One Who Understands

She told him that there was a dinner planned for the whole group at Zoe's restaurant that night. She and Heather would be there. Mishka's smile spoke volumes about that. Ed gave her a hug and said he was very happy for them both.

Rachel and Grace took Ed to the grocery store after hearing the good news about his recovery. He picked up the ingredients for his meat seasoning (spicy and mild) and the marinade. When they got home he made up some large batches and sealed each in a plastic container to take to the restaurant that night.

Ed spoke with Mr. Drakos who was delighted to hear he'd be back at work early Monday morning. He learned that he'd be working with the Klein group to get their development back on track and completed on time if possible. Bonuses were involved if that could happen. Ed liked the sound of that!

When it was time to get ready for dinner, Grace selected an outfit for him from the clothes the ladies had purchased for him. When he was dressed she stood before him, admiring his new sophisticated look. He smiled, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Her lips were so wonderful and soft! He could kiss them all night. She moaned then patted his chest to get him to stop.

"God Ed! Your kiss is amazing but we have to go!" she panted then tore her eyes away from his mouth before she let herself be drawn in for another kiss. She hurried off to her room to get dressed.

Ed went downstairs to the kitchen to collect the containers. Rachel came downstairs in a red sheath dress and he stopped to admire her incredible figure. Once more her cleavage drew his eyes and he struggled to refrain from staring. Her coy smile indicated she knew he noticed and she was happy about it. She walked up to him and ran her fingers over his collar as if to straighten it. She gave him an up close and personal view of the tops of her incredible tits and his eyes couldn't resist their almost magnetic pull. Her wide smile drew his eyes up to her crimson lips and up to her sparkling blue eyes.

"You- you look very pretty tonight," he stuttered with a blush.

She leaned in against his chest and kissed him. More than a chaste peck but less than a French kiss. He stroked her lips with his and she purred as she pulled back. "You are so good for me!" she said with a smile.

He wasn't really sure how to respond verbally so he just shifted slightly to give room to his growing erection. It wasn't at full strength considering he still had the residual medication in his system but it was a start. Rachel's satisfied smile told him his response was just fine.

Grace entered the kitchen and gave them a knowing smile when she saw the pleased cat in the cream smile on Rachel's lips.

"Ok Romeo, let's get to the restaurant," she growled playfully. The earrings Ed purchased for her swayed from her ears and he noticed with a smile.

Rachel drove and Ed squeezed himself into the small backseat so Grace could ride shotgun. They left the car with the valet and went into Zoe's restaurant with Ed carrying the containers.

Zoe's face lit up when she saw Ed. A tall slim man in the white garb of a chef walked out to stand next to her and she reached out to touch his sleeve. "Marcus, may I introduce you to Ed Walters. Ed, this is Marcus Renard, my master chef."

Ed's hands were full so he bowed slightly to the man who smiled back. Marcus gestured the way back to the kitchen and Ed followed him. Zoe turned to Rachel with a huge smile. They hugged and Zoe pulled Grace into a hug as well.

"I'm SO excited about this!" the smaller woman gushed. Grace took in the number of gold rings and bracelets Zoe was wearing. The bright metal looked lovely against her skin though she might think about wearing a shorter necklace than didn't slip so deeply into her abundant cleavage.

Stephanie walked in the front door wearing a tight, black sheath dress much like Rachel's but without the boobs rising up out of it. Stephanie also caught sight of Rachel and blushed furiously. "Dammit Rachel! Do you have to bring those out every time?" she growled.

Carolyn walked in behind her and laughed at her friend's frustration. "Now Steph, you know how much he likes what you have as well," she chastised her friend with a smile.

Stephanie couldn't maintain her frown as the memory of Ed's touch flashed through her mind. She glared back at Carolyn for stealing her wind but there was no heat in her eyes when she did it.

The Anthropologist had dressed a little more conservatively in a simple black skirt and grey silk blouse. She had chosen the colors for her mourning period. Still, she looked damn good in the silk.

