The Restorative Man

Caitlin fetched coffee and a chocolate cake and the four of them sat chatting, Ryan observing more than talking. His face gave nothing away, Finally he stood and said, "Excuse me I'm going through to my home office. Would you care to join me Todd?"

"Yes certainly."

As he turned from the table Ryan watched his wife and daughter link hands. Then Caitlin winked at him. He smiled and led Todd off.

On Tuesday Todd went to Ryan's business office where he signed a contract prepared by Ryan's attorney. It provided for Todd to thoroughly review Ryan's restaurant business over a period of twenty-eight days, commencing the next day, and producing a comprehensive report with recommendations. For carrying out that work Todd would receive $11,000 in consultancy fees.

Ryan appeared greatly relieved he's gone beyond his own accountant to try to find effective solutions. He took Todd to a bar and as they were about to start their second drink Todd suggested they should take Caitlin and Linda to lunch at a competitor's restaurant.

"Linda won't come but Caitlin will. She's starting leaving Linda by herself for a couple of hours."

"Linda will come if I invite her. Does she have her own phone?"

Ryan pulled out his phone, selected a number and handed Todd the phone.

"Hi it's Todd. I've just signed up with your father. We are about to go to Alberico's for lunch. Meet us there with Caitlin in thirty minutes. If you chicken out I'll kick your ass. Bye."

Ryan started at Todd and took back his phone. "I image she knows you'd kick ass if she fails to show?"

"Yeah, it's my inexpert way to motivate people feeling sorry for themselves Ryan. It seems to work because basically they try to help anyone who is helping them."

"I'll give you fifty bucks if she shows. I better call Caitlin in case your message is not passed on. Perhaps you are not aware Linda hasn't been out of the house for three months?"

"Have faith in your daughter. She's now determined to beat her problem. I'll ask Linda to nominate a charity to which you can send your check."

Alas lunch failed to fire. Linda looked strained when she arrived with her mother and said being in traffic coming to the restaurant had unnerved her and before their meals arrived she began crying and asked to be taken home.

Linda's parents and Todd were concerned for her and Caitlin finally said she'd take Linda home and they left.

Ryan ordered two more beers and he and Todd ate two meals each and drank more beer but the sense of excitement had gone from the occasion. That night Caitlin convinced Ryan they should have Linda admitted into a private institution to receive proper treatment for depression. Linda agreed to cooperate and Caitlin called Todd and informed him of their decision and he conceded it was the sensible thing to do.

Next day Ryan began his contract and enjoyed facing a challenging job again. Although he worked closely with Ryan and they became good friends Todd never saw Caitlin and Linda again although Caitlin called him on his final day at work and wished him well whatever he did. She reported Linda was beginning to show marked improvement but never talked about Ryan.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine Caitlin. These things happen. Linda obviously doesn't want to see me again and I accept that. She won't see me again."

"What will you do?"

"I don't know. One of Ryan's friends is thinking about having me investigate his business but I think it's time to move on."

Ryan was happy about the report and recommendations. The chief recommendation confirmed his own thinking that he should dress up his weakest-performing restaurant and flick it on. He also agreed with Todd that he should implement tighter stock control and take greater interest in front-of-house activity rather than devote all of his attention to the kitchens and menus. He was greatly interested in the steps Ryan had set out in establishing 'points of difference' to apply in all four remaining restaurants, involving both the restaurant manager and head chef in each establishment. The goal would be to build character and standout differences between the respective restaurants and their neighborhood competitors.

"I visited all five of your restaurants and the only word I could use to describe them was 'adequate'. The entire eating experience must be better than 'adequate' to grow and maintain regular clientele and to have your regulars talk about your restaurants in glowing terms to their friends and acquaintances."

He then listed eight-eight ways that could be considered to achieving greater excellence, including creating a real sense of arrival for patrons.

That same afternoon he gave notice to the management of the apartment block where he'd rented a small apartment and left the city three weeks later headed for Dallas where two of his former classmates who'd later married and who had stayed with him in England operated a outdoor furniture business that Gloria's parents had founded and remained principal shareholders.

* * *

Ewan and Gloria McPhail met him at the airport excitedly and took them to their new home they'd had built and had moved into three weeks ago.

