Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Jeremy smiled as soon as Dahlia came around the corner. He could see a few of her employees working in the background, but keeping a close eye on them. "I know this is a bit last minute, but are you free for dinner? I'd like to take you out. On a date, for real this time." He felt silly not asking her beforehand, but he was doing better at not staying at home after work - just to work some more up in his apartment loft. “Don’t worry about getting changed or anything, we aren’t going anywhere fancy.” However, his attire would make someone think otherwise. For him, a sweater and dress shirt combo was considered casual.
He glanced around the store, seeing that the store was decked out for Valentine’s Day. There were already hints of pink and red in the store. “Are you ready for one of the busiest times of year around here?” His parents had already prepared the Hotel’s Valentine’s Dinner with their in-house Chef for the hotel guests. All he had planned for the holiday was working, giving time off to those employees who had significant others.
Jeremy was glad that he figured it out for himself. “Oh, that must have been rough then? I’m an only child.” His parents didn’t want more - they were too busy with their jobs and the nanny already had her hands full with young Jeremy. “That seems to be what I’m hearing from friends who have siblings. I assume it has to do with people's different interests. Or did your siblings move away when you were young?” Families tended to be made up of different moving parts, he had grown up in a unique situation. “See, I was too busy with fancy events to get in trouble.” Jeremy was often called stuffed up by his fellow students back then.
“Depends on what you find majestic. But I am not in charge of what the buildings look like, my father is too stubborn to let me do that.” The people who knew the hotel well knew that Richard Kirby was a stubborn old man. “Well, you did what was right with your situation. Sometimes you have to make your own family.” Sometimes, he wanted to leave his family, but something kept him there. “Ah, do you have to go there often then? Is there somewhere for you to sleep then?”
He glanced at the water, wondering what would happen to the paper boat that sank. “I really don’t get it either. People are making 3D printer models of new buildings and it confuses me how it’s done.” Jeremy considered himself smart, but that was way too over his head. “You aren’t wrong on that one. I try my best to sit by the window so I can look out and at least get some sort of life outside.” Though some meetings were more interesting than others. “You don’t have many meetings in the Army do you?” He had a hard time paying attention, though writing things down tended to help.
“I definitely thought you worked there. That would be good. When is the best time to go anyway?”
Jeremy shrugged. He wasn’t one to judge other people for what they did in their free time - as long as it didn’t harm anyone else. “See, I thought anyone would sing karaoke if they had enough alcohol in their system. I take it you don’t like singing in public then?” He didn’t go clubbing much back in the day, his parents dragging him to fancy galas to keep him away from the karaoke scene. Part of him wished he could have tried it at least once, but that wasn’t ever the case.
“It’s alright, just hard to switch off. Do you not enjoy living where you work? Or have you not experienced that before?” He was honestly used to it, having lived in the hotel before he moved away for University - it was nice having a place away from his parents. “Oh, just curious. I often wonder what the owners are like in local businesses like this." Jeremy was unsure how Kasey would take his comment. It wasn’t a family situation everyone was familiar with. His father was pretty strict when he was younger. “No, I can see the Army scruff in you. How long did you serve for?” Jeremy didn’t think of being in the Army as an option as a career. He was too much of a people person to deal with the blood and guts of war.
Jeremy took a sip of his drink and nodded again. “Ah, so you are the old watch dog then? You must fix a car or two though?” It would be boring for him to be in an office all day. Jeremy happily wandered around the hotel to help deal with problems hands on. “Oh nice, what does your daughter take?” He set his drink glass down and raised his eyebrow. “Artist? I feel like you hesitated on that one.”
It had taken Jeremy longer than expected to ask Dahlia out on a proper date. There were a lot of surrounding pressure about it from people who cared about both of them. In the back of his mind, there was always a fear of rejection - even at his age.
He had finished work after typing in yet another reservation for a room made online. Jeremy had become better about shutting off his work brain when his shift was over. After a quick shower and change, he headed to the car which was parked in the parking lot of the Hotel. Jeremy drove off towards Dahlia's flower shop - hoping she was done work by the time he got there.
After parking and getting out of the car, he headed inside the shop - the bell ringing as soon as he entered. "It's just me, don't rush if you are with a customer." He quickly busied himself by looking at what Dahlia had out on display.
Jeremy couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head. “Ah, the youngest are you? I’ve heard from other people that it’s a mixed bag in terms of behavior.” His own parents were just happy to have one child - even more so that he was born a boy. Jeremy’s parents were old school that way. “How many siblings do you have?” When he was a teenager, he often wondered what it would be like for him to have siblings. It had been a bit lonely for him, but he had made friends soon enough to make up for it. “Oh, I think I got away with more than you think. My parents were both never really home so I don’t think they knew when I broke something.” Mentioning being raised by a nanny would have made him sound as posh as he really was - not really something he wanted to mention to a stranger just yet.
