STALKING BY THE BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 1

A moment like this doesn’t come around often and April knew that her finances would never cover the cost of such an extravagance. She had been fighting the good fight for a long time by jumping from job to job in the food industry. She loved to create and felt stunted by those menus that really didn’t meet up to her standards.

“I wish that I could help you. I don’t really have a penny to spare not with the twins on the way. I need every dollar to make sure that I have enough to live comfortably and be able to send my kids to college. If you had asked me a year ago before I got involved with Lindsey, I might have had a different answer for you.” Conner Mackenzie was the executive chef of a very swanky restaurant on Park Avenue. He was not usually put into position of offering advice to one of his up and comers.

“I knew that it was a long shot. I just don’t know what I’m going to do and that kind of money is not easy to come by. I always feel like I’m fighting a losing battle. When I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I know that something’s going to come around to stop me from achieving my dream.” She was wearing her chef’s jacket and cutting the vegetables in preparation for dinner service. “I want to quit and go out on my own to make the meals that will bring my clientele to my front door. I can’t do that by sitting on my hands and waiting for the world to provide. I’m not foolish to think that fate actually exists. I believe it’s what you put into it that you get back. That’s the reason why I donate my time and my services to local soup kitchens without expecting anything in return.” She’d found that giving back was one of those rare moments that put a smile on her face.

“You are one of the best that I have and to be honest, I never want to lose that. I can see that nomadic spirit and that need to strike out on your own. I would gladly invest in you. I think that I might be able to help you, but it might be a little hard for you to digest. I have one client that would like to remain anonymous that has a real desire when it comes to food. You could call it a fetish.” He didn’t think that she was going to bite on the offer, but it was worth the risk. This girl had all the right curves in all the right places and the kind of sunny disposition that would have that client eating out of the palm of her hand. She was that amazing young talent that would make a certain client very happy to attain her services.

Standing at close to 5’8 and carrying 160lbs had allowed her otherwise prominent assets to be on display for everybody to see. She knew that her main attractive quality was her breasts. They were a natural D cup and had those silver sized nipples that could easily be seen through any fabric that she wore. It didn’t matter if she was wearing a bra and those things had a mind of their own.

“I don’t know if I like the sound of that. My parents might find it a little disrespectful that I trade favors for money. I don’t think that I’ve ever heard any kind of fetish that revolved around food and if I had, I’m not sure that I want anything to do with that.” April was pulling on her blond hair. It was a nervous habit that she had picked up when she was younger and had never grown out of it. She actually found herself biting her bottom lip. She had no idea how she had found the courage to raise her voice long enough to ask for an investment from her boss. It was a sizable donation and not one that didn’t come with some kind of conditions. “I feel like I’m going nowhere quick. It’s like I’m stepping in concrete and eventually it’s going to weigh me down until I can’t breathe. I can see that he’s waiting for an answer and maybe I didn’t make myself clear. He can’t possibly think that I would give in sexually in some lame attempt to satisfy a hunger that has gone unfulfilled.” April wanted to say an unequivocal no to the offer in question, but that was not what was coming to mind.

“I’m not suggesting that you prostitute yourself with food. However, what happens behind closed doors between consenting adults is their business. This man has been coming to my restaurants for over 10 years. He was the one that broached the topic with me and I thought that he was distasteful for even coming up with the idea. I’ve had my fair share of catering to the elite, but this really does go above and beyond. I wouldn’t even mention it, but you seem desperate enough that you would try just about anything.” Conner was that dark Irish transplant that had the accent that would make most girls swoon at his feet. He was always clean shaven and had that smirk as he went around to every table to make sure that they were satisfied. Before Lindsey, he was always finding those groupies looking to make their own splash in the business by doing whatever it took. He had his own version of the casting couch back in the day.

