Thanks for reviewing this story, for those of you reading my other story Undeniable Feelings, I'm struggling with the next chapter so posting for this one instead, but it's not forgotten, this chapter came out quick for me here so that's why I'm posting the new chapter for this story. My other story chapter is progressing slowly. Enjoy this one, it's going to be a bumpy ride but in the summary I did include that there will be obstacles for our ladies. It is a Rizzles love story though.
Constance observed her daughter as they went up to their hotel room, "Are you quite positive that you're feeling well? That Jane girl seemed quite concerned and you're looking a little flushed there sweetie," she rested the back of her hand against Maura's forehead. "Hm, you don't feel feverish to me, but just to be sure I'll have you put a cold damp towel over your forehead."
"Yes mother, I'm positive that I'm fine. I think you may be overreacting," Maura sat down on the couch.
"A mother never overreacts. I'll be right back," Constance disappeared into the bathroom, Maura sighed and laid down on the couch, she couldn't help but run her fingers over her cheek where Jane's lips were moments ago, the whole reason she was feeling flushed in the first place. This was definitely a feeling that excited her, even Garrett couldn't hardly get her to flush like that, she never found herself attracted to someone like how she was attracted to Jane. There was just something about her that Maura really liked, maybe it was her tough exterior or how she seemed to soften up when she wasn't around other people. Maura found herself quite smitten with the girl from Boston, only meeting about 12 hours ago.
Constance soon came back from the bathroom and placed the cold towel on Maura's forehead. "You'll feel better in no time."
"Mother, I'm not sick how many times must I tell you?"
"I'll be the judge of that," Constance shook her head, smiling when she heard a knock on their hotel door. She went to go open it and Maura heard the voice of Garrett.
"Good afternoon Mrs. Isles, my family is settling into their hotel room, I thought I'd stop by and spend some time with your daughter, if you don't mind of course."
Constance shook her head, "Not at all, but I should tell you that she's not feeling the best, she refuses to admit that she's sick. But please my dear, come in," she stepped to the side and Garrett walked in, he glanced over at Maura on the couch.
"It's not anything contagious, is it? I need to keep my health up for swimming."
"Her symptoms seem to be on the low point, I think you will be fine," she smiled and heard her phone go off. "Oh dear," she looked at her phone message. "There's an emergency at the gallery, would you mind watching Maura for me."
"Of course not," he smiled warmly at Maura's mother.
"Such a gentleman, oh and before I forget, Maura met this person who was on a class trip and she's feeling unwell so her teacher and I agreed that I could keep an eye out on her. I'm unsure of when she's arriving. Will you be alright with that?" Constance asked as she gathered her things.
"Yeah anything for you Mrs. Isles," he showed off his boyish smile and Constance waved to her daughter.
"Do everything he says sweetheart, I'll try to be back as soon as I can," she told Maura before she was out the door.
"Your mother seems a little jumpy today," he moved Maura's legs so he could sit on the couch, letting her feet rest on his lap. "So, who's this person you met?"
"Her name is Jane, we met under interesting circumstances. She was kind of being harrassed by this guy she was dating, she noticed me staring and well we got to talking."
"Ah, I see. So you faked this sickness to get out of spending time with my family?"
"She told mother I wasn't feeling well, she just so happened to take Jane's word over my own. If anyone is faking their sickness it's Jane."
Garrett nodded, "She sounds like a bad influence," he reached over to take the cloth from Maura's forehead. "Well, if you're not sick I don't think you need that on your face. I need to discuss something with you though, can you sit up?" Maura nodded, sitting up on the couch.
"Is something that matter?" she asked and Garrett took something out of his pocket.
"I don't think us pretending to be together anymore is a good idea, my father wants me to give you this while we're in Paris," Garrett opened the box and Maura frowned.
"Is that an engagement ring?" she asked, observing the box and Garrett nodded.
"He wants me to ask you at your mother's gallery opening tomorrow night in front of all those people. You know father, always wanting to make a spectacle out of things. I told him it wasn't a good idea, but he insisted. He said he proposed to mother the beginning of senior year and they just knew they'd be together forever. We should have just told them when it happened, our break up, instead of making it seem like things were okay."
Maura looked up at Garrett with a frown, "Perhaps you're right, but we didn't want to disappoint our parents."
"They would be disappointed eventually, you weren't planning to stay in the closet forever, were you? I take it things have changed since you met Jane who's willing to feign sickness just to spend time with you," he put the ring box back in his pocket. "I can help you come out. You always said you didn't want to share the news until you found the right girl. Is Jane that girl?"
Maura bit her bottom lip and nodded, "I think she might just be."
"Well, I for one can't wait to meet her, give her my approval, or not."
"She doesn't need your approval Garrett, and she's not going to come out. Her mother is a strict Catholic woman it sounds like and her classmates are already rude to her about not being exactly feminine."
"Sounds like such a catch," Garrett shook his head.
"You're not upset at me, are you?" Maura asked with a pout.
"I was when we broke up but I could tell you weren't one hundred percent happy with me. And we all know about your need to be honest, I'm actually quite proud of how long you've been able to keep this secret."
"There are plenty of things I need to keep a secret, if mother found out certain things it would destroy her. I can't let that happen, plus he said he would change, as did your mother."
"She says it was a one time thing, but even I find that hard to believe. I can see the way they look at each other when they think I'm not paying attention. I don't ever want father finding out it would destroy him too. Are you absolutely positive you can keep that a secret?"
"I have for months now Garrett, you do trust me right?"
Garrett nodded, "Of course I do Maura, it just it's hard sometimes knowing you can't lie."
"Well it's a good thing it's never a subject to be brought up," Maura frowned, hearing a knock on the door.
