Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2006 08:24:46 +1100
From: Iain Robertson <iainlthr@hotmail.com>
Subject: Changes Chapter 4

Copyright for this story belongs to and remains with the author. I don't
have any major objection to my work being re-distributed, but ASK
FIRST!!!
This is a gay adult story with the consequent language and images. If
homosexuality and/or sexually explicit themes offend you then do not
continue. If these are illegal in your area, then you have my sympathy,
but you proceed at your own risk.
This is a work of fiction, and as such the characters are not bound by
the usual dictates of modern society. Unsafe sexual practices can be
undertaken with impunity only in the world of fantasy. In reality, it is
your obligation and your right to play safely, sanely and healthily.

I hope you enjoy my work, and if you have any comments, or ideas that may
inspire new work, please feel free to contact me -- all emails will be
answered to the best of my ability. Iainlthr@hotmail.com.


Changes

Chapter 4


Despite the conflicting emotions and the still unanswered questions
running through his head, Ian succumbed to the lack of sleep and the
stress of the previous twenty-four hours, dozing fitfully on top of his
bed, not bothering to undress or pull back the covers. It may have been a
mere two hours that he rested, tossing and turning his way through a
myriad of dreams and nightmares, all of them unremembered when he awoke,
but at least the short rest allowed his body to recharge enough for him
to function again.

He swung himself off the bed around 10 a.m. and padded barefoot into the
living room, suddenly lost. He felt he should be doing something, but
what that was he did not know. The adrenaline was still coursing through
his body, his mind still racing as he looked around his home. For want of
anything better to do, he cleaned up what little mess there was, washing
the glasses and mugs the three of them had used, before turning his
attention to the bookshelves lining the hallway. But there was nothing to
do here - everything was as it should be - the paperbacks on the higher
shelves, hardcovers below, all properly arranged in alphabetical order,
all just right!

Ian stood and stared at the neat rows of books for a minute or two, then
noticed the cabinet containing his videos and DVDs. Without looking he
knew that they too were all perfectly ordered. He glanced around the
room, confirming as if for the first time ever, that everything in it was
precisely arranged and in its proper place.

"God, how anal am I?" he asked out loud to the quiet house. The very
expression set him grinning. Anal? Yeah, that's me all right! Always have
been a sucker for a nice looking man with a smooth, taut bum. And you
can't get much more anal than the kind of sex that turns me on, can you?
he thought to himself. He allowed himself a short chuckle before reality
crashed down over him again. Now Nick and Tina know it as well. What do
they really think?

Without realising it, he sat down heavily on a sofa, his mind spinning,
his heart pounding. His head was awash with conflicting emotions. His
stomach turned when he realised that his deepest secret had been exposed,
but he smiled with joy at the reaction from his best friends when Nick
and Tina had told him they knew, and that they still cared for him. His
brow creased with worry when he pondered whether they had been putting on
a brave front, until Nick's parting words came back to him - I love you!
- and he grinned like a baby. But the vision of Geoff Carruthers staring
blankly at him as he raced out of the restaurant last night renewed the
doubt and fear, bringing tears to his eyes, and he sobbed quietly with a
sense of loss that he could not explain to himself.

Suddenly, he had to get out of the house! He needed to walk, to take his
mind off the things which haunted him, the sudden 'outing' of himself,
the concerns about his future. Ian quickly changed into a close fitting
t-shirt, shorts and comfortable joggers and let himself out of the house,
striding up his leafy street towards the main strip of cafes that was
Erskineville. On any other Saturday morning he would have relished the
idea of finding a table on the footpath and watching the people pass by,
but not today. Everywhere he looked, the smiling faces of the brunch set
seemed to be laughing at him, mocking his uncertainty. His beloved Erko
village held no allure today. He headed up the hill toward Newtown,
passing the grubby façade of the Imperial Hotel - the bar where many of
the scenes for "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" had been filmed. Usually
he smiled at the thought, he'd loved the movie, had it in his collection
at home, but now it simply served to revive the topic that was uppermost
in his mind - 'gay'. Passing the pub quickly, he continued on to King
Street.

Once again, the bustle of cosmopolitan Newtown failed to entice him. He
didn't want throngs of people around, and he turned back, past the
railway station before crossing the street and making his way along
Enmore Road. This was a little better, a little less threatening, and he
slowed to take some deep breaths and find a new focus. He tried to take
some interest in the eclectic collection of store fronts he passed,
glancing at but not really seeing the windows full of hippie beads and
second-hand clothes, new age crystals and exhortations to join the Cat
Protection Society. In front of the Enmore Theatre a couple of younger
men were busy changing the bill posters, announcing that one show had
finished, and that a new production would be opening soon. Ian didn't
actually read what the new show was, but his eye was caught by a look
from the guy who had just finished placing the poster in its glass
display case.

