Nothing could have prepared Allie Eklund for her first foray into reality TV with Bravo’s The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys. The social marketing expert/influencer had no idea that her romance with series star Steven McBee Jr. would end the way it did—with him publicly and falsely accusing her of cheating at Stagecoach. To clear her name, Eklund was forced to release their text messages, which also exposed McBee’s abrasive and disconcerting tone. “I didn’t have any other option at that point,” said Eklund. “I had to respond and prove that his accusations were false.”

Even though Eklund and McBee are no longer together, the two of them must watch back the early days of their relationship on The McBee Dynasty Season 3. However, Eklund doesn’t hold any resentment towards McBee and his family. “I try to look back at everything with appreciation and gratitude for the experiences,” said Eklund. “We made some great memories together.” However, it’s been interesting for her to watch back everything that transpired between them. “You’re gonna see my eyes open to some of the things that I believe were being hidden from me,” teased Eklund as the season progresses.

Luckily, Eklund has plenty to distract her from reliving her past drama. Her family’s ranch—the EEE Ranch—keeps her plenty busy, as does her new line of apparel and home goods. The EEE Mercantile is a passion project spearheaded by Eklund and her sister. “This started as a hobby with my family, but we quickly realized that there was a market for our products,” said Eklund. “Our merchandise line has expanded and our team’s growing.”

Eklund stopped by the Decider studio to chat about the season, discuss that “confusing” rumor about her ex and his sister-in-law, Kacie Adkison, and more.

DECIDER: Allie, it feels like you’ve lived several lives since filming for Season 3 of The McBee Dynasty. How do you look back on the experience today?

ALLIE EKLUND: I feel like I’ve lived several lives in general, but definitely a few since filming [laughs]. I try to look back at everything with appreciation and gratitude for the experiences.

Your family has a successful private ranch: the EEE Ranch. Did that prepare you for visiting the McBee Farm?

One of the things that Steven and I originally aligned on was that we both grew up on the ranch and farm owned by our families. It was really important to both that we understood the lifestyle. My time on my family’s properties definitely prepared me for going into the McBee Ranch.

True to your entrepreneurial spirit, you have an apparel and home goods line tied to your family’s ranch. Can you give us an update on how things are going?

That’s something that we’ve been working on for the last five or six years. I started my career in online sales and social selling. This passion project was a natural extension of that. This started as a hobby with my family—my sister specifically— but we quickly realized that there was a market for our product line. It has expanded, and our team is growing. We’re also located in a couple of ACE Hardware stores across Texas. It’s been very exciting.

I’m glad you have something to keep you busy with all the drama that’s been going on. A lot has been said about your team negotiating your contract before you even stepped foot onto the McBee farm to visit Steven. Looking back at everything that happened, do you feel vindicated?

Yes. Prior to my going to the McBee Farm, Steven had visited me in Nashville multiple times. We had been talking for a month or so at that point, but then he had to jump into filming. He wanted me to come visit. Naturally, with any new sort of business venture, I have a team that needed to be consulted. I had pre-existing businesses that I had to protect.

After Steven publicly accused you of cheating on him at Stagecoach, you took to Instagram and posted those text messages he sent you. Why did you feel it was important to share them on your social media?

He made his post about me prior to our having a real conversation. I had around $50,000 in brand deals that were on the line and in danger of being dropped because of all of the drama circulating online. I released the messages specifically responding to the claims that he made about me because I felt that it was important to show my side of the situation.

My hands were tied. I didn’t have any other option at that point. I had to respond and prove that his accusations were false. I would encourage my sisters, my friends, my family, or any other woman to defend themselves by any necessary means. Steven isn’t used to women sticking up for themselves. I had put my foot down. Looking back, I’m happy that I did.

People have called you an “opportunist,” but wouldn’t an opportunist have insisted on a percentage of Kacie’s and Steven’s tallow business? What do you have to say about that?

You would think so! [Laughs] If I were an opportunist, I could have easily had 25% of that business. I’d still be hanging around like Galyna [laughs]. Though, I don’t put my name on or back anything that I don’t believe in or don’t use myself. I don’t do business with people if I don’t know how they do business. So, it was really important to me to take the time to understand the business and how they operate. It was clear to me that they still had a lot of work to do [laughs].

I do not doubt that Kacie will be successful. I believe in her 100%, and I was happy to help. I planned multiple photo shoots and helped with multiple ads—all for free. Their business just wasn’t a fit for me.

You were blindsided—as was the audience—about the rumor Alli McBee allegedly started that Kacie’s and Steven’s relationship was “inappropriate.” Were that rumor and the text messages Steven sent Kacie the first big red flags you saw?

That rumor wasn’t the first red flag I saw, but it was really confusing for me and still is to this day. There were a lot of conversations surrounding that rumor. It’s not my place to reveal the details of that rumor, but it was pretty shocking.

I don’t see Alli as a dramatic person. I believe her because Alli doesn’t just pull things out of her ass. I was asked to get involved—along with Cole—and help mediate a conversation between Steven and Kacie, but I didn’t know the reason until after. My reaction that you saw in the episode was genuine. I was learning about everything going on in real time. To this day, that rumor is still pretty confusing to me. It’s pretty layered too.

It’s clear to me that you’re a genuine person. You really wanted this relationship with Steven to work. You were so excited to be in Vegas and to bond with the McBees. Do you have fond memories of your time with them?

I do. We made some great memories together. The trip to Vegas is one of them. It’s going to be the hardest episode to watch back because it was so special. I was so honored to be a part of this memory and to be at Cole’s and Kacie’s wedding.

After your experience on The McBee Dynasty, would you ever do more reality TV?

I always say that I’m open. I don’t consider myself closed off in any area of my life unless I am provoked or pushed. If someone offers an opportunity, I’m willing to listen. If you think about it, reality TV has been a natural extension of what I’ve already been building over the last 10 years with an iPhone camera, right? So, what’s another camera added? As long as I can continue building my businesses and working with my friends and family, then I’m open to cameras being there.

You don’t need to be married to be a Real Housewife these days, and I would personally love to see you on a new iteration of Real Housewives of Dallas someday. Would that interest you?

Oh my gosh, imagine that. If it was a natural extension of what I had going on, then that could be cool. Again, I am always open [laughs].

Lastly, what can you tease about the rest of the season?

You’re gonna see my eyes opening to some of the things that I believe were being hidden from me. We’re gonna watch that play out together [laughs]. It’ll be interesting to look back on.