AN: Again, the love...it is so appreciated and wonderful, encourages me to write more. My kids are sleeping at my parents and my husband is working this morning, so I have some time to write today which is fun. Tonight we have New Years Eve, so I suppose you can all guess what holiday is next?
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or The Holidate
Part Three - New Years Eve
"You're sure he was meeting you?" Abigail gave Rory a sad half smile.
"He texted me earlier, he is meeting me here, relax, it isn't even nine," Rory rolled her eyes at her friend as they sat in their booth.
"Because Nick is going to be here soon, and I don't want to spend my night worrying about whether or not you are with someone, or if a weirdo is going to kidnap you…I just want to enjoy my new years eve, worry free."
"You know Abs, you don't have to worry about me. You kind of take that on all by yourself. Anyway, the plan is that he will meet me here, he is bringing some friends, and then I have my date and you are free to do whatever it is that you and Nick just need to do today."
"I think he might propose," Abigail admitted excitedly.
"Propose?" Rory felt her eyes growing wider as she tried to keep her heart from beating too rapidly in her chest.
"I mean, I don't know, but we've been together for two years now, and you know…that is normally…the time…we live together…anyway, I just…I have a feeling."
"Wow," Rory smiled, "well, I obviously know nothing about it if it is happening, but if it is, I will be really happy for you."
"Hey, hope I'm not too late," Logan brought the two women out of their discussion as he arrived at the booth.
"Logan," Rory stood up, relieved that he had arrived, "hey!"
"Hey," Logan repeated, he could see that something was off with her. "I'm Logan Huntzberger, Rory's date tonight," he extended his hand to Abigail.
"Abigail Smith," Abigail smiled, "Rory and I work together."
"Two reporters, what are the chances?" Logan smiled as another man joined them and Abigail jumped into his arms. After a few moments of idle chatter and introductions, Abigail loudly proclaimed that she wanted to dance and dragged Nick off with her, leaving Rory and Logan standing. "Drink?"
"Please," Rory nodded as she scanned for the bar and the two walked through the crowd, Logan guiding her with his hand on her lower back.
"You look gorgeous," he told her honestly. Rory was wearing a black and silver dress, it had a deep v-neck and a deep v in the back as well, she had splurged on it during the haze that was the time between Christmas and New Years, she had promised herself she would wear it more than once to justify the steep price tag for the Saint Laurent piece.
"You seem surprised?" Rory countered, she wasn't sure why she couldn't accept a compliment from him. She knew she looked good, sure she was a little bit self conscious but she figured this was one of the few days of the year that she didn't mind throwing caution to the wind and wearing something that made her feel sexy and confident.
"I'm not surprised," Logan smirked as they waited for a bartender to serve them, "it was one comment."
"It stuck," Rory shrugged, "tequila," she told the bartender while holding up two fingers.
"Starting hard, are we?" Logan looked at her, she had certainly surprised him as the two shots were placed in front of them along with a couple of wedges of citrus to cut the sting. "I'll take a scotch neat after this, and a champagne for the lady?" he looked at Rory who nodded, her eyes sparkling ever so slightly as she did. "Well, here's to a new year."
"New year, new me," they each picked up their shots and tossed them back, Rory dramatically placed her shot glass back on the bar as she bit into the lemon wedge immediately after, grimacing for a moment as the taste lingered.
"You know," Logan made a face as he removed his lemon from his mouth and put it back on the plate, tossing some bills on the bar as he took their next round of drinks and passed Rory her champagne flute, "I'm not sure that you really need a new year, new me resolution."
"Well, I'm sure."
"And why is that? You have your dream job, you have a supportive family, a nice place to live, a nice car…you have a friend, I'm assuming you have more than one…other than a boyfriend, which might I add, I am a wonderful stand in for…what else could you need? You can order a vibrator on Amazon…"
Rory rolled her eyes at his comment, "sometimes it would be nice to just…feel like I didn't have to explain myself," she admitted. "I'm always overcompensating. 'No, I'm not seeing anyone right now, but I love my work…yes it keeps me busy…oh no…I don't get lonely…it's nice to not have to fight about what to watch on Netflix.'" Rory went through a conversation she had with her friend Paris earlier in the week. "And now, here, tonight, Abigail thinks Nick is going to propose, and I'm such an asshole that I can't even be happy for her," Rory ranted as they took a seat at the table, Logan scooting in right beside Rory, their shoulders were touching. "They've been together for two years after all, and everyone knows that after two years, if you haven't bought the cow you probably aren't going to," Rory finished her champagne in one gulp.
