Page 101 of Worth the Trip

I blinked. “Big what?”

Nolani almost dropped her drink. “Nyla.”

“Big Lando. Landon is the government name. Big Lando drove out here dressed like somebody’s husband, brought staff pastries, remembered my coffee, and been looking at you like the rest of us came with the furniture.”

I looked at Nolani. “Your sister appears committed to accurate reporting.”

“She’s committed to irritating me.”

“Recognition requires repetition,” Nyla said. “I haven’t told one lie.”

“I’m not answering to Big Lando.”

Nyla took a sip. “Give it time.”

Nolani shook her head and started introducing me to the staff. Tasha handled the floor. Micah ran production. Mason was working through a supplier issue. Within a few minutes, I had enough names and roles to understand why she talked about these people like part of what she’d built instead of bodies occupying a schedule.

A young woman opened the pastry box, looked at me, then leaned toward the employee beside her.

“He fine.”

She had not whispered successfully.

I looked toward a mural.

Nolani looked directly at her. “I heard that.”

The employee immediately developed a deep interest in napkins. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You absolutely did.”

I leaned toward Nolani. “Strong observational staff.”

“They about to be unemployed.”

The woman laughed. “You love us.”

“Unfortunately.”

I looked at Hershey. “You jealous?”

“Of what?”

“The appreciation committee.”

“They have eyes.”

“So they can look?”

She held my stare.

“They can look.”

Aight.

That little edge sounded good on her.

Nyla groaned into her coffee. “This afternoon already exhausting.”