WHAT?! I started a new story and didn't finish Time Won't Let Me Go?! Don't worry, I'm going to finish it. In fact, it will be updated soon.
I just got this story in my head, and I couldn't stop writing it. It's actually completely finished. I'll update once a week for the next eight weeks. I think it's eight, but it could be seven... or nine. I don't remember right now. I really hope you like it and I hope you review! I'm kind of excited about this story. I loved writing it.
Jess had come to this wedding as a favor. He was wearing a suit, with his Converse, but still a suit, he had tamed his hair, even got it cut, he was wearing a tie, and there was nothing in it for him. He was just there as a favor to a friend. He hated weddings, he hated ties, but he had made friends with one of his authors and she needed a date to an old friend's wedding. He had nothing better to do on his Saturday night, and she begged, so he agreed and now he was miserable. The wedding hadn't even started, but he could already tell it was going to be a long night.
He was leaning against the wall in the back of the hall, watching the other guests find their seats and check their cameras to make sure they didn't miss a thing. All he was thinking was why did I agree to this?He didn't know anyone except for his date and he hadn't seen her since they got there. "Hey!" She said, sneaking up behind him. "I'm sorry I left you hanging."
"Don't worry," he told her, smiling. "You're busy. I'll be fine."
"Okay," she said and he could hear the doubt in her voice. "I should go back, but I wanted to check on you."
"Caroline, go," he insisted. "I'm fine."
"Good," she said, hugging him quickly. "Go find a seat. I'll catch up with you in a bit."
Jess looked back out at the seats and they were filling quickly. As his eyes traveled across the room, he was struck by the profile of a very familiar face.
"What just happened?" Caroline asked him and he could hear the amusement in her voice.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, tearing his eyes away.
"Your face just lit up and fell at the exact same time," she explained. "I don't how one does that, but you just did."
"I'm fine," he insisted. "I'll see you in a little while."
"If you insist," she sang before smiling and leaving.
Jess straightened his tie and jacket, stood up straight, and took a long, slow breath before walking toward the front of the room and that face. When he got to the row, he sat a few seats away and faced forward. From his position he could see her looking around the room until her eyes landed on him. He was already smirking, but he saw her face light up and fall at the same time. He knew what Caroline had seen just a minute or so earlier. She shook the look off her face as he turned to look at her and she smiled shyly.
"I tried avoiding this," she said quietly and he shrugged. "When I found out where I was going, I planned it all out in my head."
"You don't need to avoid me," he told her. "Who are you here with?"
"Just some guy," she told him and his eyebrows rose. "Just a fourth date at his sister's wedding."
"Ah," he nodded in understanding.
"Who are you here with?" She asked and then her face fell in a sudden realization. "Oh my god. This isn't your wedding is it? I mean, it could be for all I know. I don't know anyone here. Oh my god."
"Rory," he said, laughing. "So what if it is?"
"Is it or isn't it?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"You haven't answered mine!" she whisper-yelled. "I don't want to be at your wedding."
"Huh," he said, sitting back.
"Would you want to be at mine?" She asked with a sharp look and his face fell.
"That's a fair point," he conceded. She stared at him, still waiting for an answer. "Rory, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you if this were my wedding. Luke, my mom, they'd probably be here. You'd know about it. My date is in the wedding."
She let out a long breath and he watched her carefully. "Mine too," she said and moved to sit next him. "Anyway, how are you?"
"I'm great," he told her sarcastically. "How are you?"
"Busy," she said. "I'm working, back in school, and planning Mom and Luke's wedding. Shoot me."
"It's going to be quite the affair, I hear," he said and she nodded, smiling simply at the thought.
All of a sudden, people started to quiet as the minister took his spot at the makeshift altar. The groom was walked to the front by his parents, followed by the groomsmen and bridesmaids. As the second to last pairing walked down the aisle, they both smiled and waved in Rory and Jess's direction. "Small world," he whispered, looking at Rory who was close to laughing at the coincidence.
As they watched the ceremony, Jess couldn't help peeking over at Rory every so often. Once, he found her looking back at him and she smiled shyly at being caught. When the ceremony was over, the guests were ushered to the adjacent ballroom for the reception and he caught up with Rory on the way.
