"For Choices" Chpt 2 (Gilmore Girls)
Here ya'll go. I hope you enjoy! I hope to hear from ya'll, too, and if you don't like Jess, don't worry...Dean and Logan aren't far off, I promise. ;) Thanks so much!
Chapter 2
Rory decided to give herself a week to do absolutely nothing. She was going to enjoy being home, and a week seemed like a good interval of time in which to do it before worrying about job applications at all.
Her mother, however, didn't seem to like that idea.
“A week? Only a week?” Lorelai protested. She looped an arm through her daughter's as they walked back toward the house from Luke's. “You're away for almost two years and you're only going to give yourself a week to be lazy? Really, kid, after two years I think you deserve a longer break.”
“I will end up with a longer break than that. It'll take time to get my resumes sent out, get interviews and actually find a job. I just need to get started in about a week, that's all. I figure if I start then, I might start hearing back by after the wedding.”
Lorelai huffed a little. “Fine, but when you send out those resumes make sure you tell everyone that you can't start for at least a month, because you have to stay with your mommy for a while.”
Rory smiled a little. “I can't make any promises.”
“But you have to stay at least that long-maybe two months, or three or more if you want to make sure I won't secretly resent you for the rest of your life.”
“Oh, thanks for that.”
“You're welcome,” her mother replied cheerfully.
Rory laughed, slowing as they passed the bookstore. She extracted herself from Lorelai and backpedaled. “Hey, wait. It's been three days and I haven't been in here yet. We don't want Andrew to think I forgot about him, do we?”
She reached to pull the door open, but Lorelai snapped forward to hold it closed. “Uh, honey, about that...”
Rory looked at her strangely. “What? Andrew?”
“Well, no. Andrew's fine. It's the bookstore. Or...what's in the bookstore.”
“How would you know what's in the bookstore?”
“Hey, I read,” Lorelai answered in mock offense.
Rory crossed her arms. “Are you going to let me go in there or not?”
Her mother opened her mouth and closed it again, frowning a little. Finally she just moved. “Just don't say I didn't warn you.”
“Warn me? You haven't said anything yet.” Utterly confused, Rory brushed past her mother and hurried into Stars Hollow Books, wondering what on earth Lorelai had been trying to say.
At first nothing looked at different. All of the shelves and displays looked to be in exactly the same place, the only difference being the books on them. Most of them she'd seen in previous trips to bookstores back around Washington before getting here. After all, her job hadn't taken all of her time. She still had to have something to do for fun.
There was one book, however, she was certain she hadn't seen. It was on a small table in a corner, all but hidden behind a larger display from most angles, as if it wasn't quite sure it wanted to be there.
Rory started toward the lonely display curiously, and she sensed her mother on her heels.
“Yeah...that one.”
She glanced back in confusion, and picked up her pace to grab one of the books from the table as a sneaking suspicion nipped at her.
The suspicion was right.
“Jess,” she voiced, staring at the author's name emblazoned on the bottom of the front cover. “Jess wrote another book.” It was thicker than the first, and the cover design was a bit more professional-better looking. Not just colored type on a black background.
That first attempt had been more of a novella than a book, but this was definitely a novel. Rory flipped through it to check; 423 pages.
Wow.
She didn't remember the details of his first book. She'd read it, and remembered that no, it definitely hadn't been perfect, but it had been a fair attempt-not quite deserving of the critical view the author held, but then again weren't you always your own worst critic? She wondered if this sophomore effort was any better.
She wondered why she hadn't known about it.
“Why didn't somebody tell me?” she demanded, spinning to face her mother.
“Rory, I swear those books only came in last week, and I only knew they were in here because Luke told me about it. We weren't sure if Jess was going to tell you himself, or if we should, and then we were a little busy being happy about deciding to finally get married, so...”
Rory studied her for a moment, finally deciding that she was telling the truth; it was only innocent mis-communication, or non-communication. Whatever.
“Fine, I forgive you.” She held up the book. “But I'm buying this right this minute."
Lorelai snatched it away from her. “Oh, no you're not.”
“Mom!”
“I'm buying-and anything else you want in here today.”
Rory let out the breath she'd taken in preparation to complain. “Oh. You don't have to do that.”
“Hey, let me pamper my kid once in a while, will you?”
She grinned. “Don't worry; I won't go crazy.”
“Are you kidding? Go insane. I'm a business owner and I'm marrying another one. Go completely nuts.”
Rory just laughed and hugged her. “I love you, Mom.”
