Logan was waiting in his office on Tuesday morning; his father was scheduled to arrive for their meeting soon. The weekend had gone by all too quickly. It was a feeling that he often associated with Rory. When Logan was with her, time went by very quickly and he was just trying to soak it all in before work or school interrupted them. It didn't take long for their level of comfort with one another to come back. Bantering over breakfast, mockery while walking the damp streets of the city, showing affection after, and during, dessert; all came back like the three months never happened. Externally everything was going great, but every now and again, amidst a bout of silence, or when he was asleep, alone with his thoughts, he asked the same questions he did before. 'Is this the right thing?' 'Can I really trust her this time?' and 'How long before she leaves again?' He didn't like having these thoughts, he knew they were counter productive to their relationship but Logan imagined that they were normal in a situation like his. Having these thoughts also offered him further opportunity to reflect on his choice. This was the right thing because it made him immensely happy. He really can trust her because he feels the same love from her that he gives off. She won't leave again, because she said she wouldn't and she loves him.
No matter how many times negatives thoughts came into his mind, he looked at Rory, saw her smile and the grin that broke out on his face answered all his questions.
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"Okay son, I only have a few spare minutes, so you're going to need to make this snappy," Mitchum told him as he walked into Logan's office unannounced.
"What about the checking up? I thought that would take a bit."
"I've already had people do that. They say you are doing a good job, congratulations. Now, I've got a meeting in Zurich before Berlin that was just put on my schedule so you're going to have to get to the point," Mitchum said before taking the seat that Logan gestured to.
"Okay, here's the point. After my year in London is up in May, I will be returning to the states and work in our headquarters in New York. I've already looked at the situation and you're short staffed as it is in the upper echelons of management there, and I figured I'd be there eventually, might as well start now."
"Logan, moving you to New York is still a couple of years away. I think it would do you best if you were to stay here for a couple more years."
"No," the force of Logan's reply surprised Mitchum who was used to having his son fold under his words, "if there's a schedule it's being moved ahead a couple of years. I'm taking charge of my life and my career, and that includes where I'll be working. I'm going to be CEO of the Huntzberger empire and it's time that I start making decisions. There's no amount of experience in what I'll be doing in the future that I can learn here. I've already done it, in a year this will be one of the more profitable international branches of the company. My place is in New York, and that's not for negotiation."
To say Mitchum was surprised would be an understatement, but he was not upset. He was shocked, but pleased to hear his son speak of his future with such conviction, and while the time frame was accelerated he was proud of his son for believing that he could do it. "Okay, Logan, New York it is. But you're going to have it earn it. Your performance is going to have to be as good as it was here, or better. You're not going to be in New York to sleep with socialites or party with your friends. Your there to work."
"You won't have to worry about that Dad, I'm not going to be sleeping with anyone but Rory," Logan said without really thinking.
"Rory? The one I gave that internship to? I thought she was gone."
"She came back, and we're together again."
"She's pregnant, right?" Mitchum bluntly asked.
"No dad, she's not pregnant. She came back for me. Logan, nothing else, and I am very pleased at that. But I'd hate to hold you up with details of my personal life, I know you have a meeting in Zurich to get to," Logan stood up to shake his father's hand, "as always dad, it's been a pleasure."
Mitchum stood up, shook Logan's head and headed to the door imparting some final words of wisdom before leaving the office, "just don't screw up, son."
Logan sank bank in his chair and softly said to himself, "I love you too, Dad."
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The rest of the morning and lunch went quickly for Logan. Rory had surprised him at his office and took him out to lunch, being new to the area Logan had suggested a restaurant that many of the employees in the office went to due to its proximity. Logan and Rory had taken an extended lunch and as such Logan returned later than the employees who he had seen there. As Rory parted with his company outside the office building, she wished him a good rest of the day and left him with a reason of why he should hurry back from work as they shared a romantic kiss.
Upon entering the building Logan was immediately approached by Susan Tompson, one of his employees who was in charge of getting Huntzberger media in the blogosphere. They talked back and forth regarding the advantages of having blogs for each feature columnist as they walked to the elevators. Mrs. Tompson was going over launch dates and promotion when Logan saw one of the women at main reception point to him not too discretely and tell the others who were with her, "look already with a new one. I knew he worked fast, but this is impressive playboy material," the others giggled at this comment. Logan did not.
