Page 7 of Wild Mountain Ma n

5

TEAGAN

Thirty minutes. That was how long it took us to get to the town with actual shops.

Normally, I’d be thinking no way could I live somewhere like this, but maybe it was the company. The ride over didn’t bother me all that much, and the thought of living somewhere so scenic was starting to grow on me.

“Thank you for doing this,” I said as we headed back toward Seduction Summit.

At my feet was a bag filled with boxes and cellophane wrap. It had taken money out of my bank account that I couldn’t really afford to lose, but I was excited that it would make an even better presentation than I had planned, even though the boxes would be much smaller and have fewer pieces of candy per judge.

“My pleasure,” he said. “I wish I could pick you up tomorrow night and take you on a real date.”

My breath caught at those words, and it sucked because I didn’t have time for that. I’d be expected to be at the dinner tomorrow after the competition. It wasn’t mandatory like the welcome reception had been, and even missing that probablywouldn’t have gotten me disqualified, but I probably should be there.

“We’ll see if I make it through tomorrow,” I said. “We’ve been warned that by the end of the day, they’re going to narrow it down to the top three contestants.”

“And the rest of you go home?” he asked.

“No, the rest of us watch. I guess we could go home. I didn’t make plans for what I’d do if I didn’t make it to the finals because I don’t have a choice. I have to make it.”

I gave a nod, as if to affirm that statement. I told myself that every morning.

“What happens if you don’t?” Krebs asked.

That one was easy. “I continue working multiple jobs to barely scrape together enough to pay rent, let alone all my other bills.”

Did I sound pathetic? I sure hoped not.

“You don’t have to win a competition to start a business,” he said.

“Unfortunately, I do.”

It was almost embarrassing how much I had to struggle. I’d taken school loans to pay for my first year in college, only to end up dropping out. The debt was still there, in addition to my regular expenses, and that debt meant I was unlikely to qualify for a business loan.

But I didn’t want to go into all that. He didn’t need to hear my bummer of a life story.

“Charleston’s expensive,” I said. “I share a tiny apartment with two roommates. I’d just love to have my own place so I could bake uninterrupted.”

“You must love Charleston,” he said.

“It’s beautiful. You should visit sometime.”

I glanced over at him. It wasn’t lost on me that this might relate to his earlier comment about Seduction Summit being agreat place to open a candy shop. Maybe he even wanted me to move to Seduction Summit to be closer to him.

But that was ridiculous. I’d never move for a guy. Not that living in a beautiful place like this would be all that bad. I just knew what could happen when you depended too much on a man and he left you high and dry. I learned that watching my mom struggle after my dad died.

But suddenly, for the first time in my life, I saw why some people gave up everything to be with the person they loved. And would I be really giving up all that much? I had a great friend group in Charleston, but I could make new friends. And my mom was more interested in her new life as a single woman than what was going on with me. I’d basically been orphaned soon after I started college.

“Show me around,” I said.

The words came out on impulse, and I acknowledged that I was testing him. I could just let him drop me off at the ski lodge and go on with my life, but I wanted to see how far he’d take this sales pitch. Just how badly did he want me to move here?

“Show you around?” he asked.

“The town. If I moved here, where would I live? Where would I shop? If I needed to go to the doctor, where are all the medical buildings?”

“We don’t have any of that,” he said. “It’s all in the next town over, Adairsville. I could show you around there.”

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