“What are you doing in there?” Rory called.
Lorelai adjusted what she was wearing, took a quick glance in the mirror and finally emerged from her bathroom.
“I'm showing you this; that's what I'm doing,” she grinned.
Rory, who had been sprawled across her mother's bed, popped up as her mouth dropped open. “That's your dress?”
“It sure is. You have no idea how glad I am I didn't get rid of it; it's perfect.”
“Oh my god, it is! It's amazing!” Rory slid off the bed and came to her side to circle her. “Oh my god,” she repeated. “I love this dress.”
“Say the word and I'll make sure not to damage it so I can save it for you.”
“Even if you did you could fix it; that's the advantage of having a mother who can sew anything.”
“That's true,” Lorelai bragged. “I guess that means I can have aaallll the fun I want.”
“I'm not so sure about that one.”
“Be positive and just tell me how pretty I am.”
Rory smirked and stopped in front of her. Her expression softened. “You look great, mom.”
Lorelai smiled, took her daughter's hands and tugged her over to the bed. “Come here; sit down,” she said, patting the rumpled comforter.
Rory plopped onto the edge and waited for her mother to sit down more carefully. “What is it?”
She didn't let go of Rory's hands as she grinned. “I just wanted to tell you something.”
“What?”
She took a breath. “I know you've always kind of wondered about me...worried, I guess. But you don't have to do that anymore. I know it's right this time, kid. I know it.”
An eyebrow went up. “I'd be thrilled if it was; I've always thought it was. But what do you mean you know?”
“Because I'm excited-and not like before. Not like when I thought I was going to marry Max, or when I said yes to your dad, or even after Luke said yes to me when we got engaged the first time. I don't think I've ever been more excited or nervous in my life, Rory. I've been trying this dress on way too much, whenever Luke's not around, or...well when you're asleep, since you got here, and...” She trailed off, not sure she could explain how she felt any more clearly than that.
Rory made a distinct 'that's-so-cute' noise. “Awwww....mom, you found the guy you want to try on your wedding dress every day for.”
“Maybe the one story my mother ever told that actually stuck,” Lorelai grinned. “Maybe it stuck too well. For a while there I almost considered buying long white gloves.”
Her daughter made a face. “Wow. You must have hung out with Grandma and Grandpa way too much while I was gone.”
“Only out of sheer lonliness, I swear.”
“Do we need to put you on Emily detox?”
She chuckled. “Believe me, I've considered that too.” They both laughed, and when they trailed off there was comfortable silence until Rory spoke up again.
“So this is it.”
Lorelai nodded firmly. “This is it.”
Rory sighed and pushed the book back into her purse before stepping irresolutely into Luke's Diner. Luke was passing with a couple of plates as she closed the door behind her.
“Hey, Luke.”
“Hey,” he clipped back.
“Where's Lane?”
“Took the day off so she and Zach could take Kwan and Steve somewhere, I think.
“Ah, yes, those godchildren of yours. How are they, anyway? I have yet to actually get over there to see them.”
Luke shrugged once he'd given out the orders. “Fine, as far as I know. Did you need something?”
“I'm not sure yet...”
He looked at her curiously for a brief second, shrugged again and went back to work. Caesar had just set out two more plates, but he stopped when he went to grab them and scowled at the one on the left.
“Caesear, what the hell is this?”
The pleasantly plump cook stuck his head out from the kitchen. “What?” He glanced down at the scorched egg on the plate. “Oh, oops. That one was supposed to go in the trash, not on a plate. I must have spaced out for a second.”
“Less spacing and more working, please. This is Saturday, not Christmas.” Luke snatched up the plate that was good to go and passed it over to the far end of the counter where the man who'd ordered it was sitting.
Smiling to herself and glad to be able to witness the amusement of Luke at work once again, Rory climbed onto the stool by the cash register and waited for him to have a moment free. He didn't seem to realize she'd settled there until he finally paused behind the counter.
“You're still here.”
“Yes I am.”
“Decided if you want anything yet?”
“Just coffee for now, thanks.”
Luke nodded, retrieved a mug, and poured her a full steaming cup. “Where's your mom?”
Rory took a sip, wincing at the heat before answering. “Still sleeping, actually-getting a head start on resting up for the honeymoon, I would guess.” She hadn't quite expected him to actually turn a little pink at that, but he did. He hid it well, but he did.
Luke in love. Completely, head-over-heels in love. Somehow even after all the time he'd been on-and-off with her mother, that was still a difficult concept to grasp.
It was a good one, though.
