Rory got up from the couch and began to head toward her room. Jess jumped up after her.
"Rory, don't you think we should talk about this?"
Without turning around, she said, "We will. In the morning. I'm tired."
She walked into her room and shut the door.
Jess watched her retreat and wished he knew what to do.
Inside her room Rory flopped onto the bed. Then she did the only thing she could think to do. She called her mom.
"Fruit of my loins! Are you missing me so much that you can't go 12 hours without speaking to me?" Lorelai chirped.
"Not quite. Jess and I were just watching the news and a huge story came on. It revealed we were married, and had matching tattoos, and it insinuated very strongly that I had been cheating on Logan." Rory sighed in frustration. "Mom, I'm not sure if I can do this with him. Jess is amazing and kind and smart and funny, but being dissected on a gossip show is not quite how I pictured my life."
Lorelai was silent for a beat. "Honey, do you remember when Luke and I started dating?"
"Of course. There was a town meeting about it." Rory giggled at the thought.
"Exactly. The entire town got in our business. They tried to stop us. But, Luke and I had decided that we were in it together. We were all in."
Lorelai paused again. "I know you are trying out this relationship with Jess. You didn't want to get in to anything too fast. I think you are so scared of the press because you are worried about how you will look if it doesn't work out. I think you need to decide if you are really in this or not."
Rory protested, "I just met him. How can I know if it will work?"
"Babe, sometimes you just have to jump. I have seen the way you look at each other. You never looked at any of your boyfriends like that. You were with Logan for years, and I never saw a tenth of the spark you have with Jess. Sometimes when it is right it's right. No amount of pro and con lists can change that."
Rory just sighed. Before she could speak her mom continued. "Now if I know you, which I do, you need to get out of your room, go find Jess, and tell him you are scared. Don't let this wait. You don't want to ruin a good thing before it's had a chance to even get started."
"Why do you always have to be right?" Rory whined at her mother.
"It's a gift. And you are damn lucky to have me." Lorelai reminded her. "Now go talk to the boy. You need to face your fears."
"I love you mom." Rory replied.
"Love you too, kiddo. Call me tomorrow."
Lorelai hung up before Rory could respond. Rory was sure it was so that she wouldn't try to linger on the phone putting off talking to Jess.
Rory opened the door to her room. She peeked out looking for Jess. He wasn't in the main room and his door was shut. She steeled herself and walked across the room to his door and knocked.
Jess opened his door and looked out at her. He looked sad and closed off. Rory was surprised. Just a half hour ago he was smiling and laughing and happy. Now he looked like someone had stolen his puppy.
Without a word Rory walked past him, into his room. She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her to the bed. She sat timidly and looked up at him.
"Jess…" He braced himself for the rejection that he was sure to come. He figured he had lived this long without her and he could do it again.
Without thinking he cut in, "Look Rory, I know this isn't what you signed up for. We should have gotten this annulled right away. I'm sorry I suggested this whole thing. I thought we should keep things private while so we could get to know each other."
He was going to continue his speech, letting her off the hook, but she held up a hand. "I totally understand why you would think I was going to leave, but that's not what I came in here to say."
Jess stared down at her and slowly sank to the bed. He wanted to hope, but he was scared.
"When we started this I didn't want the wold to know. The wounds from Logan were raw, and I didn't know you. But, now that I have had the chance, I don't know why I hesitated. Jess, you are what I want. I can't tell you how happy I was when you walked into the diner unexpectedly. I felt complete with you in my little part of the world."
She smiled at him, and he was almost certain that he could see love radiating from her. "In the short time we have spent together I have been happier than I can remember. You are everything that I didn't know was missing in my life." When she finished her little speech she looked down at her hands, worried that he didn't feel the same way.
Jess pulled her close. He grabbed her left hand and ran his fingers along her ring finger. "Tomorrow, I want to buy you a wedding band." He looked up at her nervously, hoping that she was on the same page.
She reached up and put her hands on the sides of his face. "Only if you let me buy you one in return."
Rory pulled him back against the pillows. She snuggled into his chest and smiled. Just an hour ago she didn't think this kind of happiness was possible.
She leaned up on her elbow and looked down at him. "Jess, did you think we would end up like this?"
He leaned toward her and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. "I wasn't sure. But this is better than anything I could have dreamed up."
They kissed again, this time deeper and more passionately. Rory pulled away and said, "I can't catch my breath."
"You aren't supposed to." Jess smiled and pulled her closer.