"I'm going to hazard a guess that while talking about your friend who may or may not be getting engaged tonight, you probably shouldn't refer to buying the cow, it might be misunderstood when taken out of context…" Logan knew what she was getting at, he knew that she had dated her last boyfriend for three years and their breakup had surprised her. What was weird about it is that she had never really said anything about her ex, Jess, just that he had dumped her and it had taken her by surprise. She never seemed to express that she missed him or that there was a particular quality she missed…she just seemed to miss having a boyfriend.
"I wasn't calling her a cow. It was metaphorical," Rory rolled her eyes, as though he didn't know that already. "I thought you had friends coming?"
"They are here," Logan scanned the crowd and pointed to a man who was dancing boisterously in the crowd, dark hair, tanned skin and a flock of women around him, "that is Finn, and if you see a miserable looking guy a little to his left, that is my friend Colin."
"He looks thrilled to be here," Rory laughed.
"He is waiting for his girlfriend who is running late because she is mad at him for not proposing at Christmas. Little does she know, he is planning on doing it tonight."
"You're kidding me," Rory groaned, "two people? Really?"
"I'm willing to bet that more than just two people here are getting engaged tonight…"
"Is that supposed to help?" Rory groaned as she stood up, "I need to pee, and another drink."
"So graceful," Logan smirked as she walked away, he had to admit, the sight of her walking away from the table was one he might never get tired of watching that night given the dress she had chosen.
Rory returned a few minutes later with another drink for both of them, Logan was still working on his previous drink, and the two fell into playful banter, once again watching various different people and speculating about what exactly they might be doing that evening.
"He is definitely not into it," Logan nodded towards a guy who was clearly sitting on a date with a woman who was very interested in him.
"Why do you say that?"
"He's not even looking at her," Logan explained, "I don't think I've seen his mouth open to form an actual word, he just keeps saying hmmm, uhhhh….uh huh. She could definitely do better than him."
"Maybe she likes his personality? Maybe he likes that she carries conversation."
Logan gave her a curious look, "really?"
"No, but just because a woman can keep up a conversation…it isn't a bad thing."
"No, it isn't a bad thing, but when the person you're with isn't keeping up with you…I don't think it's a recipe for success. On tonight of all nights. Tonight is the night where you want to be seen with the person you love or the person you might love, or at least the person who you enjoy talking to…who wants to be out with someone on New Years that they don't even like."
"So you like me?" Rory winked.
"As a friend, yeah," Logan shrugged, "it's nice to have someone to talk to who doesn't want anything from me."
"Do people normally just want things from you?"
Logan finished his drink quickly and licked his lips. "When you are taking over a big job at a big company, everyone wants something from you. My Dad, he talked about my friends, calling them assholes amongst other things and truthfully, Finn can be a bit of an asshole, but they're loyal. They don't want me for anything. They don't need money or jobs…they're just my friends…and that is a rare find for me. So maybe that is what I like about getting to know you? You don't seem to care that I'm a Huntzberger, and you don't seem remotely interested in me, but you're still fun to talk to and you're gorgeous, so I definitely don't mind being seen with you."
"Gorgeous," Rory grinned, "that is a far cry from decent."
"You've gotta get over it."
"Never," Rory countered. "For what it's worth, I'm enjoying having a friend too. And…as for your friends…you seem like the kind of guy who keeps a friend for a while. So if you like them, there must be a good reason for that."
"I don't think I've ever heard someone I didn't pay speak so highly of me," Logan laughed, "come on," he moved to stand up and offered her his hand, "let's dance."
"I don't dance," Rory countered as she allowed herself to be pulled onto the dance floor.