“Sure...” he trailed uncertainly.
She took another sip of coffee, slurping to keep from burning her tongue-that and the fact that she knew it drove Luke crazy, “Hey, where are you guys going on your honeymoon, anyway? My esteemed mother has yet to mention it.” Rory grinned. “I think she's too excited about the wedding itself to think about much else.”
Luke smiled warmly at that one-a rare sight on his face if one didn't know him. Well, even if you did, really. But that was just Luke.
“She's knows we're taking my boat somewhere, and we'll be gone for at least a couple of weeks. That's all you're going to know, too, because if I tell you anything else it'll get back to her.”
Rory gaped in mock horror. “Luke Danes, are you accusing me of being unable to keep a secret?”
“No, I'm just accusing you of being your mother's daughter.”
“Ah. Well, that I can live with,” she nodded. With her coffee finally cool enough, she gulped at it until Luke came back from delivering another two or three plates.
“You know, I finally got to go on that big boat trip with April last summer. It turned out pretty well, and I think we're going again this year. It'll probably be a lot shorter this time, but either way you're uh...welcome to come with us, you know, if you can...” he offered.
Rory blinked up at him. “With you and April?”
“Yeah, I mean...I'll be your step-dad, and April will be your step-sister, I guess, so if you wanted to get to know her better or anything...you could come. You don't have to, but it's there...”
She hadn't thought about that. April really would be her sister once this marriage was concrete, wouldn't she? By the time she'd gotten on good terms with her mother again her Junior year of Yale, things were already starting to unravel with Luke and the idea of their marriage had never been as real as it was now. She hadn't had time to think about the way it would affect her family.
Now it would be not two, not three, but four, in a way-almost five, if she could include Gigi. Maybe six, with Dad. It was all a little twisted and a lot confusing, and this wasn't even the South.
But Rory loved them all, and she knew she always would. Whatever the dynamics, they were all a permanent part of life now, no matter how united or not they might become.
“I'll definitely consider it,” she answered thoughtfully. Sailing was one semi-outdoor activity she didn't completely object to. After all, there was the whole stealing-a-yacht incident, wasn't there?
But she didn't want to remember that right now. They had succeeded in having it expunged from her record when the two years were up, and she was determined to leave it in the past-along with the rest of...Logan.
“Really?” Luke asked.
She nodded. “Of course. I mean, I have no idea where I'll be or what I'll be doing by June or July, but it sounds like a great idea. At the very least, maybe we could do a few days, anyway, even if I have a job by then.” She grimaced. “God, I hope I have a job by then.”
Luke leaned a little closer over the counter. “You'll be fine.” She smiled at him, and after a moment he motioned to the nearly empty mug of coffee. “More?”
“Please.”
He gave her a re-fill as she held the mug out to him. “So have you decided if you want anything else yet?”
Rory took a deep breath. “Actually, yes.”
“What can I get you?”
“Well...not food.”
Luke looked at her curiously, but it was taking her a little time to decide to really ask for what she wanted. After a few dead seconds he said, “If you're looking for some type of cliché response before you go on, you're not going to get it.”
She let out the breath. “I need Jess's number.”
Both eyebrows went up this time. “I see...why is that?”
Rory pulled the book out of her purse and dropped it almost ceremoniously on the counter between them. “He didn't tell me,” she explained shortly.
Luke stared at it for a moment. “Oh.” He almost winced. “Rory, listen, I promise I was gonna mention it if he still hadn't contacted you-"
“It's okay, Luke; I've been through this with Mom. I don't blame either of you for anything, I'm just...still a little hurt, I guess, that he didn't tell me. We hadn't talked in a year-and-a-half, and we'd parted pretty badly, and he still told me about the first book. He came in person to tell me about the first book.” She shrugged. “I guess it's time I at least talked to him.”
Luke nodded slowly. “Yeah...yeah, okay.” He pulled a notepad from beside the register closer, took his pen from his pocket and scribbled the number down. “Here.” He ripped it off and held it out, and Rory took it uncertainly, glancing at the Philadelphia area code.
“Thanks...”
“Good luck.”
Rory folded the small sheet of paper into the book, and replaced it all in her purse. “Thanks,” she repeated, more earnestly this time. She took a few gulps of the second cup of coffee and stood, digging for her wallet.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to pay you.” She glanced up and realized he was giving her the patented Luke Danes are-you-insane? look. “What?”
It took a few seconds. “Oh...right...marrying my mother...”
“Now you're catching on.”