"It's still in a bit of a mess but with both kids now walking we decided it was time to leave apartment living behind us," Gloria said. "I have a list of jobs you can assist Ewan with or even show him how to do them if you have experience."

"Oh so this is why you invited me to stay?"

Gloria gave an embarrassed laugh. "Yes because I know Ewan will have difficulty getting round to attend to his domestic responsibilities."

"Pal notice how she's not changed much since we met when we were freshmen."

"Her tits are bigger."

"Trust you to notice that," Gloria laughed.

Todd grinned and told Gloria to just hand him the list when she had it ready.

"Oh Toddy, I knew you'd come through for me," Ewan said. "For that I must put you on to a nice piece of ass."

Gloria was on to him in a flash. "You don't know any do you?"

"Er no," Ewan confessed, "Apart from the couple of top babes at our plant and a few of my pals have sisters or babysitters or divorced moms."

"Oh god, my older sister has just been dumped by her boyfriend and is looking frantically to find a replacement," Gloria said. "She will be perfect for you Todd because sex is never far from her mind."

Todd sitting in the back seat of the SUV sighed, thinking oh not another bleeding heart to pacify. His world appeared over-supplied with them.

"Well bring her on."

"God you might sound a little more enthusiastic," Gloria sniffed.

He rallied and said hopefully, "Well Ewan had mentioned a nice piece of ass."

Gloria made no comment but looked across at Ewan and they grinned.

* * *

Two days later with his host and hostess at their Mayfair Outdoor Furniture business, Todd was working in just a hat, shorts, long socks and boots when he felt the presence of someone watching him.

He was sweating in the heat and placed the three paving slabs he'd fetched from the stack to the ground roughly into position and turned to face the visitor.

"Oh god, look at you. Practically no hair on your chest, muscled and well-defined abs."

"Good afternoon ma'am."

"Omigod, it talks and is polite as well. This is my lucky day. I'm Cher which is short for Cheryl and according to my sister you are Todd Hamilton."

The fairly ordinary looking but beautifully groomed brunette was in a tight dress and wore six-inch heels. As far as Todd could ascertain her boobs appeared small handfuls and that was disappointing. She looked at him smiling... er hungrily.

Hungrily? He decided he had taken poetic license but it was worth trying to excite her.

"Hi Cher, please turn around."

She turned and asked unabashed, "Is your fetish legs?"

Looking at the curving and tight ass of an athletic woman, Todd licked his lips and lied, "No ankles."

She attempted to conceal her disappointment. "I've been to a fashion show and these shoes are killing me. I'm going inside to take them off. Join me."

He looked at the space he still had to fill sighed loud enough for her to hear. "No thanks I'm working. I told Gloria I'd have this finished before she got home."

"Oooh a man on a leash. I like that concept. Gloria told me you two were at it like rabbits at college prior to Ewan making a real pitch for her."

"The three of us were pals from almost Day One and that's all I'm saying."

Cher told him to get back to his sandpit. "Oh why did you really ask me to turn around?"

Todd confessed believing his sister had shot her mouth off about him in his college days. He mumbled, "To check out your ass."

"God you are disgusting," she said and flounced off, leaving him to wonder was that hip sway natural.

Cher reappeared ten minutes later with a cool soda.

"Here darling, get this down you but give me a welcoming kiss first."

Darling? Unless she wished to encourage him Char better watch her mouth.

"Um I'm sweating."

"I'm not asking you to be all over me Todd. Anyway I'm a personal trainer at a women's gym so sweat is part of my everyday life.

Todd kissed her and heard her sigh.

"So we are setting up to be friends?" he offered.

Cher just looked at him momentarily and then ran her tongue over her top lip, slowly. It was one of those occasions when the power of physical posturing was greater than language.

Todd half-turned away, allowing Cher to see his grin.

"I've removed my shoes but I can remove my dress and help you if you can find me Gloria's gardening gloves. I'm very strong for a female."

Todd looked at her tits and said he bet she was and had the satisfaction of seeing her blush. Apart from the small tits, his early impression was Cher seemed to have everything he desired in a woman and he appeared to have sparked interest in her, unless she was being driven by lust as a result of neglect after her most recent lover had walked out on her. Oh yeah, so what was the reason for that?

