Unsettled (11 page)

“Yeah—no I ditched her tonight. This is Logan, by the way,” I said, pointing to Logan.

“Welcome. I already know what she likes, but what can I do you for, man?” Griffin asked, “we may not have any of the top shelf stuff you’re probably used to. Like the suit though.” Admittedly, Logan was ridiculously overdressed for Legends. Legends was more of a friendly neighborhood bar with a hipster feel, not a fancy pants place like Calibré.

“Don’t worry about it man, I’ll take a vodka cranberry on the rocks, Ketel One if you have it,” Logan replied. After placing his order, Logan relaxed back into his seat as if he were right at home.

“All right, I have to pull some more bottles from the back, but I’ll get your drinks to you in a few if that’s cool. Brandon called in sick tonight, so I’m running the bar solo.”

“Thanks, no rush,” I called out over the music. “You’re hiring rock bands now?”

“Not really, they’re just local talent that asked if they could use the site for band practice,” he said nodding his head toward the band in the corner of the restaurant.

“I think they call themselves Code Red, I can’t really remember. I’m fine with them playing here as long as it keeps traffic flowing through the place. It’s a good way to generate a bit more revenue. You know how hard it is to compete with some of the bigger bars in the area.” Griffin turned to Logan, “what about you man, you like the music? I know Brooklyn here maybe a little biased since she’s a regular.”

“They sound pretty good to me. Aerosmith is one of my favorite bands. The lead sounds a little like Steven Tyler so you’ve got my vote.”

I decided to throw an underhanded jab at Griffin since he’d embarrassed me earlier, “well…they don’t sound horrible,” I yelled back, winking. The way that Logan and Griffin were chatting it up made me think that bringing him to Legends wasn’t a bad idea after all.

“Not funny, Brooklyn. I think your date just earned himself a drink on the house!” Griffin said smirking. “All right, well I’ll be back in a few.”

“Thanks Griff,” I replied, smiling.

My little chat with Griffin had eased the anxiety I had about accepting Logan’s invitation to grab drinks. If I had any type of luck, the evening would continue to roll smoothly.

“You must have some type of luck. First time here and you’ve already scored a free drink” I joked.

“It’s not me—it’s you. Seems like you come here often,” Logan said, eyeing me, quizzically.

“Yeah, me and Alex, my best friend, have a standing reservation every Thursday evening.”

“Hmmm…so you blew her off to meet me? Interesting…” he said. I could tell he was pleased at the prospect of my changing plans to meet him.

“Yes and no. We weren’t coming here tonight. We had a beauty appointment,” I said flatly. I was annoyed that I’d put my foot in my mouth.

Logan took his suit coat off. He folded his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. “I despise these monkey suits. I only wear them when absolutely necessary,” he said. I watched him as he loosened his tie. His arms looked so firm under his dress shirt. Again, I snapped myself out of my daydream.

“You fit right in at Calibré,” I said, calling him out. Logan didn’t seem the least bit out of sorts at the opulent hangout spot.

“I had a meeting with an associate prior to your arrival.”

“Well you seemed perfectly comfortable playing CEO in the Copple meeting with Trent and the others. Coincidentally, that little chat that you insisted on having in front of everyone placed me on Trent’s crap list…not that I’m ever really off of it.”

Griffin approached us with our drinks in hand. “Bottoms up,” he said, setting our drinks down.

“Thanks Griffin,” I replied as he walked away to tend to other customers.

I took a sip of my Appleberry martini and turned back to face Logan. “It would have been nice if you told me who you were.”

“When it comes to running my business I do what is necessary, and I did inform you of who I am. I don’t broadcast my position as a CEO merely because I don’t see myself any different from other people. I get up and go to work like the rest of the working class. I just happen to run a semi-successful startup.”

I couldn’t tell if he was really that humble or just trying to tame a pulsing ego for my benefit. Courtesy of Alex, I knew that Logan ran much more than a semi-successful startup.