Rory rolled her eyes at herself and turned for the door. “See you later, Luke. Thanks again.”
“Any time.”
As she left she heard him fall back into into boss mode, and she could just see him yelling through the kitchen door even though she didn't turn to see him do it.
“Caesar, where's the damn egg order you were supposed to fix!”
Rory almost started to call Jess while sprawled on her bed late that afternoon-well after Lorelai had left to go out with Luke-but something about it just didn't seem right anymore.
Lying there with the phone in her hands, about to call him...it was too familiar. It brought back too many memories. They were memories she didn't want, of lying there calling him, just enjoying his conversational company when she should have been paying attention to the wonderful boyfriend she'd actually had then.
So little time, too many undefined regrets.
So she moved to the living room, dropping onto the newer, stripped couch her mother and Luke had purchased during the upstairs remodel three or four years ago to prepare for the marriage and co-habitation that hadn't come to pass then.
She stared at the phone for a good two minutes before kicking herself-almost literally-for acting like the teenager she most certainly wasn't anymore (Right?), and dialed.
“Yeah?”
Rory almost jumped. “Uh, yeah. Hey...it's me.”
God, how much more lame could she get?
There was a pause before the answer came. “Rory?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I guess I should have clarified. I mean, it would have been awkward if you hadn't recognized my voice because of some strange distortion because of the phone connection. That happens a lot, even with today's technology.”
“I guess...”
“No, really. It would have been extremely awkward if you'd thought I was someone else-say, a girlfriend. If you have a girlfriend. Not that I'm saying you couldn't. You very well might, which is why I'm saying it could have been awkward-especially if it was the other way around, and it was your girlfriend, but you thought it was me and you'd said what you just did. That could have thrown things off right there. People need to learn to properly supply their name when they make a call. Many a relationship might be saved that way.”
Jess sighed on the other end of the line. “You haven't changed, have you?”
“I'd like to think I've become a little older, a little wiser...”
“Do you need something?” he quipped.
Rory scowled, not quite surprised that he wasn't going along with the attempt at witty banter, but still hurt nonetheless.
She let out a breath and stared at the couch cushions, absently picking at the edge of one of them. “Look...I'm sorry about what happened last time we saw each other. It was wrong to even entertain the thought of using you like that. I don't know what I was thinking; I was just angry at Logan, and...”
“You don't have to explain. I get it,” he answered with a little more feeling.
“I don't think you do yet. I really am sorry.”
Another pause. “I believe you,” he said finally.
Rory waited a moment before asking the next question. “Then do you forgive me?”
“I don't know yet.”
“I guess that's fair.”
“How's blond-dick-from-Yale these days, anyway?” Jess asked suddenly.
The familiar twinge in her chest went off-the one that she had never been able to quite define...absence of Logan, presence of regret or lonliness, or just memory? Or was it all of the above?
“Blond-dick-from-Yale walked away almost two years ago,” she deadpanned, feeling the sudden anger that sparked sometimes. It was never so bad anymore. She was reasonably sure she'd moved on. That didn't mean she didn't think about it all sometimes.
Her answer spurned a much longer pause than she'd gotten yet. “Oh. I'm sorry.”
He wasn't, but it didn't bother her. “It was a long time ago.” It did seem like that sometimes, but not always. Jess didn't need to know that, though.
They both fell silent again, until Rory cleared her throat and jumped back in. “Anyway, apparently you know about the wedding, since you're supposed to be the best men. I'm the maid of honor, and I guess I just figured the best man and maid of honor should at least be one speaking terms, seeing as by tradition the best man is the maid of honor's escort...”
“And all that jazz,” he finished dryly. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
Rory nodded out of habit, even though he couldn't see her. “Right. So are you coming to the wedding? Do we have a definite answer on that?”
“Yeah, I'm coming.”
She realized she was chewing her lip, and stopped. “Then...can we try it? The being-on-speaking-terms part?”
There was yet another long wait for an answer, but when it came Jess's voice had finally warmed. “Yeah. We can try it.”
“Good,” Rory answered, and tried to match his level of warmth without shooting over or falling under. It was progress, but still she could see that this phone idea wasn't working out so well. “Maybe the rest of this can wait until you get here...”
“Maybe it should,” he agreed.
“Okay.”
“I'm flying in next Saturday,” he supplied.
“Oh. Okay.” Two days before the wedding the following Monday.
“Right, so...see you then?”
“See you then,” she nodded.
“Bye, Rory.”
“Bye.”
