PLEASE READ!!
Quick note, I'm moving over the weekend, so the updates may be sporadic or non-existent for next week as I get adjusted. I also wanted to say thank you for all the recent support and love this novel has been getting!
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I didn't know how much time had passed when I finally stepped back from the grill, though it could have been much longer if I hadn't realized that some recipes counted as valid food items to put on the menu, effectively serving as sides or appetizers while dishes were entrees. So after creating three more dishes, I had discovered enough recipes to meet the ten-item quota for the menu.
Pulling up the slew of notifications I had pushed to the side during my cooking fugue, I gave them a once-over.
[New Recipe Discovered: Grilled Salmon]
Base Price: $18
Quality: ✦✧
Final Price: $21
Ingredients: Salmon [x1] Lemon [x1]
[New Recipe Discovered: Charred Broccolini]
Base Price: $ 3
Quality: ✦✧
Final Price: $ 4
Ingredients: Broccolini [x3]
[New Recipe Discovered: Frites]
Base Price: $ 4
Quality: ✧
Final Price: $ 4
Ingredients: Potatoes [x2]
[New Recipe Discovered: Caesar Salad]
Base Price: $ 10
Quality: ✧
Final Price: $ 11
Ingredients: Head of Lettuce, Caesar Dressing, Croutons
[You Have Created a Dish: Steak Frites]
Base Price: $ 33
Quality: ✦
Final Price: $ 36
Components: Grilled Flank Steak, Frites
[You Have Created a Dish: Grilled Salmon with Charred Broccolini]
Base Price: $22
Quality: ✦✧
Final Price: $ 25
Components: Grilled Salmon, Charred Broccolini
Tallying up all the dishes and recipes I had made I let out a celebratory sigh as I realized I had exactly ten menu items, 'God this was more challenging than I thought it would be, but damn if it isn't cathartic to be done with all of this.'
Having accomplished everything I set out to do, I left Chef mode and, after a brief transition, was back in my body, standing in the middle of the kitchen. Glancing at the clock on the wall I was happy to see that no time had passed during my cooking spree in chef mode.
'Now all I gotta do is…' I thought happily as I opened the property management screen and eagerly added all my newly learned recipes and dishes to the menu. And after all the additions were registered, a new notification flashed across my screen.
[You have completed the following Objective(s)]
1. Create a menu with at least ten food items [10/10]
An audible sigh escaped my lips as my tired mind received a soothing buzz honing it to a razor's edge once more. Unfortunately, however, there wasn't a task that I hyperfocused on, seeing as the last objective wasn't something that I could actively accomplish.
Objective: Hire 1 waitstaff [0/1]
"Maybe I should put up a sign in the window, or post an ad online," As I muttered to myself, I went around and started to turn off all the lights in the restaurant. Even if I wasn't physically or mentally exhausted, it was getting late with the sky already beginning to turn a shade of orange, "I should also explore the town tomorrow, figure out where everything is, and maybe do a little advertising for the Grillhouse."
After turning off the last set of lights, I was ready to leave, making my way to the front and pushing the door open. Or at least I tried, only for the door to hit something with a very audible thud, something that also let out a startled grunt of pain, "O-ow!"
"Shit," I cursed, realizing I had probably just concussed some poor innocent passerby on their way home after a long day. Slowly opening the door, I stepped out onto the sidewalk, an apology on the tip of my tongue when I laid eyes on the person I had just accidentally assaulted.
'Damn.'
Proper words failed me as my eyes roamed over my victim. Even having fallen flat on her ass I could tell that her figure would make anyone's mouth water in an instant. But as I managed to pull my eyes up towards her face, I found myself struggling once more with my eyes spotting full lips, a rounded face, a pointed nose, a smooth complexion, and a pair of brown, innocent, doe-like eyes sat behind a set of circular glasses.
Drinking in her beauty, an odd desire blossomed inside of me, the urge to lay claim to the woman in front of me, to charm her soul and mind into my possession for all of time. For the moment, the feeling was rather subtle, but I could imagine it growing over time.
'Is this because of my race change…will I feel this way whenever I look at a woman I find attractive?'
"A-are you okay, miss?" I managed to find my voice after a second as I walked over and offered my hand.
"Y-yeah, I was more surprised than hur…" As the girl picked up her head and looked up at me, she froze, her words trailing off and her eyes growing wide.
