Chapter Twenty-One

"So the manager of the store I was in today called while you were gone," Jess told her once they were in the room. "I guess the owner wasn't as big of a fan as they were."

"Oh no," Rory frowned. "So they're saying no?"

"They're saying no," Jess confirmed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jess shrugged. "Not everyone can love me."

"Well, I do," Rory kissed his cheek. "If that makes you feel any better."

"It would if you weren't all talk," Jess smirked.

"You wanna go there, Mariano?" Rory glared at him.

"Absolutely."

Rory rolled her eyes and went to walk away, before turning and jumping on him, propelling them both back onto the bed.

"That enough action for you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Not even close," he kissed her.

Later that night, just as they were on their way out to get some dinner, Jess got a call from the store he was supposed to be meeting with the next day to say that, due to internal issues, they wouldn't be able to meet with him.

"We're just not in a position to pick up any new authors right now," the girl on the phone explained. Jess thought that this was total bullshit, but he wasn't going to call them on it. Instead, he thanked them for their time and asked that someone call him if they changed their minds, then ranted to Rory for twenty minutes.

"They obviously just don't want to question the other store owner! God, I wish people weren't so scared to piss off other store owners!"

"Babe, I'm really sorry," Rory tried to comfort him. "It's their loss."

"It's my loss too!" he cried. "Those are the only stores in town I could get a meeting with."

"Jess, there are other stores. Tons of them, in fact, that either already have your book, or want to sell it. Who cares what a bunch of Boston pricks have to say about it?"

"I do!"

"Why?" Rory challenged.

"I don't know!" Jess yelled, then dropped into a chair. "I don't know."

Rory sighed and straddled his legs, taking his head in her hands.

"You're annoyed that they're not even giving you a chance," she explained. "And like I said, that's their loss. Who cares what these idiots think? There are tons of other people across the country that think your book is amazing."

"I guess," Jess sighed.

"I know," Rory assured him. "I know everything, remember? Just take my word for it."

Jess chuckled and tightened his hold on her waist.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled. "Now, how about we go get some food. The fact that you're hungry probably isn't helping your mood."

"Probably not," he agreed. "Let's go."

The next morning, they decided to check out and head to Maine early. The hotel they had found to stay in while they were in Portland was the one Rory was most excited for. The Press Hotel was located in the old Portland Herald newspaper offices, and the building was themed around 1920's journalism. When she had found the hotel, Rory had been worried that it would be too expensive for them, but by some act of God she had found a deal that even her 'Spork City' mother would have approved of.

Her excitement, while endearing, was driving Jess insane, however, as it caused her to ask how much longer it would take them to get there every five minutes.

"Rory, I love you, but so help me if you don't stop asking, I'm pulling off the freeway and taking the scenic route!" Jess finally threatened as they entered the second hour of driving.

Portland was usually less than a two hour drive from Boston, but they had had the unfortunate luck of hitting bumper to bumper traffic. They had just barely crossed the state line, and knowing that Jess would be true to his word if she pushed him far enough, Rory clamped her mouth shut and tried to focus on the manuscript she had started editing the day before. Unfortunately, as thrilling as it had been when she was avoiding lunch with her father, it lost it's punch compared to her excitement to get to their hotel and after twenty minutes of reading the same paragraph she gave up and moved on to fiddling with the radio.

When they finally pulled up in front of the hotel, Rory was practically vibrating with excitement.

"We're here! We're here!" She squealed and smacked Jess' arm.

"Geez! I'm trying to drive here!"

"Look how beautiful it is!" Rory ignored him.

Jess rolled his eyes and parked in front of the lobby.

"Valet parking?" He frowned at his girlfriend. "How very Rockefeller."

"You know what, mock away, there is absolutely no way you can ruin my good mood," Rory shook her head at him. "I am Charlie Bucket, and this is Willy Wonka's factory."

"Whatever you say," Jess shook his head and got out of the car, chatting with the valet and getting their bags while Rory went and checked them in.

She didn't stop gushing about the hotel until Jess tackled her onto the bed and covered her face with a pillow.

"Rory, I love you, but you're driving me insane!"

She mumbled something and Jess pulled the pillow away.

"What was that?"

