AN: ENJOY! Two updates already this week? If you haven't read Forever My Girl please go read it, it would mean the world to me if you drop a review (and on this too!). Anyway, I love any chapter with Abigail. I truly do. Also I left you on a cliffhanger...so blame QueenOfTheSloths for that...it was her decision to make.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls
Chapter Twenty
Rory had arrived first. The same way she did for business meetings and her divorce proceedings, she had arrived first in an effort to make sure she had a certain level of comfort before Abigail arrived. Rory had not come straight from work, well…she had, but she had gotten changed at work into a more appropriate outfit for the restaurant Abigail had suggested. Rory had settled on a pair of black pants and a Valentino blouse that was white with black polka dots and a neck tie along with a pair of black suede booties and a vintage Chanel handbag that her grandmother had gifted her years earlier. Rory glanced over the menu and decided that when the waiter returned with her sparkling water she would ask for a glass of Bordeaux. She had no idea what Abigail was drinking if anything, so she wasn't about to order a bottle for the incredibly awkward occasion of having dinner with the woman who was married to her boyfriend when they got together. Rory hadn't told Logan where they were meeting for dinner. She had left that detail out on purpose because Rory wasn't sure if Abigail had chosen this place on purpose, and Logan was skeptical of this meeting enough as it was. He didn't understand. He had no desire to have a beer with Dean. Rory of course had tried to explain that she needed this. That she wanted the two women to find a way to get along…that Rory felt she owed Abigail an explanation. But then there was the restaurant…
Cathedrale.
It was one of the places that she and Logan came somewhat frequently at the height of their affair. They had gone so far as to get probably a bit too comfortable with their relationship in that particular establishment. When they had first started going there, they would sit at the bar so that at first glance things looked casual, but as the weeks turned into months and the months into years, they found themselves sitting beside each other on the bench or tucked away into a booth stealing kisses and sharing meals…Cathedrale was a place they had become oddly sloppy about their relationship and it was a miracle they had never, to their knowledge been caught.
So when Abigail suggested it, Rory had simply agreed. She hadn't put up a fight. She didn't have any way of knowing that Abigail did know, but the more she thought about it the more sure Rory was that Abigail knew exactly what she was doing…and Rory couldn't blame her.
"Sorry if I kept you waiting," Abigail announced her presence and Rory looked up from the menu to take in the woman standing before her in a pair of cropped leather pants, Christian Louboutin heels and a silk Brunello Cucinelli blouse. Her hair looked fantastic, her makeup was impeccable and she casually placed her ivory coloured Hermes Birkin on the floor beside her like it didn't cost more than Rory's first car.
"I just got here," Rory lied. She wasn't sure what the protocol was, so she stood up and greeted Abigail with a kiss on the cheek like they were just a pair of old friends getting dinner. "Hopefully the traffic wasn't much trouble?"
She shook her head as they both sat down, "no. Tom and I were in the city to do some shopping. We're getting some new furniture designed for the house."
Rory nodded and then looked around, "is he still here?"
"He's meeting friends for dinner, and as you know, Logan is with the kids."
"He was excited to get some extra time with them," Rory told her appreciatively. Emma had been happy to get some time alone for the evening even though Logan had invited her to come with him, Noah and Lily.
"Of course," Abigail smiled. "I must say," she cut right to the chase, "I was a bit surprised when you said you wanted to meet me."
Rory inhaled. She hadn't really planned how this would go or what she would say, but Abigail was not letting her off the hook. She wasn't going to sit here and pretend they were just two girlfriends having dinner and drinks. "I really would like us to get along," Rory admitted nervously. The woman could command business meetings, she was respected in her field, but here, sitting with Abigail Chambers, Rory felt nervous in a way she had never expected. Maybe it was because as much as Rory could look t her own marriage and know that things weren't good…she knew that Abigail was nothing like Dean. So while Logan was an escape from her marriage…Logan hadn't needed to escape Abigail, he had simply fallen in love with someone while he was married to her and in the end, Abigail became collateral damage. Rory wasn't proud of that. She wasn't proud of the trail of destruction that her pursuit of happiness had caused.
