Chapter 36

After rushing Jess through his breakfast at the diner down the street, Rory spent the rest of the day ordering everyone around the store, arguing with performers and caterers on the phone and running across the entire city picking things up for the next day.

"Everything looks great!" Jess reassured for what felt like the fiftieth time that night when they had moved all the desks out of the store and into the storage room.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should put the books over there."

"NO!" Matt and Chris cried, exhausted from moving the tables back and forth for the last hour.

"It looks great where it is," Jess assured her. "It's perfect. We never would have been able to do it without you and tomorrow is going to be great."

"You're just saying that to make me stop," Rory frowned.

"No," Jess lied. "I'm saying it because it's true."

Matt and Chris nodded emphatically, but Rory looked at Cynthia.

"What do you think?"

"I'm actually with Jess on this one," Cynthia assured her. "It looks great."

"Okay," Rory finally sighed.

"Seriously!?" Jess cried. "You believe her over your own boyfriend?"

"Yes. Who wants a drink?"

"ME!" Chris practically vaulted over his chair and ran for the bar they had set up at the front desk, making Rory laugh.

"Beer? Tequila? Whiskey?"

"Here, here!" Chris slammed his hand down on the desk.

"That's disgusting," she cringed.

"Put some cherries in it, I'm hungry."

"You have a problem," Jess shook his head, pulling three beers out of the mini fridge and passing them around.

"Hey, I was playing bartender!" Rory shoved him away from the fridge.

"You were taking too long," he shrugged. "Beer?"

She snatched the bottle he handed her and dropped into a chair, crossing her arms moodily.

"Are you going to sulk now?" Jess mocked.

"No," she sulked, making Cynthia laugh.

"How about, instead of sulking, we talk about the bar we're going to buy?" Matt offered. "Rory hasn't heard about it yet."

"I have, actually. Jess told me."

"Did he tell you what we're going to name it?"

"No, because that's not what we're naming it," Jess shook his head.

"Why not!?" Matt demanded.

"Because it's stupid."

"It's not stupid."

"It's stupid," Chris agreed.

"How about you tell me what it is?" Rory suggested.

"Electric Kool-Aid Incorporated," Matt said proudly.

Rory stared at him for a second, then looked between Chris and Jess.

"Yeah," Jess cringed. "That's what I was trying to save you from."

"Okay, I've been living here on and off for a while now and I've got to ask," Rory turned to Cynthia. "What do you see in him?"

"I'm a catch!" Matt cried. "And a genius! Not to mention devilishly handsome."

Cynthia just shrugged, laughing too hard to form an argument to defend herself.

"Okay, other than the name that we're not using, tell me more about this bar," Rory laughed.

"It's the one around that corner that we go to," Chris explained. "The guy wants to sell it, so we've met with him a few times to discuss offers and stuff. We're planning on moving performances there and turning this place completely into a store and work space."

Rory nodded along, then realized they were all watching her.

"What?"

"What do you think?" Matt demanded.

"I think it sounds great," she assured them. "I mean, I'm sure there are kinks to work out but it sounds like a good next move."

"I told you," Jess accused the others. "I told you she was on board."

"Why wouldn't you think I was on board?"

"We just thought you'd think it was stupid," Chris shrugged.

"I don't think it's stupid," she promised. "I think it's a great idea and I'm completely on board."

"Great," Matt beamed. "In that case, you better start thinking up names."

"Yeah, because all of Matt's suck," Chris agreed.

"Why you always hating on me?" Matt demanded. "I have good ideas."

"Why do you sound like you just walked out of the ghetto?" Jess snorted. "Last time I checked, you were from Minnesota."

"I'm from Michigan, you idiot."

"It doesn't matter," Chris assured him. "You are literally the whitest person here and I feel it's my duty to tell you that you should not use phrases like that."

"Then stop being mean to me."

"Do you feel bullied?" Cynthia asked, getting up and sitting on her boyfriend's lap. "Are the other kids picking on you?"

"You know what," Matt shook his head. "I hate all of you, and I obviously need to make new friends."

He got up and stomped up the stairs, pulling Cynthia behind him while the others laughed hysterically.

"No wait come back!" Rory called after them. "We're sorry!"

"Yeah, we love you!" Chris joined in. "You're our favourite!"

"I thought I was your favourite," Rory turned and gave him her best puppy dog face.

"You are," Chris assured her.

"I heard that!" Matt yelled.

"Damn!" Chris cursed. "I didn't mean that!"

"Yes he did!" Jess called.

"You're not helping," Rory snorted.

"Sorry."

"You all suck!" They heard Matt yell down the stairs, followed by Cynthia giggling.

"He'll be fine," Chris decided.

"He better be," Rory frowned. "Everybody needs to be on their A-game tomorrow."

"Oh, God!" Chris groaned. "Do something with her!"

He turned to Jess and made a pleading gesture.

"Alright," Jess shrugged and got to his feet, grabbing Rory's beer from her hands.

"I wasn't done with that," she frowned.

"There's more upstairs. Come on." He grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet, then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Jess!" She squealed.

"See you tomorrow," Jess waved at Chris and headed up the stairs, ignoring Rory's protests to being carried like a sack of potatoes.

"Oof!" Rory groaned when he dropped her on the bed a few minutes later. "Don't let the movies fool you, kids. I'm here to tell you that that's not sexy at all."

"No?" Jess leaned over her. "It felt pretty manly and impulsive. Isn't that the definition of sexy?"

"I'm pretty sure that was the definition of 'don't'."

"Nerd," Jess snorted.

"Seriously, though, that hurts!"

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to kiss it better?"

He lifted her shirt and slid off the bed, kneeling in front of her.

"I think that's going to make you feel better more than me," Rory frowned.

"Is that a dare?" Jess raised an eyebrow, placing open-mouthed kisses across her stomach.

"Mmm," Rory sighed and fell back against the mattress. "It's a double dare."