"I said, you're a killjoy," Rory frowned at him. "How can you not be excited about this place?!"

"There's a difference between excited, and talking so fast that no human can understand what you're saying."

"Not when you're a Gilmore, there isn't!"

"I must have skipped that part of the owner's manual."

"Owner's manual?" Rory challenged.

"Just a figure of speech," Jess tried to save himself from some sort of feminist manifesto.

"Uh huh," she pursed her lips.

"Have I told you how great you are in the last five minutes?"

"You are walking on very thin ice, Mister," Rory snarled.

"I love you," Jess gave her a nervous smile.

Rory bit her lip and snorted back a laugh. "You're adorable when you're afraid of me."

"I'm glad you think so. Are you hungry?"

"Starved," she nodded.

"Let's go get some food and stake out the town," Jess got up and offered her a hand.

They stopped at a coffee shop for a light lunch, then wandered around town until they stumbled upon a used bookstore.

"Yes Books," Rory mused, looking at the sign. "Want to check it out?"

"I have yet to walk past a used bookstore without going in," Jess shrugged. "And the last time I checked, your track record wasn't any better."

Rory grinned at him and bolted for the door, then stopped in her tracks when she got a look inside.

"Oh my God!" She gasped. "It's nirvana."

"Happy you think so," a young girl with short pink hair who was sitting at the desk laughed. "Can I help you find anything in particular?"

"No," Jess smiled. "We'll just spend the rest of the day browsing, thanks."

"Have fun."

"We will," Rory assured her as she made her way to the back of the store.

"See you in a few hours," Jess gave her a joking salute and made his way to the other side of the store. When they met in the middle a few hours later, both were toting stacks of books that could have been used to help a body builder get in shape.

"How are we going to get these home?" Jess laughed.

"There's an entire backseat that we're not using," Rory frowned at him.

"Valid point. Time for a coffee break yet?"

"Then we switch sides?"

"That's the idea," Jess nodded.

"Wonderful," Rory beamed.

They made their way to the counter and paid for their books, promising to return a few minutes later.

"Can we bring you a coffee?" Rory asked the pink-haired girl. "You've been here longer than we have."

"You're sweet," she smiled. "But I'm good."

"If you're sure," Rory shrugged. "Let's go, Mariano, I'm starting to go through withdrawal."

"You have a problem," Jess shook his head.

"I don't have a problem, I'm just committed," Rory reasoned.

Jess looked at the shop girl and rolled his eyes, making her giggle.

"Stop flirting and caffeinate me," Rory complained. "Come on!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Jess threw an arm over her shoulders and guided her to the door. "Geez, we really need to work on your patience."

"Patience is for quitters."

They dashed into the coffee shop across the street and picked up a couple cookies and three coffees, then put their first set of purchases in Jess's car and went back inside.

"Here," Rory presented a take-out cup to the girl at the desk when they returned. "You don't have to take it if you really don't want it, though."

"Thank you," she smiled brightly and accepted the cup. "Um, I don't mean to pry, but I heard you call him 'Mariano' before..."

"Yeah," Rory nodded.

"You wouldn't happen to be Jess Mariano, would you?" She looked at Jess nervously. "The author?"

"That's me," Jess sucked his teeth and nodded, then turned to look at a stack of books a few feet away.

"Seriously?" She looked over at Rory for confirmation.

"Seriously," Rory nodded.

"I love your book!" She started rummaging under the desk and pulled out a battered copy of The Subsect. "It's my favourite! I used it for my English final. I'm, like, your biggest fan!"

"That is a very loved book," Rory nodded appreciatively. "Do you mind if I-" she motioned to the book and the girl passed it over eagerly. "I'm Rory, by the way."

"Amy," the other girl offered.

"Nice to meet you, this is Jess, obviously," Rory glared at her boyfriend. "Stop skulking."

"I'm not skulking!" He argued.

"How's that plan to catch Danny Phantom going?" Rory mocked, then looked back at the book in her hands. "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you loved this."

"Yeah, I'm kind of a 'notes in the margin' person, sorry."

"Don't apologize!" Rory shook her head adamantly. "We are too. We're next level 'note in the margin' people."

"It's how I got her to go out with me," Jess offered.