"We did get along," Abigail told her as the waiter arrived just as soon as the words had come out of her mouth, she didn't wait for the man to speak but ordered immediately, "can we please get a bottle of the St. Julien?" The waiter disappeared and Abigail continued, "we got along well I thought. We went for dinner, my husband and I, you and your husband. We went on vacations with our children…we did get along…in fact, I didn't even know we weren't getting along until my husband told me over Christmas that he was in love with you and that you two had been sleeping together for several years at that point. But now you're concerned with getting along?"
Rory inhaled sharply. She deserved this. She deserved worse than this. She would've deserved Abigail taking out a full page ad in a national newspaper, or on the side of a bus, maybe in Times Square. Rory didn't deserve grace from Abigail. "I'm sorry. I guess…I needed to apologize to you face to face. For all of it. For sleeping with him, for continuing to sleep with him…for being careless and thinking no one could get hurt. I knew you. I knew you and I knew you didn't deserve this. My husband didn't deserve what we did to him. If I was unhappy in my marriage, I needed to leave my marriage…not destroy yours on my way down. I am truly sorry for the hurt I caused your family. I tried to write it down," Rory rambled, "I tried to write this down and concisely…but…you deserved a face to face apology, and I deserve whatever you have to say."
"But you're with him. You had the chance…you had the chance to say no. To tell him to stay…you could have told him one of the many times the two of you came to dinner here, couldn't you have?"
Rory wasn't sure where Abigail was going with this. Did she want Logan back? Had she wanted Logan to stay after she found out. Clearly she knew that they had come to this restaurant often, "I…"
"I just want all of the cards on the table, I want you to understand that I know. I got my hands on everything I could in those weeks after he told me, so I know more than I did, and I need you to fill in some of those gaps for me. I'm not a consolation prize Rory," Abigail continued before Rory could speak. "You're right. I didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve any of this. I didn't deserve to find out that my husband…the man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with was buying high end lingerie with his mistress when I thought he was working late. I didn't deserve to find out that my husband was carrying on a whole life with someone else while I was a fool at home raising our children. You went to Paris with him. You were on trips…while the world went on for his kids, while he missed events for his children and presumably you for your daughter…you two were holed up in hotel rooms. Were you ever in my home?"
Rory shook her head, her voice was quiet as she tucked her hair behind her ear, "we were never…not in either of our houses. Hotels, the office," Rory couldn't believe she was explaining all of this. She had refused to give Dean the same level of detail, but there was something about Abigail…she knew that to move forward, to be able to get along for the sake of Noah and Lily…she had to do this, and she had to answer honestly. Abigail wasn't a stupid woman, she wouldn't accept lies. She had been blinded by the fact that she was loyal to Logan before, but now she needed to know and Rory would tell her what she could. "The apartment in Manhattan…"
"Were you ever at the Vineyard? It was the only other property he cared to keep, there must be some sentimental value there…"
Rory shook her head, "I have never been to your home there. His home…even now."
Abigail smiled as the wine came and she told the waiter they hadn't had a chance to look at the menu. She sampled the wine and nodded, leaving him to pour Rory her glass first and Abigail her glass second. She waited of course until he was out of earshot before she spoke again. "When did you fall for him?" Abigail asked. "When was it not about sex and convenience and…whatever weird connection you two have over those stupid newspapers… When did you fall in love with my husband?"
Rory took a sip of her drink. There would be no toasting at this meal and so she took a drink and let the wine trickle down her throat. Tomorrow they would be checking into the Hutton Suite at The Pierre for the next two nights. One night just the two of them and room service, and then they would go to Parker's wedding which was at a venue nearby. Rory had to make it through this…and then hopefully tomorrow would be a new day and Rory wouldn't ever need to discuss these details with Abigail again. "About six months in," Rory told her honestly. She remembered it well. The moment when everything shifted. "We were at the apartment," Rory began with the details knowing that Abigail would tell her to stop if she wanted her to, "I had just gone over for a drink…one thing led to another…but I had never felt it before then," Rory admitted, she felt a few tears come to her eyes as she looked at Abigail, her eyes glassy as well. "The need…I needed him. He told me that he wanted to get away…just the two of us…I think he wanted it to just be a normal weekend. So he made the plans…"
"How?" Abigail asked, swallowing the lump in her throat and hoping her voice didn't crack. "I combed through everything, and other than a few charges on our credit card that I could probably look into further and find out weren't gifts for me from a jeweller…there were never any hotels, no big ticket items…"
"Colin rented us a vacation property at the Vineyard. He chartered a plane. I believe Logan paid him back in instalments," she explained. She of course had asked Logan all of those questions when they were meeting up back then, "we went to Martha's Vineyard, of course not to your home. Just this little cottage…secluded, no neighbours, a fully stocked fridge. We were making dinner."
