Baking Fresh Daily
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: wattersfall on 26-06-2015, 02:49:36</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Baking Fresh Daily </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>wattersfall</strong> on <strong>26-06-2015, 02:49:36</strong>
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				It might have been considered early by most people to start settling down at the tender age of 38 years old, but for Ben Watters, that was exactly what life had afforded him the luxury of doing.&nbsp; Naturally though, as most people find once they do go and settle themselves down, life can be rather boring without something to do.&nbsp; Without some kind of purpose, or direction.&nbsp; This was the position that Ben had found himself in after a few years of living in Hamilton, New York.&nbsp; Hamilton wasn't exactly a big city, but more like a large college campus with an economy that naturally sprouted up around the university.&nbsp; The town itself was little more than 20,000 people, but the campus had an annual student body of at least half that size, making it a vibrant little city nestled in the hills of upstate New York, a good 4 hours from New York City.&nbsp; <br><br>New York City, on the other hand, was where Ben Watters had made his fortune that allowed him to settle.&nbsp; An education from Rutgers in economics and finance, and some grad work at Columbia after that, and he was making his way on Wall Street throughout his early and mid 20s.&nbsp; Having met the right people and made the right moves at the right times, Ben soon had more money than he knew what to do with.&nbsp; Rather than spend frivolously like so many of his counterparts were wont to do in the big city, Ben stashed every penny away or reinvested it.&nbsp; His frugality paid off, and by his mid 30s he was in a position where he didn't need to work for the rest of his life, and mostly just did consulting work to pass the time.&nbsp; He quickly grew tired of the city once he didn't need to be knee deep in it for work all the time, and bought himself a nice condo in the heart of Hamilton, near the buzzing entertainment district just off campus.<br><br>Ben spent his days golfing and warding off requests to take an associate professors job from friends at the school, mostly because he had enjoyed spending his nights in the bars, picking up young 20 somethings.&nbsp; However, even that was becoming mundane.&nbsp; It was the same old song and dance.&nbsp; Sloppy drunk girls, and sloppy sex.&nbsp; He craved something more...formal.&nbsp; Professional wasn't the right word, because he'd been down the escort path, and he wanted something more...authentic than that.&nbsp; He knew by now that he wasn't the marrying or even relationship type, and he often wondered if there could be another way.&nbsp; It was with this reality in mind that he stepped into Magic Cupcakes on a Tuesday morning.&nbsp; <br><br>Magic Cupcakes was a popular destination for students, as it served all kinds of wacky baked goods, and though the place had been around for almost two years, Ben got the impression it was struggling, mostly because the only person he ever saw there was the owner, who he later learned from general chit chat was also the baker.&nbsp; It was her dream to do this, but rent and other expenses just made it hard to break even.&nbsp; She was a nice girl, probably not much older than the kids she served, and his mind started to wander to possibilities of investing.&nbsp; It would give him something to do, some direction, after all.&nbsp; Then, as he debated between a cupcake or a cheese Danish, his mind swam on to the unfulfilled desires he had with the fairer sex, and he pondered if it might be possible to wield his resources in a manner that could marry these two ideas.<br><br>"Danish today," he said, as the owner snapped him out of his daydream.&nbsp; "So let me ask you something...would you ever consider taking on an investor?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Baking Fresh Daily </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Loves</strong> on <strong>26-06-2015, 22:35:27</strong>
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				Rebecca Jane Wilson (http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae240/samanthamazur/543747ZJcYZOUF_zps6cc2ac54.jpg) had already put in a full day’s work having been up and baking at four o’clock in the morning.&nbsp; Her sister thought her crazy for voluntarily signing up for such a crazy schedule, after all…. who said a bakery had to have things fresh and ready for ten in the morning, earlier on the weekends!&nbsp; But Becca didn’t mind the long hours, or the quiet that filled the bakery in the morning.&nbsp; She greeted the sun with a warm smile and a large cup of coffee, already coated with flour and sprinkles.&nbsp; Baking was her passion. It was what she lived for, and as far as Becca was concerned, her hard work would all be worth it one day! <br><br>It was her dream to see “Magic Cupcakes” as a nationwide franchise, with stores from one end of the country to the other.&nbsp; After all everyone should have the chance to taste the wonders that were created in her kitchen!