Grace perked up when she saw Heather coming in and her eyes went wide when she saw the short, skin tight cocktail dress she was wearing. Mishka entered right behind her and touched the blonde's back in a possessive way. Grace's eyebrows went up but Heather looked so happy she couldn't help but share that happiness for her friend. She walked over and gave Heather a hug and tears of happiness were threatening to spill from the young blonde's eyes. She'd found love from this dark exotic beauty and acceptance from her best friend. Her joy was complete.

Angie was last to arrive and she also made a comment about Rachel's twins though hers weren't exactly hidden from sight in the deep v neckline of her silvery dress.

Grace looked at the women and realized she was the most plainly dressed, least styled of the bunch. She felt a little down then she remembered Ed's kiss from earlier in the evening and she felt a little better.

They found their reserved table in a cozy private corner at the back of the restaurant and took their seats. Zoe ordered some wine for the table and announced the bill was on her for the evening.

Ed returned with Marcus and both men were smiling.

"Monsieur Ed is a culinary genius! His is a scientific method not so much artistry but his results speak for themselves!" Marcus said and Ed's smile faded as he struggled to translate that.

Grace frowned at the chef. "Sorry Mr. Renard, Ed doesn't like to be called Mr. Ed."

The man's face showed surprise. "Oh! My apologies! I meant nothing by it other than to express my respect for him. The seasoning is delightful. We will roll out a test tomorrow of the marinade for the lower quality cuts as a lunch special to see how it is welcomed. Tonight we will offer the use of the steak seasoning for select guests should they so desire." He turned to Zoe with a frustrated look. "I understand you have invited that vile and bitter food critic Constance Graham to try the new steak seasoning."

Zoe tilted her chin up in defiance. Her eyes flashed in challenge. "Yes. As much as you don't like the woman she is very well respected by the public and we need her voice."

Her eyes moved as she caught sight of the woman in question approaching the table. Zoe stood and moved to press cheeks with the tall, skinny woman who had to bow considerably to do it. Ed thought she reminded him of his old librarian when he was a kid. That woman had read him the best stories. He smiled at the warm memory then he was being introduced to the woman.

"Hello, it's very nice to meet you," he responded automatically having missed the introduction. He saw the pinched expression on the woman's face relax a little and a small surprised smile was returned to him. She lingered just a little, seeming to enjoy the warmth of his smile then moved on to the chef.

"Mr. Renard. I understand you are preparing something spicy for me tonight? I've tasted heat before," she said flatly.

The man stiffened ever so slightly but forced a smile onto his lips and bowed a little to the woman. "I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. If you will excuse me." He nodded to the others with a special look for Zoe then went back to the kitchen.

"Would you care to join us?" Zoe asked Constance.

"No, but thank you for the offer," she replied then glanced over at Ed who's happy memory hadn't faded completely yet. Another hint of a smile passed across her face then she focused on Zoe. "Most kind but I'm working tonight and I must stick to my protocols." With a final nod she moved off to her table for one.

Everyone took their seats and Ed found himself between Zoe and Rachel and across from Grace. He gave her a grin as he was excited about Chef Renard's enthusiastic acceptance of his seasoning. He wasn't completely clear on what the man was saying about scientific methods but the man was a chef and he was happy so Ed must have done something right.

The waitress came by and they placed their orders. When Ed saw everyone was ordering salad with their steaks he placed an order for a large basket of seasoned fries.

Grace's eyes lit up when she caught the smile Ed was trying to hide. She quietly asked the waitress for the seasoned fries with her spicy steak. She whispered into Heather's ear and her friend ordered the fries as well.

The ladies caught up with the latest news. Zoe's house was slated for demolition within the month. She would be staying with Angie. Like Angie's daughter Isabelle, Sophia had been expelled from college. She had pleaded guilty at her arraignment so she was also going to get counselling during her incarceration in a medium security women's prison. Zoe was keeping in touch with her, trying to salvage something of their relationship.

Stephanie was a free woman. Her husband had no ground to stand on and had caved on Stephanie's demands. The woman knew exactly what assets he had and they were now hers. The kids would be fine, the house was paid off, and she would be very comfortable. Alone, but very comfortable. She caught Ed's eye and he gave her a nod which caused her to blush furiously. She couldn't keep the grin off her face.