"You don't wear a dress that short to not show it off, Ace."
"Don't make fun of me when I dance like a spazz," Rory replied as they made their way to the dance floor. The drinks were beginning to take effect and Rory was enjoying some liquid courage as her body moved to the music. It wasn't exactly graceful, but she wasn't sure that she would label it spastic either. They danced for a couple of songs, and on more than one occasion, Rory felt his hands brush her hips or her hips would grind against him and for a brief moment she forgot what their arrangement was. They were people who attended events together, nothing more. He wasn't interested in more, and neither was she. By the time the music slowed down, they were both breathing heavily and sweating more than they would care to admit, "the bar?" Rory suggested loudly, leaning in so he could hear her.
"Sure," Logan shouted back, she grabbed ahold of his hand and led him through the crowds, more or less out of instinct so they wouldn't misplace each other, they had agreed to share a taxi home. "Water, please," he nodded to the bartender holding up two fingers, "and a scotch neat for me, a champagne for the lady?"
"Thank you," Rory smiled, "it's hot," she stated simply as they walked back to sit down.
"Yeah," Logan agreed as he took a sip of his water, sliding into their rounded booth just after her. "This has been a decent night."
"It's not over," Rory nodded to the countdown clock, less than an hour until midnight. "When I was younger, I thought that spending New Years Eve in Manhattan would be such a dream…but now that I've lived it for a few years…I'm pretty sure staying home with takeout and pyjamas is way more fun."
"You think?" Logan pretended to be offended. "We used to travel around this time of year, we would fly out just after Christmas to some exotic location. When I was a teenager it was cool, but it sucked never getting to be around my friends. I would say for the past six or seven years though, I've been in Manhattan…it's just…it feels like the quintessential night where a New Yorker has to be out, you know?"
"Why do you think I go out every year?" Rory laughed. The last three years she had gone to a party in Brooklyn thrown by a guy Jess was friends with. It was always a huge group of people, way too much booze, mediocre food and sloppy kisses at midnight, she never thought she would miss it, but at a club in a sea of people, she wondered if maybe she did miss it. "Before Jess, I was always at clubs…the heels, short dresses," she gestured to her own outfit.
"You look great," Logan assured her as he turned his attention back to the strangers. "I'm willing to bet that guy pukes before midnight," he nodded to a man who seemed to be swaying at the bar.
"Well there's no way we will ever be able to confirm that unless we follow him around all night, and I for one am not following a man trying to figure out if he pukes."
"So you'll have to take my word for it," Logan laughed.
"Those two," Rory pointed out a couple about thirty feet away who seemed to be screaming at each other, "will be broken up by the end of the night."
"You think?"
"She has been staring at another guy all night, and every time he speaks I think I see her roll her eyes."
"Maybe she's looking at a friend."
"She's not kissing the guy she is with at midnight, I can promise you that."
"You seem confident."
"You were sure about the puke guy."
"Fair."
As the clock got closer and closer to midnight, Rory was incredibly aware of the fact that Abigail and Nick seemed to be getting closer and closer to where Rory was. She supposed it was normal, to want to share the moment with her friend, but it just made Rory painfully aware of all the ways that her own life was lacking. She and Logan had laughed and pointed out all sorts of people in various states of drunkenness until they heard the countdown begin. Rory felt her eyes immediately go to her friend. Her beautiful blonde haired friend who began to squeal when her boyfriend dropped to one knee and presented her with a diamond ring.
6
Rory smiled, or at least she tried to as she watched Abigail jump up and down after the ring went on her finger.
5
She took advantage of the spare seconds to drink the rest of her champagne as she and Logan awkwardly stared at each other. They hadn't considered this portion of New Years Eve. The portion where it was nice to be kissing someone that you were attracted to, liked, or even loved to ring in the new year
4
"Cheers," Logan handed Rory another champagne flute, he had been prepared and ordered another round so they would be ready when the clock struck twelve.
3
"Cheers," Rory repeated, smiling as she took the glass.