"He is good in the kitchen," Abigail lamented.
Rory nodded, "we made dinner, and it just…for the first time it wasn't fancy hotels and this…thrilling secret. There were no locked doors…assistants weren't told to keep people out…we just got to be. And I loved him. I was in love with him. I think it was the first time I had ever entertained the idea of being with someone who treated me like an equal. I was so caught up in what my own marriage was lacking and what Logan brought to my life that I didn't think about what I was taking from someone else."
"Please don't, I don't need to hear anything else, not the details," Abigail shook her head and continued when Rory gave her a confused look. "Logan and I…I loved him. I still do love him…differently of course. But he and I…we were meant to have Lily and Noah. We were meant to be who we were…but Logan and I could never just be. You two did a horrible thing. You did a horrible thing to me, and to Dean and to the children involved in this. You made your assistants and your friends accomplices to this…betrayal. You don't deserve a pass for this. But I can see it…I can see it by how he looks at you, I can see it when my kids tell me about their weekends with you. I don't need to know anything more. I just…I wanted to understand…with a man like Logan so many people want the power, they want the money, they want the things that come with being with Logan Huntzberger…but you…you don't care about any of that."
"I don't," Rory agreed.
"I want him to be happy. I love him, he is the father of my children, and I will always love him. But I've moved on. Tom and I are happy and just like you having that moment with Logan in the kitchen…there is something about Tom that just clicks, so I understand that love, I just had the decency to wait until I was divorced."
"I really am sorry for how we did this."
"Stop apologizing," Abigail told Rory. "I want us to add something to each other's lives, one day I want our grandchildren to know that we love them, and I want our children to never have to choose between their mother and their father."
"I want that too."
"How are things with Dean?" Abigail asked. "I don't mean to pry…"
"No, it's fine…please, ask anything. Uh…things with Dean are complicated. We're still not divorced, so you and Logan did that a lot more efficiently than we have."
"I suppose it helps when you plan for the divorce before you get married?" Abigail joked.
"Dean…well…he and I had different issues than you and Logan, and those things have…complicated things a bit."
"Logan told me," Abigail offered, "about what happened. He wanted me to know because of my children being there, he wanted me to know they were safe and why Emma was living with you full-time now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you had to go through that, and Emma…"
"Thank you," Rory nodded. "He is getting help, and doing better. Emma has a supervised visit with him this weekend while Logan and I go to a wedding. The divorce should be finalized soon…"
"So I suppose it has all worked out then? We're here…being civilized…hopefully you and Dean will be in a better place soon."
"I suppose it has," Rory agreed, "worked out I mean."
xxx
"I can't pretend I'm not mad at you," Rory was visibly annoyed as she spoke into the speakerphone in the bathroom of their suite at The Pierre, "you told me to leave work…"
"I know I did," Logan responded, she could tell he was smiling and that made her more annoyed. "I'm sorry Ace, I will be there soon."
"What came up?" Rory asked as she adjusted the diamond studs he had given her in her ears, the neckline on her Saint Laurent jumpsuit was too low for any of the necklaces she owned. She had bought the jumpsuit impulsively after she and Dean had fought over the divorce. She had on many occasions considered wearing the designer piece to a meeting with lawyers just to fuck with him, but she had realized that she would enjoy it much more if it was Logan appreciating the plunging neckline, however as he called her to tell her he would be late for their date after encouraging her to leave work early to meet up at The Pierre and enjoy themselves, Rory was less than impressed and considered just putting on sweatpants and ordering room service.
