Luxury Cafe Owner

by Andrew Reise

Her face remained calm throughout, and he couldn't tell what she thinking.

  Over the course of the next 20 minutes, she leisurely drank her coffee while reading the documents she'd brought with her.

  Finally, she finished. She walked up to him and returned the cup.

  He nodded. "Thank you for your patronage."

  She looked at him and then opened her mouth to speak. "I thought you were scamming me at first and then I just thought you were an idiot. But your coffee was good. I'll come again. My name is Claire." With that she nodded at him and left.

  Alan celebrated inside. However, it wasn't because a beautiful woman had just complimented him. It was because he had managed to find his first new customer. That was progress.

  He took the cup back to the dishwasher and then wiped the bar with a rag even though it already looked clean.

  Things were looking up.

  The day proceeded slowly without anyone else coming in until around 3:00 PM. At that point, the bell rang as the door swung open and Tom stepped inside.

  "Good afternoon," Alan greeted as he saw him.

  Tom smiled. "It is indeed!"

  "What are you so happy about?" Alan asked curiously.

  Tom's grin grew wider as he explained. "Thanks to your coffee I managed to have the most productive day I've had in over a week. I even managed to come up with a solution to a title dispute over a piece of property I've been trying to purchase for months now."

  Alan nodded. "Well, congratulations to that. What can I get for you?"

  Tom looked at the board above the bar again curiously, noting some changes on it.

  "You added your rules to the board?" He asked.

  Alan nodded. "I get tired of explaining them every time. This way I can just point to the board."

  Tom looked bemused as he read the rules.

  "Each customer can only have one coffee every 6 hours. Takeaway coffee is not offered at this time. Cappuccino is only served in the afternoon." He read them aloud. "In that case, I better take advantage of this opportunity to order a cappuccino."

  "One cappuccino, coming right up." Alan confirmed his order, accepted his payment, and went to make him the cappuccino.

  He went with the classic leaf again for the froth art. He'd need to practice different images. He hoped to be able to change it daily eventually.

  He served the cappuccino to Tom, who chose to sit at the same seat at the bar top.

  Tom admired the leaf drawn artfully in the froth. "Did you really make this yourself?" He asked in disbelief.

  Alan smiled smugly. "I'm a man of many talents. The woman who marries me will be very lucky to have such a talented husband."

  Tom snorted before sipping on the cappuccino.

  It was Alan's first time getting to observe the effects of the cappuccino up close. Interestingly, he could actually see Tom's body relaxing, his perpetual frown from stress receding.

  He may complain about the system and its rules, but there was no arguing that the effects of its drinks were truly unparalleled.

  Tom took his time drinking the cappuccino, unlike the coffee in the morning. As he did, he and Alan chatted.

  "I'm telling you, there's no way you can rely on your 'froth art' to get a date." Tom argued. "What matters most are looks and money. That's why I get offers all the time."

  Alan shook his head, smirking. "Well, you definitely at least have money. As for looks, how could you compare to this glorious specimen before you."

  Tom looked at him. "You killed my appetite, thanks. I'm just saying, if you want to date someone you should focus on growing your business, expanding. You need money to treat a woman properly."

  "The ideal woman, in my mind, is one who prefers a good bargain to an expensive dinner. That's why our first date will be fast food." Alan said. Tom looked at him to see if he was kidding before realizing he actually had such a warped image of the perfect woman.

  "In any case," Alan changed the topic. "In order to pay off the bank loan I need to make money, but to do that I need to get more customers."

  Tom thought about it. "You could always take out some sort of advertisement."

  "With what money?" Alan asked sarcastically.

  Tom shook his head. "It'll have to be through word of mouth then. I'll tell some people I know about this place, but the number of people I know who can afford your place and would still take the time to sit here and drink coffee is few. Even if I try to explain how good it is, they'll just think I'm exaggerating, or lying to help out a friend."