April had been in this business for too long and chasing that dream was becoming a monotonous cycle. She never thought that she would have a chance to own the very restaurant that she had her eye on from the moment that she came into the trade 5 years ago. She didn’t have enough money to go to culinary school, but she always wanted to get her accreditation from the Cordon Blue academy in Paris. That was secondary. The one stumbling block to getting her dream restaurant was $250,000. It might even be substantially less than that since it was already in receivership with the bank. “I feel that I have no choice and that maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as he’s making it out to be. It’s not like I’m just going to throw myself at any available man. It has been some time since I’ve been satisfied. Three years doesn’t sound like so much, but my body has been craving the touch of the opposite sex.”

It was getting close to dinner service and Conner could see that she had made a momentous decision that was going to change the rest of her life. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to do this, but the 10% finder’s fee would definitely help with the buying of diapers and all those things that a baby or two babies would need. He didn’t feel good about it, but this would benefit the both of them.

“This is your chance. I know how important this is to you. Your father used to own a restaurant and you were the one that he taught everything he knew. I know that you didn’t feel right and that his need to have a son has been a black cloud over your relationship. I think in his own way that he loved you and only wanted the best for you. I could certainly throw you some extra shifts, but it wouldn’t come close to what you could make in one night doing special catering. Besides, you are already working 12 hour shifts and anything more would burn you out.” Conner didn’t want that to happen to April. He’d seen too many young chefs reach for the stars and be burned by getting too close to the sun. Those that had come before her were nothing compared to the genius that was ready to be unleashed within April’s hands and her creative mind.

April debated for a few minutes, mulling over what this might entail and decided that it was in her best interest to at least see what it was all about. It wasn’t like she was some kind of high priced call girl that would bend over backward to please a man with money. She’d been through some hard times with relationships in the past and decided to go cold Turkey for an indeterminate amount of time. It didn’t stop her from using her own talent with her own hands to do what guys very rarely were able to accomplish. She did have to admit that the need did creep up in the middle of the night when it was least expected. “I want to believe that Conner would never put me into a position where I was trapped or felt like I had to scream and not in a good way. I’ve only known him for a short time, but I’ve learned through observing that he only does something for someone else if it’s beneficial to him. I’m not sure what that could mean in this case, but I guess that really doesn’t concern me.”

“I don’t want you to make up your mind right now and there’s always time to revisit this tomorrow or some other day. I don’t want you to take my suggestion as any kind of pressure and I would never want to put you on the spot like that. However that being said, you did say by your own admission that this restaurant will be snapped up by some investor looking to get a foothold in the neighborhood. The only reason why these people are selling in the first places is because they are retiring to Boca Raton. I would love to buy it for you and have you run it for me on the condition that you pay me back gradually, but all my money is kinda tied up at the moment.” He meant every word that he said. He would have gladly invested high dollars for the chance to ride her coattails.

“I really do appreciate the job and the advice. I am going to need about 24 hours to think about this. That’s the only time that I have and the bank will be fielding offers by the end of the week. I don’t even care if I own the place out right. I would gladly give part of the profits to whoever gave me the money. I would pay them back in interest, but that remains to be seen if I’m going to find somebody like that. I don’t even know where to look for an investor and maybe you can put out some feelers for me.” “I knew that I would survive without the restaurant and that Conner would never get rid of me for somebody inferior. I didn’t want to brag, but my food did speak for itself. The ravings that I got from critics were favorable and I could tell that they were quite impressed by my genius in the kitchen. I just didn’t get the chance to put my own spin on things.”

“I want you to take all the time that you need, April. I don’t want to lose you and I could throw a monkey wrench into your plans, but I won’t do that. I could easily get my uncle to foot the bill for the new restaurant, but he will want 50% of the profits and I’m not sure that you want to take that path. He would probably do it for me, but think that your best bet is Brad Johnson. Oh hell… I didn’t mean to tell you his name and now I’m going to have to put a contract out on your life.” He was only kidding and made that clear by punching her lightly in the arm in a jovial manner.