"Excuse me Mrs. Tompson," Logan walked over to main reception, the one who said the comment he recognized as someone who was in the same restaurant and had seen him with Rory. "Excuse me," the other women scattered, leaving the speaker all alone. "Do you care to repeat that hilarious comment you made a few seconds ago?" The woman shook her head, "really, why not?" Still the woman said nothing. "Perhaps you would like to explain to my colleague, Mrs. Tompson how you could think she would be unfaithful with her husband, better yet you could tell her husband, or how about her two kids. After you get done explaining your substantial knowledge of my business relationships with my employees to her family, perhaps you could explain it to my girlfriend, Rory, I'm sure she'd love your input. I'm sure you'd recognize her, after all the staring you were doing at lunch," the receptionist looked surprised, "yes, that's right I saw you staring at us. I didn't think you could be any ruder, but you've managed to top yourself, haven't you. Let's get one thing straight: you don't know me. You will never know me, and you will refrain making any more snide comments about me for laughs. Understood?"
The receptionist finally managed to speak, "yes, Mr. Huntzberger."
Logan walked away, clearly agitated, and joined Mrs. Tompson at the elevator, where they waited in silence for the elevator to arrive, Logan not in the mood to talk about blogging.
The encounter in the lobby had shook Logan up more than he expected. He constantly wondered if his reputation was going to follow him everywhere he went. If whenever he was seen with a member of the opposite sex people would believe that he was back to his playboy ways. He hated the feeling that no matter what he did, he was always going to be a lothario. Just thinking about it made him mad, that's who he was, and not who he is today, he just hoped that eventually the public would get the memo.
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Logan took a few hours to be by himself and cool down after work had ended, it was close to eleven at night when he got back to the apartment. He stepped in and noticed the darkness, no lights were on, no television, no stereo, nothing. He looked around and found Rory on the bed. Logan went over to her and saw that she had been crying and was clutching a pillow tightly. Logan took a seat on the bed and placed a hand on Rory's shoulder in an effort to ease whatever pain she was going through.
"Hey, hey, what's the matter?" Logan asked concerned.
"Logan?" Rory peered up from her pillow and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck upon visual recognition.
"Whoa, Ace, not that I don't enjoy the greeting, but what's going on, what's with the tears?"
"I thought it was a trick, I thought it was just a joke," Rory said sniffling, trying to compose herself.
"What was a trick? What was a joke?" Logan was struggling for answers.
"You taking me back. I thought it was just your way of getting even with me. I thought you were finding another place, or that you were going to come back and kick me out. I thought that this was just a joke, just a way of making me hurt like I hurt you."
"Oh, Rory, I could never," Logan made sure Rory's eyes were now looking into his to show his sincerity, "never do anything like that to you. Even was I pissed off at you, I couldn't hurt you like that. I can't believe you would think I could."
"I really didn't think you would, but it's not like I wouldn't have deserved it. Because I would have," Rory's tears started up again.
Logan brushed away the tears with his thumbs, put his hands on her shoulders to make sure he heard what he had to say, "No, you wouldn't have Rory, trust me. I was late tonight because I needed to cool off. I was reminded at work today of some my more ungentlemanly like past qualities and it made me mad. I just don't want that to be my reputation. I don't want to be known as the playboy forever when I haven't been for a couple years."
"I know you're not a playboy Logan," Rory said, now trying her best to put Logan at ease.
"I'm glad. I guess, I just don't want people saying things that aren't me anymore. I want to be known for something other than what I was in college."
"And you will Logan, you'll be known for being the future of the Huntzberger empire, a brighter future. Someone whose intellect, drive and personality will make it stronger than ever," Rory said earnestly.
"Tony Robbins has nothing on you Ace," Logan said as he kissed her. "So are our mutual freak outs over?"
"Are you okay with having to wait a little bit longer to establish a professional reputation and realize you may be known as a former playboy for a little while longer?" Rory asked, emphasizing the former in her speech.
"I am," Logan reluctantly nodded, "are you okay with knowing that I'm not going anywhere and you won't be getting rid of me easily?" Rory nodded, "Good, so you hungry?" Logan asked which earned him a quizzical stare from Rory, "Right; stupid question. Pizza or Chinese?"
"Now you're talking my language" Rory said as she and Logan got up from the bed together and made their way to the kitchen, both eager to satisfy the hunger in their stomachs and eager to return to their bed to satisfy hunger's elsewhere.
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Author's Note: There it is, as promised the Wednesday update. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by Friday night. I know where it's going I just need to fill in the blanks. Sadly, there time together on the same continent is coming to an end, so soon I guess we'll see how I write them together and happy, but a long distance away from each other. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed the story to this point. 100+ reviews! Happy reading, as always reviews are once again appreciated.