  Alan nodded. "I appreciate it either way. The business will take off once it starts building up momentum. I just have to stay afloat until then." He paused, then continued. "That's just another reason why the perfect woman will be just as cost conscious as me."

  Tom and Alan continued arguing about their own versions of the ideal woman right up until Tom left.

  Alan flipped the sign on the window to closed and locked the door. Then he went upstairs, got ready for bed, and went to sleep.

  Chapter 9

  A week passed quickly, too quickly.

  Alan stared dismally at his checkbook.

  If things kept on going at this rate he wouldn't be able to pay the interest on his loan this month, let alone all of his other bills.

  He'd had customers come in still. Claire, the woman who had showed up the first day, had come every day since then. She always ordered a cappuccino and sat and drank it while reading documents. He'd asked a couple of questions and learned she was a lawyer.

  Tom also came in. However, despite his best efforts, his rich friends didn't come in. The rules kept them away.

  A few random people had come in as well, and they had all seemed to enjoy the coffee, but it also seemed like they couldn't afford to drink such expensive coffee often, as they had yet to come back.

  Alan sighed, contemplating what he could do.

  "Host, these things have a sort of momentum to them. Once word gets out, more and more customers will come in, and you will have more and more regulars. Please endeavor to stay strong."

  Even the system's unusually encouraging words couldn't shake Alan out of his depression.

  While Alan moped in the cafe, Tom was in a tense meeting.

  He and the man across were staring at each other, not blinking, and the tension in the room was suffocating for the assistants, lawyers, and consultants present.

  Finally, the man across from Tom stuck out his hand. Tom gripped it and they shook hands.

  "We have a deal." The man said.

  Tom smiled. He had finally wrapped up the real estate deal he'd been working on. Truth be told, the boost that Alan's coffee gave him had gone into making this deal happen.

  He looked at the man across from him. The man's name was Gerald Acadian. Gerald was the CEO and owner of a successful retail business that sold everything: clothes, food, toys, cleaning supplies, housing products, everything you could think of all in one store. He had been looking at opening a large store in City A, but had very strict requirements for the location. When he finally found a property he approved of, it turned out to be owned by Tom which led to the current situation.

  "Now that business is concluded shall we go for a drink?" Tom asked.

  Gerald shook his head. "I don't drink alcohol. I'm allergic."

  Tom was surprised, as an alcohol allergy was unusual, but he smiled and said. "Actually, I was thinking of getting a coffee, not alcohol. There's a good place nearby. My treat."

  Gerald snorted. "You better believe it's your treat after the way you just shook me down for all that money for this property."

  Tom grinned. He really had benefited a lot from this deal. Between that and the relief of successfully pulling it off, he was feeling good, and wanted to luxuriate in the feeling of a good cappuccino at Alan's cafe.

  He led the way to the cafe, followed by Gerald.

  It was slightly late, the sun had started to set, and the shadows grew long as orange light spilled over the to
ps of the buildings.

  As they approached the cafe, Gerald observed it curiously. At their level, when business was completed it was pretty typical to relax over a nice dinner or drinks. In his case, since he didn't drink, it was usually a nice dinner. He was curious to see what was so special about this cafe that Tom would forego the usual courtesies and take him here.

  Tom opened the door and they stepped inside.

  The fading light outside led to the interior lights being turned on. Weird, star like lights glittered on the ceiling, creating a low ambient light. The light was bright enough to read, but low enough that one's eyes would relax and stop straining.

  The leather chairs, dark wood, and ornate carpets instantly stood out to Gerald. The atmosphere of the cafe matched or even surpassed that of top tier restaurants. They had the same "spared no expense" feeling, but it was more prevalent in a cafe setting as the seating was designed for comfort, not for eating.

  The sound of the bell rang out as they stepped inside, snapping Alan out of his daze.

  He saw Tom and, to his surprise, an unfamiliar man standing in the doorway. He nodded in greeting. "Good evening. Welcome back Tom."