Garrett got up and smiled at Maura, they could talk about more serious matters later, "That must be your lady," he went to go open the door and a brunette was standing there and a slightly older woman. "Hello, may I assist you?"
"I'm Miss Saltzman, is a Constance here? Jane told me this was the hotel room number."
"Ah, actually Constance had to do an errand, but I used to babysit Maura all the time, so I'm a responsible adult. Garrett Fairfield, pleased to meet you," he stuck out his hand, noticing the odd look the young brunette was giving him. "I'll take good care of her for you, plus Maura was just talking all about her new friend she made. I'll make sure she stays out of trouble."
"Well I appreciate it Mr. Fairfield," she smiled and turned to Jane, "If you need anything at all you have my cell number to call. Feel better Rizzoli, I better hear a good report when I return," Miss Saltzman nodded before leaving, patting Jane on the shoulder.
When Jane's teacher was out of earshot, Jane observed the man named Garrett, she wasn't impressed, he kind of gave off a Gabriel Dean look and vibe. "I didn't think Maura would date her babysitter, isn't that a little odd how her family could be supportive of this relationship?"
Garrett smirked, "I'm not her babysitter, I just told your teacher that because if I claimed to be dating Maura she wouldn't think it would be appropriate to have me watch you. I'm more than just a pretty face, you know," he stepped to the side to let her in.
"You're hardly even that," Jane rolled her eyes, causing Maura to laugh from the couch.
"Jane, be polite to Garrett," she smiled, her grin widening as Jane plopped down on the couch beside her.
"Told you I had a pretty good idea."
"I just don't know how my mother took your word over mine about how I was feeling."
"I'm very convincing," Jane placed her feet on the table, Maura and Garrett shared a look.
"Um Jane, it's not polite to put feet on furniture," Garrett lightly pushed her feet from the table.
"You sound just like my mother," Jane crossed her arms with a pout.
"And you seem like quite the handful," Garrett shook his head.
"Oh buddy, you have no idea," Jane looked at the boy. "So, do you really need to watch out for us? I was kind of hoping to spend time alone with Maura."
"Well you seem to be quite troublesome, I think I'll sit down right in-between you two," he made a move to sit, but Maura scooted closer to Jane.
"I think you can sit on that end Garrett, no need to cause a fuss," Maura gave him a serious look, causing Jane to smirk. Garrett sighed.
"Okay, but I really think we should finish our conversation."
"We can figure that out later Garrett," Maura's eyes silently begged him not to bring any of it up.
"Maybe she could help us out with our little problem, you know, I think I approve of her, minus the whole feet on the table thing," he spoke quietly and Jane rolled her eyes.
"I'm sitting right here, I can hear you, you know that, right? What problem are you having? How hard can acting like a couple be?" she asked and Garrett sighed.
"It's harder than you'd think Jane," Maura rested her hand on hers, causing both girls to blush. Maura decided to just tell Jane what was going on. "Garrett's father feels as though it should be the responsibility of Garrett to, how can I phrase this," she looked over at Garrett for help on how to soften the blow to Jane, realizing soon enough that she was better saying it herself.
"He wants me to make an honest woman out of Maura here, that's the words of my father," he took the ring out of his pocket and handed it to Jane. "And I think Maura should come out, I even offered to help her to do so."
"You can't force someone to come out Garrett, plus that would change everything, coming out to more people than just my mother and father, it's not really what I wanted."
Jane interrupted, "But you came out to me and I came out to you, even though I didn't necessarily want to."
"Well that's different Jane, it was a private conversation not in front of a lot of people, you don't understand how popular mothers galleries are, plus the Fairfields are wealthy and popular people. News would travel fast and I'm not sure my father would like hearing it through the newspaper. And my mother's reputation could be ruined if it was publicly known I left a Fairfield for a well..."
Jane raised her brow, "For a what?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"A girl who's from the lower class," Garrett finished for Maura.
"Garrett, you aren't helping," Maura frowned at her ex and turned to Jane. "I would never think of you like that, it's just... it's what it would come out as and I'm from the Upper East Side, plus you wouldn't exactly be mentioned, if your mother found out you were, we both know how that would go from what you told me about her strong religious beliefs."
Jane frowned, and nodded her head, "You do make a fair point, I still don't like that upper class people seem to think lower class people are subpar. You know, maybe this wasn't a good idea Maura, we're from two different worlds and I could never fit into this kind of lifestyle. It seems complicated, I'm out," she stood up from the couch.
"Jane, please, I'm not like that at all. Please don't go," Maura stood up and grabbed Jane's hand. "Please?"
Jane shook her head, "I'm sorry Maura, I hope that you have a nice life and I'll miss you but this won't happen. I don't want to be involved in a place that's not accepting of lower class people," she pulled her hand away from Maura. "It was nice meeting you Garrett, I'll just tell my teacher that I'm feeling better and just going to stay in my room for the remainder of the day. I hope your mother's gallery is a success Maura, and I hope you find someone up to your communities high class standards," she spoke softly and left the hotel room.
"I knew we shouldn't have mentioned anything to her," Maura frowned, wiping her eyes. "I don't think I feel well anymore."
"She'll come around Maura, if she doesn't it's her loss," Garrett looked at her with sad eyes, he honestly felt bad for what he just witnessed. He will try to find a way for both girls to find happiness in each other.
"No it'd be my loss, I really liked her Garrett. I'm maybe not cut out to have romantic feelings for anyone," she frowned and went to go lay down on the hotel bed. "May I be alone? I'd really prefer it if you didn't stay."
"Are you sure?" he asked and Maura nodded. "I'll see you at dinner with the family later," he let her know before leaving the hotel room and heading back to his family. Maura sighed, snuggling up to her pillow, sobbing quietly into it, unaware that Jane was doing the same in her room.