Eli Mathers

Imani smiled and walked a little further into the alley. "I don't have the best eyes so it's not you, it's me." She smiled, nodding when he mentions vape people. "Oh yeah. I mean don't get me wrong, do your thing. I just mean if I was biting into someone... you know what.... I'm not gonna finish that thought." She wiggled her fingers as if to brush the icky thought away. "Oh damn. Glad you told me it was a steakhouse or I would have been walking in to audition and confused the fuck out of everyone. You like a chef then?" @elimatherss

Eli’s brow arched just a little at her comment, he couldn’t help feeling like he was hitting a different note here. “We’re biting into people now? Color me intrigued, just who are we biting into here?” He asked, but something inside him had the feeling she wasn’t really going to give a full answer to that question. “I mean, not a chef, you don’t want me cooking, but it is my restaurant, owner, I’m just always here making sure it’s running well.” @xoimani

"Nah, I was just trying to figure out who would be standing out here, trying to act like a bad boy protagonist from a fucking horrible young adult book." Pippa chided as she slipped her headphones off. "Makes sense it'd be you." Dark eyes wandered over to the vape, her craving almost unbearable. But she had to resist; she was trying to be good after all.

“Of course you’re the one I run into out here, out late at night with your headphones on? Trying to be the one ending up on the back of a milk carton?” He asked, but a subtle smile was already forming on the corners of his lips. “Good thing I’m the one who you ran into, though I’m beginning to think it was intentional.” he hummed softly.

“I’m going to be honest, I did clock that, so technically it is nice of you to offer. I realised that it meant skimming off you top line which while it’s unlikely to make too much of a difference, depending on how business is going, it’s still a sacrifice.” Erin nodded, clocking how the man seemed to know exactly what was going on, which was no doubt something that helped him when it came to making money through his restaurant.  “Okay so you came from money but you at least put in effort to maximise your return which is something you have to be given credit for. Do your parents have any input in Cedar Point or is it something you are in on your own?” Erin was genuinely interested, she wasn’t super business minded herself but the guy didn’t look that much older than her so he had to be pretty sharp to be managing this all. “I think they’ll be more focused on the food than how you smell, plus I bet half of them smoke as well so you’d be in good company.” Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her packet to light up a new one instead of taking the one she’d passed him back again. “I’m Erin by the way.”  @elimatherss

“Well, if I’d known that part I’d have shut up, I’m so used to explaining shit business wise that I forget people probably understand what I mean.” He chuckled softly, relaxing a little more, something about her made him feel a little at ease. It was nice having someone who he didn’t have to overly explain to and still understood his meaning. “I did, almost managed to get cut off for a bit, but my dad was an asshole about some shit so I took a stand and he didn’t like it. Now here I am, and Cedar Point I’m all in on solo, so anything I have and make is mine.  I just have a big trust for my employees and believe they do me right, so far it’s proven true every time.” He nodded, taking a longer drag of the cigarette, it served to cool him off more than the vape did. “Oh they do, a few of them I’ve seen puffing on cigars as they leave.” He chuckled some, thinking about how well he tried to preserve his image. “Eli, good to meet you Erin.” @erinliana

"Very funny, Mr. Mathers." Charlotte replied with a wave of her hand. There was a pang of sadness knowing that her father must not have been too discreet about why he and her mother had been frantically trying to tie her to some man of status and money. She hated to think of them slighting Olivia, and in turn Lola, that way, but unfortunately, she had come to expect nothing less of the pair. "It was such a nice night, I thought I'd walk home instead. Needed a change from hospital air."

“Sometimes I’ve been known to have a zinger here and there.” He said, a soft chuckle coming from him. Charlotte had very much become more of a best friend, almost like he saw her as a sister and it was interesting that he had become somewhat in on family drama. It made it even more assured that he didn’t want to marry into their family, he just wasn’t sure how their father thought bringing him into their drama made sense when he wanted to marry Charlotte off to him. “I can imagine the hospital smell gets to you after awhile.”