“That is true, though I can imagine the ships you deal with are much more impressive.” He was honestly just happy at the time to be able to get it from one end of the shore to the other. Jeremy loved being outside and being active, though solid ground was a must for him. “Does that mean you caused trouble and got yourself grounded? Wait, if that’s too personal don’t answer that.” Jeremy used his hand and waved off his question. Sometimes learning why someone got fired wasn’t something people often shared. “That must be entertaining. Do you work at one of the bases nearby?” He didn’t know much about the Navy or Army but he had heard there was a base nearby.
As the boat made its final sink into the water he nodded. “Or maybe not even paper? There must be something else you could make it out of. Maybe some sort of plastic?” There were too many options for materials - though what people could make with 3D printers now amazed him. “Thank you. So do you. I feel like it’s something I needed to learn with all those stuffy business meetings.” Jeremy did love his job but even he got bored talking to investors and hearing their plans for the Hotel.
“They own the bar? Cool. I'll have to come get dinner there one night. Do you get free food as an investor or something?” Jeremy smiled again - he had heard about it from Hotel guests. It was often that he tried to listen to them as much as he could during his work day - they often gave him the best tips on where to eat. “Do you work at the bar too or just like to hang out there?”
Jeremy nodded, glancing around at the Lounge. It didn't take him long to realize that Kasey was right. "Call me old, but I definitely didn't think the younger generations would like fancy things.' He also had very little interaction with younger people. His niece Jaana was about the only one but they didn't see each other that often either. "Is Karaoke something you enjoy though?"
He took a sip of his drink before setting it down on their table again. "I really don't. The Hotel is my home too so I feel like I have to force myself away." Coming from a business oriented family meant he was curious about how others were run and the personalities behind it. "So she's a hands on owner. You don't find those very often any more." His own father was someone the hotel guests often found wandering around chatting away. "And what do you think of her?"
Jeremy hoped he didn't trauma dump on a stranger, though Kasey did ask what he did for a living. More and more people were telling him he needed to work less - but the hotel couldn't run itself. "It's not something for everyone. The industry runs in my family so I only had a small choice." He didn't like speaking badly of his father, but the hotel did run in the family.
He raised his eyebrow - being in the Army wasn't exactly easy either. "Wow. I can imagine that wasn't easy either. British Army or American?" There was a possibility for either. It wasn't something he had considered for himself, running the hotel was always his plan. "Ah. I usually take my car there. Are you there full time?" He couldn't remember if he had seen him there when he got his oil changed.
"Honestly, either is fine. But after a long day of dealing with employees and guests makes me want to just watch tv by myself." Usually he was still working on his phone but at least no one could bother him. "Oh nice, do they live here with you? I do not have kids. Haven't really had time for a relationship lately." Though there was someone who caught his eye.
The few moments of silence made him realize that he should spend more time there on his days off. Peace and quiet were something he needed after a long shift of running the hotel. There was an endless amount of tasks to be done, but he was learning to let things that could wait to wait. He wasn’t a robot after all. “See and I’m an only child, so I didn’t really have anyone to scare me off. Are you the youngest child then?”
Jeremy nodded, planes were also intriguing. “I wouldn’t have thought that, I actually admire both. Though I haven’t ever had to pilot either of them unless you count a paddle boat. Then I’ve done that several times.” He doubted it counted as it didn’t have a motor, though maybe Tre would find it funny. “Do you fly planes for a living or something?” Jeremy watched as the ship sank more until it finally sunk in the water. “I do hope you can build another one. That was a very sad voyage if I do say so myself.” Though the pond was much too big for a small boat, it was something that was impressive nonetheless.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Tre.” Jeremy returned the handshake, dropping his hand once it was done. “Stationed? Like Military stationed? It must keep you busy.” It wasn’t something he considered doing, granted his father would have killed him if he decided to join the Army. “Oh nice, that’s the newer bar in town, right? I’ll admit I haven’t been there yet.” He would have to go explore it though if the owner seemed nice enough. “I am actually, born here in Hickstead and barely left. Other than to go to University, I needed to be on my own for a bit.” Jeremy smiled, he was glad he had some time alone to focus on his studies.
He watched as the ducks swam by, enjoying how peaceful it was. The quietness was a strong contrast to the loud, intense sounds at the Hotel. It made him wonder if this was what other people's minds sounded like. "Oh good, you never know who scares easily. It depends on the situation though, right?" If he was in the middle of a dance, he would be more disappointed than startled - but it often happened to him anyway.
"Ah? Are you a boat guy? I feel like we should give her a proper burial if we can." He wasn't really a boat guy, though he would never say no to going out on a boat - if someone offered. It was ironic as he worked and helped run the beach hotel, though he preferred his feet on the land. "I'm Jeremy. Nice to meet you, Tre. What made you move here?" It was always interesting to hear why people moved. Hickstead was starting to become a hopping place by the sound of it. His dark eyes flickered back to the boat, watching as it sunk down into the water.
