Ideally I would have had this chapter out last week, but things got busy, so finally, here is the lunch!. I am hoping to get a few chapters written this week so that can get this story through my finals. Be on the look out for a more regular update schedule.
Thanks to everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed this story…it really makes me want to continue!
Once Rory got off a way too long phone call with her grandmother (and assured her that she was not infected with the bird flu or any other infectious disease) there was only about an hour before her lunch with Logan. Thankfully, that hour was packed with emails to return and phone calls to take and before she knew it it was 11:30 and time to get ready for the lunch that would change her life in more ways than one…at least she hoped it would.
As per usual, Rory was fashionably early to lunch and was laughing at an email from her mom about Sookie's newest culinary obsession when she heard a voice from the other side of the table
"What, did Kirk get himself stuck in a tree again?"
"Logan! When did you get here?"
"Just sat down, Ace."
"Oh. And no, actually. Taylor outlawed all tree climbing after Kirk and Lulu had a fight and Kirk decided to live in a tree for a week. Apparently Sookie is trying to make 30 different cakes for a 30th birthday party this weekend and things are not going well."
"Well I am not surprised to hear about Kirk or Sookie. So, how are you Rory?"
"I'm good Logan. I'm really good. It is really great to see you."
"It is great to see you too Ror"
They just stare at each other for what seems like an eternity until the waiter comes by and asks them if they want a drink.
"Yeah, can I get a cup of coffee?" Rory asks the waiter
"I'm fine with water, thanks" Logan tells him
They don't take their eyes off each other the entire time the waiter is at their table. Blue staring into brown until finally Rory realizes what is happening and looks away blushing.
"So, Ace, what is the real reason you invited me to lunch?" Logan asks with a smirk firmly plastered on his face
Crap, I actually have to cut to the chase here. What if he says no? Oh god I didn't even think about that! He can totally say no!
"Well Logan, I actually have a proposition for you. I am starting an online magazine kind of thing with a few people I met on the campaign trail…that is the Obama campaign trail which I am now realizing you might not know about since that happened after you propo- ...well it happened after the last time we saw each other, but anyway I was a reporter on the Obama cam-…"
"Yeah, I knew you were following the campaign. You wrote some really fantastic pieces." Logan tells a shocked and confused Rory
"Oh, um thank you. So anyway I was approached by some of my fellow campaign reporters last year about starting an online magazine and it just seemed right, you know? So now we are in the process of getting things going which I am sure you know involves contacting publishing investors and one of my partners actually brought up talking to someone at HPG, kinda as a joke, but when he said that, I remembered Emily telling me that you were back working for your father and before I knew what I was saying I said that I could call you and see if you would be interested, and I think you can remember the rest of the events that led to this particular lunch."
Logan stared wide-eyed at the woman in front of him; completely entranced by Rory's ability to go on a massive rant like that and not be completely out of breath.
"Wow, that was quite the rant you had going there Gilmore. I had actually heard some rumblings about a certain former Washington Post reporter going off to start her own publication. I just figured I would be the last person you would call to help you out."
"Well Logan, honestly I did not expect myself to be calling you for help either. It is not like we left things in a great place, but I can't say I haven't been thinking about you since that day at Yale. I guess those thoughts finally bubbled to the surface and they led to me mentioning I have…had a personal relationship with one of the most influential publishing executives in the country. At that point my partners were not going to let me back track." Rory told Logan
Wait a minute, did I just confess that I never stopped thinking about him?
After what seemed like an eternity, the waiter returned with Rory's coffee and Logan's water and proceeded to take their order. Rory was pretty grateful that the waiter had come by when he did, that way Logan couldn't respond to her right away.
"To be honest" Logan said, "We have been looking into investing into Paperless for awhile now. You have created quite the name for yourself, exactly like I thought you would Rory, and my dad has been trying to get you to work at one of our papers since the day you left the campaign trail, a fact you have to be aware of."
I thought all those Huntzberger Group job offers were coming from the editors, not Mitchum himself!
"So when he heard about this new venture of yours, he really started focusing on becoming an investor. It would have only been a matter of time until I called you to ask for a lunch date." a smirking Logan told Rory
"Oh wow. I honestly had no idea Mitchum was this interested in my career. What happened to me not having what it takes to be a journalist?" A slightly resentful Rory asked
"Well, he eventually came to his senses and realized he was dead wrong…your campaign pieces were truly amazing Rory, he couldn't help but admit the error in his ways.
"Um, okay. This is a lot to wrap my mind around, but does this mean HPG is seriously interested in investing in Paperless?"
"Of course Ace! I actually figured this was what the meeting was about so I brought over a contract. How about you and your partners take a look at it and give me a call sometime this week to discuss it?" Logan said as he handed over the contract
"Wow, that would be fantastic Logan. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this!" Rory said as she put the contract into her purse
Okay so that went way better than I could have hoped, and he didn't even bring up my telling him I still think about him!
They both become engrossed in their food, enjoying the quiet, when Logan breaks the silence
"So Ace, I don't mean to backtrack here, but did you say something about thinking about me everyday for the last 4 years?"
OH MY GOD HE NOTICED THAT AHHHH!
Trying to maintain her composure on the outside as she is screaming and panicking on the inside, Rory says "Um, yeah, that sounds like something I said…"
"Okay. Well I have to tell you Ror, I can't say I have been able to get you out of my head for one minute since your graduation day, and to be honest, I have thought about you constantly since the first time we met outside of your dorm." Logan says kind of quietly
Did he just say what I think he just said?
"I…I mean…um…" Rory stammers, trying to think of something to say
"It is okay Rory, you don't have to say anything now. How about we meet for dinner tomorrow? It can just be a business dinner if you want, but I am kinda hoping you would be okay with it being a date." Logan says to an awestruck Rory
"Umm, yeah, that sounds really swell Logan" Did I just say the word 'swell'?
"Okay great, I will call you with the time and the place tomorrow afternoon" Logan chuckles and says as he signs the check
When did the check even arrive? How did I miss that?
"Sounds good..." Rory manages to get out. Is that really all you have to say?
"Swell." Logan says with a smirk as he gets up "I have to get back to the office, but this was great. Make sure you call me when you get the chance to look over the contract with your partners."
"I will."
"Cool. Well I guess I will see you tomorrow, Ace." Logan says as he walks away from the table
"Yeah, I guess so." Rory says, but Logan is already outside the door.
Rory sits at the table for what she thinks is just a few seconds, but it apparently was longer than that because eventually she hears her waiter's voice behind her
"Excuse me, Miss? Are you all done here?"
"Oh my god, yeah, sorry about that!" Rory says as she gets up and leaves
The brisk fall air hits her as she steps out of the restaurant onto the New York City streets. Luckily she sees a cab almost immediately and she heads back to Paperless. Contract in hand and a dinner date on her mind.
How did I end up here? This is so not what I expected when I made that phone call…
Okay guys, there it is! I hope you guys liked the lunch, and let me know by favoriting and reviewing!