AN: I know there not a lot of action right now, conversations mostly. I don't want to rush this. There is a background story (stories) developing for those who are really paying attention ;)
As for Odette's reasons, some of you were asking about this, she'll get to explain that herself when she meets Rory.
The week had been immensely productive for Rory. The homework mode had really helped, having guided her in plotting the whole book out on an old piece of wallpaper she'd found in one of the closets, the contents of that closet now scattered around the room, dusty books and albums piled up on chairs and dressers, the wallpaper itself now rolled out onto the study floor, covered in post-it's and scribbles. She'd even told Catherine just to leave it, feeling a little bad for making such a mess. But strangely enough the mess seemed to accommodate her thought process these days.
Having reached a certain balance point now - finally knowing what the book was going to entail, she now realized she needed some advice. And while she knew Logan would likely be just as much help, she also knew he had been working crazy hours all week, having just texted with him a few times before he went to bed. Besides she felt like she owed Jess a call at least, after all writing the book had been his idea.
Jess sat at his office, procrastinating editing one of the books in his hands, that he just hadn't learned to love, a nordic noir thriller, where the main character just reminded him of himself a little too much to make it comfortable reading.
As his phone rang, he looked at the caller-ID with some surprise. He hadn't felt like calling her despite Lorelai's request. This didn't seem like his place, but now as the opportunity proposed itself, surely he could explore. He too was a little concerned.
"So you do have my number!" Jess answered his phone teasingly.
"I do, and as much as I'd like to lie that this is a social call, I am actually calling to ask for some advice," Rory cut straight to the point.
"Auch, now I am offended," he laughed.
"Sorry," she apologized. "I wanted to ask your advice about the book, it's going really well," she added. She actually sounded happy.
"Sure, shoot," he replied. Though he wondered what on earth could he possibly add if Huntzberger had already seen it.
"I want to try to get this published on my own, without asking for any favors. But I think I could use some tips on the game plan," she said.
Jess was a little impressed by that thought process, realizing how easy it would've been for Rory to just ask him or even Hunzberger to get her a contract. It would've happened in a blink of an eye, yet Rory was just as stubborn as ever.
"Have you settled on a genre?" Jess asked.
"Non-fiction novel," she replied.
"Okay, so what you do is not write the whole thing first, but rather write a proposal. You can keep working on what you have ofcourse not to lose the flow. Have you been reading what you're up against in this category?" Jess inquired.
"I have it plotted out, about 7 chapters written a few more drafted, overall that's about one third of it. And, yes, I read some good memoirs. And I think I've managed to make it original enough," she explained.
"Good, you always were good with your homework," he noted. "I'd love to take a look at what you've got," Jess said, the fact that Logan had read it first still stinging a bit.
"Sure, if you want," she replied a little hesitantly. Somehow she worried more about giving it to him to read than to Logan, one of the reasons being that the book dealt with her life until she went to college, which also meant Jess would be mentioned in the book.
"Of course I want to read it, I'm probably you're biggest fan, remember?" Jess added, trying to encourage her. He had some doubts it was true, but that was as good as a way as any to poke her just a little.
"Okay, I'll send you what I've got," Rory agreed.
"I missed you at Thanksgiving," he noted after a brief pause.
"You were in Stars Hollow?" she asked, sounding a little surprised.
"I was, and you were not," Jess stated, hoping she would open up.
"Yea, I've been writing in Maine, actually," she replied briefly, unsure what more to add.
"What's in Maine?" he asked, wanting to appear a little oblivious.
"A friend had a spare house for me to live in for a while. I'm not working currently, so it's a good way to minimize my expenses and at the same time not go crazy in Stars Hollow. I was feeling a little claustrophobic there," she explained. The real reason still made her stomach hollow, and she tried to push the thought aside.
He contemplated, whether or not he should just ask out point blank whether the friend in question was Logan, but he relented - what good would it do? They were friends, and he certainly wasn't going to start telling Lorelai everything they spoke about.
"You need some work?" he asked, looking at the pile of assignments in front of him and on his full-booked calendar.
"I could use something," she replied humbly.
"Would you be willing to try to edit a book for me? I'm sure you could do it. I'm just not connecting with it and I'm on a deadline," Jess suggested, hoping to get the thriller off his table.
"I could try, I've never edited a book before," Rory hesitated.
"But you've edited pretty much everything else. Just go through it, make notes, comments, like writing a review basically. I'll get you a basic consultancy agreement, keep tabs on how many hours it takes you an we'll pay according to it," he suggested.
"Aren't you going to have to run this through the HPG or something?" Rory asked, biting her lip.
"Ah, so you do know more than you let on," he teased, realizing all too well how she would know this. "But no, consultancy agreements are still our call," he added.
"Logan mentioned he ran into you when I talked to him," she replied, realizing it was too late to deny anything.