He was in his mid to late 20's, with dark brown hair and a nice tan, tall
and solid, and Ian felt an instant attraction, and a familiar twinge in
his loins. As was his usual practice, Ian reddened, and went to look
away, to hide his reaction. But the other man had seen his stare, and
smiled widely, his eyes playing up and down Ian's body before returning
to his face.

"G'day," he said with a smile. Ian looked around quickly, but there was
no-one else to whom the greeting might have been addressed.

"Ummm, hi," he stammered back.

"Nice day for it," said the other.

"Sorry?" Ian said uncertainly.

"Nice day for it - a walk in the sun!"

"Oh, um, yeah, I guess so!"

For an agonisingly long moment, Ian stood there, staring again at the
handsome young man, lost as to what to say, or even whether to say
anything at all. Finally the dark haired guy broke the silence.

"Ahh, listen," he said, a conspiratorial note to his voice, "I'm just
finishing here now. I don't suppose you'd like to have a coffee?" He
nodded his head toward the café a few steps down from where they stood.

Ian turned to look at where the man had indicated, and as he did two guys
both looked up from their drinks, directly at he and the man who was
speaking to him, grinned and looked at each other. Panic rose up in Ian's
throat. Could the entire world see that he was attracted to other men?
Did the whole planet know he was gay?

"No!" he declared loudly, then saw the crestfallen and slightly shocked
look on the face opposite him. He tried to regain some composure. "I
mean, I can't I'm sorry ... ummm, I'd like to, but ... I have, umm,
something else to do ..."

With that he hurried away, feeling even more confused and embarrassed.
What he didn't see was the look of disappointment on the other man's
face, as he shrugged his shoulders and collected his tools.

Reaching the top of the hill, Ian turned right into Stanmore Road, and
soon the shops and offices gave way to the once grand but now decaying
fronts of houses that a century ago had been stately homes with carefully
tended gardens. In the late 50's and 60's the area had begun to decline,
and most of the old mansions had been turned into boarding houses, or
carved up into flats. Many had been demolished completely, but with the
changing times affluence had returned and more than a few were now being
renovated and restored to their former glory. He wandered slowly along
the broad avenue, so different from the busy street he had just left, and
slowly his emotions were brought under control again. The expanse of
playing fields that were part of Newington College stretched off to his
left, the exclusive private school grounds an oasis of tranquility in the
inner city around them.

Up ahead, Ian could smell the wafting scent of barbecue, and could see
the shops and restaurants of Petersham's 'little Portugal'. More people,
more stares, more crowding. He ducked into a side street which led down
through quiet homes toward the railway line, and followed the subway
under Stanmore Station, emerging in the less hectic strip of grocery
stores and take-away food places. He skirted the people again and found
himself once more in the tree-lined residential area between the main
railway line and the nightmare that was Parramatta Road. And then he
smiled to himself. Subconsciously, he had brought himself almost to Nick
and Tina's front door. He needed to talk.

"If you've got a bible, I'm gonna hit you over the head with it!" Tina's
voice declared loudly as the door was pulled open after the third ring.
She was dressed only in a tatty shirt and panties. "Oh, hi Ian," she
grinned guiltily, her demeanour changing instantly.

"No bibles, just a useless queer who'd like a coffee and a chat," Ian
answered.

A look of thunder returned to her face. "Keep saying things like that and
I'll go find a bible to hit you with!" she remonstrated. "You better come
inside while I'm looking - don't want the neighbours stealing you away!"

"Huh??"

She threw him a grin. "Across the street - three young guys moved in last
week, all VERY cute, and I'm sure they're gay. If they get a look at you
in that tight t-shirt and those shorts, they'll be over here in an
instant," she laughed. To Ian's sudden flush, she added, "And I wouldn't
blame them. Come on in. Nick's in the shower, so make yourself a coffee,
and one for us as well. I'll just go and try to make myself presentable,
okay?"

