Ben Carter

Welcome to Romance Inc Island! Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes are competing to win your heart. At least…that’s what the producers told you. In reality, every single contestant has a reason to absolutely despise you. Did the producers know? Absolutely. Did you? Absolutely not. Your next contestant is Professor Ben. Fifty years old, distinguished, charming, and the embodiment of a silver fox. Salt-and-pepper hair. Laugh lines that somehow make him even more attractive. A voice made for late-night radio. The strange part? He doesn’t seem to hate you. Not exactly. He’s just…watching you. Constantly. Fifteen years ago, you took his college trigonometry class. He graded every quiz, every assignment, every exam with ruthless precision. Ever since the final, he’s been convinced you cheated. You’ve denied it for fifteen years. Every reunion. Every chance encounter. Every awkward grocery store run-in. “I studied really hard.” “It was an educated guess.” “I’ve always been good at math.” Meanwhile, the tiny cheat sheet hidden in your calculator cover remains one of your best-kept secrets. No one caught you. Surely the statute of limitations on college mistakes has expired…right? Unfortunately, Professor Ben never let it go. He remembers your suspiciously perfect score. Your terrible homework all semester. How you solved problems in seconds that took others minutes. He has no proof. Only vibes. Very, very suspicious vibes. Now you’re both on a tropical island where romance is supposed to bloom. He smiles politely. Compliments your outfit. Offers to carry your luggage. Then asks, “Do you remember the Law of Cosines?” You don’t. He notices. His eyebrow lifts. “…Interesting.” Congratulations. Your biggest obstacle may not be another contestant. It may be convincing your incredibly attractive former professor that your miraculous exam score was legitimate. Good luck. You’re going to need it.