Chapter 13
Wyatt
Merri paces in the production room like a caged animal, and I worry she's going to wear a groove in the concrete floor.
"They're going to be here any minute," she says for the third time in two minutes as she chews on her thumbnail.
"Merri." I catch her by the shoulders, stopping her mid-pace. "There's nothing to worry about. We'll talk about the beer, show them the brewery, and be professional. That's it."
"You keep saying that, but what if they ask directly about our relationship? The whole town knows we're together. Ms. Mitchell definitely knows. What if—"
I kiss her, cutting off the spiral of anxiety. She stiffens for a second, then melts into me with a soft sigh.
"Better?" I ask when we break apart.
"A little." But she still looks nervous.
"We've got this. Trust me."
The video crew arrives exactly at two o'clock, consisting of a cameraman, a sound tech, and an interviewer named Rachel who has that polished, professional look of someone who does this for a living.
They spend twenty minutes setting up, positioning cameras to get the best shots of the fermentation tanks and equipment.
"We'll start with Merri," Rachel says, gesturing to the chair they've set up before turning back with an encouraging smile. "Then Wyatt. Keep it conversational and natural. Just talk to me like the cameras aren't even here."
Merri's eyes go wide as she glances between Rachel and the door. "Wait, you're not interviewing us together?"
"Separately gives us better material," Rachel explains, stepping closer with her hand extended. "We want your honest take on how things are going, not a rehearsed team answer. Don't worry, we'll make you look fabulous."
Merri shoots me one last panicked look, and I give her an encouraging nod. "You've got this."
I retreat to the taproom while they film, not wanting to distract her or make her more nervous. Tommy's behind the bar, and I settle onto a stool, trying not to obsess over what's happening in the back room.
"She'll be fine," Tommy says, sliding me a water. "Merri's great on her feet. A natural storyteller."
"I know. I'm not worried." But my bouncing knee betrays me.
Thirty minutes later, Rachel appears in the taproom doorway. "Wyatt? We're ready for you."
I head back to the production room, expecting to see Merri there, but she's nowhere in sight.
"Where's Merri?"
Rachel shrugs. "She said she had to take care of something and disappeared right after we wrapped. I figured she was giving you privacy for your interview."
My gut twists with unease, but I push it aside. She's probably just checking on a delivery.
I settle into the interview chair, and Rachel launches into her questions. They're easy at first: why I started Recon Roasters, what drew me to coffee roasting, how my business has grown.
"I understand you served in the Marine Corps?" she asks.
"Yes, ma'am. Twelve years active duty with eight in Force Recon, including multiple deployments."
"That must have been intense. What made you decide to leave?"
"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."
"Shit. Merri, I can explain."
She laughs, but it's bitter. "Bullshit, Wyatt. We don't have a relationship, right? There’s nothing to explain. We only have the competition. You just made that very clear."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean? Because from where I'm standing, it sounded like you're embarrassed to be seen with me. Like I'm just some obligation you're stuck with until this competition is over."
"No! God, no. Merri, that's not it at all."
But she's already backing toward the door, shaking her head. "I have somewhere else to be."
"Merri, wait."
"Don't you have some beans to roast? I wouldn’t want to keep you from your coffee." She throws the words over her shoulder as she walks out, and they land like a punch to the gut.
I stand there, replaying what just happened, what I said, and how it must have sounded to Merri.
Fuck.
I stumble back to Recon Roasters on autopilot, my mind racing. How can I fix this? How do I make her understand I was only trying to protect her?
After nearly an hour of going through the motions at work, my phone buzzes with a text from Danny.
Dude, have you seen this?
There's a link to the magazine's social media page. With dread pooling in my stomach, I click on it.
It's a short clip from Merri's interview, already edited and posted. She's sitting in that same chair I was just in, looking beautiful and nervous and so genuine it makes my chest ache.
"How do you feel about Wyatt Dalton?" Rachel's voice asks off-camera.
Merri's quiet for a moment, and then she smiles, soft and a little shy.
"Honestly? I think I'm in love with him.
I know that probably sounds crazy given our history, but I've always had a crush on him.
Even when we were fighting. Maybe especially when we were fighting.
" She laughs. "He drives me crazy in the best possible way.
And working with him on this competition has shown me that underneath all the bickering, there's this incredible man who's passionate and talented and kind.
I think I've been half in love with him since we were kids. I just didn't know it until now."
The video cuts off. It already has over 500 likes.
And I just told the same interviewer that Merri is nothing more to me than my best friend's little sister. On camera, for everyone to see.
"Fuck!" I throw my phone across the room, and it hits the wall with a satisfying crack.
I screwed up. Massively, catastrophically screwed up.
I grab my phone, which miraculously still works despite the damage, and dig Rachel's business card from my pocket. She answers on the second ring.
"Rachel? It's Wyatt Dalton. I need a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
"I need you to not use my interview. Any of it. Please."
"I'm sorry, Wyatt, but it’s already in editing. We’ve already posted a short of Merri’s interview and yours is next."
My stomach sinks. "Rachel, please. I made a mistake. A huge one. I wasn't honest about my feelings for Merri, and I need to fix it before that video goes live."
"Why weren't you honest?"
"Because I'm an idiot who thought I was protecting her by keeping our relationship private.
But I see now that I just hurt her. Badly.
And if that interview goes live with me saying she's nothing to me, right after she admitted on camera that she's in love with me…
" I run a hand through my hair. "Please.
I'll do another interview. I'll be absolutely honest about whatever you want. Just don't post that one."
Rachel is quiet for a long moment. "You truly care about her."
"I'm completely in love with her, and I may have just destroyed everything by trying to be fucking noble." My voice breaks slightly. "Please give me a chance to fix this."
There’s another pause. "Okay. I'll hold your segment. What do you have in mind to replace it?"
"Are you and your crew available now?"
"Unfortunately, my camera man left for another assignment. But I can get him here first thing tomorrow morning. Will that work?"
"It’ll have to. Let me know when and where and I’ll be there."
I end the call and set the phone down. One interview to try to undo the damage from the first one. If Merri will even hear me out after what I said.