Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.

CHAPTER 3: THE SAVOIR FAIRE WE'RE LOOKING FOR

"So…" Rory said, her voice trailing off.

"So," Jess replied, a hint of a smirk on his face. His smartass look gave Rory the confidence to begin pointedly unemotional small talk.

"So, Jess Mariano, what have you been up to these days?" she said, her voice even.

"Oh you know, the usual. Robbing old ladies, cherry-bombing mailboxes," he said glibly.

Rory crossed her arms. "Seriously."

"Seriously?" Jess replied. "Well, seriously, I live in the City. I was a messenger for awhile, and on one of my forays into the business district, I delivered something to a publisher. Turned out that they were looking for a street-smart editor for a new book review column in an edgy magazine," he explained, casually leaning back onto the wall.

"And you had the savoir faire they were looking for?" Rory returned dubiously.

"Actually, yes. That's where I work. I got an apartment in the East Village." He shrugged. "I'm doin' alright."

Rory was momentarily speechless. Here was Jess all settled in a life path, and she was, well…

"And you?" he asked.

"Oh, you know," she said breezily. "Taking a relaxing summer off after another grueling year at Yale."

"Well, I'm sure you're well on your way to becoming the next – who was it? Ah, yes, the next Christiane Amanapour," he said, only a hint of teasing in his voice.

"Yeah, well," Rory replied, searching mentally for a subject change. "So, can an important cog in the publishing machine such as yourself afford to be gone so long?"

"Well, I'm only up for the weekend. I'll go back on Monday, but I'll be back every once in a while to –"

Jess was interrupted by a commotion outside. "What the…" he started.

Jess opened the door and they both walked outside to find quite a scene.

"Hello, Lovely Lady Lorelai, glorious to see you again," said a familiar Aussie voice. Rory was torn between amusement at any impending actions from Finn and worry over introductions.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Luke asked in bewilderment.

Finn dropped to one knee and kissed Lorelai's hand. "At your service, milady."

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" Rory asked as she entered the front yard. Finn, Colin, and Logan were standing around in what only could be called activewear. They were wearing what, in their world, passed for workout clothes.

"Ace!" Logan said. Jess eyed him suspiciously. "Well, when I told the guys you decided to help your mom with moving this afternoon, we decided we couldn't let you move all those heavy boxes alone."

"Yeah, plus we think your mom's hot," offered Colin, quickly getting an elbow in the rib from Logan.

Logan turned to greet Luke and Lorelai properly. "Luke, congratulations" he offered, extending his hand. Luke grudgingly shook it. "Nice to see you again," Logan said smoothly. Luke merely snorted, recalling that their last meeting took place when Logan was half undressed.

"Figures he would know to congratulate," he said under his breath to Lorelai.

"What?" she half-whispered back.

"Lorelai," Logan greeted, slightly bowing at the waist.

"Logan," she returned cautiously. "Well, hate to disappoint you boys, but we're all done with the moving of the boxes for the day."

"Oh, rats. We're terribly disappointed we can't be of assistance. Allow me?" Finn proffered his arm. Lorelai shot Luke an amused look and took Finn's arm.

Lorelai directed Colin back toward their limousine. "Lead the way, Jeeves."

"What's with Crocodile Dundee?" Luke barked to noone in particular.

"I resent that," Finn called over his shoulder as they walked to the limo. "I'm quite a bit nicer than a croc." He leaned in conspiratorially to Lorelai. "And I don't bite… unless asked."

"Hello? I'm standing right here!" Luke said, his voice tinged with anger and annoyance.

Lorelai suppressed a guffaw, released Finn's arm, and patted him on the shoulder. "That's enough for today, loverboy." She gave him a slight push toward the limo, returning to Luke. Finn feigned momentary disappointment, and then disappeared into the limousine with Colin.

Logan laughed as he put his arm around Rory's shoulders. "Don't worry about Finn, he's harmless," he said to Luke.

Logan then turned his attention to Jess and looked questioningly at Rory.

"Right, more introductions are in order," she said, trying to keep the nerves out of her voice.

"Logan, this is Jess. Jess, Logan," she said.

Logan kept one arm around Rory's shoulders and extended the other to shake Jess's hand. Jess gripped Logan's hand a bit harder and longer than normal, setting off a warning in Logan's head.

Rory tried to think of a clearer introduction. "Jess is Luke's nephew," she explained to Logan. "Logan is my boyfriend," she said to Jess; a look passed between Rory and Jess. Rory looked rather defiant, daring Jess to cause a scene. Jess merely returned her look coolly, an odd cocky confidence in his eyes. Rory tried not to flinch. After all, it wasn't appropriate to introduce Jess as her bad-boy ex-boyfriend; she shouldn't feel guilty by omitting the information. Still, she was visibly relieved when Lorelai spoke.

"Well, kids, I don't know about you, but I could go for a big ol' plate of something right now. Luke, don't you feel like fixing us a big ol' plate of something?"

Luke was successfully distracted by her suggestion. "No, but I'm sure Caesar will be moved to do something about it."

"But you do it so much better than Caesar! And my feminine wiles work wonders on you; I have the boots to prove it," Lorelai protested, batting her eyes.

Luke sighed. "C'mon guys, before she starts her Mae West impressions."

Lorelai sighed dramatically. "I guess that means that you don't want to 'come up sometime and see me?' hmm?" she vamped. Luke just rolled his eyes. They walked to the diner, Lorelai throwing not-so-subtle glances Rory's way.

Jess just stood outside the front door, his hands thrust in his pockets watching Rory and absorbing the scene before him.

"So, what's the plan, Ace?" Logan asked. "Shall I send Frank home with the boys or what?"

Rory decided to make a clear statement to Jess. She was not going to let him rattle her, no matter how unsettling the circumstances.

"I think that's an excellent idea. Feel like some quality diner fare?" Rory asked.

Logan looked down at his clothes. "Shouldn't I change?"

Jess snickered audibly, shaking his head. Rory chose to ignore him.

"Nope, I think those are perfect Diner clothes. You're a regular Kevin Bacon," she replied.

"Steve Guttenberg," Logan offered.

"Mickey Rourke," she countered.

"God, I hope not," Logan said, laughing. "Well, if I need to change later, I think I left something at your pool house that's passable. I'll go tell Colin and Finn to head on." Logan strode over to the limo.

"So, um, are you headed to Luke's?" Rory asked, suddenly very aware of Jess's intense stare.

"Nah, I think I'll let Richie Rich escort you," Jess said, watching Logan approach. Before Rory could respond, Logan appeared by her side.

"Are you headed to the diner as well, Jess?" Logan asked amiably.

"Nah, you kids have fun; I have some work to do," Jess replied mysteriously, his voice filled with sarcasm.

"Alright. Catch ya later, man. Good to meet you," Logan said.

"Likewise," Jess said with a straight face.

"Bye," Rory said weakly.

"Adios," Jess said, walking in the opposite direction.

When they were out of earshot, Rory shivered in disgust. "Ooh, what an asshole."

"Whoa, Ace. Such PG-13 language is so unlike you – it intrigues me. Do tell," Logan requested.

"Not much to tell; he's just a face from the past who always managed to get under my skin. But now I am older, and more mature, and able to brush off such annoyances like so many crumbs off my lap," she finished with a flourish, almost convincing herself.

Logan chuckled. "Good girl. Now about this diner: is this the Luke's?"

And so they meet. What are you waiting for? Keep reading!