&nbsp; Becca’s mother had always puzzled over how her daughter could remain so slim when surrounded by such tempting delights. To which Rebecca would simply smile and shrug, as if keeping her secret of perfect health to herself. What never failed to amuse her however, was this conversation happened regularly over Sunday afternoon tea with her mother and her sisters, while Becca was nibbling on one of her very own cupcakes. <br><br><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d4/QlDb8M3pVBmK.gif)</div>In all honesty, Rebecca was simply far too busy to stand around eating the profits. She arrived each morning before the sunrise and began her day with nothing to keep her company but the radio playing quietly in the corner. It wasn’t until the hour struck ten that the door would jingle, announcing the entrance of Mrs. Edith White.&nbsp; Edith was a little, white haired lady in her golden years that had began showing up to help sell cupcakes.&nbsp; Rebecca hadn’t known what to do at first, assuming the lady was lonely and had just wanted some company, but as the weeks past, Edith continued to show each day, prompting Becca to offer the lady a job…. even though she really couldn’t afford it. <br><br>And so, Becca had her very first employee, and thus the strain on her business finances began. Not that anyone knew of course. It wasn’t something Becca wanted to share with anyone. Her dream was worth fighting for, and so if she had to drain her personal savings to keep it running, then so be it! Business was always slow over the summer months, but the closer it came to mid August, the more business would start to pick up.&nbsp; The college crowd loved to hang out at her shop, munching on cupcakes and sipping fancy coffee’s to build up that freshmen fifteen. <br><br>Lost in thought, silently calculating how much money she would need to make rent for both her shop and her apartment, Becca nibbled at her bottom lip and tried not to look as worried as she felt.&nbsp; Her thoughts moved once again to the small office/storage area on the second floor.&nbsp; It had a bathroom, and a small kitchenette… it was very possible to clean it up and create a living space. That would help free up some of the cash flow… <br><br>The sound of a deep male voice worked its way through the fog of worry smothering her mind, causing the redhead to look up, almost shocked to see a customer. <strong>”Sorry? Oh, yes… danish. Cherry, Apple or Blueberry?”</strong> inquired Becca with a warm smile, forcing her troubles to the back of her mind.<br><br>To say she was surprised by his answer would not be farfetched. Instead of selecting a flavor of danish, the man before her chose to ask her a question that she had not been prepared for. <strong>”What? Like a partner? No... “</strong> she paused to think further on the subject. It would solve her problems when it came to available cash to keep the place running. <strong>”I…. I never thought of that. Though I’m not sure I would want to ask someone I know. My sisters and I work better at a distance”</strong> she added with a sweet laugh.&nbsp; <strong>”Now, how about that danish? Would you like a coffee with that?”</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Baking Fresh Daily </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>wattersfall</strong> on <strong>01-07-2015, 21:21:58</strong>
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				"No coffee, thanks..." he said, seeing that his question had caught her a little offguard, so he just smiled and waited a moment before continuing.&nbsp; He stood back, standing at about 6 foot tall and a slim 210 pounds.&nbsp; Though not muscular, Ben was in good shape for his age with a lean runner's build.&nbsp; His icy blue eyes were complemented by dark brown hair that was just long enough to be considered wavy, and today he had a little stubble growing as well as he sized her up in a casual outfit of khakis and a red and white plaid button down shirt.<br><br>Chances are, Becca didn't think much about anything when it came to the bigger picture.&nbsp; After all, she was here everyday from what he could tell, and only had one employee working, who wasn't of much assistance by the looks of it.&nbsp; The woman was probably occupied with thoughts of how to get through the day, and how to make ends meet, and he was willing to bet that any long term visions had fallen by the wayside.&nbsp; This was where Ben made his money in the old days.&nbsp; He would start talking big picture and get clients excited, and before he knew it, they'd be investing all their savings with him.&nbsp; Now as an investor, he was on the other side of the proverbial bargaining table in the traditional sense, but he wasn't using his money to make more money.&nbsp; Little did Becca know, he was looking for something else entirely.<br><br>"Apple on the Danish...if you haven't thought about it, maybe you should.&nbsp; I'm not talking about a partner really...just a silent investor to give your shop a boost," he said.&nbsp; In a lot of ways, he would be silent, as he could give two shits how this woman ran her bakery.&nbsp; He would wait to unveil any alterior motives though.<br><br>"Look, your shop closes around 7, right? Why don't you come by my place and allow me to give you a brief presentation of sorts.