  Tom smiled and nodded back. "Of course, I had to come for my afternoon cappuccino."

  Alan nodded and then looked at the other man curiously. Gerald stood awkwardly until Tom introduced him.

  He and Alan exchanged handshakes.

  "So," Alan began. "What can I get for you?"

  Tom took the lead and ordered a cappuccino for them both. He looked to Gerald. "Trust me, the cappuccino is the perfect nightcap."

  Gerald looked doubtful, but followed along anyways.

  Alan nodded to show he heard the order and then went back into the kitchen.

  As he did so he checked his mission.

  Mission: Sell 100 cups of coffee.

  Current Completion: 51/100

  Looking at it he noticed a problem for the first time. "System, what's the reward for selling 100 coffees?"

  "Patience, Host. You'll find out when you complete the mission."

  "But in the past you always revealed the reward." Alan said, confused.

  "Host, that was when you were in the tutorial. Now, the reward system has changed. Please look forward to it, Host!"

  Alan felt some doubt, but pushed it aside and focused on making the cappuccinos.

  After doing this for a while now, he had started to take some joy in the precision of brewing a good cup of coffee. There was a science to it, and it reminded him a little of doing experiments in chemistry class.

  Then when it came time to decorate the cappuccino with the froth art, he was able to be creative. He debated what image he would create this time. He didn't want to keep doing leaves. He had made them often enough that he felt comfortable with it. This time he wanted to do something original. After thinking about it, he came to a decision.

  While Alan was working on the cappuccinos, Gerald had noticed the board above the bar. Aside from the prices, which were surprisingly high, he also was interested in the rules that were listed.

  "I've never seen a cafe that imposed so many rules on its customers." He noted with mild amusement to Tom.

  Tom smiled. "There aren't any cafes that serve coffee as good as this one. A few rules are nothing in comparison to the product he offers."

  Gerald didn't say anything, silently thinking that it couldn't be that impressive, and that the rules probably contributed to why the cafe was so empty.

  Back in the kitchen, Alan was finishing both cups of cappuccino. He took them back into the cafe area and set them on the counter. "Here are your cappuccinos." Alan said. "Enjoy!"

  Tom reached for it in anticipation but paused when he saw the art. To his surprise, as opposed to the usual leaf, he saw a series of shapes. Looking closer he saw it was the City A skyline. The buildings even had small windows.

  He stared, dumbfounded by this display of creativity and control.

  Gerald, new to the cafe, was similarly impressed. He suddenly began to reevaluate this man that stood before him. To achieve such a level was not easy. He had never seen anyone capable of doing it. It reminded him of the famous chefs who took plating to the next level so that food became an artform. This was the first time he'd ever thought of coffee as art.

  A voice cut through Gerald and Tom's thoughts. "Please drink while it's hot." Alan reminded them.

  The two recovered from their shock, but felt some regret about sipping it as it would ruin the art. Tom directly sipped it, but Gerald took out his phone and took a picture of the cappuccino first, before also taking a sip.

  The taste struck him right away. Unlike Tom, Gerald already took his coffee seriously. That being said, he'd never tasted this particular blend before. All he knew was it must be expensive, maybe even unique to this cafe. He continued sipping on it, luxuriating in the warmth and flavor. As it entered his stomach his whole body grew warm.

  Tom had a look of satisfaction on his face too.

  Watching their reactions, Alan smiled proudly before walking away. Normally he'd sit and talk with Tom, but he could tell that this was some sort of business meeting. Thus, he decided to give them space.

  However, as he walked away, Gerald cleared his throat and said, "Wait, excuse me, I'm sorry what was your name?"

  Alan turned back. "My name is Alan."

  Gerald asked. "Is it possible that I could purchase your coffee blend? I really like it."

  Alan shook his head. "Sorry, I don't sell a coffee blend. All of our beans are freshly ground. If you want to order from the company that grew the beans, you should reach out to Prosperidad, a coffee farm in Colombia."