"Just a thing," Logan answered vaguely.
"Logan," Rory protested as she applied her lipstick, "what do you expect me to do?"
"Ace I'm dressed, I'm ready, I just need to get there. I called the bar, they've got a table for you, go down, order a drink and I will be there soon, ok? I'm sorry. I love you."
"I love you too, but I'm still pissed," she told him honestly.
"I know, but I've gotta go. I will see you soon."
"Text me on your way," Rory rolled her eyes and disconnected the call. She finished getting ready and grabbed her black clutch, quickly checking to make sure she had her credit card, room key, cellphone and lipstick she left the room and took the elevator down to the Two E Bar and Lounge, "I believe there is a reservation for Huntzberger," Rory smiled at the hostess. "Actually," Rory inhaled as she was told that the table would be ready in a moment, "I'll start at the bar. Can you keep the table ready for when my date arrives?"
"Of course," she smiled.
Rory walked confidently to the bar, of course she had chosen the jumpsuit and the Versionapetra Crystal studded Christian Louboutin pumps because of how she felt wearing them. Rory Gilmore was a showstopper in this particular outfit and she didn't care who knew it. Rory took a seat at the bar, there were a couple of empty seats beside her and she waited a moment before a cocktail menu appeared before her. "I'll have a dirty martini please," Rory smiled. She resisted the urge to check her phone as she waited for her drink, instead turning to face the stage where there was a jazz band playing Blue in Green.
"From the gentleman on the other side of the bar," it was only a moment later when her martini appeared via the bartender and the message that it had been so generously covered by a man across the bar.
Rory normally would have refused and sent it back, she probably would've felt uncomfortable with the attention…but it was amazing what a pair of good shoes could do for a person. She turned to face the man and raised her glass before taking a sip. Rory blushed when she saw him take this as an invitation and he stood up and walked towards her. Rory tried to stifle a giggle as he approached her. He was good looking enough. A bit older than she was, she immediately noticed that he wasn't wearing a wedding band. While she might've been happy to engage in some harmless flirting, she wasn't looking to mess with someone's marriage. "Thank you for the drink," she smiled when he finally made it beside her.
"I hate to see a lady drinking alone," he nodded, "may I join you?"
"A drink never hurt anyone," Rory shrugged, "I'm Rory."
"Chris."
Rory instinctively made a face, "my Dad is Chris…"
"Strike one already?" The man laughed.
Rory smirked. He had no idea how many strikes were against him, most importantly that Rory was not interested in anyone other than the man who would hopefully be arriving soon. "What do you do, Chris?"
"I'm a a hedge fund manager."
"Well that doesn't even sound remotely interesting," Rory took a sip of her drink, fluttering her eyelashes as she spoke.
"Well then, what do you do? Hopefully it is infinitely more interesting," Chris chuckled, it certainly wasn't the first time he had been told his job sounded boring, "you look beautiful by the way."
"You know," his voice was cheerful and Rory instantly knew by looking at him that Logan was not even remotely bothered by the little game that she was playing, "I have to say, I agree. You look beautiful Ace. Logan Huntzberger," Logan extended his hand to Chris, "I didn't catch your name there."
"Chris."
"I work in publishing," Rory looked at Chris as Logan sat down at the bar leaving Rory in-between the two men. "Chris here was just saying that he works in hedge funds," Rory explained as she took another sip of her drink.
Evidently not taking the hint, or maybe just being willing to play along for the sake of Rory's little game, Chris smiled, "what do you do in publishing? A beautiful woman like yourself could have your pick of jobs I'm sure."
Rory tried not to cringe, "I'm Vice President of Acquisitions, unfortunately it was my brain and not my looks that got me there."
"You know Chris," Logan interjected, "I think our table is ready. It was really nice meeting you though. What do you say, Ace?"
"Oh come on," Rory laughed as Logan took her by the hand and they walked to the table that was waiting for him, "he was nice."
"I'm sure he was," Logan pulled her body flush against his, "and he was right about you looking amazing."
"He said beautiful."
