Chapter 1 #2
A guest services counter lined the opposite wall, with the managerial offices located on the rest of the first floor through the door behind the counter.
The back wall of the lobby contained sliding glass doors and a patio that overlooked the lodge waterfall and Badger River.
Eight suites filled the second floor of the lodge, and four more spacious suites took up the third floor.
The Cliffside Dining Room was on the fourth floor, along with a wide balcony that allowed for a magnificent view of the waterfall from above.
The lodge, like everything else on the luxury ranch, had been built to wow the guests. Now, as Emberly watched the front door of the first BMW open, she could only pray that these guests truly would be wowed by the ranch.
A protection agent stepped out, surveyed the lodge and the road, then opened the back door of the BMW.
A middle-aged man in a dark suit covered by a long wool coat slid out.
He had a beard with threads of silver starting to show.
His medium-brown hair had hints of silver too and was styled immaculately.
This had to be Mr. Milton, riding separately from those exiting the other BMWs. He didn’t look like the picture she’d seen online. But sometimes such pictures were older and blurry and didn’t do the real person justice.
She drew her suit coat around her more securely and then stepped forward so that the double glass doors opened. She exited onto the stone walkway that had just been shoveled and salted to keep it from being slippery for their guests.
Her heels clicked a staccato as she made her way toward Mr. Milton.
He was surveying the area too, just like his protection agent.
She hoped he liked what he saw so far. The rugged foothills covered in thick pine stood as a backdrop, as did the granite snow-covered peaks beyond.
The lodge itself was surrounded by spruce and fir trees laden with snow.
The other dwellings were tucked away, giving each home and cabin the feeling of privacy.
The main barn and corral were the most visible buildings on the property, set in a cleared area.
Like the rest of the structures, they were constructed of logs, giving them a rustic, natural aura.
“Welcome to Healing Springs Ranch, Mr. Milton.” She halted as she reached the front BMW and held out her hand to the distinguished gentleman.
Mr. Milton took a rapid step back. “Pardon. I am Braun.”
“Brown?”
“Yes. Braun.” Speaking with a heavy German accent, the middle-aged man peered into the car. “I am the personal assistant of the . . . ah, what shall we say . . . ?”
“The CEO of KWB Group.” Another man in a tailored blue suit began to climb out of the BMW.
He was decidedly younger, with fair hair and no hint of gray, and wore Aviator sunglasses that hid his eyes but not his handsomeness—pronounced cheekbones, slender nose, his narrow chin and chiseled jaw covered with a neatly trimmed beard.
As the man straightened, he appeared to be over six feet, neither too tall nor too short. He wasn’t bulky and brawny like her brothers, but he had a muscular build and clearly worked out regularly.
His air of confidence and authority belonged to a man with experience. If she had to pin an age on him, she’d guess he was in his thirties.
“Welcome to Healing Springs Ranch.” She held out her hand to the man. “Mr. . . .?”
Braun frowned and attempted to step in her way. “Nein, nein—”
The younger man dodged Braun and grasped Emberly’s hand. “Max Berg. Call me Max.” He offered her a broad smile that not only revealed perfect teeth but turned him from average handsome to heart-stopping.
She was glad she was able to stay composed.
All those years of teasing from her four brothers had taught her how to hide her reactions, and she gave him nothing but a polite smile.
She’d never made a habit of ogling guests, not even the stars who came.
“Pleased to meet you, Max. I’m Emberly McQuaid, the event manager here at Healing Springs. ”
His grip was firm but didn’t linger. Judging by the absence of a wedding band on his ring finger, he was single.
As he released her hand, his gaze swept over her, stalling at her red hair and lingering over her face with a hint of surprise in his eyes, as if he hadn’t expected someone like her to greet him.
“You can call me Emberly.” She’d inherited the same beauty that had helped Mom win Miss Colorado many years ago—an elegant face with high cheeks, wide eyes, long lashes, and full lips, along with a body that could win the swimsuit portion of the competition.
Emberly had grown proficient at ignoring unwanted attention. She was even used to putting men in their place when necessary, and she wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for this man if she needed to, no matter how important he might be.
As though realizing he was staring, he peered at the distant ski slopes on the outskirts of the tourist town of Healing Springs, named after the ranch, then shifted to take in the mountain range on the opposite side of Park County.
Low winter clouds hung over them, hiding the peaks but creating an incredible scene with the wide valley spreading out and covered in snow.
Light snowflakes drifted onto his head and shoulders.
“We weren’t expecting the CEO of KWB Group,” she said with a glance inside the car, half expecting Mr. Milton to slide out next. “But we’re glad you’re here.”
She didn’t know where she would put Max, since every room, cabin, and house was full. But she’d find someplace. She had to. And what about an ambassador for him? Would he need his own, or would she be able to place him with another group?
Her attention shifted to the other men exiting the vehicles, all of them looking the part of distinguished gentlemen in their suits. She couldn’t put a cot in any of their rooms. It simply wouldn’t do for this group.
She could feel Max taking her in again, so she offered a polite smile. “We’ll make sure your time here is memorable.”
“Good. Then I am glad I came.” His sunglasses shielded his eyes, but there was no hiding his interest and the double meaning to his comment.
She searched the faces of the other guests, hoping to find Mr. Milton among them, but as far as she could tell, he wasn’t there. “When should we expect Mr. Milton to arrive?”
“He is not coming.”
“But isn’t he in charge?”
“His wife took ill, and he asked me to come in his stead.”
“I see.” That would make the logistics easier. She could place Max in Mr. Milton’s cabin and perhaps even shuffle the ambassadors around so that she wouldn’t need to step into the role after all.
The ambassadors had followed Emberly and were milling around the other guests. One of them motioned at her.
“If you’ll excuse me a moment,” she said to Max.
For a few minutes, Emberly mingled among the others, answered questions, and made sure each of the staff was paired with the right guests. All the while, she scrambled to figure out which of the ambassadors to assign to Max. Perhaps she would need to ask him his preference.
Braun had been helping the protection agent unload the luggage from the back of Max’s BMW. As the last suitcase was unloaded, Emberly started back toward Max.
Braun stepped up to Max’s side and handed him a briefcase. “Your Highness.” Braun spoke in German.
Even so, the words were clear enough to Emberly. Was Max royalty?
“Just Max.” Max frowned at his assistant and spoke in whispered German that she could barely hear. “Remember, this week I shall remain incognito to keep the paparazzi away.”
She spun around and pretended to be busy with her clipboard and the spreadsheets she’d brought with her. Who exactly was this man?
Her mind spun as she worked to remember all the information she’d collected about the KWB Group, especially the CEO. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember much about the executive of the company because she’d focused most of her preparation on the president.
What she did know was that Karltenberg had a royal family who had been instrumental in starting the bank long ago, and they were still involved in its operations. She’d read a little about them as she’d familiarized herself with the country.
“I believe we are ready for our accommodations.” Max spoke again, this time in English.
As she turned to face him, she forced herself to erase any and all signs of surprise and instead plastered on her most professional expression. “Of course.”
He swiped off his sunglasses, revealing eyes that were a silvery green like the sage that grew in the grasslands. “I hope that everything is in order.”
Should she admit she could speak German and had heard the slip-up?
If she did so, would he leave because he was afraid she would call the paparazzi and alert them to his presence on the ranch? Even if she reassured him that she would keep his secret, he might make other arrangements, maybe even take the whole KWB board with him.
No, she had to act as though she didn’t know about his royalty. There would be nothing wrong with that, especially because that’s what he wanted.
She nodded at him. “Everything is in perfect order.”