**********************

At almost that exact moment, Geoff Carruthers was closing his door behind
last night's 'trade' - a nice enough guy he'd picked up at Arq nightclub
several hours after the encounter with Ian and Nick in Newtown. The sex
had been good - hell, the sex had been great; fast and furious, raunchy
and rough, just the way Geoff liked it - but then his new 'friend' had
stayed the night, and that morning he had yammered on about his friends
and how much Geoff would like them, except that although Geoff knew all
of the friends would be male, each had a female name, and all were
referred to as "she" and "her". The expressions were common enough, but
it was also enough for Geoff to know he wouldn't be calling the number
the other man had scribbled on a pad just before he left.

He wondered what his bed-partner of the previous evening would have
thought if he'd known that while they screwed, Geoff continually imagined
that it was his lawyer, one Ian Sterling, who writhed and grunted beneath
him. Again, Geoff recalled the words of Ian's friend as he disappeared
into the night, spat at Geoff with unhidden contempt. "Ian is my best
friend, not my boyfriend! Shit, he's not even `out' yet, and you've
just embarrassed the hell out of him."

"Not even 'out' yet..." But implicit in that statement was the fact that
Ian Sterling was, in fact, gay, and that his friend knew it, whether they
were boyfriends or not. Geoff smiled to himself. He hadn't been wrong
about Ian after all, and now he knew that Ian wasn't 'attached', and
wasn't part of the 'scene'. Suddenly, Ian was so much more attractive to
Geoff than ever. He just needed to modify his approach.

'This requires a softly-softly approach,' Geoff told himself, 'but I'm
going to have Ian Sterling, or drive myself mad trying!' With that, he
sat himself down to a strong coffee and began to plan how he could woo
the quiet solicitor into his bed.

*******************************

"I just don't know how I feel, or what to think," Ian said, the anguish
still clear in his voice. After fending off his apologies for disturbing
them, Nick and Tina had settled down with Ian on the deck overlooking
their garden, and plied him with questions about how he felt this
morning, mentally and physically. He didn't know it, but they had already
spent a large chunk of the morning lying next to each other and
discussing him, how they could help, what he needed from them as friends.

"In one way, I feel relieved," he continued. "Now that 'it' is out in the
open, I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off me. I feel like
I want to tell you everything, how I feel about different guys, what I
want from a man, what it is that gets me excited ..."

"Ahhm, let's not get too explicit," mumbled Nick.

"Get as explicit as you want!" Tina jumped in. "We're here to listen to
anything you want to say, and to offer not just support but advice as
well."

"Don't worry, Nick," Ian reassured his friend. "I'm not gonna get into
the real nitty-gritty, and I'm sure as hell not going to spell out every
last detail of my sex life for you! But I do feel like I want to be able
to tell you that I think someone is cute, or that he has a nice bum, or
whatever ... is that okay?"

"Of course it is," stated Tina firmly. "And I may well agree with you -
who knows, maybe we can compare notes?"

Ian chuckled with them before he went on. "But I feel terrified too.
Scared as hell about what people will think when they find out, worried
about work, about my family, about my other friends. I still feel as
though I won't be able to look them in the face if they know I sleep with
other men!"

"Hey, mate," Nick said seriously, looking Ian directly in the eyes. "As
far as work is concerned, all that matters is how well you do your job.
If your friends can't handle it, then they don't deserve your friendship.
And as for family, well you can't choose relatives, but I'm sure you'll
be surprised at just how much parents can accept. I know your folks well
enough to be sure that what is most important to them is that they love
you and they want you to be happy. I'm not saying you should take out
full page ads in the Herald announcing you are gay, but I do think you
owe it to yourself and to the people closest to you to be honest and to
let them know you for who you really are, not for who you think they want
you to be."

As he finished, Ian felt more of his doubts lessening, and Tina threw her
arms around her husband's neck. "Just when I think I know you, and that
you're a bumbling oaf," she said softly, "you go and surprise me with
something very wise, and very wonderful!"

Nick blushed with happy embarrassment at her compliment, and turned to
Ian again. "Now, how do we go about finding you a boyfriend? What about
this Geoff guy, is he a possibility? ... Ow!" The last uttered as Tina's
fist landed on his shoulder.

"You have no idea, do you?" she said with mock disgust.

"It's okay, Tina," Ian managed to say through his laughter. "I can talk
about it now."

He took a few minutes to settle himself again, and tried to answer Nick's
question. "I'm really not sure. I won't deny that I find him really
attractive physically. But he's a client, which brings with it all the
problems about people at work finding out. I don't see any difficulties
from an ethical point of view, but he does seem to be very 'open', and
I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with that, not yet anyway."

"I think I got off on the wrong foot with him," Nick said. "I was furious
with myself last night, and angry with him too, for what he said. But
he's obviously interested. Surely, if he knows your circumstances, he
would be discreet about anything that happened between the two of you?"

