Chapter Fifteen: Monosyllable Answers
---GG---
"We're having a party at our estate in Lenox," Rory told Finn, walking into his dorm room after he'd opened the door, "And I want you to come."
"Lenox, love? I'm not familiar."
"Yes, Lenox," she said, pulling three envelopes out of her bag, and handing them to him, "For you, Logan, and Colin."
"Thank you, kitten," Finn smiled, taking them from her and tossing them onto the coffee table. "I'll be sure that they get them."
"Good," she nodded, tilting her head and biting her lip, "You all can bring dates if you'd like."
Finn rose an eyebrow, and sat down on the sofa, letting his eyes fall from her face, and graze over the coffee table to the invitations. He frowned inwardly, and furrowed his eyebrows. He'd been sure that their date the previous night had been a success. It wasn't a horrible date: he'd categorized it as a nine – it would have been a ten if he'd spent the night, but he hadn't.
"Sure," he nodded, "I'll let them know. I'll see you."
Rory smiled weakly, and nodded, turning and letting herself out, "Later."
Closing the door, Rory made her way back towards her dorm room, processing his not-asking her to her own party as his date. Rory was positive they'd been on the same page when they'd said good night last night – that they were going to try dating even if neither of them had brought the subject up.
But perhaps he didn't think the date went all that well.
Pulling her phone out of her shoulder bag, and looked through her contacts list and sighed, not fully comprehending what she was about to do – and why she was doing it. She'd resorted to never talk to him again, and yet here she was, getting ready to reconcile and open her heart up to him again.
"Hello?"
"Hey," she breathed, willing her heart to stop running a marathon in her chest.
"Rory?"
"Yes," she said, biting down hardly on her lip, "Do you want to meet up?"
"Definitely." He said, smirking to himself, as he shut the door to his car, getting comfortable in the driver's seat, "Where?"
"Uh, Hartford. Let's meet up in Hartford."
"There are a lot of places in Hartford, Ror."
"The library. Let's meet at the library."
"I'll see you soon."
"Bye."
Rory flipped her phone closed, and bit down harshly on her bottom lip again, shoving her phone into her bag, she dug around for her keys. Finding them, she clutched them in her hands. She pulled her sunglasses off of the top of her head, and pushed them over her eyes, shielding them from the sun. Casting a glance around her, she pulled the hood of her Yale sweatshirt up, and over her head.
She'd been being followed by photographers for a few months now, and it was finally starting to get to her. She felt so out in the open, and so exposed. Rory couldn't fathom why people would want her picture – but she supposed after a few weeks that it was because both sets of her grandparents had named her Heiress of their fortunes.
Add that on top of her mother's own fortune, and Rory would never have to work a day in her life.
"Mommy," Rory said, opening her phone and pressing speed dial, "They're following me again."
"Give them the finger," Lorelai told her daughter, letting out a flawless laugh, "Give them something to print in the papers and magazines!"
"Mom," Rory groaned, rubbing her forehead, and unlocking her Escalade with the remote control, "I'm not you."
"That's really to bad," Lorelai sighed, shaking her head on her end of the phone, "But in a way it's good, also."
"And I'd like you to broaden the horizon you just painted."
"You didn't get pregnant at sixteen."
"Uh huh."
"You didn't marry your father."
"Probably a good thing, right?"
"Uh, you're not Emily and Richard Gilmore's daughter."
"Yes, but I'm their granddaughter."
"You go to Yale."
"You went to Yale."
"Oh, yes… well, you go to Yale now – I went back when I was forced to go to Yale."
"I'm hanging up."
"I'll talk to you soon?"
"Count on it."
---GG---
"I was beginning to think you'd be a no show," he said, as soon as he saw her round the corner of the classics section in the Hartford Library."
"I had to drive in front New Haven," Rory replied, dropping into one of the large chairs that sat next to a table with a reading lamp.
He followed suit, and looked her over with curiosity in his eyes, "How have you been?"
"Busy – being stalked by people."
"Nothing out of the ordinary then, right?" He laughed, tapping his fingers on the arm rests of the chair.
"Right-o, my friend. Right-o."
"Seriously – how have you been, Ror?"
"I've dated and broke up with a guy."
"Did you have to force yourself to look at him too?"
Rory laughed, and shook her head, letting her eyes rest on his face, "Silly, silly boy."
"So you've told me before."
"I've missed you, Jess."
He shrugged, and tugged at the collar of his jacket, resting his back against the chair, making himself comfortable, "I'm sorry I left like that, you know. Just – leaving like I did."
"It's okay – I've moved past it."
He nodded and stared at her, a smirk growing on his lips, "Wanna grab a coffee or something?"
She nodded, standing, and adjusting her shoulder bag on her shoulder, "Yes… I'd like that."
"Your car or mine?"
"Mine," she smiled, linking her arm with his, and leading him out of the library.
---GG---
"So I was thinking a Judi Dench movie marathon," Lorelai said over lunch at Luke's diner the next day, glancing at Rory across the table. "A little Shakespeare in love, The Third Secret, A Room With a View, and, the best for last, After Murder Park."
"I like the way your mind works, Louis," Rory agreed, taking a sip of her coffee, and then a bite of fries. "I had coffee with Jess yesterday."
"Oh, and what happened there?"
"We talked… worked things out."
"How do you mean, 'worked things out', Rory?"
"He's my date to our party."