"Well beautiful, amazing," Logan kissed her cheek before she sat down, "sexy, hot…whatever you want to call it, that is how you look."
Rory blushed, "you weren't jealous were you?"
"Me? Jealous," Logan shook his head as he sat down across from Rory, "never. Did you leave your drink at the bar?"
Rory saw the drink, and poor Chris sitting at the bar alone, "I could go back and get it."
"I'll order you a new one."
"You were jealous," Rory grinned, there was something about Logan being jealous that she found hot. Knowing that this girl from small town Connecticut could bring him to his knees but literally and figuratively was a turn on.
"I'm sorry I was late," Logan avoided the question and smirked as the server came. "I'll have a scotch neat, and I believe my date here will have a dirty martini?"
"Please," Rory smiled. "And a sparkling water please?" She waited a moment for the server to leave and she couldn't help but feel Logan's eyes burning into her as he stared at her from across the table. It was the shoes…and the Saint Laurent… they were mesmerizing, "are you going to tell me what kept you at the office? Or is that a c-suite secret of some sort?"
Logan laughed, "I may have lied to you," he saw a moment of concern flash across her face. "Relax," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box and slid it slowly across the table, "I picked up a gift for you."
"A gift?" Rory put her hand dramatically on her chest, "for me? And before drinks even?"
Logan laughed as Rory stared intently at the Tiffany & Co box, "open it whenever you would like."
Rory opened the blue box, the little blue box that was known around the world. She undid the delicate white ribbon and then smiled as she found another small box inside, "Logan," she exhaled with a smile as she slowly opened the first box while keeping her eyes on him. She loved watching him. It reminded her a lot of her mother, Logan was excited to watch Rory's excitement over the gift, "what is the occasion?"
"The occasion is that I love you and I wanted to get this for you and I thought it would look good on you. Obviously I didn't know that you were planning on wearing this," he gestured towards her with his right hand, "because this…well it needs absolutely no accessories because you're gorgeous, but…I saw it and I wanted to buy it for you. Put me out of my misery Ace, open the box."
Rory complied and flipped the blue velvet box open and gasped at the contents, "Logan," she repeated again, this time with a bit more excitement. She pulled the ring out of the box and looked at it, it almost looked like two bands which were held together by an intricate design of diamonds, "this is…Logan this is too much."
"Do you like it," Logan reached across the table and took it from her to slip it carefully on her right ring finger. "Because it fits, and it looks…well it looks just like I had hoped it would look."
"It is amazing, and…wow," she gasped as she looked at her finger. "Why were you…"
"I was out with the kids, and I saw it and I thought you would like it so I went back and ordered it a few weeks ago and it came in yesterday so I decided to go get it today…"
"So you lied about a fake meeting?" Rory grinned as she continued to stare at the ring. "Seriously, Logan," she stood up to lean over the table and kiss him, "I love it."
"I was hoping you would."
"Do you have room in your pocket?" Rory awkwardly pushed the packaging back towards him and Logan stifled a laugh as the server reappeared with their drinks.
"Here's to you Ace, and to us," Logan lifted the glass after he put the box in his pocket. Sometimes with Rory he wasn't sure how to thank her. He knew most women in her position wouldn't have voluntarily met with his ex-wife and had a productive conversation. She had been a positive influence on his relationship with his kids…he had known many men who had ended up with women after their divorces, or before, who had done the opposite. They had encouraged those men to cut ties, to do the bare minimum…Rory never made Emma more of a priority than Noah or Lily. She never made him choose…she was as happy at home with the kids for a night as she was with a night at The Pierre. "I can't thank you enough for…well…" he exhaled as he took a sip of his drink and his eyes settled on her once more, "for being willing to try. For deciding that we were worth fighting for and giving us a chance because I didn't think I could love you more than I did then," he was purposely vague about then he didn't want to talk about their affair publicly, even if it was common knowledge, "but I fall more in love with you every single day."
