Red Velvet - Chapter Three

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Elias walked several steps ahead of Hunter and did not bother slowing down when he saw the man in his peripheral

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Elias walked several steps ahead of Hunter and did not bother slowing down when he saw the man in his peripheral. How dare he take little Red's side in all this? He was here to promote the new cable spot and his bakery not to be schmoozing his ex-girlfriend and her grandmother. Who does he think he is?

"The trailers are behind the building!" Elias announced over his shoulder loud enough to be heard over the city traffic before disappearing into his bakery.

"Thanks for the tour." Hunter fired back sarcastically before opening the gate to the back alley that led to two large white trailers that held the producer and camera crews for the show.

Humphrey Dunfray, the producer and brains behind this whole operation, swung the door open to the trailer and beckoned Hunter over.

"I almost gave up on you."

Hunter set the bag Goldie had given him on the table and flopped into one of the empty chairs.

"What's with the arm?" Hunter asked noticing the cast Humphrey wore up to his elbow.

Humphrey shrugged it off. "Up on a high ladder and fell off setting up some lights."

Hunter chuckled. "You know you have men for that right?"

"They're useless," Humphrey stated. "Besides it's just a broken wrist, I could have gotten my brain scrambled, and then where would we be."

Hunter threw his hands up in surrender. "You got me there."

"So anything good in that bag?" Humphrey had missed breakfast and the hope that it contained food was too much for his stomach that growled in response.

"Don't know," Hunter admitted. He opened it up and pulled out a Red Velvet cupcake. Hunter sighed and slid it over to Humphrey.

"You're not going to eat it?"

Hunter shook his head no. "All yours." He didn't even want to think of Red Velvet at the moment. What a jerk she must believe him to be. Humphrey snatched it up and took a bite.

"Slow down there." Hunter laughed and took the cupcake out of Humphrey's hand. Humphrey looked positively shell shocked at having lost his dessert.

"Just taking the wrapper off," Hunter explained. "It'll taste much better that way."

"Better? Impossible! That's the most delicious cupcake I've ever tasted. If it were a woman, I'd marry it!" Humphrey licked a bit of icing off of the corner of his mouth.

Hunter handed it back to him. This time he couldn't help but think about the woman who was named after it. When he picked up the wrapper to throw it away he noticed some writing on the bottom of it.

He flipped it over and found a phone number. He had a pretty sneaky suspicion he knew whose. Either Goldie slipped him her number or decided to play wing woman for her best friend. Since she chose a Red Velvet cupcake, he figured it safe to assume the latter. He pulled out his phone and entered the digits before throwing the wrapper away.

In the time it took Hunter to enter the number, Humphrey had inhaled the cupcake.

"Does all of Wolf's stuff taste this good?" Humphrey's look turned disappointed when he peeked into the bag and found it empty.

"Not Wolf's," Hunter informed him, turning the bag around so Humphrey could see Granny's logo.

"Wait, so he's not the only bakery in town?"

"It would seem Wolf's been buying them all out but there is one hold out, Granny's."

"How do you know that?"

"Pieced it together from a rather heated conversation I overheard."

"You're pretty sharp. So, is there an actual Granny?"

"Yep, and a granddaughter. "Why?"

"Shh! I'm hatching a plan."

"No, Humphrey! These are good people, not a tool to use to egg on your ratings."

"You like Wolf's stuff right?" Humphrey asked.

"It's not as good as Granny's but yeah, I wouldn't be here if I didn't." Hunter hated to admit it but he had tasted Wolf's baked goods, and if they did not pass the test he wouldn't be here.

"So, you do realize that once this show hits the air, Granny's is done for? They don't stand a chance of competing with a national spot. Wolf will have people lining up around the corner."

Hunter grimaced. He personally did not like Wolf's personality but he had a good product. Up until he met Red this morning he was totally okay with the idea of endorsing Big Bad's Bakery. Now, it just felt sleazy and Humphrey assessment of the situation didn't help.

"What do you have in mind?"

"A little friendly competition," Humphrey offered. "Winner takes all, the cable spot, the endorsements, the money, everything."

"And the loser?"

"Closes up shop, and moves on." Humphrey shrugs in such a nonchalant manner you'd never know he spoke of someone completely losing their life's work, business, employees... everything.

Hunter did not like this idea nor did he believe Red and her Grandmother would go for it.

Seeing Hunter's hesitation, Humphrey threw a little logic his way.

"Look once this show hit the airwaves, with your stamp of approval, Granny's gets gobbled up with the others. At least this way they'll get a sporting chance, and if this cupcake reflects just how good their baked goods are, I would say they have an excellent chance at winning it all."

"Only one problem," Hunter said, "how do you plan on convincing them?"

Humphrey smiled. "Not me, my friend, YOU."

"Now, you see that's a serious flaw to your plan because right now I'm the enemy," Hunter informed him.

"Well, you said there was a granddaughter right?"

"Yes."

"Is she the least bit attractive?"

"Very."

"Then turn on the magic, Prince Charming. I'm counting on you," Humphrey told him in all seriousness. Now, that Elias had deceived them, the show could be in real trouble, especially if word got out to their advertisers. This gave all of them, the perfect way out. 

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