Chapter 3: Matchmaker, Matchmaker

It was one night out of her life, how bad could it be?

Famous last words. A classic underestimation of Emily Gilmore's scheming mind. Perhaps she really needed to re-read her Sun Su.

Traffic was bad and she was a little surprised when she pulled up in front of the mansion and didn't see her mom's jeep. She was probably just running late, she usually was. She was just pulling her cell phone from her purse to call her when the door swung open. Okay, just grin and bear it, she thought, that is the only way to survive intact...don't let them sense your fear. Pasting a smile on her face she entered the room and handed off her coat to the attentive maid.

The room looked decked out for some sort of royal ball, candlelight glittered off polished silver and crystal. She felt a little out of place without her mother at her side to make some witty and some what inappropriate remark. They had a nice little Abbott and Costello rhythm developed to ward of the offensive maneuvers of Emily Gilmore. Unfortunately a straight man without the comedic half of the duo was just.... well, straight.

She seriously contemplated making a run for it, probably her mom's DNA rearing its head. Before she could so much as turn towards the door she saw her grandmother swooping towards her with a gleam in her eye and a bright smile on her face. She had seen that smile before and it sent shivers up her spine as she cast one last longing look at the door.

"Rory, I'm so glad you made it, you are right on time so I assume that the traffic wasn't too horrible." Even as the traditional words of greeting slipped from her lips she already had a death grip on Rory's arm and was leading her towards the stairs.

"I am so excited for tonight, this is the first real chance that your grandfather and I have had to show you off to all of our old friends from Yale. You are going to look just beautiful in the outfit I picked out for you, now lets get you upstairs so you can get ready."

"Is mom here yet grandma? I didn't see her car outside."

Emily gave her one of those infamous raised eyebrow looks that suggests that perhaps you should have been paying more attention when your grandmother was speaking to you.

"Your mother isn't coming tonight Rory, I'm sure I mentioned that to you on the phone. She and her diner man were having some sort of special dinner so I told her that she didn't need to cancel her plans for this. This is your night anyway. Most of the guests will be arriving soon so lets get you upstairs. This is going to be a wonderful evening."

Rory racked her brain for memory of the conversation, granted she hadn't been paying full attention to the nuances but she could not recall any mention of her mother having other plans. She had a niggling suspicion that Emily had conveniently left out the information that her mom was missing this little soiree.

Rory was beginning to think that something was definitely rotten in the state of Denmark. Since when did Emily ever let her mom out of Friday night dinner voluntarily unless they were in some sort of fight? Aside from the whole golfing debacle nothing new had happened or at least she hadn't heard about it. She was beginning to think that she should have asked a few more questions or mentioned the plans to her mom; it just hadn't occurred to her that she needed to do either of those things.

When she got a good look at the accessories that her grandmother had laid out for her on the vanity in the bedroom a big ball of dread settled in her stomach. There was a gorgeous glittering diamond necklace and earrings that she was sure cost as much as her college education and to top it all off there sat a diamond tiara. What was her grandmother up to?

She turned to decline the jewels, not feeling comfortable in some kind of royal princess get up but when she saw the look of determination in her grandmother's eyes she sighed in resignation. Damn her need to please her grandparent's anyway, what was her problem.

She slipped into the black evening gown; the sparkles set off by the diamonds and had to admire her grandmother's taste, even if she did feel sort of like a little girl playing dress up.

"Oh Rory, you look just perfect, a princess, just as a Gilmore lady should look." Emily gushed adjusting the tiara for the fourth time, Rory barely stifled an eye roll; all this primping would be the death of her. She would play along for now though until she had a better idea what Emily was up to.

"Thanks Grandma, the outfit is incredible. You didn't need to go to all this trouble for me though, why is this party so special?" she pried

"Oh you just wait and see, it's going to be great. Don't worry about a thing, this is your night, you are the belle of the ball and all you have to do is go out there and shine." Emily nearly clapped her hands in glee as she pulled Rory out the door.

