Teaser #1:
“I’ll set up the computers with a touch screen Point of Sale system so you can keep accurate inventory and be able to see what your best selling items are,” Paulo said with a blush. “The website’s started and we’ll make templates of the different types of baked goods which you can upload daily so you can feature them.”
Todd looked at him with a smile, “We never discussed price for all this.”
Paulo squirmed and said quietly, “Well, we’re family. I wouldn't feel right taking money from you, how about if you just pay for the equipment?”
Todd looked at Joe who shrugged. “Pretend I’m not a family member. How much would your expertise and all the equipment cost?”
“$8,000 to $10,000 to start, and it would go up depending on what was involved. By that I mean how many pages and items are on the website, how many items need to be put on the POS, how many computers you need, wiring, scanners, if you want to buy or rent the credit card machine, and photos too but Mom does all the photos for me,” Paulo said as he played with his shoelaces. “That includes the Pack discount; I charge more for regular customers. It includes a year contract for monthly updates on the website, cyber-security, maintenance and if anything happens I’m on call. After that we renew the contract at $1,200 per year.”
Todd looked shocked, “How many customers do you have? How do you find the time plus play sports, train, go to school and college and be a teenager?”
“To be blunt Sir…I’m damn good at what I do. Right now, I have 100 accounts and a waiting list,” Paulo replied as he blushed. “That’s why I always have my laptop with me. I’m constantly doing things for my accounts plus all the stuff I do for the Pack.” He looked at Todd and gave him a crooked smile, “How about this, you pay for the equipment and for my time I get three cakes a week?”
“You want cake? Are you kidding?” asked Holly with a smile.
“Ma’am, I’m a teenage boy with a never ending appetite…I never kid about food,” Paulo said with a smile. “You can throw in some cookies, brownies, muffins, bread, pies, whatever you need to get rid of, I’ll take.”
Teaser #2:
“I’m sorry too, Poppa Joe” Alberto said as he glanced at Joe before lowering his gaze. “Maria means everything to me and I…”
“I know and take this as a learning lesson; you know what you’ve done wrong, now make sure it never happens again,” Joe said as he began to smile. “You bunch aren't the first ones to do something this stupid. Frank and I used to get in so much trouble with our father in law it was unreal.”
“Rose and Annie got mad at us on a date and said they were going to the bathroom,” Frank said with a smile. “Thirty minutes went by before we realized they snuck out the window and we went into full blown panic mode. We drove around town for hours looking for them and finally went home to find Pops sitting in the living room furious beyond words. I don’t think I’ve ever been that terrified in my life. He sat there drinking a beer while he calmly told us how bad we had fucked up and how we were going to make things right.”
“They had been with him the whole time, after they snuck out they ran down the street and called him and he had them within ten minutes,” Joe said with a frown before he looked at Frank and smiled. “I still have the blisters on my hands from chopping wood, mowing the yard, fixing the roof on the house, digging flower beds and building a deck.”
“Did Mom get in trouble?” asked Enzo with a smile.
“Fuck no. You know how Pops is… his precious daughters do no wrong,” Frank responded with a look of disgust as Joe rolled his eyes. “Every time something happens that he doesn’t agree with, even if they caused it, it somehow turns out to be mine and Joe’s fault.”
Vin looked at his dad and said, “There’s something I’ve always wondered about. I heard Pops talking to Mom once and he said something about the first time you ever did something right. What was he talking about?”
Joe, Carlo and Carmelo burst out laughing as Frank flushed before taking a deep breath. “He’s talking about your birth.”
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