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Caleb's mind immediately ran ahead with possibilities. Ice cream. Lemonade. Cold brew tea. Soda prototypes. Canned drinks eventually. A small empire rooted right here in Valentine. But he pulled himself back to the moment. "Sit down with me later," Caleb said. "We'll talk about the new menu items and expansion."
Jasper nodded rapidly. "Absolutely!"
For now, Caleb simply observed the busy restaurant, proud at what he'd built and even prouder of how his employees handled everything in his absence. Everything ran so smoothly it made Caleb's mind race with still more ideas, to begin the expansion, more supplies chains, equipment improvements, and many more…
But a knock from the back door pulled him from the thought.
It opened, and in stepped the ice hauler, a rugged man Caleb could expect to found in the mountains, carrying an crate filled with ice with hay and wiping frost from his gloves. He greeted Jasper, then paused when he saw Caleb.
"Oh! You must be a new employee here," the man said, tipping his hat. "The name Buck, I tell you you're lucky' to got a work in here. Yer boss here pays well and on time."
"Is that so?" Caleb chuckled. "Good to know that my boss aren't slackin' on payments."
"No young man," Buck said. "Never missed a dime. At least since the start of my work here never."
After that Buck exchanged a few words with Jasper before heading out. Caleb took the chance to slip outside as well, surveying the presence of the business from the front, customers lining up, families eating happily, cowboys leaning on fences with cups of cold water.
This was more than a restaurant now.
It was a budding landmark.
A statement.
A future foothold.
Caleb felt a swell of resolve.
'This is what I'm fighting for. For them. For her. For a life the gang deserves.'
He headed back to the counter window to speak to Jasper again, who got breather as the customers who ordered all done, for now.
"So," Caleb said casually, "you think Valentine's ready for something sweeter?"
Jasper blinked. "Sweeter? Like what?"
"Like a new product I have in mind called ice cream."
Jasper froze.
"ICE CREAM?" he repeated, eyes widening. "What in God's name is, wait, no, I think I remember you mentionin' somethin' about it before during gourd discussios. It involves things like milk, sugar, and… ice?"
"Exactly," Caleb said with a sly grin.
Jasper's jaw slowly dropped. "You're tellin' me we could make somethin' cold and sweet, which aren't a food or a drink? Folks'd lose their minds."
"They will," Caleb said confidently. "And we'll be the only place in any nearby town or possibly the world that has it."
Jasper rubbed his hands together like a plotting villain. "Boss… I like the way you think."
Caleb chuckled.
"Well, I'll have to stay a bit to experiment. I've got business elsewhere afterward, but while I'm here, we'll get the basics started."
Just as he finished saying that, a deep voice called from behind, "Caleb? That you?"
Turning, he spotted Bert, the rancher who often bought fries in bulk for his hands. The man strode over with a wide smile.
"Heard you were back!" Bert said, gripping Caleb's shoulder. "Place has been busier than ever. I tell you this place have raised this whole town's standard of eatin', I swear."
Caleb nodded acting like the perfect part time employee that everyone though the is. "Glad everyone enjoys it."
"You plannin' to stay in town long?" Bert asked.
"Just a couple days," Caleb answered. "Got some business to handle."
"Well," Bert said with a wink, "don't let your girl get lonely now since you already met her folks."
Caleb shook his head with an amused exhale, and Bert walked off.
He turned back toward the restaurant, mind already racing ahead, preparation, cooking trials, timing ice deliveries, taste tests, future expansions. He would need supplies, milk from local farms, sugar from Mr. Worth's, and also some salt for freezing.
He stepped inside through the employee door again, and the smell of fresh cooked meat immediately filled his senses.
He checked on Tommy in the kitchen, confirming the man's technique, efficient, consistent, well trained. Checking the new systems Jasper put in place, Caleb felt deeply satisfied.
As he moved to the back counter to observe the workflow, Jasper leaned close and whispered:
"Seriously though… Caleb. I'm glad you're back."
Caleb gave him a rare, genuine smile. "I'm glad to be back."
He would stay here long enough to set things in motion.
But after that…
He still had to go to Saint Denis.
But for this moment, in this bustling restaurant, surrounded by the people he employed, with the scent of burgers in the air and the lively chatter of customers outside, he focus on this one first then think of Saint Denis.
Caleb stepped out of the back room of the restaurant and drew a slow breath, letting the rich scent of sizzling patties and fresh fried potatoes fade as he walked toward the hitching post across from the Saints Hotel.
Morgan waited there patiently, tail flicking lazily, her ears flicking forward the instant she noticed him. Caleb stroked her neck, feeling her warmth settle him after the long, bustling day.
"Hey, girl," Caleb murmured, running a hand along her neck. She leaned into the contact, eyes soft, muscles relaxing beneath his touch. He patted her snout, smoothing down the warm hide. "Just checkin' on you. I'll take you out later, yeah?"
Morgan snorted again, satisfied.
Leaving her tied by the hotel hitching post, Caleb headed inside, boots clicking against the wooden floorboards. The familiar musty scent of the front lobby greeted him, polish, old wood, tobacco from someone passing through earlier, and the faint smell of coffee grounds left too long on the burner.
The clerk looked up from his ledger. His expression brightened instantly.
"Well if it ain't Caleb!" the clerk said with genuine warmth. "Welcome back, mister. Been a spell."
"It has," Caleb said, returning the smile.
The clerk leaned over the counter conspiratorially. "I've got news for ya. Mr. Dunn, the owner, he's made sure your old room's stayed untouched. Locked up tight. Said you'd earned it more than any traveler. Even when your rental days passed, he said to leave it be. No one else gets it but you."