The connection broke, and she was left staring at the phone in her hands, realizing that she hadn't even brought up the book.
Then again, maybe that wasn't really why she'd called, anyway.
Chapter 2
Rory decided to give herself a week to do absolutely nothing. She was going to enjoy being home, and a week seemed like a good interval of time in which to do it before worrying about job applications at all.
Her mother, however, didn't seem to like that idea.
“A week? Only a week?” Lorelai protested. She looped an arm through her daughter's as they walked back toward the house from Luke's. “You're away for almost two years and you're only going to give yourself a week to be lazy? Really, kid, after two years I think you deserve a longer break.”
“I will end up with a longer break than that. It'll take time to get my resumes sent out, get interviews and actually find a job. I just need to get started in about a week, that's all. I figure if I start then, I might start hearing back by after the wedding.”
Lorelai huffed a little. “Fine, but when you send out those resumes make sure you tell everyone that you can't start for at least a month, because you have to stay with your mommy for a while.”
Rory smiled a little. “I can't make any promises.”
“But you have to stay at least that long-maybe two months, or three or more if you want to make sure I won't secretly resent you for the rest of your life.”
“Oh, thanks for that.”
“You're welcome,” her mother replied cheerfully.
Rory laughed, slowing as they passed the bookstore. She extracted herself from Lorelai and backpedaled. “Hey, wait. It's been three days and I haven't been in here yet. We don't want Andrew to think I forgot about him, do we?”
She reached to pull the door open, but Lorelai snapped forward to hold it closed. “Uh, honey, about that...”
Rory looked at her strangely. “What? Andrew?”
“Well, no. Andrew's fine. It's the bookstore. Or...what's in the bookstore.”
“How would you know what's in the bookstore?”
“Hey, I read,” Lorelai answered in mock offense.
Rory crossed her arms. “Are you going to let me go in there or not?”
Her mother opened her mouth and closed it again, frowning a little. Finally she just moved. “Just don't say I didn't warn you.”
“Warn me? You haven't said anything yet.” Utterly confused, Rory brushed past her mother and hurried into Stars Hollow Books, wondering what on earth Lorelai had been trying to say.
At first nothing looked at different. All of the shelves and displays looked to be in exactly the same place, the only difference being the books on them. Most of them she'd seen in previous trips to bookstores back around Washington before getting here. After all, her job hadn't taken all of her time. She still had to have something to do for fun.
There was one book, however, she was certain she hadn't seen. It was on a small table in a corner, all but hidden behind a larger display from most angles, as if it wasn't quite sure it wanted to be there.
Rory started toward the lonely display curiously, and she sensed her mother on her heels.
“Yeah...that one.”
She glanced back in confusion, and picked up her pace to grab one of the books from the table as a sneaking suspicion nipped at her.
The suspicion was right.
“Jess,” she voiced, staring at the author's name emblazoned on the bottom of the front cover. “Jess wrote another book.” It was thicker than the first, and the cover design was a bit more professional-better looking. Not just colored type on a black background.
That first attempt had been more of a novella than a book, but this was definitely a novel. Rory flipped through it to check; 423 pages.
Wow.
She didn't remember the details of his first book. She'd read it, and remembered that no, it definitely hadn't been perfect, but it had been a fair attempt-not quite deserving of the critical view the author held, but then again weren't you always your own worst critic? She wondered if this sophomore effort was any better.
She wondered why she hadn't known about it.
“Why didn't somebody tell me?” she demanded, spinning to face her mother.
“Rory, I swear those books only came in last week, and I only knew they were in here because Luke told me about it. We weren't sure if Jess was going to tell you himself, or if we should, and then we were a little busy being happy about deciding to finally get married, so...”
Rory studied her for a moment, finally deciding that she was telling the truth; it was only innocent mis-communication, or non-communication. Whatever.
“Fine, I forgive you.” She held up the book. “But I'm buying this right this minute."
Lorelai snatched it away from her. “Oh, no you're not.”
“Mom!”
“I'm buying-and anything else you want in here today.”
Rory let out the breath she'd taken in preparation to complain. “Oh. You don't have to do that.”
“Hey, let me pamper my kid once in a while, will you?”
She grinned. “Don't worry; I won't go crazy.”
“Are you kidding? Go insane. I'm a business owner and I'm marrying another one. Go completely nuts.”
Rory just laughed and hugged her. “I love you, Mom.”
“What are you doing in there?” Rory called.
Lorelai adjusted what she was wearing, took a quick glance in the mirror and finally emerged from her bathroom.