"You're like, actually trying to traumatize me right?" Olivia continued to tease, but her nose was still wrinkled as if she was thinking about the outcome. It sounded like hell for her, even as he continued and suggested her dad find them talking. She laughed, but it was true. She was rather surprised Lola hadn't been offered a pay out to leave or divorce her yet. "Let's not put that idea in his head, he's probably listening on the town's CCTV footage or some shit." @elimatherss

“Just being honest! Would I ever lie to you? Even if it’s about gross shit?” He asked, very genuinely curious, he knew she’d be fine or he would have gone into far worse detail than he did. He himself was curious as to why there hadn’t been any attempt to pursue a divorce for his daughter, perhaps there was something more that was under the surface in that regard. “Shit, he’s got us all looking at him. But… Getting his attention is easy…” He said, waving at the security camera. “That’s why you and Lola will be together forever, because he’s so ready to push you apart.” @olivahw

"Depends on if it comes with someone who has a penis or not." It could be a little over the top when it came to men being cocky, especially a rat man like him. That being said, Ceyda was pretty cocky herself. "Hm," She tilted her head to the side as she thought about it, holding her hand out for the vape he had in his fingers now he'd told her it wasn't nicotine. "Okay well then if I'm getting a free meal, what do you recommend and is alcohol included? Because I don't want it if I can't wash it down with a glass of wine." @elimatherss

“What? Cockiness from someone with a cock? Almost a little bit poetic.” He jibed, a chuckle coming from him, laughing at his own joke he almost felt like he was doing a little too much by making himself laugh. He handed over the vape and nodded, “sometimes the only way to put up with a lot of people is with something nice and strong.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing back at the restaurant. “Well, American style steakhouse, I always recommend the steaks, New York strip is prime right now that, potatoes however you want them, and I recommend the brussel sprouts if you like them. Alcohol is always included if I’m offering a free meal.” @ceydaxyilmaz

“Shit, you own this place? Well okay then. Now the suggestion of a free meal is starting to look way less impressive since I know you wouldn’t technically be paying for it.” Erin was only joking, she knew mathematically that every dinner this guy gave away would have an effect on his business take home, but he wasn’t technically paying for it out of pocket in the same way. “I can’t imagine having the resources or skills to just be ‘considering picking up some other places around the world’ like that’s a wild statement to make. You a really savvy businessman or do you just have really rich parents? No judgment if it’s the latter. Hell I wish I did.” Happily passing the cigarette across to his waiting hand, blowing the smoke from the quick drag she’d taken before doing so out into the darkness. “Not a lie at all. In fact I’ll happily take the blame from being the weirdo hiding out for a cigarette, old habits die hard I guess.” @elimatherss

“I do, and I have to say, even if I’m offering a free meal I still have to pay for it in the long run, all comes on top of expenses. Just means me offering a free meal isn’t someone offering to pay outright.” He explained, perhaps a little too much of an explanation for the situation but he couldn’t help it, he was business minded and it was a little more of how his brain worked than anything else. “Oh both, I started with rich parents, I can’t even deny that part, but I went to harvard for business and I managed to make my own fortune from that. Now I own this restaurant and I’m thinking of extending my reach a little further than just Cedar Point.” he took a drag off the cigarette she offered him and physically his shoulders relaxed and a much bigger smile started forming. “Ah, my saviour, now I really do owe you a meal. Maybe I’ll just throw on a bit more cologne, they won’t know the difference.” @erinliana

"Ew, you just made my vagina dry the fuck up." Olivia grimaced at the thought. Not only was she happily married, but the thought of anyone's penis near her made her want to throw up at this point, including Eli's. Knowing him as well as she did just made the whole situation ten times worse. The blonde stood beside him, her back against the wall. She'd brought her beer out to join him. "The day you become my 'main course' is the day hell freezes over and pigs start flying, Eli, but nice try."

“Oh shit.” Eli said, more amused than anything else. “Look, it works on the right people.” He couldn’t blame her for having that reaction, he knew it definitely wasn’t intended for Olivia anyway and he had a strong suspicion she knew he wouldn’t talk to her like that. He let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t let your dad hear me talking like that around you anyway, he’d have your divorce papers ready before you even fucking blinked.” @olivahw

“Yeah, thanks.” Erin gave him a lopsided smile as she stood up to go sit next to him, cigarette still in her hand hanging down at her side. His words making her brain click as she tried to deduce his role from them, glancing back at the building he’d just come out of. “So you’re a chef? Waiter? I guess it makes sense you not wanting to the customers to smell it, although me sitting here with one smoking away isn’t going to help your cause.” Chuckling as she took another drag, but making sure to blow the blue grey cloud of smoke away from him because maybe that would make a difference. Although the next second she looked down at it, cocking an eyebrow. “You want a drag? You can always blame me if anyone smells it and says something. I won’t tell.” @elimatherss