"No it isn't," Rory shook her head. "Now come here and sign this book before Amy's head explodes."

"Oh, no, you don't-" Amy stuttered and shook her head rapidly.

"Yes he does," Rory waved her off. "What's the point of meeting the author of your favourite book if he doesn't sign it?"

"Don't argue with her, it's not worth it," Jess shook his head and took the book from her.

"I'm glad you finally understand that," Rory smiled at him.

Jess signed the book and handed it back.

"Thank you so much!" Amy gushed. "This is just so amazing!"

Jess nodded awkwardly and looked at his shoes, making Rory laugh.

"He's really good at the whole brooding artist thing," she explained. "He hasn't got the talking to people thing quite down yet, we're working on it."

"Ha ha ha," Jess rolled his eyes at her. "I'm going to go look for more books while you gossip about me."

Rory snickered and stuck her tongue out at him.

"So, you're his girlfriend?" Amy asked her.

"Yeah, sorry," Rory smiled and wrinkled her nose. "I'm gonna go browse some more. You should go follow him around the store and pester him with questions."

"I can't think of any," Amy frowned.

"Well we'll be here until you close, so if you do, I absolutely recommend the following and pestering." Rory grinned at her one more time, then disappeared into the stacks of books.

It took them until six o'clock to make it all the way through the store, but by the time they made their way back to the counter, Jess and Rory were both in fantastic moods.

"Wow, you guys really like books," Amy observed.

"It's more of an obsession, really," Jess nodded.

"Would you stop saying that?" Rory smacked him. "We're not obsessed, we're committed."

"You should be committed," Jess rolled his eyes.

"Well then," Rory huffed and turned back to Amy. "Do you see what I have to put up with?"

Amy smiled and continued scanning their purchases.

"So, I have to ask," Jess frowned at her. "How did you get my book? I didn't think there were any stores around here that carried it."

"It ended up in here, actually," Amy waved around the store. "I found it in a pile of donations and just kind of fell in love."

"Look at that, you're crossing state lines without even putting in effort," Rory smiled at her boyfriend.

"Are you working on anything new?" Amy asked nervously.

"Actually, that's what we're doing here," Jess nodded. "I'm promoting my new book, trying to get it into some new stores."

"You're trying to get it into Longfellow?" Amy asked eagerly.

"Hoping to," Jess nodded.

"That would be so amazing! I can't wait to buy a copy!"

"Well now I know that at least one person will buy it," Jess laughed. "Thanks."

Rory paid for the books, after a very lively argument with Jess about it, and they bid Amy goodnight.

"It was so amazing to meet you," Amy shook both their hands.

"You too," Rory beamed at her.

Jess nodded in agreement and took one of the piles from Rory.

"Maybe we'll see you around," he offered.

"That would be amazing," Amy grinned.

"She was adorable," Rory smiled at Jess once they were outside.

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Come on," she poked him. "She was in love with you, and she's in love with your book. That girl, is the kind of girl that you always wanted for a fan. Admit it."

"It was pretty cool."

"You're going soft."

"You're a bad influence."

"You know what you should do before we leave?" Rory asked once they were in the car.

"What?"

"You should take her a proof-copy of your new book! It would make her so happy."

"Maybe."

"Come on!" she poked him again.

"Okay," he relented. "Before we go, I'll take her a proof-copy."

"And sign it."

"And sign it," Jess agreed.

"You are going to make that girl's year, you know that?" Rory beamed at him. "And on top of that, I think it's adorable how flustered you got when she told you she loved The Subsect."

"Adorable? Like a puppy?" Jess frowned.

"Exactly like a puppy," she said sarcastically. "Fame looks good on you. And it was so sweet how happy you made her."

"So that's why you stick around," Jess nodded understandingly. "You're just in it for the fame."

"Yep, that's it," Rory nodded. "You've uncovered my master plan. Now what?"

"I'll let you stick around until you find someone better."

"That's so nice of you," she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I'm just a giving kind of person," he shrugged. "What do you want for dinner?"

"God, I forgot how late it was!" Rory looked at the clock and suddenly realized how hungry she was. "I have no idea. I'm just hungry."

"Got it," Jess nodded and steered towards the nearest restaurant.