"I don't know," lamented Ian. "And what if things don't work out? What if
he gets upset? He would be in the perfect position to make things really
difficult for me at work."

"That's a bridge you'll have to cross when you come to it - if you ever
do!" said Tina.

"Hell," replied Ian, "I don't even know if I have the guts to speak to
him again, I seem to get tongue-tied trying to have a conversation with
anyone who might possibly be interested at the moment!" He related to
them the incident in Enmore on his way over.

Nick laughed quietly, but Tina sympathised. "It's completely
understandable that you felt scared and uncertain, after everything
that's happened in the last 24 hours," she said. "I think it would be
wonderful if you were able to begin to see men on 'dates' instead of just
for anonymous sex, but you also have to give yourself some time. There's
no rush, and whether you end up with this client, or the guy at the
theatre, or someone else, you need to take things slowly. Don't rush into
something just for the sake of it!"

As he listened to her advice, Ian nodded in agreement. "I think you're
right," he said. "Everything seems to have happened all at once. I think
I'd better get myself used to the fact that you guys know and accept me
as gay, before I start looking for 'Mr Right'," he said with a smile.

Later, as he made his way home again, and for much of the following day,
Ian felt more at ease with himself than for many years. He still worried
about the rest of the world discovering his true nature, and agonised
over whom he should tell and when, but the cartwheels had stopped in his
brain and his stomach, at least for now.

************************

Back at work the following week, Ian tried his best to concentrate on the
issues at hand and to put the events of the weekend behind him. Yet he
continued to suffer occasional bouts of 'heart-in-mouth' over the
revelations of Friday night, understandably because one of his main
assignments at the moment was the purchase of the restaurant business by
Geoff Carruthers. Every time he needed to do any work on Geoff's matter,
his pulse quickened as he recalled the brush with that particular client,
and the subsequent conversations with Nick and Tina. Shortly after lunch
on Wednesday afternoon, Ian's phone buzzed - it was Karen at reception.

"Mr Sterling, I have one of your clients, Mr Carruthers, here," she said
matter-of-factly.

"What? Here in the office?" Ian hissed, desperately trying to get his
emotions under control.

"Yes, Sir. He doesn't have an appointment, but he was wondering if you
have a few minutes to see him now?"

"Uhh, I, er ..." Ian fumbled. "Is the conference room available?" he
asked, desperately hoping the answer would be in the negative.

"Yes, it is. No one has it booked until 4.30 this afternoon." He could
hear Karen flipping the pages in her diary.

"Okay," he said, a little more resignedly than he meant, and hoped she
didn't pick up on his tone. "I'll be right out."

As he walked from his office to the front desk, Ian clutched at the
folder with all of Geoff's documentation in it, his heart racing and his
breathing laboured. A combination of excitement and fear weighed him down
as he nervously rounded the corner and Geoff came into view.

"Mr Carruthers?" he said politely, formally.

Geoff sighed. "Please, it's 'Geoff'," he said as he shook Ian's hand.
"I'm sorry to drop in unannounced, but I'd appreciate a chance to talk a
few things through with you. I'll only be a few minutes."

"Of course," Ian said, exuding reassurance he didn't feel, and ushering
Geoff into the large meeting room. As the heavy wooden door whooshed
closed behind them, Ian took a seat, and looked to his client. "What can
I do for you?"

"Firstly, I'd like to offer you my apology," Geoff said quietly.

"Apology? For what?" Ian's face clearly showed his surprise.

"For interrupting your meal on Friday night, and for saying some stupid
things that I had no right, and no reason, to say." Ian felt his face
burn with the blush he knew he exhibited, and began to speak, but Geoff
held up his hand and went on. "I'm really, truly sorry if I caused you
any embarrassment. I had had a few drinks, and seem to have lost any
semblance of good manners."

Ian muttered quietly about it being okay, and that there was no need to
apologise, but Geoff continued.

"Secondly, I understand that there should be some papers I need to sign
about transferring the liquor licence for the restaurant into my name?"

Now Ian could return to his business mode. "Yes, there are, but those
documents aren't ready right now. They should be finalised this
afternoon, if you'd like to come back tomorrow ...?"

"Oh," said Geoff, and stopped for a moment, appearing to think something
through. "Listen," he said quietly, "If I'm out of line, please say so,
but I'd like to try to make it up to you for the fiasco last weekend.
Would you let me buy you dinner? We'll make it strictly business - bring
the paperwork with you and I can sign it - come to the restaurant, so you
can see it for yourself, and let me apologise properly?"

