Hot Potato

18. The Heart of the Matter

Duncan remained silent, tilting his head side to side, apparently analysing while I reviewed what I had said. Had I gone too far? Did I exaggerate the seriousness? Is it as bad as –

His words interrupted my thoughts, "Yes, I now see, Gianna. You need to present this to Mr Colewell with the same clarity as you've shown it to me."

"But will he understand? You've had the benefit of a couple of days to research the restaurant business – to gain an understanding of it."

"Indeed, except I had learned nothing about the critical need for marketing until you mentioned it. Nor about the need to remain closed until ready. But I now see it would be absolute folly to open before we have all our ducks in a row."

"Ducks?"

He chuckled. "An idiom – a rather clichéed one. It means organising everything to be ready for the next step. But to the point, Gianna. If you explain it for him as you've done for me, he'll see the necessity."

"But you know him – know how to approach him, and I don't. Wouldn't it be better if you did the explaining?"

"On the one hand, true. But on the other, I have only superficial knowledge about the workings of a restaurant. What I'll do is state the situation and our needs, and you can fill in the details – expanding them as necessary."

I nodded. "Yes, that would be the best approach."

"We can discuss this further – add to my understanding while we shop. But now, I should check on the training, lest they think I'm ignoring them." He adjusted his package as he stood, then winced as he caught me watching. "Sorry. Settled the wrong way."

I grinned at his manipulations. "Appears to be a lot to manage."

He blushed. "Around you, it is. I've not had this problem since high school."

"A problem with arranging your goods?"

"No, with the arousals." He nodded down. "Been difficult to remain objective with them."

"Oh!' I smiled and shrugged. "They're a natural show of desire. Nothing to be ashamed of, Duncan. Actually, I'm flattered by them."

"You had said that earlier, and it surprised me. Are you really?"

"Very much so, but we can discuss this later – in a more appropriate setting."

"Damn! There it goes again."

I chuckled as I watched his trouser leg grow a tent. "That clearly shows the brain is our main sex organ."

"Yeah, just the thought of..." He trailed off and winced. "I must sit again."

"I always wondered how the boys felt – popping a boner in front of their schoolmates."

"Horribly embarrassed. I took to wearing long shirts, untucked. Or always carrying a book or a shoulder bag in case I needed the cover – today a clipboard. Strange now thinking back – those were all spontaneous – no thought behind them. But these?" He shook his head. "They don't make sense. Not at all."

"But they're normal. Part of nature's design."

"The spontaneous ones, yes. The nocturnal ones, yes – and the morning woodies. But from sexual arousal, no." He looked up into my eyes and winced. "Not for asexuals."

"Oh! And why do you think you're ace?"

Duncan shrugged. "My symptoms. My doctors. My psychiatrists. Back then, it was considered a mental disorder – HSDD – Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder."

"Not what your penis has been showing you for the past while." I chuckled. "Hyperactive is a more apt term. Have you considered that you might be demisexual?"