AN: Crazy week or two right now, so unsure if there'll be a lot of posts
to js: Logan said that her mother had an issue with Lorelai having her at 16 - and he brought it up because of that, but he paraphrased it not to e.g use to words "bred for it". Sure, Logan understands that this is an issue for Rory because she has told him about the way her grandparents (Haydens) have treated her. He just wasn't about to lie to her that this wasn't an issue.
To December Jeffries2: I am not done with that relationships, maybe there are indeed ways for Rory to prove herself to them (and to herself). Knowing me the road to that won't be a short one.
Chapter 43
"He got dumped two years ago. Apparently, it was a vicious Julia Roberts to Kiefer Sutherland kind of dump," Paris continued talking for what seemed like the tenth minute, sitting on the corner of Rory's desk at the Yale Daily News newsroom. She was in love - and it was painfully obvious to Rory who had to hear about it non-stop for the past twenty four hours. "She broke his heart, slept with his best friend, and took the dog. He swore off women completely until he met me," Paris added, sounding proud.
"Wow. That was a lot of ground you guys covered last night," Rory commented.
"He finally admitted, once his cough started coming back, that what we have he no longer views as casual. He said we are officially in a committed relationship, and I would not be remotely out of line if I called myself his girlfriend. And then I handed him the Nyquil, and then he passed out, " Paris added.
"Very romantic," Rory replied approvingly.
"I know," Paris reflected, but Rory's attention was drawn to a familiar,yet now more daunting than ever, figure of Mitchum Huntzberger who'd just walked into the newsroom.
"I'm happy for you," Rory said to Paris, feeling a little apprehensive already. Surely, he wasn't there for her, was he?
"I'm happy for me too," Paris replied cheerily. "Mr. Huntzberger!" Paris reacted, seeing the man behind her," and stood up from the table urgently.
"Hello, there. Hello, Rory," he said, nodding towards her.
"Hi," Rory said and stood up reluctantly.
"Paris Gellar. We met a couple of months ago," Paris said, offering her hand in greeting with her head held high.
"I remember the handshake. Reminded me of Jimmy Breslin's," Mitchum commented.
"High compliment," Paris replied.
"Would you excuse us?" Mitchum said to Paris, making his intentions clear.
"Oh, sure," Paris replied, somewhat disappointedly.
Here goes - Rory thought and took a deep tactical breath. Frankly she didn't even want to look the man in the face. Was she about to be cautioned to stay away from Logan? Threatened?
"Are you looking for Logan?" Rory asked, just wanting him to leave.
"No, I know better than to look for my son in the newsroom," Mitchum said, tucking his hands into his pockets. God, Logan probably got even some of his mannerisms from him, which was kind of weird. "I came to talk to you," he said.
"Me? About what?" Rory asked, playing oblivious, and sat back down.
"Well, it has come to my attention that you and my son are - what do the kids call it these days - dating, I guess?" he said, making Rory want to barf internally at his tone. Was he suggesting there was something else she was up to?
"Um, yeah - we're in a relationship," Rory replied, desperately hoping Logan would choose this afternoon to be the moment he decided to start visiting the paper again.
"Well, then I am sure Logan has already filled you about the family's reaction to the news…," Mitchum replied.
Oh, you mean how they blackmouthed me and thought I wasn't good enough for him? - Rory felt like shooting back, but this was Mitchum Huntzberger. She wasn't suicidal when it came to her career, and kept her internal groan to herself.
"Well, honestly, I think they might have been a little rash. I mean - none of us really know you…. I've seen Logan keep far worse company…," Mitchum mentioned, clearly not intending to polish his sons reputation by his words. Maybe this was his tactic? Make her not want Logan by speaking badly of him?
"And since I also heard you have some lofty journalistic aspirations, I thought what better way to get to know you than make you an offer," Mitchum said.
Rory's heart was pounding heavily in her chest, her palms growing sweaty and all she could think about was how to not stand up right now and shout into his face that whatever offer it was it wasn't going to make her stop loving Logan. Because that was what she was expecting - his offer for her to stop seeing him.