"What table are you sitting at?" He asked when they reached the table full of place cards.
"Three," she answered, picking it up. "You?"
He just smirked and showed her his card, emblazoned with the number three on it. "Shall we?" She smiled, shrugged and followed him to the table. Her date had sat down already, but stood when he saw her.
"Rory," he said, smiling. "I wanted to catch up with you before I got suckered in to standing for pictures."
"Hi, Greg," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "You looked really great up there."
"Thanks," he smiled.
Jess sat down at the table, watching their conversation. It wasn't an awkward one, but you could tell they had only just started seeing each other. And for some reason, he hated this Greg guy already. And he knew he had no right to.
"I'll see you in a little while," Greg said to Rory and she smiled and nodded. She sat down next to Jess and folded her hands in her lap.
"Sorry if this is weird for you," she said and he just stared at her. She turned to look at him and continued talking. "It's weird for me, so I imagine it's weird for you. Who knows, though? You may be feeling completely normal sitting next to me at a wedding. I don't know how you think."
"Yes, you do," he said and she smiled. She knew him better than most anyone and he knew that. "This is extremely weird," he said finally. "But it's not your fault."
"I won't make it weird once your girlfriend gets here," she said as a couple sat down across from them. She smiled politely toward them, but turned back to Jess quickly. "I'll pretend I don't even know you," she whispered.
"That won't be necessary," he whispered back before taking a sip of his water that sat on the table in front of him. He watched as Rory did the same with her glass.
"I don't want to make her uncomfortable," she told him and he just shook his head. "Jess."
"Rory," he said, putting his glass down again before lowering his voice. "She's not my girlfriend. She won't be uncomfortable."
"Well, if she asked you to a close friend's wedding, she must like you," she said matter-of-factly and he shook his head again.
"I assure you," he started. "That is not the case. But, I will pretend not to know you so as not to upset your new boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend," she reminded him. "And you do not need to that. You're just an old friend."
"If I recall correctly, the last time you tried that line, it didn't play out so well," he told her with a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Yes, well," she said, letting out a breath, "Greg is not Logan. And you are an old friend."
"You could always introduce me as your mom's fiancé's nephew," he told her and she shook her head, face contorted in a manner that caused Jess to laugh quietly. "Too much?"
"Confusing," she agreed. All of a sudden, the beautiful blonde that walked down the aisle with Greg sat on the other side of Jess. Both Rory and Jess smiled at her before Rory turned back to her place setting.
"I'm so sorry," she said, chugging back half of her water. "The picture portion of the evening is over. But, I'm sure I'll be summoned back for something else."
"The perils of being a bridesmaid," Jess said and Caroline nodded, sitting back in her chair.
"I'm Caroline," she said directed at Rory, behind Jess's back and he moved closer to the table, giving them room to talk.
"I'm Rory," she said, offering her hand for Caroline to shake which she did. "I came with Greg. You look amazing, by the way."
"Wow, thank you," Caroline smiled. "Greg's a really great guy. Do you work with him?"
"Yes," Rory smiled. "I teach English."
"Oh, that's so cool," Caroline said. "If I didn't write, I'd be a teacher. I'd have to get some intellect somewhere."
"You're a writer?" Rory asked, glancing quickly at Jess who was clearly listening, but not getting involved.
"Yeah," she smiled. "Jess is my editor. He's here as a favor to me."
"Well, that's sweet of him," Rory said, smiling.
"Rory and I are actually old friends," Jess interrupted and they both gathered closer to the table to include him. "Her mom is marrying my uncle in a few months."
"Wow, what a small world!" Caroline laughed.
"You could say that again," Rory laughed as Greg joined them at the table. "Greg, this is Jess. He's an old friend from my high school days."
"Oh, hey," Greg said, reaching across the table to shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Do you know my sister or brother-in-law?"
"Neither, actually. I just came with Caroline," he explained.
The three of them continued talking while Jess sat back and listened to them. Never one for small talk, but he smiled or nodded when necessary and answered any question that was asked. He wasn't being rude or standoffish. He was being Jess. They quieted when the bride and groom entered for the first dance, but jumped right back into a conversation while others stood to dance along with them. He watched the mother of the bride as she strode over to the table, stopping to greet guests along the way, as she finally stopped behind Greg.