"You would think but most people don't think that way. I thought maybe you meant they did karaoke or something." People had different meanings of singing - there were too many factors for it to be a concrete answer. "Do you know the owner well? I didn't know she was a woman." Wow, that sounded sexist. He was more accepting of it than his old school father, though he was part of a different generation.
Jeremy sighed, he had to admit to someone that he worked way too much. "Yeah, like in terms of alcohol. I don't tend to go out and drink. Work takes up way too much of my time." Dahlia kept telling him that too - though his father wasn't getting any younger. He was the focus right now. "Army huh? How long were you there for?" Jeremy would much rather sit in an office than be somewhere an fix bikes. "Fixing bikes and cars sounds fun though. Definitely something different to do."
He raised an eyebrow, living in the woods felt a little odd. "I take it you enjoy being on your own then?" Jeremy didn't want to read too much into things either. "Yes, that's the fancy one. Sometimes I do get tired of dealing with people, but it makes the job interesting." It was often he didn't see the same people over and over again - except his employees of course.
"That's a little young for me. I'd like to date someone who knew what it was like before the internet existed." He lifted his glass and tapped it gently against Kasey's. "To getting old." He took a sip and set his glass down. "You have kids? How old are they?"
He wasn't one to have the schedule of the performances memorized. Jeremy was way too much of a workaholic to go out anywhere after work. "I didn't even know they had performances here. Have you heard any of them sing before?" Not even in his youth did he go to any parties - his parents were way too protective of him to allow that.
Jeremy quickly caught the joke and laughed. "Not a fan of it I take it?" He didn't really enjoy a dark beer - it was too heavy for his taste. "Sometimes I don't even know what to order." Great, now he sounded like an inexperienced adult. "That must be enjoyable. Do you enjoy fixing things then?" Now that he got a closer look at the man, he did seem to recognize him. "I help run the Lost Shores Hotel. My parents own it still but there's always something to do." Sometimes the guests were very overdramatic which didn't make his life at work any easier.
"That's way more often than me. I've maybe been here once or twice in my years of living here." It wasn't really his kind of place, though he was trying his best to branch out his hangout spots. "Can't say I've been to R&R either. Way too old for that crowd now though."
Jeremy's parents had forced him to take a day off. He was starting to feel the burnout of running a Hotel full time, though with things slowing down and tourist season around the corner - he needed a mental health break.
He decided to head to the park, wanting some fresh air. Spending all day inside working didn't do him any good either. Jeremy had one thing on his mind - how he should ask Dahlia on a date and where he should take her. The gravel crunched beneath his feet as he debated. He had a crush on Dahlia since their days in University together. It wasn't long before he reached the pond.
Jeremy saw a man crouching by the edge of the pond, making his way over to him. "Did you lose something in the water? Or is the edge of the water interesting?" Another man he didn't recognize - though with work he didn't often adventure out of the hotel either. "I didn't mean to interrupt, scaring you was the last thing I wanted to do." He glanced over at the ducks in the pond, smiling softly at the sight of the ducklings swimming along with their parents.
When the stranger finally answered, Jeremy smiled and nodded. "Thanks, it seems like it's quite full tonight. Is there live music or something?" It wasn't like it was the weekend, though maybe the bar was busy every night - Jeremy had no idea. He pulled the chair out from underneath the table and sat down, unraveling his scarf and carefully hanging it behind his chair.
The waitress came over quickly after she realized that a new customer had arrived. He ordered a water and a light beer, having eaten already at home before he left. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jeremy." He quickly shrugged his wool jacket off as he waited for his beverages. "You could say that. I'd go as far as saying it's been a long week. What about you? Do you come here often?" The man glanced around the establishment, it was a little more casual than the bar at the Hotel though he really didn't mind that. "I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect when I drove here." He could count on his hand how often he had been there.
It was odd for Jeremy to not being in a suit. He didn't have any meetings at the Hotel, which meant he could dress a bit more casual. He needed to step away, glad his work was done for the day.
The dark haired man made his way to the Lounge, needing someone else to cook for him and an alcoholic beverage to wind down for the evening. Their Valentine's Day event at the restaurant was a huge hit, realizing a lot of couples were going out to the beach Hotel for their date night. It was wonderful to see, though everyone was busy.
Speaking of busy, the Lounge looked busier than usual. He spotted a man sitting by himself, wondering if the stranger was alright sharing a table with him. "Good evening, I was wondering if the seat across from you was free?" It wasn't someone he recognized, though as a workaholic, he didn't see much of the people in town unless they came to the Hotel. Jeremy glanced at the stranger, noticing that the man looked a bit disheveled, which he didn't know if it was his regular look or if it was a look he usually rolled with.