"Unh ..." Ian was floored by the suggestion, his brain racing as he
thought it over quickly.

"I swear everything will be above-board," Geoff hurried to reassure him.
"I expect you to bill me for the time, as well. But it would make me feel
a little better about what happened."

"Um, I guess ...," Ian said hesitantly, wondering if he was doing the
right thing, both nervous and excited all at once. 'Fuck it!' he thought
to himself, 'What can it hurt, and besides, it IS business!'. In a moment
of what, for Ian, amounted to reckless abandon, he nodded his head and
smiled. "Yes, I'd like that," he said.

"Great," responded Geoff, a little surprised, but pleased as well.
"Tonight, around 6.30? That way we can get the paperwork done and have
time to enjoy the meal."

"Very well," Ian said, his resolve beginning to falter. "I'll, um, see
you there, around 6.30."

   ***

The remainder of the afternoon flew by for Ian, although he must have
checked the final version of the documents Geoff was to sign a half dozen
times. He was unable to concentrate on anything else, and his secretary
became quite frustrated with him, unable to understand what on earth had
him so wound up. He sat and fidgeted, his thoughts on the coming evening,
a hundred unanswerable questions jumping into his mind - would Geoff try
to seduce him? And if he did, how would Ian react? Should he play it
cool, or should he be adventurous? If anything did happen, would they go
back to Ian's place, or to Geoff's home? Maybe he should just call and
cancel the whole thing?

By the time he left the office, he was on edge, breaking out in a light
sweat with the anticipation of what might happen that evening. He raced
home and showered quickly, changing into smart casual clothes before
grabbing the folder he needed and hailing a cab to take him the short
trip up to the restaurant, timing it so that he arrived at precisely
6.30. As soon as he pushed the door open, Geoff jumped up from a
semi-private table near the rear of the main dining room, and came to
greet him, smiling broadly.

"Ian, Ian, come and have a seat. What would you like to drink?" he said
with genuine delight.

"Hello Mr ...uh, hello, Geoff," Ian corrected himself.

"That's better," Geoff beamed. "Beer? Scotch?"

"Just a beer, thank you," Ian said as he took his place at the table
while Geoff motioned to a waiter and gave him their order.

In a remarkably short time, Ian had gone through the forms with his
client, explaining each one and having Geoff sign where necessary, then
witnessed them and slid the documents back into the attaché case he had
with him. From then, the two were able to relax and enjoy the meal. Geoff
proved to be the embodiment of good manners, polite and friendly. He
quickly managed to put Ian at ease, keeping their conversation relatively
neutral and making sure there were no awkward gaps or long periods of
silence. He listened attentively when Ian did begin to talk, and by the
time they had finished their main course, Ian was feeling remarkably
comfortable with this man who until now had represented such uncertainty
for him.

Their discussions were by no means limited to business, often straying
into personal issues, but always on a polite and friendly level. Ian was
surprised to learn that Geoff shared many of his opinions on political
and social issues. He found Geoff entertaining and interesting, and never
once did his client/dinner companion make a single comment concerning
sexuality. In fact it was only while they were eating dessert that it
occurred to Ian that Geoff had foregone his earlier remarks and double
entendres, and had avoided any even slightly suggestive phrases. It was
just as Geoff had promised - above board and professional. Ian began to
wonder if perhaps he hadn't been mistaken about Geoff after all.

As they finished their meal with a coffee and a glass of port each, both
men were relaxed and settled. For the first time, they had both fallen
silent and there did not seem to be any need to fill the space with
words. Ian wondered, almost idly, if Geoff was going to ask him home, but
dismissed the thought. There had been nothing to hint at such an idea
from his client all evening. He glanced at his watch.

"Keeping you up?" Geoff asked innocently.

"Hah, no not at all," Ian replied. "But tomorrow is a working day, and I
shouldn't keep you out too late, I'm sure!"

"Of course," Geoff smiled. "Would you like me to order you a cab?"

"No, there's no need. I'll get one easily enough on the street at this
time of night."

"Ian," Geoff began quietly, becoming serious. Ian picked up on the
changed tone, and his questions surfaced again. Geoff went on, "I'd just
like to say thank you for letting me apologise for my actions the other
night. I've really enjoyed this evening, and I'm sorry if I embarrassed
you or made you uncomfortable before."

"That's okay," Ian answered. "No harm was done, and I have had a great
meal in good company. Thanks, Geoff."