2
1
"Happy New Year," Rory clinked her glass against his with a smile, awkwardly taking a sip and staring at the ceiling as everyone around them celebrated. People were screaming, kissing, hugging and laughing as balloons came down from the ceiling.
"Happy New Year, Ace," Logan leaned forward and placed a casual kiss on her cheek. If she was anyone else, if she was the kind of girl he was normally with on New Years Eve, whether he liked her or not, he would have pulled her in for a passionate kiss. He probably would've taken her back to a hotel or his apartment too, but he and Rory were strictly platonic and he didn't see that changing throughout their arrangement, truth be told, he kind of liked having a friend. He noticed how cautious Rory was when she spoke. She didn't give anything away without meaning to. Sure, he had gotten a bit more out of her about her ex and her life, but he could tell that she worried about telling him too much. Maybe it was because of her line of work, or maybe it was because she had been unceremoniously dumped by a man she loved just a few months earlier and didn't trust him, but it was clear to Logan exactly what he and Rory were to each other, and that was simply a means to an end.
"Rory! Rory!" Abigail came bouncing over to them with Nick in tow, "I'm engaged!"
"I saw," Rory smiled as she hugged her friend and then turned to Nick and embraced him, "well done," she told him. "The ring is beautiful Ab, I'm so happy for you!"
"I just…I mean, I had an idea, but I just can't believe it! We get to plan a wedding," Abigail squealed at her best friend.
"We do!" Rory smiled, glad that Abigail was drunk enough on champagne and happiness that she didn't seem to notice how fake a smile it was.
"Congratulations," Logan nodded to Nick who seemed a bit more aware of Rory's reaction to the news. He didn't doubt that she was happy for them, but she also seemed a little sad for herself. "You're a brave man on a night like tonight."
Nick smiled as he noticed that Abigail and Rory were deep in conversation, or at least Abigail was, and Rory was smiling and nodding. "A girl like Abs has a lot of expectations," Nick laughed, "wouldn't want to mess with that."
"I can only imagine."
"You know," Rory interrupted them, "I'm getting tired, I'm going to head home."
Logan looked at her with a bit of confusion, "alright, let's go."
Rory shook her head, "it's alright," she told him, "it is just a couple of blocks, I think I'm going to walk…sober up a bit. I'll text you when I get home," she added, before he could make a comment about her safety. As counterintuitive as it might have sounded, Rory felt extra safe in Manhattan on a night like New Years Eve, and having lived in Manhattan for as long as she had, she generally felt pretty safe about her community, she certainly knew how to handle herself. "Ab, Nicky, I'm so happy for you," she hugged them both once more, "I love you both so much and I'm so excited to plan this. Logan," she exhaled and turned to her date for the evening, "tonight was fun. Just…text me if you ever need an assist."
"You sure I can't take you?" Logan asked, he was a lot of things, but he was typically somewhat of a gentleman when it came to the safety of his date, he could imagine how Emily Gilmore would react if she found out that he had let Rory walk home alone after taking her out.
"Positive," Rory gave him a quick hug, "I'll text you when I'm home." Rory got her coat and made her way to the exit. She hadn't waited for Logan, or Nick and Abigail to say anything, she wanted to be alone. She needed to digest. She was happy for her friend, of course, but it was another reminder of all of the things that she wasn't doing while everyone else was. But Rory supposed, as she walked through the brisk air, she had never really been like everyone else. Her goal had never been to get married and have kids, her goal had been to become a foreign correspondent, to live in the action, to report the news. So she supposed she was making some progress on that front at least. It was about a twenty minute walk to get back to her building and by the time she got into her apartment and hung up her jacket, the effects of the alcohol had seemingly worn off as she opened her fridge to grab a bottle of water, taking a long sip as she closed the door. Rory lived in a tidy home, maybe it was a direct response to the chaos she had grown up in, her mother had always been clean, but certainly not tidy and Rory had learned as an adult, maybe even when she was in college, that she thrived with organization and her apartment was no exception. Rory took off her shoes and carefully put them in her closet before pulling her cellphone out and pulling up her most recent text exchange with Logan.
I'm home safe, thanks for tonight.