Each took a turn speaking then the food began to arrive. Ed directed the waitress to leave the large basket of seasoned fries in the middle of the table. Once everyone was served, Zoe raised her glass in a toast.

"I would like to officially welcome Ed and Grace to our neighborhood! Health and happiness to you both!"

They all called out the toast and took a drink. Ed was sticking with water as he wanted to flush his system of the drugs.

First bites were taken and everyone shared a look of rapture.

"Oh my fucking god! This is the best steak I've ever eaten!" Heather blurted before she realized where she was. The embarrassed blonde's face was bright red but Mishka just looked at her with a huge grin and Grace had a happy 'told-you-so' expression on hers. Mishka stole a French fry from Heather's plate then looked at her date in surprise as she ate it.

Zoe's eyes were sparkling with joy. This was exactly what she was hoping for. "Ed, I think we have a very big success here."

He pointed to the basket and she looked at him questioningly. She picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened as she chewed. She jumped up and threw her arms around Ed's neck and kissed him on the cheek causing him to laugh. Marcus came out of the kitchen and Zoe rushed over to him and hugged him.

"The steaks are perfect! The fries! How?" she gushed.

"A surprise from Monsieur Walters. He told me his recipe for the seasoning and we had the ingredients," the chef smiled.

"The perfect counterpoint to your incredible steak!" Zoe smiled then suddenly jolted. "We should make sure Constance gets the fries too!"

"I included a plate of them with her order with my compliments." Marcus said raising his palms to assure her it had been taken care of. "The marinade is prepared. The steaks you had me purchase will go into it before we shut down tonight. They will come out in the morning for serving at lunch. I have not used this type of marinade before so I do not know how they will turn out. We will have to see."

"Have faith Marcus!" Zoe said happily and went back to her seat. The man rolled his eyes and went back to the kitchen.

The rest of the meal passed in relative silence as everyone was enjoying the meal. Salads were only partially eaten though the bowl of fries quickly disappeared and a second one was ordered.

They sat back afterwards sipping at their wine and making small talk. Dinner wrapped up and hugs were exchanged in the lobby as they prepared to head home.

Mishka and Heather were the first to leave and Grace could tell it was going to be a good night for her friend by the attention the doctor was giving her.

Carolyn got a hug from Ed then went out to get the car for her and Stephanie who slipped up against Ed for her hug. He whispered something naughty into Stephanie's ear and she crushed herself against him. She was practically panting as she left and gave him a very hungry look.

"Good thing that woman was fed or I think she'd be gobbling Ed up right here in the lobby," Grace commented after the woman left. Rachel, Angie, and Zoe chuckled and Ed blushed.

Angie hugged Ed, squeezing her large tits against his chest and smiled as his face reddened further. She gave him a quick kiss then hugged her friends and left.

Rachel went outside and Grace went with her after a glance from Zoe.

When it was just the two of them Ed smiled down at the beautiful woman.

"Thank you so much Ed for agreeing to let me serve your seasonings at my restaurant. We do good business here but now we're going to do so much better," she was saying but her eyes were on his mouth.

Ed nodded to her as he looked down into her amazing dark eyes. The gold of her jewellery glinted in the light and his mind flashed back to their first meeting and how she'd driven him beyond his endurance. His need for her flared strongly followed by a familiar stirring. He knew it was too early to begin doing anything about that but his need wouldn't let him tear his eyes away from her sexy lips. God he wanted to kiss them!

His mouth was on hers before she was able to react. She squeaked then clung tightly to him as he sucked on her plump lower lip and slid his tongue boldly into her mouth. She felt the beginnings of his erection and moaned deep in her chest as she ground herself against him. His hands were beginning to slide down her back to her ass when he suddenly pulled back from the kiss. He was breathing hard and so was she. Their eyes were a little wild and she wobbled on her heels as she looked up at him.

He stared at her mouth again then pulled a tissue from his pocket to wipe his own clean of her lipstick.

Zoe did her best to not stare at his mouth... or the bulge now showing on his slacks. A thrill ran through her.

"I- I'd better go," he said quietly but to Zoe it felt like he was yelling. She knew he wanted her. She could feel his need pulling at her. He wanted to take her right there, he almost had, and it was intoxicating.