"Sweetie, would you and Caroline mind coming with me before dinner is served?" She asked before looking down at Rory. "I'm Sheila, Greg's mother. You must be Rory."
"Yes, ma'am," Rory smiled. "The wedding was beautiful. It gave me a ton of ideas for my mother's wedding in a few months."
"I kept everything from the planning stages," Sheila said. "I'll give it to Greg to give to you if you'd like."
"That would be fantastic," Rory said, smiling again. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," Sheila said. "Greg, Caroline?"
Both Greg and Caroline stood from the table and followed Sheila to the back of the room where more pictures were being taken. Jess and Rory watched them and turned back to look at each other.
"You're awfully quiet," she said and he stared blankly at her.
"Are you surprised by that?" He asked and she shrugged.
"No, I guess I'm not," she finally said. "What do you think of Greg?"
"I don't want to have this conversation, Rory," he answered quickly.
"Come on," she pushed. "I don't know how I feel about him. I need perspective."
"From your ex-boyfriend?" He asked incredulously and she shrugged and then shook her head.
"You're right," she said. "I'm sorry. I should have known better."
"Whatever," he said, looking at her. "It's fine."
"Are you sure Caroline doesn't have feelings for you?" She asked suddenly, watching the wedding party in the back. "She really seems to like you. Do you have a history, at least? Like, have you slept with her?"
"Rory," he said, louder than necessary. "I don't want to talk about that with you, either. But, no I haven't. Have you? Because you're probably more her type."
"Oh," she said, realization dawning on her. "I gotcha."
"Why would you ever ask me if I've slept with her?" Jess asked, letting out a deep chuckle. "Have you become socially inept since we last spoke?"
"It was just a question," she said, waving him off. "Calm down. I don't care who you've slept with."
"Really?" He asked and she nodded. "So, let's talk about it. What, do you want the general number? Or each individual girl's name?"
"Jess," Rory said, putting her hand up to stop.
"No, you want to talk," he said, smirking an evil smirk. "Let's talk."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore," she told him, defeated. "I don't want to know who you've slept with. I apologize."
"Jeez, Rory," he said. "I'm not just some guy you were forced to sit next to at a wedding. We have history."
"Speaking of history and sex," she said, quietly, turning toward him and he laid his head in his open hands, exhausted. "The weird thing is, we never had it. Why do we care so much?"
His head sprang up again, eyes dark as he looked at her. "For the love of God, Rory," he whispered. "What has happened to you? You used to be able to carry on a conversation."
"I'm just curious, Jess," she said. "I'm just saying that since we never did it, it shouldn't matter to us who the other hasslept with."
"But it does, Rory," he said, harshly. "It does matter."
"Fine," she said, turning back toward the table. They sat in silence until Caroline and Greg joined them back at the table.
"Dinner's about to be served," Greg announced and Rory smiled at him. Jess smiled curtly and looked down at the table. "Caroline, your dad looks great. How's he doing after the heart attack?"
"It's like it never happened," she answered, smiling. "He rebounded really well, thankfully."
"Your family's here?" Rory asked and Caroline nodded and smiled.
"Our families have been friends forever," Greg explained. "Caroline and my sister were inseparable through high school."
"It's true," she smiled. "We're basically one big family."
"That is so sweet," Rory commented.
"I'm going to go get a drink," Jess announced suddenly. "Anybody want anything?"
"No thanks," they said in unison and he got up to leave.
"He's never been one for big gatherings," Rory noted casually.
"It took a while to get him to agree to come with me," Caroline laughed. "My original date didn't pan out, so I was stuck for a bit."
"Oh, he'll fight you on it," Rory said. "But he'll do just about anything for a friend."
"He seems like a good guy," Greg said. Rory nodded as Jess sat back down between her and Caroline.
They ate their dinner throughout a lively discussion. When the conversation turned to Luke and Lorelai's impending wedding, Rory went on and on. Jess could tell that she had really done a lot of work for them and she was proud of it.
"Did Luke ask you yet?" She asked, causing Greg to look on confused. "To be his best man," she explained. "Jess is Luke's nephew." Greg nodded waiting for Jess's response.
"He called me last week," he answered. "I told him I wouldn't make a speech."