Maybe they were just talking, that alone didn't prove there was anything to worry about. Taking a break from Lorelai was something he could certainly understand. And she certainly sounded cheery.
"Alright, I've got to get back to work. You write the proposal, send me stuff to read and I'll send the proposal back to you with a list of suggestion who you should send it to. And I promise - no special treatment," he laughed, citing her own words.
"Thanks, I will," she replied, feeling thankful that Jess had remained neutral in this, not budding in where it would've been difficult to explain things. The very complicated things.
Logan met Honor at the Ivy for lunch on Saturday. It was his favourite place, and Rory's too. Being there made him almost feel close to her.
"Mr. Huntzberger, welcome," the headwaiter greeted as he stepped through the stained glass doors, gesturing towards the corner table where Honor already sat, dressed in light blue angora wool sweater dress, wearing her Gucci Marmont fringed suede boots.
"Hey baby brother," Honor teased as she saw him, pulling him close for a warm hug, her flowery perfume filling his nostrils. Her sister was always a little intense, in whatever she did, but he loved her dearly.
"Hey, sis," he greeted.
"The kids have a stomach virus of some sort, I couldn't be more happy to be across the ocean right now. A little guilty but what can I do," Honor shrugged with a chuckle. She was in London for work for a couple of weeks, aiming to go back to the States in a few days.
"How's Josh handling it?" Logan asked supportively.
"He'll be fine, the nanny is there to help, and the maid," Honor explained.
"Listen, I wanted to tell you I saw Rory when I was in the States," Logan began, just as the waiter interrupted him to take their order. He could see how close Honor was to actually tell the man to return in a few minutes, but she didn't.
"I'll have the Roasted venison loin and crisp gem lettuce," Logan ordered along with a glass of Pinot noir.
"I'll get the Teriyaki glazed salmon and some those lovely parmesan fried courgettes," Honor said. "Oh, and a glass of water for me," she added.
"What are you thinking, Logan? You're getting married!" Honor scolded, moved closer, in a hushed tone. His sister was close to him, but knowing how she tended to struggle with keeping her mouth shut sometimes, he'd hid the full story from her.
"I had to see her. And please don't cry or make a scene when I tell you this, but she had a miscarriage - she was about 8 weeks along and 'yes' is the answer to the question you'll probably want to ask next," he said.
"Oh Logan," she replied, her face shifting from angry to sad, stood, bowed down and wrapped her arms around Logan once more, clearly making a small scene as she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes smearing some of her mascara to the cloth napkin. Logan should've known not to tell her this in public.
"So you see why I needed to see her," he said, before she had a chance to react verbally.
"What about Odette? Does she know?" she inquired, having gathered herself, miscarriage being a gentle topic with her as well.
"Honor, you don't really think Odette and I are serious about this, do you? Yes, we're still getting married, but we're just friends, and yes i did tell her. I'm doing this to get the majority of shares, I can't stand working for him anymore, and if everything lines up, I should be running it, divorced and happily with Rory by spring," he explained quietly. In theory it seemed all so simple.
"And what Rory just sits by, in my house in Maine, and waits?" she asked raising her eyebrow. She could understand a pretend or arranged marriage to please their parents, those happened all the time in their circuits. People had affairs but this usually meant being emotionally not too involved, and her brother and Rory could never be emotionally not involved, especially in the context of their recent loss.
"I explained everything to her and frankly I think she is the only person who really does understand why I need to do this - she did it first, she chose career first. And now we just talk, we work on our communication. She's even going to therapy," he noted, proudly, slightly wondering whether it was his place to share. He felt like this state that they were in, the waiting, it might actually be a good thing - to establish a solid ground.
"Yeah, for the mess you've created," Honor blamed him. She knew they had been seeing each other casually for years before Odette came to the picture.
"Come on, it's not like that. Sure, I am not completely blameless for what happened, but there's her side to this as well," he argued. "Believe me, if Mitchum would accept it and she would be ready, I'd much rather marry her right now," Logan added.
Honor sighed, stealing her brother's glass of wine that had just been brought to the table, and taking a large gulp.
"I'm happy that you are talking, and I suppose if Odette is fine with it, on this side of the ocean there is no problem. But I can't imagine Rory feeling very good about this. She might understand but it has to be hard for her to be in this position nonetheless. And believe me when I say this - she won't wait forever," Honor stated sternly.
"She's going to Nantucket for Christmas, I invited her to join us in Martha's for some of it," Logan said, "she wanted to meet Odette," he added.
"Are you sure that's not going to be awkward? I mean I love her to bits, but it has to be weird, for Odette as well, don't you think? she hesitated.
"They both said they were fine with this," Logan replied.
"Oh, Logan - why can't you just seem to catch a break with love. And while it seems Rory is the one in a difficult position right now, I sure hope it won't be you in the end who ends up getting hurt all over again. You don't deserve that either," Honor sighed.