Chapter 25
25
“He’s your boyfriend?” Joe asked, narrowing his eyes as he leaned against the front desk. His tone carried a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
“Was,” Gloria corrected swiftly, her voice filled with a hint of satisfaction. “Was her boyfriend. And I, for one, am glad he isn’t any longer.”
Frankie shot her grandmother a look, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Gram, he’ll hear you.”
Gloria lifted her chin, undeterred. “Good. He isn’t the one for you or this place.”
Joe crossed his arms, eyes flicking to the man sitting near the fire, absorbed in paperwork. “He isn’t the buyer, though. He’s just the representative.”
Frankie sighed as if piecing something together. “Which happens to be my company.”
The statement hung in the air like a shockwave. Joe’s gaze snapped back to her, eyes narrowing. “You knew about this? Is that why you’re here?”
Frankie shook her head. “I’m as surprised as you are, but the chain of events leading to my arrival is starting to make sense.”
“Meaning?” Joe pressed, not quite sure where this conversation was headed.
“I don’t know yet,” she admitted, glancing at the man near the fire. “But this just feels...”
“Wrong.” Nick and Chris said simultaneously.
Frankie nodded, “Precisely.”
Before they could continue, Ethan stood up and approached the group. His eyes flicked between them as if sensing the scrutiny.
“Hey,” he said awkwardly, directing the greeting toward Joe, though the entire group had been watching him.
At once, the others pretended to look busy again. Joe remained still, his expression neutral as he turned to Ethan.
Ethan cleared his throat, flipping through the papers in his hands. “Overall, I’m impressed. The property is stunning, growth potential is there, but the numbers don’t make sense.”
Frankie perked up beside Joe, curiosity piqued. “How so?”
Ethan glanced at her before focusing on Joe again. “The bulk of your business –– which is impressive –– happens in quarter four.”
“That’s right,” Frankie chimed in. “Business in Bethlehem Falls is very seasonal. For all of the businesses.”
Ethan nodded, his brow furrowing slightly. “Interesting. I’d like to see more historical data and perhaps forecasting if you have it available.”
Joe gave a slow nod. “I can get you that information, but it will take some time. Is tomorrow okay?”
“Perfect,” Ethan said, glancing down at his papers again. “It’ll give me more time to wander the grounds.” His gaze shifted toward Frankie. “Say, Frankie, I’d love your input since you’re so... knowledgeable.”
Frankie’s expression remained neutral, though her eyes flickered with surprise. “I’m happy to help the Kings and show you around if?—”
“Dinner. Tonight,” Ethan interrupted smoothly, his gaze locking onto hers.
Frankie hesitated for a beat before nodding. “I... can do that. Like I said, I’m happy to help the Kings any way I can.”
Ethan, seemingly satisfied, turned his attention to Nick, snapping his fingers as though summoning his attention. “You’re that chef guy, aren’t you? On T.V. and such.”
Nick gave a nod, clearly amused. “That’s me.”
Ethan’s eyes lit up slightly. “Are you the resident chef?”
“No,” Nick clarified. “Just home for the holidays but helping in the kitchen while I’m here.”
“Excellent. Save me your best table... for two.” Ethan grinned.
Nick glanced at Frankie, who gave a subtle nod, then back at Ethan. “Sure. Anything for Frankie. She’s the fourth King, you know. One of us.”
Ethan smirked, clearly enjoying the confirmation.
“Right. See you this evening.” He gathered his things and returned to where he sat by the fire, packing up his paperwork.
The moment he was out of earshot, Joe muttered under his breath, “This deal is about to go south. The information he wants will make everything look less impressive.”
Nick, never one to miss an opportunity, suddenly pulled out his phone. “Maybe I can help with that.”
He tapped into a social media app and, with a few swipes, began recording himself live. The rest of the group watched, bewildered.
Nick grinned at the camera. “Hey, foodies! It’s me, Nick King, live from my favorite place on earth... The Christmas Inn at Three Kings Ranch, where I’ll be for the foreseeable future as resident chef.”
He did a slow spin, capturing the picturesque surroundings. In the background, Ethan glanced up, his interest piqued.
Joe leaned toward Frankie and whispered, “What is he doing?”
Frankie stifled a smile, her eyes gleaming with approval. “Making your projected numbers look amazing.”
Nick continued, “We’re already booked out through the new year, so schedule your stay ASAP by—” He paused and looked at Joe, suddenly realizing. “Wait, how do they make a reservation?”
Joe held up a hand and mimed a phone gesture.
Nick blinked. “Call? Really?” He turned back to his phone. “Okay, foodies. Give us a call. I’ll put the number in my bio. Maybe we’ll do a cooking class together. See you soon!”
He ended the live video and quickly added the phone number to his profile.
As soon as he was done, the phone at the front desk rang. Then another line blinked. And another.
Frankie’s eyes widened. “Wow, that was fast.”
Joe, however, wasn’t as thrilled. He stared at the blinking lines, bracing himself for the onslaught.
“What did you just do?”