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Chapter Three
Harper
“Wait,wait,wait.They want you to beonthe show?”Madison looked as incredulous as I felt when Laurel first asked me.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Like, as a contestant.”
To Madison’s credit, she’d left me alone the entire time we’d worked on the mantle after had Laurel left. I’d needed to work with my hands and process her request before I was willing to say it out loud.
“She’s probably going to be calling me soon.” I glanced at my watch, my heart rate tapping out a nervous rhythm in my head.
We’d perched on stools at the massive island in the inn’s kitchen, Madison facing me to give me her full attention, and I honestly wished she had something else to do. Anything.
“I’m trying to understand. And you said the only way you’d do it is if you could still work?” She repeatedly blinked at me in disbelief, each one longer than the last.
“Well yeah, Madison. I can’t just let things fall apart.”
“Of course you can’t.”
Clearly frustrated that I wasn’t on the same level with this show that she was, she covered her hands with her face and let out a mock scream.
“You’re such a workaholic, Harper! This isLove in a Small Townwe’re talking about here. Do you realize the exposure you could get from being a contestant?
“I’ll get exposure from being a one-on-one date location too.”
“No, not like this.” She waved her finger in front of me wildly. “Being on the show every single week lands these contestants huge deals after they go home. There’s no way it wouldn’t expand your business, and you’d still get your business out there.”
“What do you mean?” Her words seemed foreign since I’d never seen the show.
“I love you, but I swear you live under a rock sometimes. Covers of magazines, sponsored deals, TV spots…”
“Even the people that don’t win?”
Madison tipped her head back. “Fine, we’ll pretend Flynn won’t pick you. Yes, even the people that don’t win. But the longer you stay on, the better.”
Unsure how to respond, I turned the idea around in my mind. Over and over, trying to reason with Madison’s sound points.
“This is a terrible idea,” I muttered.
“Think of it this way: it’s a competition. Let’s ignore the fact that the winner gets Flynn, and let’s focus on fighting for your business. This is way better than being a one-on-one date location.”
“It’s really unfair that you’re using my competitive nature against me.” I shook my head, tossing her words back at her. “Whose side are you on?”
“Always yours. But is it working?”
My mind flipped back to the night before, and the way Flynn had looked. He’d always been handsome, but like so many men, age had been kind to him. The way his dark shaggy hair peeked out of his ski hat and the way his hazel eyes locked on to mine made me shiver.
“You’re infuriating when you make sense,” I replied, pushing the image out of my mind.
“I still sense doubt here, so I’m not sure I’m the infuriating one.”
“This breaks a huge rule for me.”
“Harper, it’s a rule worth breaking to change your life as you know it.”
“I don’t date athletes—”