“I'm showing you this; that's what I'm doing,” she grinned.
Rory, who had been sprawled across her mother's bed, popped up as her mouth dropped open. “That's your dress?”
“It sure is. You have no idea how glad I am I didn't get rid of it; it's perfect.”
“Oh my god, it is! It's amazing!” Rory slid off the bed and came to her side to circle her. “Oh my god,” she repeated. “I love this dress.”
“Say the word and I'll make sure not to damage it so I can save it for you.”
“Even if you did you could fix it; that's the advantage of having a mother who can sew anything.”
“That's true,” Lorelai bragged. “I guess that means I can have aaallll the fun I want.”
“I'm not so sure about that one.”
“Be positive and just tell me how pretty I am.”
Rory smirked and stopped in front of her. Her expression softened. “You look great, mom.”
Lorelai smiled, took her daughter's hands and tugged her over to the bed. “Come here; sit down,” she said, patting the rumpled comforter.
Rory plopped onto the edge and waited for her mother to sit down more carefully. “What is it?”
She didn't let go of Rory's hands as she grinned. “I just wanted to tell you something.”
“What?”
She took a breath. “I know you've always kind of wondered about me...worried, I guess. But you don't have to do that anymore. I know it's right this time, kid. I know it.”
An eyebrow went up. “I'd be thrilled if it was; I've always thought it was. But what do you mean you know?”
“Because I'm excited-and not like before. Not like when I thought I was going to marry Max, or when I said yes to your dad, or even after Luke said yes to me when we got engaged the first time. I don't think I've ever been more excited or nervous in my life, Rory. I've been trying this dress on way too much, whenever Luke's not around, or...well when you're asleep, since you got here, and...” She trailed off, not sure she could explain how she felt any more clearly than that.
Rory made a distinct 'that's-so-cute' noise. “Awwww....mom, you found the guy you want to try on your wedding dress every day for.”
“Maybe the one story my mother ever told that actually stuck,” Lorelai grinned. “Maybe it stuck too well. For a while there I almost considered buying long white gloves.”
Her daughter made a face. “Wow. You must have hung out with Grandma and Grandpa way too much while I was gone.”
“Only out of sheer lonliness, I swear.”
“Do we need to put you on Emily detox?”
She chuckled. “Believe me, I've considered that too.” They both laughed, and when they trailed off there was comfortable silence until Rory spoke up again.
“So this is it.”
Lorelai nodded firmly. “This is it.”
Rory sighed and pushed the book back into her purse before stepping irresolutely into Luke's Diner. Luke was passing with a couple of plates as she closed the door behind her.
“Hey, Luke.”
“Hey,” he clipped back.
“Where's Lane?”
“Took the day off so she and Zach could take Kwan and Steve somewhere, I think.
“Ah, yes, those godchildren of yours. How are they, anyway? I have yet to actually get over there to see them.”
Luke shrugged once he'd given out the orders. “Fine, as far as I know. Did you need something?”
“I'm not sure yet...”
He looked at her curiously for a brief second, shrugged again and went back to work. Caesar had just set out two more plates, but he stopped when he went to grab them and scowled at the one on the left.
“Caesear, what the hell is this?”
The pleasantly plump cook stuck his head out from the kitchen. “What?” He glanced down at the scorched egg on the plate. “Oh, oops. That one was supposed to go in the trash, not on a plate. I must have spaced out for a second.”
“Less spacing and more working, please. This is Saturday, not Christmas.” Luke snatched up the plate that was good to go and passed it over to the far end of the counter where the man who'd ordered it was sitting.
Smiling to herself and glad to be able to witness the amusement of Luke at work once again, Rory climbed onto the stool by the cash register and waited for him to have a moment free. He didn't seem to realize she'd settled there until he finally paused behind the counter.
“You're still here.”
“Yes I am.”
“Decided if you want anything yet?”
“Just coffee for now, thanks.”
Luke nodded, retrieved a mug, and poured her a full steaming cup. “Where's your mom?”
Rory took a sip, wincing at the heat before answering. “Still sleeping, actually-getting a head start on resting up for the honeymoon, I would guess.” She hadn't quite expected him to actually turn a little pink at that, but he did. He hid it well, but he did.
Luke in love. Completely, head-over-heels in love. Somehow even after all the time he'd been on-and-off with her mother, that was still a difficult concept to grasp.
It was a good one, though.
“Sure...” he trailed uncertainly.