This was not good.

Rory was astonished when she got to the top of the stairs and realized how many eyes were turned to her as she descended. She didn't particularly like being the center of attention amongst a group of strangers. She didn't have much time to worry about it though because her grandmother quickly motioned her towards a small group of people and started making introductions.

After the fourth introduction to a male Yale student who just happened to be exactly her age and came from a suitable family she was pretty sure that she had somehow fallen into a time warp. She was sure that she was really standing in some Pre-civil war ballroom waiting for a Rhett Butler to sweep her away from all the plots of marriages to suitable well bred members of the uppercrust of society. Good Lord, how antiquated were her grandparent's that they really thought that she was going to allow them to pick out a boyfriend or husband or whatever for her?

It was definitely time to call in the back up troops. She politely excused herself from the boy she was currently talking to, or in this case occasionally interjecting polite sounds of attentiveness at. Brett or Brandon...she couldn't quite remember his name but she thought it started with a B, a capital B for BORING.

Looking around quickly she saw that both of her grandparent's were engaged in conversation and she quickly slipped outside through an open door.

Once she had made it safely out to the patio she glanced around to make sure no one would over hear the conversation and then quickly grabbed her purse and pulled out her cell phone hitting the speed dial.

"Hello, Gilmore house of pain, your pain is our pleasure. Mistress Lorelai speaking"

She barely heard her mother's voice answer before she launched into her tirade. "Mom, why didn't you tell me that you weren't coming to Friday night dinner? I am here now and I think I misread the invitation because I am pretty sure that I have fallen into some kind of time warp. Apparently this is the "auction Rory off to the most eligible bachelor party". I am totally freaked out. Why aren't you here? I need you mom."

"Rory...Rory, slow down, what is going on? I thought your grandmother told you that I wasn't coming this week. And what is this about a party? Darn, I should have known that she agreed too easily, I should have been more suspicious when she didn't make me grovel." Lorelai stopped her tirade mid breath. "I should always know not to trust my mother when she is too accommodating, it is usually a sign that she is up to her evil machinations. Are you sure that you are correct about the matchmaking thing though...that seems a little desperate even for Emily Gilmore."

Rory was a little frantic by now, "Mom, she made me wear a diamond tiara and so far I have been introduced to at least 6 Yale students, all males and all conveniently my age...there is not a single woman here under the age of 40. It was totally a set up. How could she do this to me? I think she knows I am seeing Dean too because she keeps making little comments about how so and so is a "suitable" catch. Maybe that is what this is all about, they have given up on controlling your love life and now they have moved on to mine.... Oh my god, now I know why you hated this so much all those years. "

"Okay, Okay, don't panic.... Lorelai Gilmore is coming to the rescue and then we will put a stop to this insanity. Now go inside and play the dutiful granddaughter until I get there so she doesn't get suspicious."

"Okay mom, I think I can play the part for a while, but if they start calling for the highest bidders I think I might just make a run for it... I'm beginning to see why you were always concocting those elaborate escape plans. Do you think that if I had a seizure they would have to take me to the hospital?" She giggled a little at this, feeling the anxiety lessen slightly.

"Hey, kid, just hang in there and a word of advice from an old pro, never make the mistake of playing the seizure card too soon, its the ace up your sleeve.... right up there with unwed pregnancy, but I seriously suggest you don't go there. Hang in there, I promise I will break speeding records on my way there.... hey, I guess if I get arrested that would give you an excuse to get out of the party as well."

Rory breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks mom, I needed the laugh as well as the rescue. See you soon."

Flipping the phone shut she took a deep breath and sat down for a moment on the chair on the deserted patio. She would go back inside, she just needed a moment to prepare herself.

The low cough behind her made her jump, she had been sure that she was alone on the patio. She turned quickly to confront her visitor, ready with an explanation on the tip of her tongue. The words froze there as her eyes locked on an all too familiar face.

"Logan?"