“What exactly does your business do, anyway?” I asked, intrigued.

“I own and operate a pier and bridge construction company,” he responded. “LSC Capital Construction is a subsidiary of my parent company, Colton Capital Enterprises.”

“Sounds interesting. You really have it all together to only be twenty-seven,” I said, while stirring the last remnants of my martini. I’d learned Logan’s age the night of my Google search.

“It really is all about setting up the right network of people,” he said, shaking his glass in his hand and causing the ice to rattle. “What is it you’d really like to do? I’m sure being Trent’s assistant isn’t on your list of dreams.” Just then one of the band members clanged their cymbals, ending the song they’d been playing.

“You have no idea,” I said, laughing out. “Well, I’m genuinely interested in becoming a market research analyst. I enjoy assessing consumer habits and trends.”

“Well there is plenty you’d be able to do in the marketing field,” he replied. “I’m sure that you will be able to land a position at one of the larger firms here in D.C.”

“I’ve been sending out my resume to a few larger marketing firms. I haven’t gotten any responses yet, but hopefully something will come up soon. I’m not sure how much longer my tolerance for a certain executive will last. You know what? Next topic please. This conversation is taking a turn for the worse,” I groaned. Logan smiled at my sarcasm.

“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “What do you do for fun?”

“Ah—that’s a better topic,” I said, bobbing my head to the latest song that the band was playing. The beat was catchy.

“Well… I do enjoy reading now and again. I also dabble in photography. That’s probably one of my genuine passions, but I don’t think I’ll be the next Ansel Adams or anything—it’s just something I enjoy,” I said, shrugging.

“Oh, well that sounds cool. Maybe you can show me some of your work sometime,” he said. “Would you like another drink?” he asked.

“No, I’m good; I had a pretty light lunch today. I’ve met my quota of Appleberry martinis for the month. When my roommate and I were here last week she ended up walking out of here singing and referring to me as Thelma,” I said, snickering.

“Sounds like this place makes a mean martini,” he said laughing. “We can order some food and sit in the restaurant area if you want,” he suggested.

“No that’s all right, I should head home. It is getting late,” I said, pulling my coat from the back of the bar stool.

“Let me help you with that,” he said, polishing off his vodka cranberry. He stood and took the coat from my hand. I let him help me into it and picked up my purse.

Logan retrieved his jacket from the back of his bar stool. “Merick is waiting outside. He can take you home,” he said.

“Oh it’s okay, I can take a cab.”

“It’s not safe taking a cab alone at night. Please let him drive you home.”

“All right, thanks,” I said, digging through my purse to retrieve my wallet. I unclasped my billfold and took out a twenty. As I was laying the money on the counter Logan scoffed loudly.

“Are you trying to insult me?” he asked. I was both confused and surprised at his outburst.

“What are you talking about? I am just paying for my martini,” I responded, nonchalantly.

“Put your money away,” he said, frowning. “I asked you to have cocktails with me, I’ve got it covered.”

“Logan, I can pay for my drink. I don’t like men purchasing things for me—it makes me feel indebted to them,” I replied evenly.

“Brooklyn, I appreciate the thought, and you certainly don’t owe me anything. If it makes you feel better I pay for all my dates,” he said grinning. We were back to that.

“Well this wasn’t a date, so I am perfectly fine paying for myself.”

“Please put your money away. It’s just drinks,” he said.

“Fine.” I returned my money to my coat pocket. Logan pulled crisp bills from his wallet to pay for our drinks, then escorted me from the bar counter of Legends to the sidewalk where the Range Rover and Merick were waiting.

“Would you be willing to give me your cell number? It only seems fair since you already have mine, although I doubt you’ll actually use it,” he grimaced playfully.

“That’s going to be a no. I still need to assess if you have stalker capabilities,” I responded wryly.

“Wow, you drive a hard bargain.”

“I’ve heard that once or twice. Thanks for tonight. It was…unexpected.”