"What happened to Finn?"
"I don't know! I thought everything was going perfect – I even subtly hinted about a date for the party and he just.. he didn't pick up on it. I don't know – I don't really care."
"Really care? Rory, you were smitten by this guy – what changed?"
"I guess we just weren't on the same page."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Rory sighed, rubbing her forehead, and resting her elbows on the table, "It's not like I was thinking marriage with him."
"Are you sure you want to get involved with Jess again?"
"No," Rory answered honestly, leaning back in her chair, and crossing her legs, narrowing her eyes at the window. "Why won't they leave me alone? Ugh! Luke!"
Throwing his dish towel over his shoulder, he leaned against the counter, looking Rory and Lorelai's direction, "Yeah, Ror? 'Nother refill?"
"They're outside again!"
"Assholes!" Luke growled, throwing his dish towel down, and storming towards the door, opening it, and slamming it closed behind him.
"Are you ever afraid that one day someone or something is going to push Luke over the top and he's just going to go on a killing spree?"
Lorelai shook her head, and watched Luke yell, and shake his fist at the photographers. She laughed, and took a bite out of her burger, shaking her head while swallowing, "Nope." She grinned, and looked back to Rory, "Because that's not a cause to be afraid – that's a cause to laugh."
Rory shook her head, and sighed, "What a Gilmore."
"You know it, babe."
---GG---
Well my honey's so funny she's money she never means to undermined
She knows I love my job
But I love her more
So it makes no difference
Either long distance or over time
She's mine
She loves her wine
And fine dining
She's so sweet oh so petite
Oh so completely entertaining
She holds my hand
We love to dance
Oh so romancing
She is mine
---GG---
"Thank you so much for coming," Rory smiled, ushering the guests into the Vanderbilt (now Gilmore) Estate. She turned to her mother as she closed the door behind the Malone family, widening her eyes and letting out a long breath. "Now I understand why most people have their maids open the door."
"Well let's run away and let the maids answer it from now on."
"You're on."
Rory and Lorelai walked away from the door, their cocktail dresses swooshing and swaying all the way towards the very core of their party. Rory bit her lip, and let her eyes scan over the entire ball hall, holding her hands in front of her.
"He's over at the bar," Lorelai told her knowingly, patting her shoulder slightly.
"How do you know I was looking for Jess?"
"Oh, well – I didn't, I thought you were looking for Finn."
"Mom," Rory groaned, stomping her heel slightly on the marble, "We're just friends."
"Who make out."
"Mom."
"And go on dates."
"Mom!"
"And almost have hot, crazy, steamy sex on couc---"
"Mom!"
"Yes?"
"Knock it off – I'll go talk to him if that's what you honestly want."
"What? Me? I'd never suggest a thing!"
"Bye," Rory mumbled, heading off towards the bar, excusing herself while brushing past guests.
She held her breath, pressing her stomach against the bar, watching the side of his face intently as he took a long drink from the glass he was holding. She frowned, letting her breath out, tapping her fingers against the wood of the bar, "Hey." She said moments later, resting her right elbow on the bar. "How are you?"
"Fine," he monosyllabically answered.
"Are you having fun?"
"Sure, kitten."
"Finn," Rory sighed, exasperatedly, as she grabbed a glass of wine off of a tray from a passing waiter. "What's wrong?" She asked, taking a sip of her beverage.
"Nothing."
"Liar."
Finn turned to her, setting his glass on the bar, and shaking his head, "Go back to your date."
"So your jealous."
"Why would I be jealous over you and that tosser?
Setting her glass down, Rory fought the urge to roll her eyes, and bit the inside of her lip. She had honestly thought of apologizing to him up until that last remark, "Well I suppose I'll leave you to your alcohol, right hand and that bimbo you brought."
Huffing, she turned, stalking away from him, on her way to find Jess where she'd seen him last.
Finn watched her go, a twinge of guilt underlining his slightly inebriated state. He shook his head, and ordered another Guinness, letting his eyes focus on the fairy lights hanging from the wood arbor over the doors that led out onto the terrace.
He groaned, bumping his head a bit roughly onto the bar. He needed to get fully intoxicated.
Finn turned his body around, so his back leaning against the bar would give him support. His eyes scanned over the ball hall, waiting for Rory to come across his gaze. He was a jackass, and he knew it – hell, the entire room probably knew he was a jackass just from the way they'd seen her walk away from him.
And there she was, wrapped in the arms of some guy he'd never met – but he was sure those two had had a past. Probably an ex-boyfriend, he was certain. He looked like a lowlife – and he was certain she wasn't pining after him.
Why pine after him when he was around, eh?
Finn watched as they danced, and she moved closer to the guy he didn't even know. "Figures," he muttered under his breath, cracking his knuckles, and grabbing his Guinness, downing half of it in one gulp.
"She doesn't like him, you know," Lorelai said, sideling up next to him, her eyesight set on Rory and Jess.
"I have no idea who you're talking about, love."
"Rory – she doesn't like Jess the way she likes you."
"So she wants to be involved with him, eh, love?"
Lorelai laughed, and shook her head, taking a deep sip of her wine, "You exotic men aren't very smart; and here I thought it was us Americans who were slow."
"I'm failing to grasp your point."
"She wants to hug you… she wants to kiss you… she wants to love you," Lorelai sing-songed, patting his hand, and wandering off back to wherever she'd just come from moments ago.