Caleb blinked in mild surprise. He'd been gone long enough that his rental period had certainly lapsed. That level of courtesy wasn't common, especially from a businessman who could've easily profited by renting the room to someone else.
Caleb let out a low chuckle. "That right?" He shook his head, still amused. "You tell him I thank him kindly for that. And if he ever needs somethin', anything, he comes to me. No questions asked."
The clerk nodded quickly. "You can tell him yourself. He should be back tonight… or tomorrow mornin', if the train's delayed again."
"Good to know." Caleb dipped his chin in appreciation. "I'll do that. "
Then he reached into his satchel, thumb brushing past the organized stacks he kept tucked away. He counted out 20 dollars, clean, crisp, and more than most Valentine locals saw in a few months. He placed the bills neatly on the counter.
"Let's put twenty days on that room, then."
The clerk's eyebrows shot up. "Twenty dollars for twenty days. Very well." He slid the money into a box and then placed the room key on the counter with care. "Welcome home, Caleb."
Caleb picked it up with a nod. "Much obliged."
He stepped back outside, dust kicking lightly under his boots, and made his way down the short steps onto the porch. He cast a glance toward Morgan, giving her a small nod before turning and heading back toward the restaurant.
He headed across the street, returning to the restaurant. Even though it was late afternoon, customers still hovered around the counter window and filled the seating area beside the building, chattering happily as they ate. Caleb jumped into the workflow without hesitation.
He wasn't the kind of boss to sit in the back office while everyone else sweated.
He tied an apron around his waist—Jasper raised a brow but didn't say a word, just smirked and slid aside so Caleb could step in.
Caleb flipped burger patties with practiced motion, fat sizzling as the scent filled the cramped kitchen. He moved to the prep table, slicing buns, seasoning patties, and checking fry baskets. At one point he nudged Jasper aside at the counter window.
"Go take five," Caleb told him. "Drink some water."
"But—"
"That's an order."
Jasper didn't need to be told twice. Caleb took over the register next, voice calm as he took orders, exchanging coins, calling out numbers. He even stepped outside once to serve a plate of burgers to a group of ranch hands who looked like they'd come straight from a hard day's branding.
The hours passed in a steady flow.
The business continued fast, lively, and nonstop until around 7 PM. By then, the patties were gone. The potatoes were gone. The buns were gone. The stock was fully sold out.
Jasper stepped to the window and slid it shut, much to the visible disappointment of several customers who'd arrived late hoping for dinner.
"SOLD OUT!" Jasper called through the glass. "Come back tomorrow!"
A chorus of groans rose in response before the small crowd dissipated.
Inside the employee area, the lights dimmed as the bustling kitchen gradually settled. Jasper slumped into one of the chairs, a ledger in hand, while Caleb took the seat across from him. The others were outside cleaning the tables and sweeping the seating area, talking and laughing about the day's chaos.
Jasper began counting the day's earnings, the coins clinking into neat stacks, the bills folded into crisp bundles.
Caleb watched him work for a moment before leaning back in his chair.
"There's somethin' I forgot to ask earlier," he said casually. "Sheriff Malloy and his boys still get their free lunch? In exchange for lookin' the other way and keepin' trouble off our doorstep?"
Jasper nodded without hesitation. "Of course. I deliver their lunches myself. Make sure they get it fresh." The younger man smirked. "They'd riot if I forgot."
"Good," Caleb said, nodding approvingly. "Smart. Keep that goin'."
Jasper continued organizing the money, then paused when Caleb leaned forward with a more serious tone.
"Where exactly do you keep my share of the profits?"
Jasper's smirk widened. "Rest assured, boss. I don't keep it lyin' around. It's all in the bank. Too much money to store in my room or yours. Whenever you want your cut, just say the word. I'll pull it right out."
Caleb nodded slowly. "Good. That's the right way to handle it."
He took a breath, then added, "Tomorrow, we start ice cream experiments. We'll need milk, sugar, and salt from Mr. Worth. As for tools…" He tapped the table thoughtfully. "I'll come up with something."
Jasper nodded enthusiastically. "Whatever you say, boss. I'll follow your lead."
With that settled, Caleb stood up and stretched, then headed out through the back door. The cool evening air hit him, carrying the faint scent of livestock, dust, and the smoky warmth of lanterns in the buildings lining Valentine's streets.
He stepped onto the porch, leaned against the railing, and pulled out a cigarette. The match flared in the growing dark, the ember glowing as he took a slow drag.
He exhaled, letting the smoke curl up into the dusky sky.
"Caleb?"
He turned, cigarette between his fingers.
A middle .aged man stood at the bottom of the porch steps, brown suit, neatly shined shoes, a carefully groomed mustache, and rounded spectacles that glinted in the lamplight.
"Who are you?" Caleb asked, curious but calm.
The man smiled warmly. "Arnold Dunn. Owner of the Saints Hotel."
Caleb blinked, then immediately smiled. "Mr. Dunn?" He stepped down the steps, extending his hand. "Well, look at that. I wanted to thank you for keepin' my room exclusive to me. That was real kind of you."
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 7/10
- Luck: 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 4)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 4)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 3)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 4)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 3)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 3)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 2)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 3)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 4)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Trilingual Language Proficiency - G, I, & C (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 4)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX)
- Drugs Resistance (Lvl MAX)
Money: 3,635 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 104,669 dollars and 72 cents, 11 gold nuggets, 64 gold bars, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 Colm's Schofields, land deed (Parcel), 1 Mauser, 1 Semi Auto Pistol, 1 Lancaster Repeater, 1 Old Wood Jewelry Box, 1 F.F Mausoleum small brass key, & 1 Ruby
Bank: -