“You must make one hell of a poker player and I never know when you are bluffing or not. Your expression never changes and I think that Lindsey should be very careful about keeping you happy in the bedroom. You could easily have an affair and the guilt would not eat you up or show any signs through your outward appearance. That’s a very dangerous gift to possess and one that most likely was passed down from one generation to the next. I hope that your commitment to Lindsay is forever and both of you mean the world to me. Without the two of you, I’m not sure where I would be and crashing on your couch the last couple of years have been a godsend. I am glad that I finally got out on my own, even though the place is pretty much barren and doesn’t have much decorative appeal.” “It’s a one bedroom loft upstairs. Conner’s brother in law owns the building, but he doesn’t live here.”

“I was kind of disappointed that you wanted to leave. I am glad that I was able to get you a good deal with the landlord here. He’s my brother in law and you know him as Lindsey’s brother Frank.” He was expediting the food and tasting everything before it even had a chance to leave the kitchen. He knew that he had nothing to worry about and that April would never allow something substandard to find its way into the dining room. “I think that both of us make a great team. I only wish that the rest of them had the kind of work ethic that you have. You’ve shown to be above reproach. I was always the first one in every morning and then you came along and changed that.” He picked up a plate and stopped short to look at the sauce more closely.

“Before you say anything, that’s one of my special recipes and believe me it will become a hit quickly. If you trust me at all, you will allow me this one deviation in your recipe. The sauce was great, but I elevated it to another level. By all means, you should really taste it before you decide one way or the other.” April was on the edge of her seat metaphorically speaking standing there quite smug and seeing the joy in his eyes as he took one sample. “I know that I’m taking a risk and that he has always been stubborn about what goes in his food. I don’t blame him for that. It is his restaurant and he should have final say on everything. I just think that it’s time to update for that clientele that are more sophisticated with their palate.”

Conner was a little hesitant, but once those flavors crossed over his lips it was like the angels were singing. She had certainly shown herself to be one of the best hires that he had ever made in the business. Lindsey was not as accomplished as a chef and most of her stuff was pedestrian. The only thing that saved her from being put out on the street was that she was his soul mate. He knew it from the moment that she sat down across from him for the interview. “You continually surprise me, April and it’s always in a good way. You know how fussy I am about my food and I have a reputation to uphold to the highest standards. For the first time in my life, I am going to say something that I never thought would cross my lips. If anybody were to ask, I would lie through my teeth. This is the kind of sauce that can make a career. I would ask that I have final rights to the sauce, but I wouldn’t want to make you feel that I was trying to take advantage of you.” He had to take one more taste and even that was not enough to quench his appetite. He was going to have to reconsider his policy and this girl really did know her stuff better than most.

“You have no idea how happy it makes me that you would trust my judgment. I’m certainly not a Michelin star chef, but I think that eventually my name will be synonymous with good food. I have a goal and I have envisioned it in my mind’s eye and nothing is going to stop me. I am tenacious like a bull and stand in my way and I will run you over like a steamroller. I do hope that you are ready for some stiff competition.” April had come up with that delicious sauce from a dream in the middle of the night. She found inspiration in local cuisine and the ingredients that were grown right here in the great state of New York.

“I’m usually pretty stuck in my ways and anybody can tell you that I don’t usually take to change very easily. Getting married was the biggest investment of my life outside of this restaurant. I scraped enough from my savings to bring this vision of mine to life. It took a lot of sweat equity to get to where I am today. I only wish that you were here from the very beginning.” He went out into the dining room and placed that dish in front of one of his regulars.

This guy was ornery, older than most but had the kind of money that he could throw around with the best of them. He had his platinum hair slicked back and was wearing a pair of custom made eye glasses that made him look like a movie star. Conner was holding his breath as Joseph Rollins picked up the plate and sniffed it like that of a dog. He cocked his eye and gave a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders before taking a bite. Conner had never seen his face light up like that.

He gave April his blessing to add the sauce to his menu. “I’ve never seen Mr. Rollins that happy.” He had no idea what he was so afraid of. April had proven herself time and time again to not only be reliable, but also to have a wealth of information regarding the new taste sensations that were taken the world by storm. “I have decided against my better judgment to take you up on your offer.”