"Jess," Caroline started. "You have to make a speech. You're the best man!"
"You have to, Jess," Rory said. "If I have to, you have to. You're a writer; I'm sure you can think of something."
"I hate public speaking," he said. "I don't like being a spectacle."
"Neither do I," Rory told him. "We have to do it, though. It's Luke and my mom. We have to."
"Fine," he said, smiling softly at Rory. "If I have to."
"You do," she said with finality, but she was wearing her brightest smile. Jess noticed a familiar look on Greg's face as he looked from Jess to Rory and then back to his food. The four of them sat in relative silence throughout dinner, but once the cake was cut, served, and eaten, they all got up to dance.
Jess hated dancing, but it was part of the job when you agree to be a wedding date. He and Caroline dance through a few songs before her father cut in and Jess gratefully gave up his position. He sat down at the table after getting another Jack and Coke and watched her dance with each member of her and Greg's family. He saw Rory dancing with Greg's dad, her head thrown back in laughter and he couldn't help but smile and stare. Once she finished, she caught his eye and smiled before walking over to the table to sit with him.
"Being a date to wedding when your date is in the wedding is not all that fun," she said, sitting down. "He's schmoozing with everyone and I don't know anyone."
"His dad seemed to like you," he said, smiling. Rory smiled, took the drink from his hand and threw back a sip. "That was rude."
"Thank you," she said, placing it back in his open palm.
"Do you want to dance?" He asked, suddenly and she her eyes widened in surprise. "What?"
"I didn't think you danced," she said.
"Well, for you..." he said and she smiled, standing up.
"Don't try and charm me," she said and he stood with her, offering his arm. "I already saw you out there with Caroline. I was simply saying it surprised me. You never seemed like a dancer."
"Hey," he said, reaching for her hand and holding her to him as a new song began. "I can sway with the best of them."
She just smiled in return, put her hand on his shoulder and let him lead. They danced in silence through an entire song; Jess's hand remained on her lower back while his other was intertwined with hers. Every once in a while, he would look down at her, and each time he did she was looking up at him with a soft smile. When the first song ended, he went to let go of her, but she held his hand tighter and he continued to hold her. She stepped closer to him during the much slower second song, and he adjusted his stance as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"We should have gone to prom," she said quietly and he let out a long breath. "We're pretty good at this."
Thankfully he could hear amusement in her voice, so he didn't defend himself or apologize. He continued to hold her and he could feel her heart beating. When the song ended, she pulled away, smiled at him and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Thanks," she said before walking away. He stood alone on the dance floor and watched her stop at the table to grab her purse. She got lost in the shuffle and he couldn't find her after that. On his way back to the table, Caroline stopped him.
"Come meet my family," she said, smiling. "They want to meet one of the men who made my dreams come true." He agreed happily and was taken to the next table full of more beautiful blondes.
Caroline's family thanked him over and over for believing in her and her talents. They thanked him for editing and publishing her book. They thanked him for accompanying her on her book tour and taking care of her along the way. They thanked him for being her date and spending time with them. He had never been thanked so many times. The crazy thing was, though, that they didn't need to thank him. He had been happy to do all of the things they thanked him for. Caroline and he became friends very quickly upon meeting and she had been there for him when he needed someone who wasn't his roommates.
He was sitting at a table with Caroline's parents and two older brothers. They had moved on from thanking him to talking about one of Caroline's nephews. Jess had no input on the subject, but made an effort to look interested. It had been about an hour since he and Rory finished dancing and he hadn't seen her or Greg since. That is, until she walked up from behind him and knelt down next to him to whisper in his ear.
"Meet me in the lobby in five minutes," she said, and he turned to look at her, confusion etched across his face. "Please? Trust me?"
"I think we're leaving soon," he told her.
"We are, too," she said. "We just said goodbye to his family and Greg is saying goodbye to everyone else and then grabbing our coats. Before we leave, though, I need to show you something. Please Jess."
He looked at his watch and back at Caroline who had been listening. She nodded with a smile and turned back to her family. "Okay," he said. "I'll see you in five minutes."
"Thank you," Rory said, delighted. She stood up and turned her attention to Caroline. "It was really nice to meet you. Take care of him."