"The company just acquired a small newspaper. The Stamford Eagle Gazette. Decent circulation, pretty sorry writing, but definite potential. When we buy a new paper, I like to spend some time there. Take a couple of months, help turn it around, make sure we're getting our money's worth. Stamford isn't a bad train ride from here, is it?" Mitchum made a small monologue.
"Um, no," Rory replied.
"I have an internship available, if you're interested," Mitchum suggested.
Rory felt offended - did he really expect her to take an internship, unpaid she assumed, and… - she began to ponder, anxious for him to get to the condition part.
"An internship?" Rory reflected.
"It'd be a good chance for you to get your feet wet. Experience how the real thing works," Mitchum suggested.
"No. Thank you," Rory replied, not wanting to hear any more of this. She refused to take bribes.
For the first time the man actually looked a little puzzled - Rory had never seen him like that.
"No, thank you?" Mitchum frowned.
"I appreciate the offer. But no," Rory repeated.
"May I be so bold as to inquire, why the hell not?" Mitchum asked, nearly beginning to leave.
"Because I have a feeling that the only reason you're doing this is because you were just about to add a condition to your offer. Oh, say…," Rory gained some courage and suggested somewhat boldly. She was just about to explain how she believed this to be bribery to break up with Logan? She didn't quite believe hearing herselt speak.
"You really think I care about Logan's lovelife?" Mitchum blurted with a snort, saving her the trouble.
Rory shrugged.
"Yes, I care about who he spends his time with, or rather whom he wastes his time with. And if dating you comes with him spending a little less time with those dopes, Colin and Finn, crashing boats and getting plastered every night, sowing his oats and god knows what else… then maybe that's not such a bad thing. It's time for him to stop being a child and start being a man, it's time for him to start focusing on his future," Mitchum explained.
"So this is not some scheme to buy me off?" Rory just had to ask. She knew he could still easily lie, but she just had to ask.
"There'd be a lot easier means than offering someone an internship, let me tell you...," Mitchum chuckled cockily.
"Right," Rory reflected, unenthusiastically.
"So - the internship? Might I get you to reconsider?" Mitchum repeated his question.
Rory still wasn't convinced that what he was doing was all innocent. She also didn't like him using her as somekind of a chess piece in getting his way with Logan.
"I usually prefer to work for my own opportunities," Rory pointed out.
"So what?" Mitchum shot back, clearly being a little surprised of her integrity.
"Excuse me?" Rory asked.
"Say the only reason I offered this to you is because you're dating my son. Say I have no actual interest in your career but offered you this to make up for what will probably be a long row of inconvenient confrontations with my wife and my father…," he explained, rolling his eyes. For a second Rory actually believed there might be two opinions to Logan's family concerning her. "This is still an opportunity. Who cares why you got the opportunity? It's here, and life is about making the most of everything you're handed. Well, this is being handed to you. Now, what are you going to do about it?" he continued, making a valid point.
"I'll have to think about it," Rory replied.
"Sure, talk it over with that boyfriend of yours," Mitchum chuckled smugly, adding, "We start Monday, Ten o'clock. Call my office for details once you make up your mind," he added, and walked out, getting the last word.
Rory was infuriated by how right Mitchum was, when she was, roughly an hour later, having barely finished up a short article, rushing across campus towards Logan's dorm room to tell him about the interaction.
She was outraged by his arrogance, showing up like that - just ugh… Rory was out of words.
She could hear Logan having company even before she made it to the door. She no longer knocked, knowing Lanny was still abroad and she wouldn't possibly ever be walking in on anyone other than her boyfriend naked which was never really a poor prospect.
"Hey," Rory said as she slipped in.
"Hey, Ace! Finally!" Logan replied, having a drink in his hand. Colin, Finn, Juliet and a few others were hanging around around the coffee table. The coffee table held their drinks and a bunch of playing cards, indicating they were probably in the middle of some sort of a drinking game - the mushroom perhaps, one that she too had played a few times by now.
"Hi," Rory replied, feeling like the odd one out and was soon cheerily greeted by the rest. It was Monday evening, so Rory couldn't help but to feel a little dissapointed that he was partying already, she hated more how right Mitchum had been about Logan's ways. She would've prefered if he partied a little less too sometimes...
