Chapter 14
14
“Go for Nick,” Nick said as he answered his phone.
“Do you always answer your phone that way?” Chris’s voice crackled through the line as he stood at the back of the crowded alpaca barn, where Devyn was busy teaching guests how to make and dye alpaca yarn. The barn was packed, the warm atmosphere filled with curiosity and chatter, but Chris had stepped away, needing to check in with Nick.
Nick, stationed at the front desk of the Christmas Inn, couldn’t resist the opportunity to joke. “You’re right. I should have said, ‘Go for Nick, front desk King.’ Get it? See what I did there… King.”
Chris rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Not very professional. What if I was your agent or some swanky restaurant?”
“Then I would have answered like this…” Nick’s voice dropped into a smooth, sophisticated tone. “Go for Nick, front desk King.”
“Funny. How did you become a famous celebrity chef again?” Chris teased, stepping further back into the barn, away from the crowd. The smell of alpaca wool and dye filled the air, a strange but oddly comforting mix.
“My charming personality, wicked good looks, and pure genius in the kitchen,” Nick quipped, his grin evident even through the phone.
“Good to see you’re still humble,” Chris retorted, glancing back at Devyn as she expertly demonstrated the dyeing process. The guests were completely enthralled, but Chris’s mind was elsewhere.
“Your phone works hard enough for all of us, big brother,” Nick pointed out.
“Point taken. That’s why I’m calling, actually. I need you to go pick up Sam,” Chris said, getting to the heart of the matter.
Nick glanced at his watch, noticing the time. “Everything okay? I thought you and girl Devyn were doing that. You’re going to be late.”
“Devyn’s doing this class about how to make and dye alpaca yarn out here on the ranch,” Chris explained, eyeing the guests who were thoroughly engrossed in the activity.
“Alpaca yarn? You’re busy making… yarn?” Nick chuckled, lowering his voice as a woman approached the front desk.
Chris nodded, though Nick couldn’t see it. “And dyeing it. It’s a popular draw for the guests, and the class is running over. I could really use the favor.”
Nick slipped into his jacket, still holding the phone. “Wait, we have alpacas on the ranch?”
Before Chris could respond, the woman at the desk cleared her throat, trying to get Nick’s attention.
“Um, excuse me,” she said politely.
Nick covered the phone, offering her an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Just a moment, we’ll be right with you.”
Chris fired back, unaware of the exchange happening on Nick’s end, “If you’d read your…”
“Email. Right,” Nick continued, “I’ll have to figure out my email address. I’m missing out on all the cool stuff.”
The woman, all business and poised control, pulled out her phone, her fingers moving swiftly across the screen. A flicker of impatience crossed her face as she tapped at it, but her demeanor remained otherwise composed.
The woman, who had been silently waiting, suddenly spoke up, her voice firm. “Food King at Three King Ranch dot com.”
Nick paused, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise as he looked at her. “Oh. Are you a fan? You’ve seen me on TV?”
She nodded, slightly flustered but maintaining her composure. “Well, yes. I guess, but?—”
Nick held up a finger to pause her, indicating with a hand gesture that the person he was talking to was “chatty.”
Chris sighed on the other end. “You don’t know your email? It’s all making sense now. When’s the last time you checked your messages?”
“When you set it up for me?” Nick responded casually.
“Nick! That was years ago,” Chris groaned.
Sam, growing more frustrated, cleared her throat again, louder this time. Nick finally turned to her, his attention caught.
“Sorry, just a moment. We’ll be right with you,” Nick said before covering the phone and whispering to Chris. “Yeah, well, work stuff goes through my team, so I’m really only missing…”
“The important stuff. Family stuff,” Chris cut in.
Nick nodded, more to himself than anyone else. “Abe’s back. I’m heading out now while he takes over.”
Nick turned to Abe, who had just walked in. “Can you help this lovely, patient guest of ours get checked in and settled? I’m off to pick up Chris’s assistant, Sam.”
Nick walked backward toward the exit, still on the phone, when Abe asked, “Check-in? I wasn’t aware of any new check-ins today. Do you have a reservation, dear?”
‘No. Well, yes. I hope so?” Sam stammered, looking between Abe and Nick, who was quickly crossing the lobby.
“Thanks, brother.” Chris said, “You’re a lifesaver.”
Sam, who had been trying to get Nick’s attention, finally spoke up, her voice more insistent. “Wait!”
“What name is the reservation under?” Abe asked, grabbing her attention.
She whipped her head. Abe’s direction, “Sandoval… I think?”
“I don’t see anything under Sandoval.” Abe went on.
Sam turned to Nick again and hollered a little louder, “Wait!”
Abe turned to her with a friendly smile. “Is there any other name I should reference? Did you book with us directly?”
Sam hesitated, then said, “Not exactly. Check Chris King for the reservation.”
Abe’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Chris? Ohhh. I gotcha.”
Just as Nick was about to walk out the door, he paused, realization dawning on him. “Oh, wait. How will I know who to look for?”
“Sam will find you — big cooking fan — knows your brand well,” Chris replied.
Nick chuckled, his earlier frustration fading. “Aw, it’s always nice to meet fans.”
Sam, finally fed up, raised her voice. “Nick! Wait! Just… stop. Don’t go anywhere.”
Nick froze, turning slowly to face her. “Hold on, brother. We might have a problem.”
Sam took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed with frustration. “You don’t… have a problem. It’s me. I mean, I’m already here.”
Nick blinked, confused. “Ooookay?”
Sam sighed, exasperated. “I’m Sam! Sam Sandoval? Chris King’s… your brother’s assistant. I’m… here.”
Nick’s eyes widened in shock as he brought the phone back to his ear. “Sam’s already here. You didn’t tell me she was a girl.”
Chris’s laughter echoed through the line as Nick stood there, stunned.