“Anytime, it was my pleasure,” he said while opening the door to the SUV. I climbed in and he closed the door behind me. Surprised, I rolled down the window.

“You’re not riding with me? How are you getting back to…”

“I’m staying near here. I’ll take a taxi,” he responded.

“Oh so you can take a taxi, but I can’t?” I countered.

“I have double standards—sue me,” he said, shrugging. He was clearly amused. I just shook my head and rolled up the window. Merick asked for my address and we pulled away from the curb.

When I returned home I was still conflicted regarding my reaction to Logan. Thankfully Alex wasn’t home so I didn’t have to play twenty questions with her. It would be hard for me to be truthful with her about how I was feeling regarding Logan anyway. I really didn’t know how to react to him.

Logan could have his pick of a multitude of available women who were probably less emotionally damaged than I was. I knew that when his time in D.C. was over, we’d probably just go our separate ways. I enjoyed Logan’s company, but I wasn’t misguided enough to think that it would last longer than his short time that he was obligated to be in D.C. for meetings with Copple.

After I got out of the shower, I noticed I had a missed call. I hit redial and waited for Alex to pick up.

“Hey—you make it home?” she asked.

“Well being that I didn’t send you a text asking for a bail out phone call, you should know it went as well as can be expected” I said, hopping on both feet to slid into my pajama pants, while cradling my cell.

“True. Well I just wanted to make sure you didn’t get chopped into little pieces. I’m still at work so I got to go, but don’t think you’ve escaped me. I want all the details later!”

“Yeah I know, trust me. Thanks for checking in on me. See ya later. Be careful coming home.”

I hung up with Alex and placed my phone on the charger.

It had been a long while since a man insisted on treating me like a lady, and Logan did so with such ease without wanting something in return aside from my time. I enjoyed the freedom of single life, but I did yearn for…more. I just didn’t want to put my heart out there again for it to get trampled.

I took a shower and then settled into bed. I replayed the conversation that I had with both Danielle and Alex. The one thing that they both kept pointing out was that they didn’t think I was “happy” being single. I laid in the dark for a long while after climbing into bed.

“Screw it” I said, throwing back my comforter. Logan made me want to test the shark infested waters.

I turned my light on and leaned over the side of my bed to excavate the business card Logan left for me. I grabbed my phone from my nightstand and typed out a short message before I could change my mind.

“Thanks for earlier. G’nite, Thelma.”

I read my message three times wondering if he’d get the joke before I finally pressed ‘Send.’ I set my phone back on my nightstand and snuggled into my comforter. I was nodding off when my phone lit up and buzzed once.

“Hi Thelma—I’m afraid you have the wrong number. This is Doug.”

I read the text message twice wondering if I had typed in the wrong phone number. Then my phone buzzed again.

“Just kidding—you’ve got the right person. Is this your way of giving me your cell number?”

I replied:

“I plead the Fifth; I am impaired by alcohol, thanks to your pesky persistence.”

“Well, you better go sleep it off. Is now a good time to tell you I am a maniac?”

A yellow smiley face was at the end of his message.

“Not funny—goodnight Logan.”

“Nite Brooklyn.”

I smiled at the fact that he caught onto my intentions, and saved his number in my phone.

I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake as I set my phone back on my nightstand. I was immensely tired of the cyclical pattern of meeting men cloaked in childish habits—instant gratification, self-absorption, and indecisiveness…and there was no way for me to be sure that Logan would be any different.

It was eleven o’clock and I had to get up in the morning. I lay back down in my bed and finally nodded off.

AS I GOT DRESSED
the next Saturday to hang out with Alex, I smiled as Logan crossed my mind. It had been a week since I’d had drinks with him. Since then we’d developed a dialogue, even though he was back at his company headquarters in Virginia to handle some things. I enjoyed talking to him. I found myself looking forward to our short chats because they flowed naturally. I didn’t feel forced to bring up unimportant events to keep the conversation going.