"Come on, Ace, sit with me," Logan invited, scooting over so there was some room by his side on the armrest.
"Actually, Logan - could I talk with you for a sec," Rory said, just wanting to share what had happened at the newsroom as soon as possible.
"Ooo..," Finn howled ominously.
"Someone's in trouble..," Colin teased.
"Cut it out guys," Logan scolded them, being definitely the most sensible drunk of the group, and rose from his seat. Finn and Juliet attempted to get his premium spot on the couch, but ended up landing there at the same time, which Finn naturally turned into a dirty joke.
They went into his bedroom and Logan kissed her in greeting, obviously being in a mood to enjoy this little private moment to the fullest. But Rory was too anxious to tell him to allow that moment to linger.
"Wait, I have something important to tell you!" Rory stopped him, almost mid-kiss.
"You're not pregnant are you?" Logan teased, jokingly, struggling to think of anything else as important.
"What? No!" Rory replied, finding it rather odd for him to even joke about something like that.
"Just kidding, Ace..," Logan soothed her by rubbing her upper arms.
"Yeah, but you dad came to see me just now… like an hour ago," Rory said, and that certainly wiped the jolly look off Logan's face.
"He, what?" Logan reflected, pulled away a little, and Rory could just sense panic rise in him.
"He came to the paper… he came to see me," Rory began to describe, sounding a little out of breath. "And basically… what he did was offer me an internship at Stamford Eagle Gazette, starting Monday… if I want it," Rory explained.
"Stamford Eagle Gazette?" Logan reflected, having indeed heard of the recent purchase at some recent meeting.
"Yup. He said he wanted to get to know me…," Rory elaborated, still finding it unbelievable.
"Get to know you?" Logan repeated her words in a skeptical tone.
"I know… it sounds crazy…," Rory replied. "And I actually even suggested I didn't want it if he expected this to be some way to buy me off or whatever…," she added.
"And what did he say to that?" Logan asked.
"He assured me that was not the case… but believe me I have my doubts too," Rory said.
"You want to take it?" Logan asked, as he walked back and forth back the room.
"I don't want to take it if he thinks it somehow means I'll owe him something," Rory replied.
"God, fuck…," Logan huffed loudly. "I hate him so much," Logan added.
"Try to keep your hand off of each-other in there, we were supposed to still go out, remember?" Finn reminded them through the door, Logan's cursing that could be mistaken for something else, obviously having been overheard through the door. They could hear the others chuckle at Finn's comment.
Rory didn't dare to tell Logan Mitchum's explanation - why he seemed to be okay with her presence in his life. Especially with the guys right outside, but she just wanted to find a good moment for that. She was also hesitant to tell him that career wise she was beginning to see Mitchum's point. She could really use that internship, having spent the past summer doing nothing much productive beyond reading.
"So you do want to take it?" Logan repeated his question, realizing what Rory had said before.
"I don't know," Rory shrugged. "Maybe it'd be good to know him a little, maybe even prove myself to him?" Rory discussed.
"I don't like it…," Logan shook her head, knowing how any idea of proving onself to his family was bound to end in a disaster.
"Do you think he's up to something?" Rory asked.
"I don't know… god damn it, I hope he's not…," Logan huffed.
"Maybe I won't even see him that much?" Rory shrugged, hopefully. There were other people at the paper to learn from, right? He was hardly going to be around all the time, right?
"So you really want to take it?" Logan asked her for the third time.
"I don't know… it'd kind of be stupid of me not to take it maybe?" Rory discussed, despite hating the way she'd gotten the offer.
"Yeah, I get it..," Logan agreed, still not liking this one bit.
"I swear if there's anything… I'll tell you straight away. I won't do it if it turns out to be something else…," Rory suggested.
"Just just have to make sure you don't let him get to you… He has a way of making people do all types of things without them even realizing that he's pulling the strings," Logan said. Frankly, to Rory that sounded a little farfetched even coming from Logan - she believed to have a working brain after all, and especially if she went in all cautious.
"But that's why I have you a phone call away. You can prep me…," Rory suggested, trying to be a little hopeful.
"I guess..," Logan sighed, but it was evident he still had his suspicions.