CHAPTER 17
Rory was distracted when Tristin took over the wheel. Her mind was on Logan and Sydney and things that could have been. Rory was blinded to the fact that Tristin was with her: being her lean-to guy, her chauffer. She couldn't even see why he was at the party at all. Tristin obliged her when she asked to be taken home. Unfortunately, the quickened pace of snow falling left all the roads slick and treacherous to drive on safely.
"I think we have to check into a hotel," Tristin told Rory.
"Tristin, I may have been dumped but I am not desperate," Rory guffawed.
"Honey, there are rules that are made to be broken and bedding a dumped girl isn't one of them," Tristin commented dryly. "I merely suggested a hotel because we are not going to get out of Boston at the rate we're going."
"Oh," Rory whimpered, embarrassed by her assumption. "Were you planning on driving back to Hartford?"
"Any other suggestions?" Tristin asked.
From there, Rory snapped out of her conceited state and gave Tristin directions to her dad's place. After a few twists, turns and stoplights, they came upon a brownstone lit in subdued Christmas lights.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Home for the evening," she said unceremoniously getting out of the car.
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Christopher was surprised to see not one, but two heads standing by his door. The cold wind swirled and watching the couple shiver in front of him chilled him to the bones.
"Get in here!" Christopher ushered Rory and Tristin in.
The two walked through the door quickly, trying not to get any draft in the house.
"I'm glad you guys got home now, not that I wanted your party to end quickly but they were calling for bad weather tonight," Christopher rattled off. "Tristin, nice to see you again."
"Same here, Christopher," Tristin returned the warm greeting.
Rory took off her coat and draped it haphazardly on the side chair. A quiet Tristin mimicked her very actions, only to carefully lay his heavy Ralph Lauren coat on the armrest.
"Care for any drink? Coffee? Tea? A hot toddy?" Chris offered.
Rory, not in the mood for twenty questions said, "Dad, can I take a shower first? I'm beat."
"Yeah, sure," he said, concerned over Rory's dour mood. "Everything alright?"
"Just a headache," she muttered, walking away.
When Rory exited the room, Christopher nudged Tristin to the kitchenette where a fresh pot of coffee awaited them.
"So, Rory didn't tell me you were going to be around," Christopher started the conversation. "Coffee?"
"Sure," he said, not really thinking about it. "No, I just… ran into her at the party."
"How did it go?" Christopher asked. He handed him a cup of coffee before taking out the creamer and the sugar.
Tristin flashed him a sad smile. "Been to better." He took the brew graciously and reached out for a spoon set in front of him.
"Did something happen?" Christopher inquired.
Tristin paused momentarily. "She— probably would like to forget this whole thing happened tonight."
"That bad, huh. I hate those kind of parties," Christopher admitted.
"Yeah, but I doubt that you got dumped in public by your significant other," Tristin muttered.
Christopher almost choked on his drink. "You said what? That Logan kid dumped my daughter in public?"
Tristin tried to calm the upset father. "There's more to it, Christopher… I think you need to have this conversation with Rory yourself."
"Is she alright?" Christopher asked. "How could that kid do that to my daughter?"
Tristin just looked at Christopher quickly before dropping his gaze. "If I knew the answer to that question, I'll let you know."
Christopher was livid. He took a deep breath before he spoke again. "Well, for all it's worth, I'm glad you were there for her," Christopher thanked Tristin. Both drank from their cups in silence.
Rory walked into the kitchenette, looking at the two men sitting across from each other. "Any coffee left for me?"
Both of them looked up quickly. Tristin got on his feet and pulled up a chair for her. "Hey, is the headache better?" he asked.
"Getting there," she muttered, taking a seat. She was wearing a thick bathrobe over her lavender flannel pajamas.
"So, Gigi's out for the night," Rory said.
"She got tuckered out watching Christmas movies on TV," Christopher chuckled. "She's a blast."
"Yeah," Rory said. "I just hope I don't wake her up tonight," Rory said.
"Nah, she's a heavy sleeper," Christopher replied. "Oh, by the way, you're invited to use the couch. I promise it's comfortable," Christopher told Tristin.
"I'd appreciate that. Let me just call my parents," Tristin accepted the invite, stepping away from the table to make the call.
"So, I heard you had a rough night tonight," Christopher brought the subject up to Rory.
"Did he tell you?" Rory inquired, a little ticked off. "He had no right…"
"He didn't say anything, Rory. He just told me that you didn't have fun at the party," Christopher said diplomatically.
"I got dumped, dad, and I didn't even see it coming," Rory said unceremoniously.
"Have you told your mom about it?" he asked.
"And have her tell me "I told you so?" No," she admitted.
"Wanna talk about it?" Christopher nudged her to spill the beans.