She took another sip of coffee, slurping to keep from burning her tongue-that and the fact that she knew it drove Luke crazy, “Hey, where are you guys going on your honeymoon, anyway? My esteemed mother has yet to mention it.” Rory grinned. “I think she's too excited about the wedding itself to think about much else.”
Luke smiled warmly at that one-a rare sight on his face if one didn't know him. Well, even if you did, really. But that was just Luke.
“She's knows we're taking my boat somewhere, and we'll be gone for at least a couple of weeks. That's all you're going to know, too, because if I tell you anything else it'll get back to her.”
Rory gaped in mock horror. “Luke Danes, are you accusing me of being unable to keep a secret?”
“No, I'm just accusing you of being your mother's daughter.”
“Ah. Well, that I can live with,” she nodded. With her coffee finally cool enough, she gulped at it until Luke came back from delivering another two or three plates.
“You know, I finally got to go on that big boat trip with April last summer. It turned out pretty well, and I think we're going again this year. It'll probably be a lot shorter this time, but either way you're uh...welcome to come with us, you know, if you can...” he offered.
Rory blinked up at him. “With you and April?”
“Yeah, I mean...I'll be your step-dad, and April will be your step-sister, I guess, so if you wanted to get to know her better or anything...you could come. You don't have to, but it's there...”
She hadn't thought about that. April really would be her sister once this marriage was concrete, wouldn't she? By the time she'd gotten on good terms with her mother again her Junior year of Yale, things were already starting to unravel with Luke and the idea of their marriage had never been as real as it was now. She hadn't had time to think about the way it would affect her family.
Now it would be not two, not three, but four, in a way-almost five, if she could include Gigi. Maybe six, with Dad. It was all a little twisted and a lot confusing, and this wasn't even the South.
But Rory loved them all, and she knew she always would. Whatever the dynamics, they were all a permanent part of life now, no matter how united or not they might become.
“I'll definitely consider it,” she answered thoughtfully. Sailing was one semi-outdoor activity she didn't completely object to. After all, there was the whole stealing-a-yacht incident, wasn't there?
But she didn't want to remember that right now. They had succeeded in having it expunged from her record when the two years were up, and she was determined to leave it in the past-along with the rest of...Logan.
“Really?” Luke asked.
She nodded. “Of course. I mean, I have no idea where I'll be or what I'll be doing by June or July, but it sounds like a great idea. At the very least, maybe we could do a few days, anyway, even if I have a job by then.” She grimaced. “God, I hope I have a job by then.”
Luke leaned a little closer over the counter. “You'll be fine.” She smiled at him, and after a moment he motioned to the nearly empty mug of coffee. “More?”
“Please.”
He gave her a re-fill as she held the mug out to him. “So have you decided if you want anything else yet?”
Rory took a deep breath. “Actually, yes.”
“What can I get you?”
“Well...not food.”
Luke looked at her curiously, but it was taking her a little time to decide to really ask for what she wanted. After a few dead seconds he said, “If you're looking for some type of cliché response before you go on, you're not going to get it.”
She let out the breath. “I need Jess's number.”
Both eyebrows went up this time. “I see...why is that?”
Rory pulled the book out of her purse and dropped it almost ceremoniously on the counter between them. “He didn't tell me,” she explained shortly.
Luke stared at it for a moment. “Oh.” He almost winced. “Rory, listen, I promise I was gonna mention it if he still hadn't contacted you-"
“It's okay, Luke; I've been through this with Mom. I don't blame either of you for anything, I'm just...still a little hurt, I guess, that he didn't tell me. We hadn't talked in a year-and-a-half, and we'd parted pretty badly, and he still told me about the first book. He came in person to tell me about the first book.” She shrugged. “I guess it's time I at least talked to him.”
Luke nodded slowly. “Yeah...yeah, okay.” He pulled a notepad from beside the register closer, took his pen from his pocket and scribbled the number down. “Here.” He ripped it off and held it out, and Rory took it uncertainly, glancing at the Philadelphia area code.
“Thanks...”
“Good luck.”
Rory folded the small sheet of paper into the book, and replaced it all in her purse. “Thanks,” she repeated, more earnestly this time. She took a few gulps of the second cup of coffee and stood, digging for her wallet.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to pay you.” She glanced up and realized he was giving her the patented Luke Danes are-you-insane? look. “What?”
It took a few seconds. “Oh...right...marrying my mother...”
“Now you're catching on.”
Rory rolled her eyes at herself and turned for the door. “See you later, Luke. Thanks again.”
“Any time.”