  Gerald was slightly surprised, but still nodded. "Okay, I'll do that, thank you."

  Tom shook his head, grinning. "Even if you get the coffee it won't taste like this. Alan is a master. No one makes coffee like him."

  Gerald was somewhat skeptical. Obviously Alan was talented, the cappuccino froth art showed that much, but the flavor of coffee lay in the bean at the end of the day. So long as he could get those coffee beans, he'd be able to have his chefs reproduce the flavor.

  Alan wasn't aware of what Gerald was thinking, but he wouldn't care even if he did. He knew that the secret to the coffee he made lay in the brewing process more than anything else. Even when he used the pre-ground coffee at the old cafe, he'd still made an unparalleled cup of coffee.

  Even if Gerald's chefs were good, they couldn't compare to the system. They might make a good cup of coffee, but it wouldn't be able to match up to Alan's coffee.

  Alan wiped down the counter while Gerald and Tom talked over their cappuccinos. Their business was already done, so now they talked just about market trends, real estate prices, and taxes.

  Alan found the conversation to be very dull, so he didn't have to feign disinterest.

  Eventually, they finished their coffee. Tom cheerfully said goodbye to Alan. Gerald just gave a slight wave. They left and went their separate ways as well.

  Alan checked the clock and saw it was closing time. He had a new customer today in Gerald, and Gerald seemed wealthy enough to become a regular, so Alan was hopeful that he'd grown his regular business a little.

  Little did he know that things were about to change for him very quickly.

  Chapter 10

  Gerald's driver took him from the cafe back to his local residence, a large penthouse apartment in one of the tallest buildings in the city.

  He nodded a greeting at the doorman, and walked to the elevator. He scanned a card, and the penthouse button lit up. He pushed the button and took the long ride to the top floor.

  As the elevator reached the top floor, the doors slid open revealing an unbelievably luxurious apartment that took up the entire top floor. Windows revealed the city lights on all sides. A butler stood by and took his coat as he walked out of the elevator. "Welcome back, sir." The butler said.

  Gerald nodded, paying little attention. "Ask Chef Monroe to order
some coffee beans from Prosperidad, it's a Colombian coffee farm. I'd like to have a cappuccino made from those coffee beans as soon as we get them."

  The butler nodded, and left the room to hang Gerald's coat and talk to the chef about this latest demand. As someone who worked for the super rich the butler was used to random, extravagant demands.

  Gerald went and sat on a long leather couch, picked up a remote and turned on the television. However, this television was actually an entire wall of windows.

  As he sat, not really paying attention to what he was watching, Gerald pulled out his phone and looked at the picture he'd taken of the cappuccino from Alan's cafe.

  Comparing it now to the view he had in front of him through his windows, he realized it was actually extremely accurate, and captured the feeling of looking out over the city.

  He couldn't help but admire it. He thought about it, and opened up a social media app on his phone. As the CEO of a large chain of department stores, he had a large number of followers, many of whom were young and aspiring businessmen and women who hoped to gain hints about how to be successful in business, or even to see how someone with so much money lived their life.

  In general, Gerald didn't post often, and when he did it was usually analysis of various markets or speculation about taxes on imports or that sort of thing.

  However, he was so impressed with the cappuccino that he decided to share it as a lesson to those with entrepreneurial spirit.

  He typed a message on his phone. "The key to success for young entrepreneurs isn't just passion or intelligence, but a selling point that is unique to you. Take this cappuccino from Lux Cafe in City A; it's a good cup of coffee, sure, but the real selling point is the artistry."

  Then he added the photo and uploaded the post.

  He saw it almost instantly got re-postedposted and commented on by his followers. He didn't pay too much attention to it though and turned off his phone's screen as he redirected his attention to the television to catch up on the day's news.

  Chapter 11

  The next morning, Alan got up early. He'd slept very well last night, satisfied with the way last night had gone.