&nbsp; Here's my card...I've got over 10 years of finance expertise and consulting experience in New York City," he said, handing her a business card that simply had his name and the title "Independent Financial Consultant," along with his home address and contact info.&nbsp; <br><br>"My place is right across the street so just come on over and I'll buzz you up.&nbsp; Just give me 15 minutes and if you're not interested don't worry, you'll still have me as a loyal customer," he explained, wanting to put as little pressure on her as possible.&nbsp; Once he had her on his 'turf,' he would get into specifics, which would include not only the potentially limitless opportunity for him to invest in her shop, but the more nefarious interests he had in mind.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Baking Fresh Daily </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Loves</strong> on <strong>03-07-2015, 04:29:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Rebecca managed to keep the smile on her face when he turned down a coffee. It might not have made a huge difference with the totals at the end of the day, but every little bit counted in&nbsp; her opinion. Besides, who didn’t like a coffee with their danish? And then it occured to her, as it often did when she allowed that little voice of doubt to whisper. What if her coffee wasn’t good? Could that be the reason she wasn’t selling it as well as her baked goods? <br><br>Becca wasn’t fond of coffee herself, and so she made it but never drank it. The redhead enjoyed a cup of tea over the stronger tasting coffee. She glanced towards the pot and wondered if she should ask…. maybe one of her sisters might be willing to be her guinea pig. It was only after a few minutes of worry floating around in her mind that she realized that he had been talking and she hadn’t been listening!<br><br>Reaching out to accept his card, Becca stared down at the elegant scroll and tried to understand why he was giving her his number. Had he just asked her on a date? Looking up somewhat alarmed, Becca took a moment to “check him out”.&nbsp; He was gorgeous, in that GQ front page kind of way, and so Rebecca relaxed. There was no way in hell that guy ever would ask her out, she wasn’t in his league, not even on her best day. Which, if you asked Becca, were all behind her now that she had become a slave to the bakery. <br><br>As she glanced back at the card in her hand, parts of what he had been saying began to float from the corners of her mind. “Apple” he had said, and so she placed the card on the counter and busied herself with getting him his danish. <strong>”Sorry, I …. I don’t really…. um….”</strong> nibbling her bottom lip, Becca reached for a couple of pink napkins and offered the man the danish, now wrapped in a wax paper and placed within a brown bag.&nbsp; Normally she would ask if it was for here or to go, but something told her to push this man out of her shop as soon as possible. Perhaps part of her recognized how dangerous he might be, but Becca took the instinct as a reaction from her own embarrassment. <br><br><strong>”I don’t really feel comfortable…. I mean…. going to a stranger's house.”</strong> As she was finally able to get out her concerns, Becca blushed. She might as well have told him that she didn’t trust him! Well, it wasn’t that, or was it? She had been living on her own for a while now, and so keeping herself safe was second nature to her. But then all he was asking for was fifteen minutes. Maybe if she didn’t accept anything to drink or eat? <strong>”Perhaps you might consider coming back here after we close?”</strong> Was there a difference? Hell yes there was! Becca knew where all the really sharp knives where in her own kitchen!
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Baking Fresh Daily </strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>wattersfall</strong> on <strong>05-07-2015, 16:13:19</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Ben wasn't altogether surprised that Becca requested to meet at her shop instead.&nbsp; After all, he had strategically asked her to meet him at his home, as it was easier to negotiate from a position of strength when on your own turf.&nbsp; Not that he needed leverage, as he had everything at his disposal and she was the one with something to gain, but then, she didn't know the true nature of this suggestion, and the underlying motives.<br><br>In spite of the objection, he could clearly see some intrigue.&nbsp; It was obvious to Ben that Becca was spinning her wheels, working so many hours that she was thinking day to day, and had lost sight of the big picture.&nbsp; Truth is, that's how most people were, and that's how Ben made his money in the past.&nbsp; He would start talking big picture and get clients excited, and they'd invest all their savings with him, making himself a lot of profit via commissions in the process.<br><br>"Look, I'm not some creeper, just fifteen minutes, and I'm right across the street," he said, peering out the window and pointing down the road a bit to the high rise condo.&nbsp; "I'll expect you after closing time, but if not, don't worry you'll still have me as a loyal customer.&nbsp; No hard feelings."
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