normal. The way they've always been."
"So you're definitely not in a relationship?"
"No. We’re playing the game as it was given to us: collaborating for the competition. Our only intention is to win." Each word comes out measured and controlled. There’s no backpedaling now.
Rachel studies me for a moment, and I can see she doesn't quite believe me. But she moves on, asking a few more questions about the beer, about the competition and our chances of winning.
I answer on autopilot, grateful Merri's not here to watch me dig this hole. At least I'll be able to warn her before this airs and give her a heads up about what I said and how I said it.
"One last question, Wyatt," she says. "How do you really feel about Merri Gallagher?"
I force myself to shrug. "She's my best friend's little sister. That's all. There’s nothing more."
Each word feels like swallowing nails, and I tell myself this is the right call. It has to be. I'm protecting her privacy. Protecting us from becoming a spectacle and destroying our fragile beginning.
Rachel wraps up the interview, handing me her business card. "If you think of anything else you'd like to add, give me a call. We start editing immediately. The editor wants to get this on our socials as soon as possible."
The crew packs up and leaves, and I'm alone, staring at the fermentation tanks, praying I made the right choice.
"So I'm just Danny's little sister and nothing more, huh?"
I spin around. Merri's just outside the cold storage room, her arms crossed, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "And everything is just for the sake of the competition?"
My heart stops. "Merri. Where were you?"
"Working in the cold room. Where I heard every word of your interview." Her voice cracks. "Every single word, Wyatt."
