Conceived Deception
4: Afternoon Crumbles
They had decided to get together the following day. To discuss details. However, the specifics of their scheme couldn't have been further from Rory's mind. How had she convinced Huntzberger to enter such a flawed plan? Rory hadn't been able to answer Paris' question and had proceeded to see the many ways where it could go wrong, all of which would be her fault.
She had begun rethinking the reasons her grandfather had been involved in her last prank and if Logan was using this to get her back. The last thing they needed was him coming in with a hidden agenda that would throw the whole thing off for sure. Maybe Colin would have been the better choice. But, if Rory was honest with herself, she knew that Logan would be more convincing in the part and that made relying on him all the harder.
Upon entering the restaurant and seeing her back facing him Logan almost high-tailed it out of there, but something about Rory's posture stopped him. Slumped shoulders were new for her. They stripped her of the indestructible thing she'd had going since the day he'd met her, made the seemingly impenetrable wall a feather weight to push aside and for some unfathomable reason, Logan didn't want to be associated with anything that made her feel that way.
Logan approached the table slowly, telling himself he wouldn't let his involvement extend past the following Saturday, if it did, he knew it could only spell trouble.
When a hand was placed on her shoulder Rory's heart thudded painfully, something she chose to attribute to startlement, refusing to consider it being because of anything else.
Immediately pushing her worries away to deal with later, Rory assumed her role in the dueling duo. "And here I was thinking my giving you a full twenty-four hours to talk yourself out of helping me had been a mistake. What, you couldn't think of an argument that would hold up?"
Reminded of their encounter the previous day, Logan knew what she meant most likely didn't mean what she was saying. Rory wouldn't look him in the eye but she was twisting her hands in front of her. Logan reached out to hold them still before planning on answering. She looked from their hands to his face and Logan felt his breath barricade in his chest. There were so many things there, so many emotions; they made him open his mouth to speak only to frown instead. After an almost imperceptible shake of the head he asked something he'd been wondering about all morning, "How do you think they'll take it?"
Allowing him to deflect her question, Rory came up with an answer easy enough, "They'll love it, I mean, my grandfather already thinks you have capable hands Logan."
"He said that didn't he?"
A waitress passed their table on the way to the kitchen. "Uh huh, more coffee and menus please," the woman nodded and a smile broke out on Rory's face, "Thank you." They seemed to have abandoned their previous conversation after ordering lunch and neither knew how to break the awkward silence.
"I'm surprised you didn't order."
"Something you should know about me Logan, I like to tell the truth as must as possible, it keeps the important lies I tell easier to keep track of. When I said I would wait for you, meant it."
She was looking him straight in the eye now and the intense look in Rory's ocean blue eyes when she said she would wait for him made Logan uncomfortable. "What?" he asked when her head tilted in a curious way.
"What's wrong? I can tell something's wrong," Rory made a circular motion with her pointed finger, "That look on your face says something's wrong." A nervous smile broke out on Logan's face and as he took some bills out of his wallet and made to set them on the table Rory began to protest, "Oh no, you don't have to –"
"I need air," he stood up unceremoniously and gestured to the space in front of him, "Shall we?"
Logan knew his years of etiquette training were paying off when he instinctively placed his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her out the restaurant's door. Glancing down he had to tell himself to remove said hand from the area near her waist, lingering there definitely was advised against in the rule book.
She seemed to sigh when he took it away but his formulating smirk faded when Rory said excitedly, "Smells like snow. It won't b tonight," she sniffed the air another time and said confidently, "Sunday, you watch, it'll happen Sunday."
"We'll see."
The corners of Rory's mouth turned up as she gave her companion a quick look. "I guess so, but I should let you know," she continued with a mischievous hint in her tone. "We Gilmores have a sixth sense; instead of dead people, it's all about the snow."
"Oh really?" Logan couldn't have looked more disbelieving if he'd tried.
'Really," she affirmed.
"Huh."
She nodded her head. "You're from New York."
"Who told you?"
"Jess was from New York," Rory said matter-of-factly, "Spent time in California, moved back last year though."
"Friend?"
"Sure." Her answer was noncommittal at best and not at all reassuring to her companion who couldn't figure out why that bothered him. Until Rory gave him an appraising look and said, "He was a lot like you." Then it really bothered him and that was when Logan knew he was in for a rough ride.
Logan was lost wondering how Rory had managed to snare him before he even knew the pitfall was being laid when she said, "Unceremoniously being pulled away from a meal can be made up for with the buying of ice cream, Rule 37." He didn't appear to have heard her. Shocked that the mention of the Gilmore Girl Rule Book hadn't elicited the standard, "You come with rules?" response she looked over at him and stopped. When he continued walking, Rory knew something was up.
Deciding indignation would receive a better welcome than concern, Rory made sure she sounded upset when she all but yelled, "Logan Huntzberger, I do not respond well to being ignored!"
That stopped him fast enough. He pivoted slowly and was faced with a seemingly enraged woman advancing on him.
"And I'll have you know," she continued, "That I am not at all opposed to enforcing the required punishment for breaking Rule 37."
It was said in such a tone that Logan couldn't tell if she was being serious or just messing with him. "And what punishment would that be Ace?"
Rory took his hand in hers in a gesture that both would have deemed too familiar, "Oh, you'll know."
After she said that Logan was led at a comfortable pace down the sidewalk, awed by her blatantly flirtatious comment along with the realization that she was still holding his hand.
He could feel his certainty begin to crumble around the edges.
A/N: Hi everyone! That's all I've got so far and was wonder how you like it so far? Any suggestions? Criticisms? Don't be shy, REVIEW and tell me what you think. I'll try to get some more up within the week. Toodles - Alece
