"Well that was interesting," Logan noted as they stepped outside the HPG building, adding "what did you agree to exactly?" with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"He is funding the fellowship and he offered me a job as an editor," Rory said, still not quite believing how she'd convinced Mitchum Huntzberger to basically throw money at her. It hadn't been a difficult sell at all, even though he had done all the right things she'd expected like asked the difficult questions regarding socio-economic value of her thesis and her estimated deadline.
"And you took it?" he asked.
"I need to get a job anyways, I don't intend on spending the money I get from the house just to pay for daily expenses and the fellowship itself will only scratch the surface," she explained.
Logan continued to be amazed how her mind worked. While she had been born into a working single-parent family, today everybody around her would have been able to and have gladly supported her to help her get a degree and care for her daughter, yet she insisted on working double time to do it all on her own.
"Well I suppose this means we have something to celebrate," he noted knowing too well that there was no point trying to convince her otherwise. He pulled out his phone to order a taxi and make a reservation at their usual restaurant. He couldn't help but to feel a little careful with Mitchum's offer but he wasn't going to spoil it for Rory, not unless he knew something was up. Logan thought briefly what Mitchum's last sentence had meant - 'this is what we do for family'. He doubted that he'd just gifted her money and a job without believing in her, Logan knew himself that she was good, no doubt about it. And Mitchum certainly wouldn't make any financial decisions that could jeopardize his reputation as a tough sell. But nevertheless he found it a little peculiar that the man who just a year and half ago had been so determined to make sure Logan found the right arm-candy for marriage, had somehow changed his mind.
After a delicious bowl of clam linguini and a two hundred dollar bottle of sparkling white wine, they walked along the bustling streets of London. After grabbing a coffee from Starbucks, they stroller along Hyde Park, taking in the warm summer breeze, enjoying the last few hours they had before taking off again. London had been special to them, and that on more than one level. It had been awhile since they felt they could actually be together publicly without having to hold back and watch their every move in this city.
"So I guess it means I am moving to New Haven," Rory sighed after she finished her coffee, adding, "I need to start looking at houses soon. Now that NYU turned me down there really is no question," she continued.
"I wouldn't have minded having you close by in Manhattan, but New Haven is not that far," he admitted.
"Do you want to come looking at houses with me?" Rory asked carefully. "We may not be living together just yet but I do think it is important you find it comfortable too," she explained. She knew that with their current pace and taking into account their history it was probably not too long until they began to stay over more and more, even if it wasn't full time, meaning it'd be his home as well, not just hers and Leah's.
"Sure, I can come, I'll just have to check my calendar. Let me know when you want to go," he replied, feeling pleasantly surprised to be factored in even though it was still early in their rekindled relationship.
"Can't wait," she said with a wide smile, sounding clearly excited.
"You look amazing when you are happy, you know that?" he said, before pulling her close for a sweet kiss.
Rory arrived home to find Leah blowing bubbles in the back yard with Lauren. Leah was standing without support more strongly now, taking a few steps here and there. Rory knelt down holding her arms wide hoping she'd walk to her saying, "hi Leah, mommy is home, want to give me a hug?"
Leah's face lit up when she saw Rory and while she wanted, she didn't quite make it all the way to her arms, stumbling after the fourth step.
"It's okay, you did so well," she encouraged.
"You are looking better with her every day," Lauren commented, knowing how she had struggled just six months ago.
"I know, I feel better too," she sighed, still a little intoxicated with all the good news she'd gotten during the past few days. She looked at the clock to check when Finn was due back, still staying at the pool-house. She knew they needed to talk about the move.
Rory told Lauren she could leave early that day. She had missed Leah and was tired from the travel, private jet or not, and she didn't quite feel like talking to her even though it was not required per se. Finn arrived half an hour later carrying a couple of pizzas. She was helping Leah sort shapes, as she saw him, and rose up from the floor.
"Hi Finn! I told Lauren she could take the evening off," she explained.
"Hi," he greeted plainly, feeling like he had to control his words around her these days, making things inherently awkward to him. Calling her love or darling just didn't seem right, even though it sounded right to him. Either way, he was thrilled to see her back.
"How did it go with Mitchum?" he asked curiously.
"I got it, and he offered me a job as well," Rory said excitedly. Her good news shone off her face.
"You look happy," he noted, adding, "Congratulations!" and stepping closer to hug her.
"Thanks," she replied, hugging him back a little hesitantly. For months they had maintained a distance between themselves, yet there was something comforting and familiar about that hug.
"So New Haven?" he asked, taking a step back. While he wasn't entirely happy she wasn't staying in Hartford, New Haven was certainly closer than New York, meaning all logistics related to Leah would be twice as easy and he too hoped to still see her more than through the car window when she'd pick her up. There were joint holidays and birthdays to be celebrated, family barbeques and school plays not to be missed.
"New Haven," she mirrored. "I got two offers on this place already, and they're pretty decent. I have some time to think it over and depending on how fast I can find a place there, I should be set. I can probably even set up a school fund for Leah with the rest," she added cheerily.
"That's good, I'm glad. But we should really set up the school fund together, I was already thinking about that the other day," he said, realizing more and more how having a child meant really having to live with her as a part of his life for a very long time, with or without being actually together. That realization stung and he really didn't know how getting over someone who he saw at the very least weekly if not daily, was supposed to work.
"Sure, we'll talk about it once I get a chance to look into it," she replied.
"I really should look for a new place of my own too. The apartment will be too small soon, " he added. He had held onto his apartment for the time being but he knew Leah would need her own room and preferably a playground nearby.
"I think that would be wise. I will try to go look at a few places next week when Lauren is here, once I have an idea what is available I can decide whether we need to move fast or not," she explained.
"Do you need me to come with you?" he asked, hoping to be able to have a say in where they were going to live, also getting a chance to spend some time with her although it seemed like a painfully slow suicide mission on second thought.
"I'll be fine, Logan actually said he'd join me," she replied.
"What's the job?" he shifted the topic hoping to forget the sense of frustration her reply gave him.
"Editing, mostly working from home but he said there might be some travelling involved. Headquarters in New York," she explained briefly. She hadn't seen the contract just yet, so she didn't really know all the details yet, but she felt excited nevertheless.
"Definitely sounds more you than copywriting," he added approvingly, opening up one of the pizzas.
"Have you seen this?" Honor messaged Logan a link. She'd been the first to know when he got back together with Rory, and she was always the one to have his back.
As he opened the link and looked at the pictures, he realized that apparently walking the streets of London with Rory on his arm meant they'd made it to the pages of Hello! Magazine. They'd snapped a photo of them drinking coffee in Hyde Park and another one capturing their kiss. While it wasn't scandalous, not even close, he knew that it wasn't too long until his personal life would become newsworthy again also on this side of the pond.