"Maybe later? I really don't feel up to it right now," she told her dad.
"My parents say it's alright as long as I can catch a ride with Rory back to Hartford whenever they clear the roads," Tristin said when he came back to the room. "Apparently, they're driving like turtles just to get out of town."
"Well that settles it, you are staying. Let me get you some sheets and some sleep clothes," Christopher told Tristin. He left the couple to themselves.
Before Tristin could react, Rory had her arms around his waist, her head rested on his side. "Thanks again."
"Yeah, no problem," Tristin replied, rubbing her still-damp hair.
"Here's the stuff. You know where the kitchen is. The bathroom is down the hall on the left. Towels are in the closet," Christopher instructed, dropping the bed sheets and the change of clothes. "Remote's on the table. If you find a renegade Cheerio, I apologize ahead of time."
"Thanks again, Christopher," Tristin acknowledged.
"I leave you kids alone then. Good night," Christopher greeted them before leaving the room.
"Good night, dad," Rory said.
"Good night," Tristin said, too.
"Let me jump in the shower. Do you want to talk afterwards?" he asked her quietly.
"We'll see if I feel up to it," she admitted.
"Okay," he accepted her answer. Dropping a quick peck on her forehead, he excused himself to clean up. Rory on the other hand, got off of her seat and busied herself. She turned on the TV to some movie for background noise while she unfolded the pull out bed for Tristin. Once it was set up, Rory sat on the corner of the makeshift bed and stared at the images flashing before her. She was impervious to Tristin's return to the room.
"What am I missing?" he asked, toweling his hair dry.
Rory looked up from the screen and stared at Tristin who was towering over her. He wore a USC Trojans sweatshirt and a pair of her dad's maroon flannel bottoms. To Rory, he was adorable.
"What?" Tristin asked her, blushing from her gaze.
"Nothing," Rory said. "I thought I'd never see you in anything less than designer clothing."
"Are you mocking me, Gilmore?" he ribbed at her.
"No," she said seriously. "I like you like this. You know, approachable."
"Well, let me state for the record that for you, this Tristin model is accessible to one Rory Gilmore at any time, any place," he announced.
"I might just take you up on that offer," Rory cajoled.
Tristin sat beside Rory on the corner of the bed, "It's not a joke," he added with a hint of seriousness.
Rory nudged him playfully with her shoulder. He bumped back in return. Seconds later, Rory laid her head on his shoulder.
"Am I horrendous?" Rory asked unexpectedly.
"What? Where did that come from?" Tristin chuckled.
"If I am not horrendous, why do I fall for guys that end up leaving me?" she asked. She sniffed herself, "I don't stink." She looked down the length of her body. "I'm not promiscuous. Is it because I am not rich?"
"Oh Rory," Tristin sighed, wrapping an arm round her shoulder. "Money has nothing and all to do about it."
"You probably think I am pathetic, huh?" Rory posed the question, a fresh tear rolling down her cheek. "You were there for my first break up. Now you're here again for another break up."
"Yep, call me the heart mender," he sadly stated. "I had to make up for the times I wasn't there for the second and third Dean break up."
"Well, I'd like to forget them so we could gladly skip that conversation," she hiccupped a chuckle. "I just think it's strange that you've been there for two milestone events. Should I had you my eulogy just in case my next bout of romance stupidity knocks me to my grave?"
"Nah, I think you have more left in you than you'd care to imagine," Tristin said.
Rory lifted her head and looked at Tristin. "Thanks."
"No need," he told her.
Both of them stared at the screen and watched the dialogue flow between the characters. They both knew nothing of the story that unfolded in front of them and yet both are grateful for its distraction.
"You knew, didn't you?" Rory asked after some time passed.
"Yes," he didn't bother to hide it.
"How?" she questioned him.
"Instinct," he responded, evading the truth he was privy to since the phone message weeks ago.
Rory was quiet for a while. "Would you have done the same thing he did?"
"No," Tristin said immediately. "Especially if it meant hurting you."
Rory didn't know what to say. "So what do you think is his excuse?"
Tristin pondered her question. He understood why Logan did it, not excusing his behavior but at some point, Tristin empathized with his purgatory. "Loyalty."
Rory snorted. "Loyalty? To what? Money?"
"Family," Tristin corrected her. "I tried to talk him into telling you before the engagement," he admitted.
"That would've been nice," Rory admitted.
"But he obviously loved you and didn't want to lose you," he explained.
"Why are you taking his side?" Rory asked. She was perturbed that he was defending Logan.
"Because I've been in his shoes, Rory," he confessed. "I've just been lucky that my parents understood that I don't work that way. Love is one thing I will not barter. Even my parents know that."
"Oh," she whispered.
She stared at the TV once more. She leaned her head on Tristin's shoulder and watched the movie to the end.