"Well at least I've managed to get you out of the 'Mr Carruthers' mode,
if nothing else," Geoff smirked. Ian laughed openly.

"I promise, no more 'Mr Carruthers' from now on, okay?"

"Okay!" Geoff stood as both men finished their drinks. "I'll see you to a
taxi, then settle the bill. I have a few things I want to ask the vendor
about, before I go, if that's alright?"

"Of course," Ian said, standing and following Geoff to the street. A cab
pulled up almost immediately, and Ian held out his hand to Geoff. "Thanks
again. I'll be in touch in the next few days about getting the whole
purchase finalised. Goodnight, Geoff."

"Good night, Ian," Geoff responded as he shook Ian's hand. He stood and
watched as Ian climbed into the cab and it pulled out into traffic.
Softly, in a whisper to himself, he added as the taxi disappeared, "Much
better, Ian Sterling, much better! I've got your number now. All I have
to do is reel you in carefully!"

Ian, sitting in the rear of the taxi as it ferried him homewards, felt a
strange emotion now that the evening was over. He tried replaying the
meal in his mind, but could not find any fault with their meeting. And
then it dawned on him - he was disappointed! In some inexplicable way, in
some deep recess of his heart, he had actually been hoping that Geoff
would proposition him tonight. Now that he was on his way home, alone, he
felt almost cheated, as though a chance at something exciting had passed
him by without him knowing it, or being given the opportunity to take
that chance.

***************

When he caught up with Nick on Saturday morning, Ian was bright and
cheerful, much of his normal self-confidence having been regained.

"What's up with you?" Nick asked suspiciously. "Anything I need to know?"

"I had a date with Geoff Carruthers." Ian said nonchalantly, like he had
asked the time of day.

"The client from the restaurant?" Nick's eyes widened. "When, where, what
happened?"

"Last Wednesday night. We had dinner."

"AND ..."

"And nothing!" Ian grinned. "He was perfectly polite, charming and
friendly, and didn't even hint at anything untoward. I'm sure I made a
mistake about him. I'm even wondering if he's gay."

"Mmmm?" Nick mused, unconvinced. "That doesn't sound like the same guy I
met that night."

"Well, that's how he is," said Ian with certainty. "I think he's just
very friendly. In fact, I could see him becoming a good friend - and a
FRIEND, nothing more!"

Nick continued to look doubtful, but he held his tongue. After all, he
didn't know this guy at all, and Ian seemed convinced that he was right.
Nick decided to withhold judgment until he had a chance to get to know
this Geoff character a little better.

********

Over the next two weeks, Ian became his old self, working diligently and
maintaining the self-control and sense of order that made him feel
comfortable. Geoff's purchase was proceeding well, and the transfer of
the liquor licence should be through shortly. That was all they were
waiting for before the purchase could be finalised, and Geoff would
become the owner of the restaurant. As it was, the approval for Geoff to
become the licensee was taking longer than usual, and Ian began to have
some concerns about the delay. Normally, there was no hold up unless the
applicant had come to the attention of the police for some reason, yet
Geoff had specifically stated that this had not happened.

Just as Ian was contemplating an official request as to the progress, he
received notification that the approval had been given. He happily
dismissed the delay as so much red-tape, and rang Geoff with the good
news.

"Hi, Geoff, it's all done. We will be settling the purchase for you
Friday afternoon," he announced.

"Great!" came the enthusiastic reply. "Perfect timing. That gives me just
enough notice to put together a 'grand re-opening' for Saturday night.
Invited guests only! You will come, won't you?"
"Uh, yes, I'd love to!" Ian said a little uncertainly. He wouldn't really
know anyone there except for Geoff himself, and feared being left to fend
for himself, making small talk with strangers on the fringe of the party.

"Excellent! Is there anyone you'd like to bring? A date, friend, maybe?"

Ian thought for a second. Here was a chance to ensure himself some
company, and to introduce Geoff to Nick and Tina at the same time. "Why,
yes, if it's okay with you," he said. "My friend, Nick - the one I was
with that night - and his wife, Tina. I'd love to have them come along
and meet you."

"Consider it done!" declared Geoff. "I'll get the invitations to you at
your office, and see the three of you at 8.00 on Saturday night."

As Ian rang off, Geoff grinned widely to himself. "Saturday night!" he
thought out loud. "I'd better get busy if I'm going to get all the
preparations in place. I have big plans for Saturday night for the
restaurant, and even bigger plans for Ian Sterling!"

To be continued...