Eli couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face, if only it was that simple. A chef or waiter would have been much easier, at least that was what he thought, little did he know that was directly in opposition to the reality. Beyond that he didn’t know how hard his staff worked, he just made sure they were paid well. “Chef? Couldn’t do it. Waiter? Sometimes… When I need to be.” He shook his head, looking back at the restaurant like he was proud she couldn’t tell. “Actually, I own this one, considering picking up some other places around the world depending on how well this one keeps going.” He chuckled, then shrugged a shoulder, holding out his hand for the cig. “Fuck it, if they ask I’ll just say someone was out in the alley while I was. Not a lie.” @erinliana

“Since when has too cocky ever really put someone off?” He asked, genuinely curious. Considering her response he didn’t think that cocky was going to be something that would be an issue for most people. Besides, being cocky and direct had gotten him into some great… And not so great circumstances, he wasn’t sure which way this was going to go. “Me? No, you don’t want me making your food, I’m just a face of the restaurant and know what to say. The chef though? Whatever you want. And if you want a hit... It's not tobacco.” @ceydaxyilmaz

The summer night air was a welcome change after being confined to the office all day. Some might have hated the idea of walking home after working on their feet all day, but it was a welcome comfort to Charlotte. It was one of the only moments she could be alone with her thoughts. Her own thoughts. A familiar silhouette outlined in the dark of the night caught her attention, however, and caused her to veer off course. Once she heard his voice, the last bit of confirmation she needed, the eldest Harrington sister made her way across the street.

At least knowing who Eli was talking to from the sound of her voice did a lot to reassure him, he knew at least Charlie wasn’t going to be a bother for him. He wasn’t a fan of the way that things had gone down with her parents, he wasn’t one to be forced into things, but at least he’d made a friend out of them trying to coerce him into marrying her. 

Sitting on a wall in the darkness, Erin took another drag of her cigarette as she saw a man come out the back of the restaurant she was apparently behind. She hadn’t meant to be staring but it became immediately obvious when he spoke that she had been, which made her blush bright red so Thank god for the gloom that was disguising that. Shaking her head as she tapped the cigarette to ash it before she went in for another drag she raised her empty hand in an apologetic surrender. “No no, neither of the above. I didn’t expect anyone to come out to be honest, so I think you just took me off guard.” after a pause she spoke again. "Are you...vaping?" @elimatherss

Eli was glad to have a break from the restaurant, talking to too many people eventually got to him. It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to talking to a lot of people, it just usually end of night they ended up more vertical, the restaurant was a little different and he needed a break more often. He trusted his staff anyway, he had a business degree and he knew how to keep things running so he knew the people he hired would work well without him in there. “You wanna come over and take a seat? Plenty of room.” Eli nodded toward the stool, he breathed out a sigh. “Yes. Means the customers don’t smell cig on me. Would rather be taking a drag off a cig though, but this one’s a little more than just nicotine.” @erinliana

Imani was walking home from the bar having completed a rare day shift. She usually was the night-time girl, but someone was sick so she got called in. Wearing her usual revealing and neon clothing that nearly could be considered 'rave-wear' she stopped near an alley seeing some guy standing there. Not realizing she was staring she laughed. "Oh shit.. you are real. I don't have good eyes... I thought for a second you were like... a mannequin or something. " Watching him curiously she shook her head. "Nah I don't eat people. And if I did, I wouldn't go for a vape kind. What is this place called?" She looked up hoping to see a visible sign from the alley but didn't.

Eli took a seat on one of the little stools he’d set out the back, it was something necessary when it came time to have breaks. Especially after working himself and seeing that there was nothing for anyone to relax with when it came to his staff taking breaks. Eli held his arms open and chuckled, “No, very real, just very ready to go home so I might be looking a little robotic.” He chuckled, taking another drag on his vape. “Oh vape people? I only use my vape when I’m working so the customers don’t smell the cig on me, kinda feels rude. But I’ll cig any other time… This place is called The Strip Joint, steakhouse. Thought it was a good pun.” @xoimani