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Click hereNicole was prepared, though. In response to my question, she reached under the counter, pulled out a ragged notebook, flipped it open, and slid it across to me.
I looked down and read. She had written the complete recipe, a simple sketch of the presentation with notes, and a complete tally of the costs of all aspects of the dish--veggies, sauce, vinaigrette, skewers, and--zero cost noted because we just threw it away before or tossed it into broth where it added little or nothing--chicken skins. The four pages were covered in notes showing the progress of the dish, ideas crossed out and others with exclamation points. All told, she had been thorough and spent quite a bit of time on this.
"Will it sell?"
I saw a smile curling her lips. She knew I liked it and that she had been completely prepared. Now she gave me the simplest answer, the one she knew would prove her preparations thorough.
"We'll see when Lonnie Mackie shows up, won't we?"
I laughed, shaking my head at the same time. "Fuckin' chicken skins. Who'd a thought, huh?"
She shrugged, her smile turning into an all too rare full-fledged grin.
"So you like it?"
"No," I said. "I love it. It's better than anything else we currently have--for my tastes, at least--and you manage to fully justify charging four times the food cost. And I don't think anyone will squawk, either."
Then a thought hit me, and my joy turned serious.
"When have you been working on this, Nicole?"
"When I get home at night."
"But you've got a little boy to spend time with," I said. "Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate this, appreciate your hustle and all. Still, I feel a little guilty that you're doing this at home on your own time."
Her grin faded to a simple smile.
"He's with me when I'm doing it."
"That's not enough," I said. I reached into my pocket and pulled out some cash. I took a hundred dollar bill and slid it across to her. "Take this. Please."
She looked from the bill in front of her, then back to me. "That's not why I did this, Tim."
I shook my head. "Then why did you do it?"
"To see if I could."
I nodded. "Well, it's official. You can. And now that you know that, you should get paid for it."
She shook her head, but I insisted.
"Listen," I reasoned. "I'm going to make money off of this. If my guess is right, this will be our most profitable appetizer, one we'll be running out of because I can't justify more chickens just to get the skins. And if you help me make money, especially if you do it on your free time, then that time shouldn't be free. You should be paid. If you had done it here, you'd have been paid."
She said nothing, just looking at me now with a face that had again become a mask.
"Besides," I said. "I want you to keep doing this. Preferably here at work when we can squeeze in the time. And if I pay you for it, you're more likely to keep doing it for me. Okay?"
She only nodded before picking up the money and thrusting it into her pocket.
"Thanks," she mumbled.
And without another word, she turned and started in on the few remaining chickens waiting to be cut up.
I watched for a minute, trying to fathom her thoughts and read her reaction.
But I was unsuccessful, as I'd been with Nicole from day one.
If she was a book, she was written in a language I'd never seen and could not fathom.
I soon learned, though, that others could read that language.
People like Jenny.
- COMMENTS
Anonymous7 days agoI'm really liking this. It gives a behind the scenes look at the food industry that you never knew about. I like how some of the dishes are broken down and prepared as well. Also I like how the town is supposed to be either singles or marrieds, but the divorced people are shunned (according to Tim, but it's not like that at all as he seems to be working two lovely ladies while his single lawyer friend is bombing. :-) After reading other stories of yours about Grant City, I knew I'd have to read this one, just to see how it'll play out. I'm liking it for sure.
AnotherChapter3 months agoFind it hilarious in comments below arguing that choice of dogs is indicator of being gay! Over 50 years i have owned everything from miniature schnauzers to Great Danes depending on my circumstances. I was no more gay with owning an ankle biter than with my pair of golden retrievers! His love of cooking is also no more gay than his love of women! So much for the usual nauseous Anon remarks. Had to re-read this story because I’d forgotten the recipe for the chicken skin appetizers! Love the food hints in this series as I have loved cooking for the past 60 odd years.
Anonymous5 months agoLots of men pretend they're not gay, many come out in later life after being married and having children.
It's the little things that give them away, owning little dogs is one. But there are plenty of other ones.
Anonymous5 months agoFinished fucking a woman no men and hes gay lol. Great story and I love the cooking its fun.
Anonymous5 months agoPeanuts, not so much a good thing in today's allergy filled word.
Also, his choice of dog would suggest homosexuality.
Anonymous10 months agoAmazing resurrection of creativity and self as well as an improbable romance.
Both within and outside of the narrative
NudeInMaine12 months agoI love the series. And since I worked as a chef for several years, I especially enjoy the restaurant / food parts of the story.
Anonymousabout 1 year agoSeriously, the cooking shit is a waste of time and is taking a lot away from what could be a really good story
xhristianjover 1 year agoThis comment cracked me up is unenlightened asshole the same as being a Heterosexual Male? You see when you read about a guy who is so blatantly codependent in an almost pathological way it really does get on your nerves if your a GUY. I mean for all those beta male wannabe lesbians out there they probably love this little guy with his 6 inch peepee. Like seriously did we really need to know about Stumpy's lack of appendage but obviously it fits the narrative of a cuckold little bitch.
@xhristianj
"Why are all your male characters such fucking pussies?"
Probably the same reason you are such an unenlightened asshole.
Anonymousover 1 year agoA lot of pretty (and petty) harsh critics here lately. I think I’ve read every story this author has posted here at least twice, some of them more than that. And for my money Rehnquist is one of the top five authors to post on Literotica. For whatever reason, he hasn’t posted anything here in over ten years and that’s our loss. But I would almost bet money that most, if not all, of the people ripping this story don’t stop reading at this chapter but go on to read the rest of the story. Even though they don’t like it. Hmm. People are strange.
Dee
Anonymousalmost 2 years agoI've been enjoying this series so far, the food parts are fun as well.😋
Anonymousalmost 2 years ago@xhristianj
"Why are all your male characters such fucking pussies?"
Probably the same reason you are such an unenlightened asshole.