Rory smiled. She kept her martini glass at her lips for a moment as she absorbed his words and tried not to acknowledge that her eyes were glossy. "I love you too, and I love seeing you as a Dad," it was one of those things she had imagined when they had been together before but now…seeing him, and living with him, and watching him try to do better…it was intoxicating to her, "and for loving my daughter the way that you do. Knowing that she will grow up and see a healthy relationship and two people who love each other…"
"Are we just going to sit here and trade compliments over drinks? Like two lovesick teenagers saying 'no I love you more' on the phone until the other hangs up?" Logan joked.
"Something tells me you never did that," Rory chuckled. "Did you bring the card for Parker?" She asked. She had forgotten it on her desk and obviously she couldn't ask Parker to pick it up for her so she had texted Logan and had him grab it for her.
"I did," Logan nodded, "and I noticed you sealed the envelope before I could write on it. What if I wanted to sign for myself?"
For a moment Rory worried that he was serious. With Dean she was certain he had never signed a thank you card, a Christmas card, a greeting card or anything else, nor did he care to know about the gift unless it was for a member of his family. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I didn't even think you would want to," Rory started to apologize.
"Ace," Logan raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I was kidding. I mean…I would be happy to sign a card, but it doesn't matter. I trust you didn't say something stupid and attribute it to me, but…I don't know, Parker works for me too in a way…"
Rory smiled at him as she took another long sip of her drink and then glanced at the ring on her finger, "I'll pick up a new card tomorrow."
xxx
"Don't stop," Rory moaned as she pulled gently at Logan's hair, her hands were tangled in his tousled blonde hair while his tongue swept in and out of her wet folds, "fuck, Logan." Logan smiled against her heat and doubled down on his efforts. His right hand joining his tongue in stimulating her clit as he felt her body start to contract as her orgasm built, "oh, yes," Rory tossed her head back in pleasure on the king sized bed and kept her eyes closed until she became aware of his body moving slowly overtop of hers. "Well…"
"Well," Logan kissed her, "good?"
"Very good," Rory thumbed his lips which were covered in her.
"You forgive me?" He winked.
"Nothing to forgive."
"I was late," Logan joked.
"You were late," Rory grinned, she could feel his erection pressing against her stomach as his lips made their way to her shoulder. "Thank you for the ring."
"Ring was kind of a gift for me," Logan took a moment and looked at her naked body splayed out on the bed. Her hair was everywhere, her left arm was above her head laying on the white pillowcase, from his position on top of her he could feel her chest as it rose and fell with each inhale and exhale. "Seeing you in nothing but the ring makes it a worthwhile investment."
Rory smiled and put her right hand on his cheek, stroking the stubble that had grown in with her thumb, "take a picture, it lasts longer."
"I'll take you up on that later," Logan kissed her once more, his hand moved between them and he smiled as his index and middle finger ran over her wet folds. "You ready?" He mumbled against the crook of her neck.
Rory playfully thrust her hips towards him as a means of encouragement. He entered her slowly. There was something about being there. The full circle moment of being back at The Pierre where for a moment it seemed like everything had ended and now here they were but the ship had righted itself. "Right there,'' Rory exhaled as he began moving inside of her, slowly increasing his pace.
Logan began to move faster, he took her right nipple in his mouth and alternated between sucking and flipping his tongue over her breast, "god you're sexy," he told her as he heard a moan. It didn't take long. He was already on edge from the foreplay which he wasn't completely convinced hadn't started when they were still in the hallway, but he wasn't going to dwell on that, they had all night. "You good?" Logan asked as Rory came down from her climax, his had followed a moment later.
"I feel like I owe you or something," Rory kissed him as he rolled off of her and she rolled over exposing her bare back to her.
"The picture of you in nothing but the ring is more than enough payment," Logan joked as he relaxed into the bed.
Rory smiled as she stared up at the ceiling, her head was cloudy with lust and exhaustion, but she was happy, even when things weren't perfect with Logan. When she was annoyed about him working late, or when she thought he might've been a bit too hard on Noah, she was happy. She was never not happy with him. Logan was tracing circles on her bare back, he placed a kiss on Rory's shoulder blade and she turned, her eyes barely open to look at him, "I'm glad you were late," she told him with a smile.
"Me too," Logan gave her his trademark grin, "Ace?"
"Hmmm?"
"Marry me."