For a moment, I wondered just how hard I had hit her with the door before remembering that I had turned myself into a certified heartthrob. Feeling a surge of confidence, I let a smile spread across my face, "Are you sure you're alright?"
The girl blinked before shaking her head as a faint blush spread across her cheeks, "Y-yes, I am, really, I just…spaced out for a moment."
She then took my offered hand and I helped her off of the ground, "Again I apologize for hitting you, guess I was in a bit of a rush to close up shop."
"You really don't have to, I probably should have been paying more attention instead of getting lost in my thoughts," She replied before stepping back and letting go of my hand, "M-my name is Megan, but everyone calls me Meg."
As she stepped back, I let my eyes do a quick once-over and confirmed my earlier suspicions. Megan had a figure that I would call perfect, with curves in all the right places, including her full chest, wide hips, thick thighs, and an ass that would make a Kardashian jealous. Though judging by her clothing, Megan was doing her best to hide her body, dressed in only a plain pink t-shirt, a pair of jeans, though both pieces weren't doing all that great a job given her proportions.
"Well, Megan, it's a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Ramon. Can I call you Megan?" I introduced myself before extending my hand, which Megan quickly shook with a nod. However the moment our palms met I felt a soft tingle shoot up my arm and a notification popped up in the corner of my vision.
[Thrall candidate detected, generating profile]
[Profile: Megan Griffin]
Status:
Affection: 0/100
Lust: 0/100
Bond: Strangers
Rank: F
Bio:
Personality: Unknown
Kink(s): Unknown
Pact: None
"It's very nice to meet you, Ramon," Megan replied with a shy smile as she reached up and brushed back a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear, "A-are you new to town? I don't think I've seen you around before."
"Very new actually, I just moved in today," I replied before pointing behind me at the Grillhouse, "Bought this place and spent the whole day trying to fix it up and get it ready for opening."
"Whoa, you bought Smitty's?" Megan asked in wonder as she looked over the old brick building. "This place has been closed since I was like five…I almost didn't recognize it without all the trash and inches of dust. You did all of this by yourself?"
I nodded with a proud grin, "Yeah, that, in addition to making a whole menu and buying furniture for the place. All I'm missing is someone like one person who can take orders and bus tables."
I watched as Megan paused and nervously bit her bottom lip, "Y-you know I don't have any experience, but I was thinking about getting a summer job. You don't think…"
"I think you would be perfect for the job," I interrupted, "When can you start?"
Megan blinked clearly, not expecting me to accept, "Uh, I can start tomorrow if that's alright with you."
"That's perfect, and if it's not too much, can you come in around three? That way I have an hour before opening to give you the full rundown of the place and answer any questions you might have about the menu and or service."
A broad, excited smile spread across Megan's face, "Three o'clock got it."
"Alright, you get home safe now, I'm gonna be counting on you tomorrow," I replied as a farewell.
"R-right, I-I won't let you down…a-and thank you for the job," Megan stammered and blushed before quickly turning around and walking away at an accelerated pace.
Watching her go, my eyes couldn't help but dip down, 'Yeah, this is heaven alright.'
[Megan's POV]
As I walked away, I fought the urge to look back over my shoulder, because if I did and found his dark blue eyes staring at me, I was pretty sure my heart would explode, 'What the hell was any of that?!'
Playing the interaction over and over again in my mind felt unreal, and I couldn't help but wonder if any of it had actually happened. From beginning to end, the entire scenario felt like a scene out of a cheesy Hallmark romance movie. But none of the male co-stars in those films had come anywhere close to the stupidly handsome man that had literally knocked me off my feet.
I felt my throat tighten as I remembered having to crane my head back to stare up into his dark blue eyes and his face that belonged on the front cover of a fashion magazine, attached to a body that had no place just strutting around the public.
But the worst part of it all was the way his eyes had roamed over my body with naked want and desire; it felt like if he could, he would have stripped off all my clothing on the spot.
It wasn't the usual reaction I received from the male gaze; most often, I could see them weighing their options, as if they were asking themselves how many shots deep they would have to be before I would get the privilege of hopping into their bed.
"But then they all want to act like it's just a preference," I muttered under my breath before I looked down at my stomach and frowned at the ever-persistent softness, 'He didn't seem to mind, though.'
A small smile spread across my lips as I remembered a particular shade of blue and how, despite their icy appearance, the fire that burned within.