As she left she heard him fall back into into boss mode, and she could just see him yelling through the kitchen door even though she didn't turn to see him do it.
“Caesar, where's the damn egg order you were supposed to fix!”
Rory almost started to call Jess while sprawled on her bed late that afternoon-well after Lorelai had left to go out with Luke-but something about it just didn't seem right anymore.
Lying there with the phone in her hands, about to call him...it was too familiar. It brought back too many memories. They were memories she didn't want, of lying there calling him, just enjoying his conversational company when she should have been paying attention to the wonderful boyfriend she'd actually had then.
So little time, too many undefined regrets.
So she moved to the living room, dropping onto the newer, stripped couch her mother and Luke had purchased during the upstairs remodel three or four years ago to prepare for the marriage and co-habitation that hadn't come to pass then.
She stared at the phone for a good two minutes before kicking herself-almost literally-for acting like the teenager she most certainly wasn't anymore (Right?), and dialed.
“Yeah?”
Rory almost jumped. “Uh, yeah. Hey...it's me.”
God, how much more lame could she get?
There was a pause before the answer came. “Rory?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I guess I should have clarified. I mean, it would have been awkward if you hadn't recognized my voice because of some strange distortion because of the phone connection. That happens a lot, even with today's technology.”
“I guess...”
“No, really. It would have been extremely awkward if you'd thought I was someone else-say, a girlfriend. If you have a girlfriend. Not that I'm saying you couldn't. You very well might, which is why I'm saying it could have been awkward-especially if it was the other way around, and it was your girlfriend, but you thought it was me and you'd said what you just did. That could have thrown things off right there. People need to learn to properly supply their name when they make a call. Many a relationship might be saved that way.”
Jess sighed on the other end of the line. “You haven't changed, have you?”
“I'd like to think I've become a little older, a little wiser...”
“Do you need something?” he quipped.
Rory scowled, not quite surprised that he wasn't going along with the attempt at witty banter, but still hurt nonetheless.
She let out a breath and stared at the couch cushions, absently picking at the edge of one of them. “Look...I'm sorry about what happened last time we saw each other. It was wrong to even entertain the thought of using you like that. I don't know what I was thinking; I was just angry at Logan, and...”
“You don't have to explain. I get it,” he answered with a little more feeling.
“I don't think you do yet. I really am sorry.”
Another pause. “I believe you,” he said finally.
Rory waited a moment before asking the next question. “Then do you forgive me?”
“I don't know yet.”
“I guess that's fair.”
“How's blond-dick-from-Yale these days, anyway?” Jess asked suddenly.
The familiar twinge in her chest went off-the one that she had never been able to quite define...absence of Logan, presence of regret or lonliness, or just memory? Or was it all of the above?
“Blond-dick-from-Yale walked away almost two years ago,” she deadpanned, feeling the sudden anger that sparked sometimes. It was never so bad anymore. She was reasonably sure she'd moved on. That didn't mean she didn't think about it all sometimes.
Her answer spurned a much longer pause than she'd gotten yet. “Oh. I'm sorry.”
He wasn't, but it didn't bother her. “It was a long time ago.” It did seem like that sometimes, but not always. Jess didn't need to know that, though.
They both fell silent again, until Rory cleared her throat and jumped back in. “Anyway, apparently you know about the wedding, since you're supposed to be the best men. I'm the maid of honor, and I guess I just figured the best man and maid of honor should at least be one speaking terms, seeing as by tradition the best man is the maid of honor's escort...”
“And all that jazz,” he finished dryly. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
Rory nodded out of habit, even though he couldn't see her. “Right. So are you coming to the wedding? Do we have a definite answer on that?”
“Yeah, I'm coming.”
She realized she was chewing her lip, and stopped. “Then...can we try it? The being-on-speaking-terms part?”
There was yet another long wait for an answer, but when it came Jess's voice had finally warmed. “Yeah. We can try it.”
“Good,” Rory answered, and tried to match his level of warmth without shooting over or falling under. It was progress, but still she could see that this phone idea wasn't working out so well. “Maybe the rest of this can wait until you get here...”
“Maybe it should,” he agreed.
“Okay.”
“I'm flying in next Saturday,” he supplied.
“Oh. Okay.” Two days before the wedding the following Monday.
“Right, so...see you then?”
“See you then,” she nodded.
“Bye, Rory.”
“Bye.”
The connection broke, and she was left staring at the phone in her hands, realizing that she hadn't even brought up the book.
Then again, maybe that wasn't really why she'd called, anyway.