"Sorry to hear your boyfriend and you split. I suppose he was one of those guys who was single-focus and that's unsatisfactory for women today?"

"That's a rather intelligent comment. Well actually he was strong mentally and good at conversation but I proved too strong for him, um, physically."

"You mean sexually?"

Cher squirmed slightly. "God you don't back off do you? The answer is yes, that was exactly it. Are you strong sexually?"

Todd grinned and said if there had been complaints he hadn't heard them.

She laughed and said goodbye. "I'm off to my tiny apartment. Please tell Gloria I've invited myself to dinner with you guys tonight. I feel something good is in the air."

"Okay, bye."

Gloria arrived home at 4:00 with Danny and Kylie whom her parents looked after each weekday from 9:00 to 4:00. Gloria ran the business as chief executive and Ewan was director of operations.

Three-year-old Danny remained a little shy of Todd but his twin was all over 'Uncle' Todd from the moment they met and she jumped into his arms to be lifted.

Todd, who'd finished the pathway from the house to the position of a future rose garden and had showered, kissed Gloria who inspected the work and she then kissed him, saying well done.

"Grab yourself a beer and keep an eye on the kids please while I have a shower. Oh, did Cher call in?"

"Who's Cher?"

Gloria looked disappointed and said her sister but smiled hugely when Todd said yeah she'd visited and had asked him to tell Gloria she'd return to have dinner with them.

"Oh that's great news."

He reacted in surprise. "Doesn't she often have a meal with you guys."

"Yes of course, but this is an auspicious occasion. It means you have passed inspection. Did you admire my sister's great butt?"

"Actually yes. I wish I had managed to get to your wedding as I would have met her sooner."

"Oooh," Gloria smiled. "If I remember correctly she was away somewhere else when you and Ewan came here twice when we were still at college and you were still playing football and had a semi-final game on the weekend we were married."

"Yeah, a game we lost. How old is Cher?"

"A year older than you and me. I'd love it if you two hit it off."

"Well I guess we are about to find out if I have passed initial inspection."

Gloria kissed him and went off humming.

They were on their pre-dinner drink when Cher arrived. Todd had decided to make her hang out for it because all too often women didn't appear to take a guy seriously who rushed to capture pussy. Well he wasn't disappointed when she arrived dressed in a thin, shapeless top and obviously not wearing a bra and wearing those harem-style pants than always turned him off anyway.

At the table he sat opposite Cher and twice he caught her peering at him with interest and three times one of her shoes touched his ankle and remained pressing against him until he moved his leg away. Well if she hungered for sex he couldn't blame her for attempting to start something but those pants and those small tits... well what could she expect.

When Gloria's foot brushed against his legs after she sat arriving with desert and his dick hardened in excitement.

Christ that had been accidental hadn't it? He kept that erection up by twice glancing at Gloria's chest, um at the deep cleavage on display. He amazed himself by suddenly having a pretty clear recollection of what she'd been like to fuck when she was nineteen. It was significant she avoided eye contact and Todd knew then Gloria was jealous of her sister making herself available to him and was sending him the message. He decided he best move on because he wouldn't want to risk being tempted to fuck one of his best friend's wife. Only an asshole would do the dirty like that.

"Todd I'll come for you just before 1:00 tomorrow and take you to lunch with my parents and Ewan. "We want to talk business with you."

Todd scarcely heard that last bit, being too busy savoring the opening part of her comment, 'Todd I'll come for you...' His erection was back again. "Um is that a command or invitation?"

"Oh sorry, I'm talking like a CEO aren't I. You will come won't you?"

Todd was relieved she hadn't said Todd will you come for me. If she had he might have wet himself, er not with pee.

"Um yes, I'd like to meet your folk again."

"Thank you Todd. You come as well Cher."

"I would have liked that but unfortunately I have my Wednesday group fitness session for ten business women from 1:30 to 2:15."

"Oh such a pity," Gloria said, without sounding the least disappointed.

Cher left soon after that, saying she had to be at the gym at 6:00. Wednesday was her busiest day of the week.

