Out of Order | ONC 2022

11

Logan refreshed his emails for about the tenth time since he arrived in front of the restaurant Callum had told him to meet. This was the right address and sported the same name as the one from his last email, but it looked too casual of a restaurant for someone like Callum to frequent. Aside from the renovated entrance and what looked like fancy lights past the front door, the exterior looked worse for wear. From the chipped paint and the lightbulb out for the letter P in the neon sign, Logan couldn't imagine Callum visiting here of his own free will.

But everything Callum did, was quite a surprise to Logan, so maybe this was the right place after all?

Callum hadn't sent another email, and it had already been ten minutes past the time he said to meet, but Logan figured this was normal for a CEO, being late to events. He couldn't complain; he had been late to work the first time they met.

Like the first time they met, Logan heard the familiar screech of tires behind him, the same sleek car pulling up the curb. It wasn't a parking stall and remained in the bike lane, but Callum stepped out, motioning the driver to pull away. Logan was surprised to see him in a less business-like attire; he still had the shiny shoes and slacks but donned a casual fleece jacket over a plain t-shirt. Logan wondered if he looked too formal for the occasion, still wearing the same clothes from work.

"Sorry I'm late," he rushed out before pointing to the black car. "Trouble finding parking. Were you waiting long?"

Had this been Chris, he would've said yes; Logan's social and generalized anxiety meant waiting a few minutes felt like a decade. Chris was notorious for being late to their dates or lunch meet-ups, sometimes leaving Logan to wait for an hour. But Callum was not Chris, and neither was this a date nor anything more than what they had agreed upon: a simple dinner to pay each other back. Besides, Callum was a CEO; to decide on a dinner with a mere employee wasn't something Logan could fault his tardiness for.

"Not at all." Logan waved a hand between them. "Did you make a reservation? I wasn't sure if I should've grabbed a table or not."

"I haven't. They're usually pretty empty during the week."

Logan nodded, glancing over at the hostess at the front, the same one he had made eye contact with a couple of times as he checked his emails. He was sure she was judging him on the inside, especially with how nervous Logan was standing on the sidewalk.

Callum had already stepped under the eave of the restaurant's roof. "You coming?"

Logan's legs finally listened and moved, following Callum into the building.  He avoided eye contact with the hostess, and instead, stared at her name badge. Kara, it read, with two pink hearts.

She straightened her back, reaching for the menus on her right. "You together?"

"What—no," Callum sputtered, stepping away from Logan. "For work."

The hostess let out a nervous laugh. "I meant are you dining together. Party of two?"

"Right." Callum gulped. "Yeah."

Logan bit his lip to stop from laughing along with the hostess. She picked up two menus before motioning to a window seat. "Right this way."

"Thank you," Logan told her as they sat down in a quieter part of the restaurant.

Callum watched her walk away before leaning forward in his seat. "That was embarrassing."

"You probably have to correct yourself a lot when you eat out with coworkers."

Callum tilted his head, grimacing. "I don't normally eat out with anyone from work. Aside from Charlotte."

"And the flings?"