“Duke may have had influence over the menu, but the kitchen is run by our director of food, Thatcher Green, who is a professional chef. He created our Culinary Ops program where he trains aspiring chefs in the lodge’s professional grade kitchen.”
“That’s amazing,” Allie says. “He’s a veteran and a chef?”
“A retired Army Ranger and a Michelin Star chef to be exact. Used to run a restaurant in Denver and now we get to enjoy all of his talents,” Topper says.
“Do the vets eat like this all the time?” Allie asks.
“This is a special dinner Thatcher prepared for your arrival,” Duke says. “And while we have special group dinners on Wednesdays and Saturdays, we also have communal meals and a grab-and-go pantry.”
“I feel like we should be writing all of this down,” Leo says, glancing in my direction.
“We will,” I reassure him. “Hopefully, we’ll get more of a tour of the kitchen and get to speak with Mr. Green.”
“We can arrange that, for sure,” Topper says.
“Allie, dear, why don’t you take us through how the next three months are going to work,” Rusty says.
“Yes, of course. We realize that we have three months to capture the essence of the ranch, but this first week, we’ll go over our paperwork, and then, we want to settle in, get a lay of the land. We want to get to know the routine and experience everything you do here on the ranch.”
“Are you sure you really want to experienceeverythingon the ranch?” Duke asks with a smirk. “Some of our activities can be pretty strenuous, and some of you don’t even have the right kind of shoes.”
My gaze sharpens. “You’ve survived combat, but somehow my footwear is your breaking point?”
“They aren’t appropriate for this environment, which was made clear when you ended up in a horse trough.”
“That was your horse’s fault.”
“Don’t take it personal, Sunshine,” Duke objects. “Goose has a low tolerance for high-maintenance.”
By now, everyone at the table is watching us hit this invisible tennis ball back and forth.
“What’s happening?” Allie whispers to Topper. He shakes his head, sits back in his chair, and eyes Duke.
“These heels have carried me through a twenty-hour trip to Beijing, a back-alley interview with an arms dealer in Morocco, and running for a train in New Delhi … they can handle anything this place dishes out.”
“I guess you’ll just have to see for yourself that stilettos don’t mix well with manure piles.”
Rusty scratches the back of his neck.
“Um, anyway,” Allie continues. “Once we get settled, we’ll start filming and interviewing anyone willing.”
“We’re here to immerse ourselves in the total ranch experience,” Leo says, putting up his palms. “So we want to work and understand what it takes to keep this place running.”
“I saw rafting equipment in the outfitter building Topper drove us past this afternoon,” Allie says. “I would love to do that.”
Duke shifts in his seat away from her and brings his fist to his mouth as he finishes his bite of steak. “We should probably ease you into those types of activities.”
“Trust us, we’re ready. We’re up for anything. Right?” Allie says, her gaze darting between Leo and me.
Leo nods. “Of course.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll give you a tour of the ranch, and you can relax before we put you to work. Once y’all get your feet on the ground, we’ll take you out on the water,” Rusty says, pushing his plate away.
Waitstaff arrive and clear our plates before bringing us the dessert course. Instead of enjoying the Palisade Peach crumble,Duke sits and fidgets with his cornflower blue cloth napkin. He eventually excuses himself from the table before we even finish with dessert, which is a blessing. My pulse finally ticks down once he’s gone.
After dinner, everyone spills out onto the sundeck where the dancing light from the fire pit casts a warm glow into the night. Staring out into the wilderness at night makes my stomach twist into knots, so I politely excuse myself, though part of me did want to hear Topper and Rusty tell stories by the fire. I’ve had enough social interaction and long to escape to my room and so I can type up my thoughts for the day.
Everyone bids me goodnight, and Rusty urges me to take a Pendleton blanket up to my room. I don’t protest because even though it’s June, the night air still has a slight bite.