"Good night," she said, kissing Todd last of all. He thought he ought to send a message to Gloria and said, "I'll walk you to your vehicle."

"Oh thanks sweetie."

Todd avoided looking at Gloria.

The SUV was parked out of sight of the kitchen windows and anyway they had the vehicle between them and the house.

Todd kissed Cher and she kissed back firmly and slowly opened her mouth. He felt her hand casually brush over his dick and was glad it was still partly erect.

Cher pulled back and looked at him and asked, "Are you interested in me sexually?"

They had been drinking and Todd refrained from making a lusty comment.

"I guess so."

"You guess so?"

"Cher I'm avoiding coming on too strongly too quickly."

"But you are interested in fucking me?"

Astonished by that upfront aggression, Todd had to answer the call and did so.

"Oh yeah. I can't wait to bite that cute ass."

Cher gurgled, pulling down her top, "Then suck this to exhibit your commitment."

The tit looked large in her small hand but what caught Todd's attention was the big, fat and erect nipple. He groaned and went down on it, aware that he'd sucked tits three times the size of this tit and this nipple would have come close to matching the biggest of them. Tit fucking had never appealed to him so what more could a guy want with a breast?

"Oooh I like big fat nipples," he enthused when pulling away and received three cute little pats on the back of his head, signaling he was a nice guy for saying that.

When he returned inside and helped Gloria clear away, Ewan having gone off to bed, she asked, "So have you decided to have a fling with Cher?"

"Yes," he said, and noticed her mouth tighten. He added quietly, "You are married Gloria and we can't change that."

She sighed and smiled and Todd thought hopefully that should be the end of that. At least she was now aware he knew how she felt.

At lunch with Gloria's parents her father, who was chairman of Mayfair Outdoor Furniture, discussed matters in great detail with Todd and finally said he was interested in offering him a consultancy role. He and Gloria had agreed they required a consultant to review the company's plan to restructure that included relocating the plant in a new industrial development that was closer to the railway and the new road freight hub and also to duplicate production at a suitable location to service the east coast region.

"What do you think of that?" Gus asked.

Gus and the others waited expectedly.

"Well it's a challenge, not the structuring plan because I would expect Gloria and Ewan to have examined that proposal in detail. Where I could be useful is taking the independent approach in examining the cost/benefits comparison of the long-term outcome of staying put or moving out to the Orchard Flats industrial area. That could take up to a month to reach conclusions and make my recommendations."

Gus asked Gloria and Ewan, "Did you guys examine that aspect?"

"Yes dad but not in detail I must admit. We relied on assumptions," Gloria said, coloring.

"Moving on," Todd said, "I must point out the risk of overspending by moving out to Orchard Flats would be miniscule compared with opening a new facility out east to develop and serve an entirely new market. That would have to be a multi-million investment in order to make significant impact on the market and the strategic and business plans would have to show it would be economically viable otherwise as you'll know such expansion if it failed to deliver would place Mayfair at risk financially."

Gloria said, "True and dad knows that requires detailed study and that explains our interest in engaging you because this has been your area of specialization."

"That's correct," Gus said. "So what would you propose as remuneration?"

"You could place me on a salary plus expenses for the estimated time it will take of four months. Or you could pay me a contract price to produce the two comprehensive reports, the Orchard Flats report being in your hands within 30-days and the facility out east report to be submitted within ninety days after that. For the Out East report I'd have to purchase information and recruit a researcher for at least two months. All up that would cost you $76,000."

"You have to be joking."

"Steady on Gus, buying business data is expensive and I guess Todd's estimate includes his professional fee of perhaps $3300 to $3800 a week, working six days a week," Ewan said. "Put that expense against the total cost of establishing a facility out east and $76,000 would look like a charge for paper clips. If the recommendation is we don't move east then I guess we would have saved millions in non-recoverable costs if the venture had failed because we went into it cold."

"Todd?"

"I concur but then I have a prospective financial interest in mind. I suggest I go now and let you guys consider this whole thing. You could of course scrub the idea of branching out east and just engage me at a straight fee of $3500 a week for four weeks to produce the pragmatic decision on whether you should move to Orchard Flats. The move would cost millions so it needs careful and thorough assessment."