"It was my pleasure, Rory," Caroline said before standing up to hug her. "Have a safe drive back to Connecticut."
"Thank you," she said before turning around and walking away. Jess watched her leave the ballroom before turning back to the table.
"What do you think that's about?" Caroline asked him and he shrugged. "She seemed pretty determined."
"She's always determined," he told her. She smiled, laid her hand on his shoulder and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"Go see what it is," she told him. "And then tell me all about it later."
"Of course," he said, standing up. He straightened his tie and jacket and went out the ballroom the same way he watched Rory do minutes earlier. He found her in the lobby, standing at a small table filled with flowers. Her back was toward him so he couldn't see what she was doing, but he watched her for a minute and it was like she could feel his stare. She turned to look at him, smiling brightly.
"What are you up to?" He asked carefully, watching her and her smile grew.
"Come here," she said and he obeyed, walking closer. She turned away from him to pick something from the table up. When she turned around he noticed the piece of wedding cake with a single candle sticking up. "Happy birthday," she whispered and his eyes found hers. He felt himself smile and walked even closer to her.
"Where did you get that candle?" He asked, laughter lacing his voice.
"I, uh, asked around the staff," she answered. "But it's after midnight and it's officially your birthday, so it was worth it. Make a wish and blow it out before it ruins the cake, though."
He looked at her and then down at the cake before silently making a wish and blowing out the candle. "Thank you," he said. She put the cake down on the table and hugged him tightly, arms wrapped around his neck. He hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek before pulling away.
"I'm really glad I couldn't avoid you," she told him and he laughed. "This was so weird and crazy, but I'm glad I ran into you."
"Me too," he told her. "And in just a few months we'll be at another wedding, walking down the aisle together."
"That makes it sound like we're getting married," she laughed and he smiled with a shrug. "Have a good birthday."
"I will now," he told her and he walked a step closer to her. He was inches from her face and he could feel her breath on his own. "This was unnecessarily sweet. Thank you."
"You were mad at my lack of social skills earlier," she told him and he could hear how fast she was breathing. "I had to make up for that, I guess."
"No you didn't," he told her. He heard her swallow as he was watching her lips try and fail to form words multiple times. "Rory, what's wrong?"
"You're standing really close to me and talking directly to my lips," she answered and he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. "What's wrong with you?" She asked with a nervous laugh.
"I'm standing really close to you and talking directly to your lips," he answered before closing the small gap between them and kissed her tantalizingly slow. He lingered on her bottom lip before pulling away and running his hand through his hair. "I was not expecting to do that, though."
"Funny," she said, with a humorless laugh. "I was hoping you'd do that."
He reacted by looking up from the ground and finding her looking right back at him.
"That was a stupid thing to do," he told her and she nodded hastily. "You're here with another guy at his sister's wedding and I don't want to go down this road again."
"You're right," she said. "It was stupid. But you kissed me."
"You weren't exactly pushing me away, Rory," he laughed and she followed suit. "But we agree; this was a stupid mistake."
"Never to happen again," she said and he nodded. They heard the door of the ballroom open and fall shut and they turned to see both Caroline and Greg looking at them. "Hey, guys. Ready Greg?"
"Yeah," he answered. "I've got your coat right here. What's going on?"
Rory smiled and retrieved her coat before answering. "Well, it is officially Jess's birthday, so I wanted to start if off right."
"Happy birthday, man," Greg said, grabbing Rory's hand possessively. "We should go. We have a long drive ahead of us. Bye Jess, bye Caroline."
"Bye," they said in unison. Rory waved and smiled as she let Greg lead her out of the hotel.
"Happy birthday," Caroline said quietly. Jess nodded, still watching the door Rory and Greg had just exited. "Was your wish to make out with another man's date?"
He closed his eyes, as if that would erase the last five minutes. When he opened them, Caroline was still looking at him, but he was pleased to see she was smiling.
"Rory and I were more than friends," he told her and she nodded, as if she already knew. He was sure that she did, they hadn't hid it very well. "But this was a mistake. I shouldn't have kissed her."
"It's your birthday," Caroline said with a smile. "You get a free pass today." Jess smiled and put his arm around Caroline's shoulders.
"Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded, put her arm across his back, and they left the hotel for the short walk to her house and the final stretch to his.