Not trusting her voice she just nodded her head. He turned and was gone.

Constance was standing in the doorway as she'd been on her way out of the restaurant when she happened upon the couple. She was stunned by the passion she'd just witnessed and wondered how they'd managed to part at all. She could see that Zoe hadn't recovered yet and gave herself a shake to move forward once again. She nodded to Zoe with a knowing smile as she passed by.

Outside Constance saw the man folding his large frame into the back seat of a sports car. He was having some difficulty fitting into the small space and she smiled to herself as she imagined it was due to his excitement. The woman snorted in amusement and headed for her own car. She'd had a delightful night and had a review to write.

Grace looked over the seat at Ed who seemed seriously uncomfortable in the backseat. He hadn't had this much trouble on the way there. Had he eaten too much?

She looked at Rachel who had a strange little smile on her lips as she started up the car and got them underway. The woman glanced over at Grace and saw her confused look.

"Remember what I said about his... size?" she whispered to Grace. She turned back to the road and got them on their way home while Grace turned her face back to Ed and looked over the seat to see him holding his hands over his groin. They locked eyes and Ed was first to look away. She could see he was still having trouble with the idea that she knew his 'secret'. She didn't know why, with her, it was still a problem for him.

Grace turned back to face forward.

She was going to have to work on deprogramming his shame.

Chapter 41

Ed met with Mr. Drakos and the Klein group early Monday morning. He recognized the men from the construction site down in the shopping district. They seemed pleased to see him. Louis Klein was their senior officer and was the man in the dark grey suit. The man next to him was Dan Siegelman, his real estate lawyer and partner.

His boss did all of the talking and Ed did his best to follow along but this was business talk and he may have zoned out a number of times. Then the construction blue prints were brought out, that's when Ed's attention snapped back in focus. His eyes devoured the diagrams and his mind began to fill in the blanks of what needed to be changed to properly service the building's heating and cooling needs. He factored in the location of the building, its exposure to sunlight and the wind tunnel effect downtown corridors had. He recalled seeing a new skyscraper being built on the edge of the shopping district he thought was out of place in that neighborhood. He believed there would be issues with it as it was likely to introduce a venturi effect for the street. This would impact the efficiency of the heat exchange towers on the building's roof level. They'd also need to do something at ground level to make walking more comfortable but at rooftop the additional wind speed needed to be assessed.

Ed was so engrossed in the working out the physics he missed the question directed his way.

"Ed?"

"What? I mean, sorry," Ed stumbled.

"I said, is your schedule open to do an inspection this afternoon?"

"Oh! Yes, sir! I'd like to visit the site as soon as possible and get some wind velocity readings as that new tower at the corner of Granville and Callista is going to have an impact on the site's air conditioning needs. I'd like to run some tests of my own, check with the city to see the wind studies the other developer submitted, and see how the tower is compensating for their narrowing of the corridor in the neighborhood.

Louis looked nervous. "That sounds expensive."

"It's far less expensive than not compensating for the wind tunnel effect that tower will have. You may get too much cross breeze and need to erect baffles around the heat exchangers or not enough air flow and need a larger, more expensive unit. Additionally if the winds at ground level pick up considerably once the tower's cladding is added, as I expect it will, then you won't have anyone walking on the streets. No shoppers. I don't understand how a building that size got permission to be built so close to the shopping district."

"Judge Rutledge is one of the principle investors in that new condo tower. He can get past any permit issues easily," Dan grumbled.

"Ed, why don't you head out now and get started on that while I finish off here." Mr. Drakos suggested. Ed nodded happily and stood up.

"Dan, go with Mr. Walters and get him whatever access he needs," Louis suggested and received a nod from the man.

The two headed out and Ed grabbed some tools he'd need for the testing he'd be doing. Dan drove them to the site and brought Ed up to the roof of the building. They were wearing their safety gear this time so Ed felt comfortable moving around at the site. He ran his tests and they went back to street level where he ran some more.

"That new tower is already having a definite effect on the air currents. When they add the glass it's only going to get worse. I need to see the wind studies for the new tower they filed with the city." Ed said with a frown. He was envisioning the baffles they would need on the roof around the heat exchangers.