AN: Thank you as always for the reviews, it is so fun to see what you guys think of this story, I've been enjoying writing it, as you can see I'm sure. So we see where things start to change a bit here for one of the parties involved in their little arrangement. I did have the commend made by the amazing AnimalLuv regarding the Hayden family. So we do see a bit of them here, but the truth is, the nature of this story is that we will never really get a full picture of what goes on between events. So while we get glimpses of situations as they boil, we don't flush out the full details completely. Next up, the fourth of July!
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Part Five - April 4, 2021
"Why is it that to go to these things, you have to put on a damned pair of khakis and a pastel button down, and you look like, that," Rory gestured to Logan frantically in the front seat of his Tesla, "and I spent two hundred dollars on a blowout this morning, and Abigail says I look like I'm wearing a fucking tablecloth!" Logan smirked and let her continue on her diatribe, "this is ridiculous. And my mom, she had the nerve to call and tell me that grandma and grandpa were disappointed that I wasn't sitting with them, but in the same breath tell me about how my other grandparents will be there and act like it's the most normal thing in the god damned world!" Rory ranted, "I haven't seen them since I was sixteen, and before that, it had probably been ten years since I had seen them! They have never given a flying fuck about me? And now…they are coming to my Easter? Just because they got old and realized maybe they didn't want to be estranged from my father when they died!"
"You good there, Ace?" Logan asked, handing her the Starbucks coffee he had picked up for her that morning. She smiled and took it, gratefully enjoying a sip of the hot beverage, "you look decent," he laughed, it had become their joke over the last few months.
"That is exactly what I was going for," Rory exhaled and smiled as she looked down at her Banjanan Sara midi dress that she had grabbed on the sale rack at J Crew a couple of weeks prior whens he had been out shopping with Abigail. "You look like you belong in a Brooks Brothers flyer."
"Also what I was going for," Logan pulled the Tesla into traffic and the two began their normal banter as they embarked on the two hour drive to Hartford. Rory had told him that she had a hairdresser coming to her apartment at seven that morning because her salon wasn't open on Easter Sunday, and she needed to be done early in order to make it to Hartford. She had, of course, toyed with spending the entire weekend in Stars Hollow but had ultimately decided that it would be a logistical nightmare. "How was your date?"
"Mine?" Rory raised an eyebrow as she looked at him, "how did you know about my date?"
"That's a non answer if I've ever heard one."
Rory shook her head and laughed, "it was fine. He was nice. His name is Michael, we work together, he's nice."
"You said nice twice?"
"Well he is nice," Rory defended herself, "how did you hear about my date anyway?"
"Was it some sort of secret?"
"It wasn't a secret, but I also wasn't broadcasting it."
"Because when we talked yesterday, and I asked what you were up to last night, and you said that you were just 'grabbing dinner', you mysteriously left out that it was with a man who asked you out…so imagine my surprise when I went for dinner with my dear friends, Colin and Finn last night, and low and behold when I look up, I see you and this gentleman, Michael looking pretty cozy at a table."
"I didn't realize you were going to be there."
"Would you have told me?"
"What difference does it make?" Rory asked him seriously, "it doesn't change what we're doing here."
"Does he know that you're with me today?"
"Logan, we've been on a couple of dates, I don't owe him an explanation of how I'm spending my Easter."
Logan tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, she was right, he knew she was right on both accounts. "Sorry, some warning would've been nice."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Rory agreed, "and if it becomes something serious that we need to reevaluate this, then I will let you know, but as of this moment, we've been on a couple of dates, we've kissed, and we're very casual. I don't even know if we'll see each other again."
"Bad kisser?"
Rory laughed, "he's…I'm not talking about this. We work together, so it's complicated, and I just don't think that is a path I want to go down right now. Dating someone I work with."
"Yes that would be very complicated," Logan agreed sarcastically.
"Just leave it alone," Rory told him. "So has Honor told yet?"
"I think," Logan speculated, "that today is the day."
"How will they take it?"
"Well my Mom will probably chug whatever it is she is drinking, and my dad will make a somewhat inappropriate joke about fielding a baseball team, then Honor will tear up and dad will insist he was joking. Hon will storm off, Josh will go after her, and that will leave me to be a reminder of how disappointed they are that in thirty three years on the planet," he referred to his recent birthday which Rory had joined his group of friends to celebrate, "I have managed to bring home exactly two suitable women. One of those women broke up with me and is now happily married with at least one kid, and the other woman doesn't actually like me but comes as a favour in order to keep our parents at bay…"
"I do like you, Logan," Rory corrected him softly. Self deprecation was something Rory had learned that Logan excelled at. He saw the worst in himself regardless of the situation, but that wasn't the guy Rory had gotten to know. Rory had gotten to know a man who would bring takeout and just hang out for an evening. They would split a bottle of wine and a pizza and watch the news together, they had been to birthday parties and events together, they enjoyed being around each other. "You're a wonderful friend."
"You're not so bad yourself," Logan gave her half a smile. "Michael would be lucky to have you."
"I told you, it's not going to go anywhere. We work together, it's not a good idea."
Logan nodded his head and they drove in relative silence. Logan played a podcast which they chatted about along the way, and after what seemed like a quick drive, even if they both knew it wasn't, they were pulling up at Tumble Brook Country Club. Logan stepped out of the car and gave the keys to the valet before opening the door for Rory and offering her his hand.
"Ever the gentleman," Rory smiled as she stepped out and adjusted her dress. She was wearing the same nude heels she had worn when they went to the HPG Christmas party. "All set?" she asked, she noticed he was staring up at the building with a little bit of worry in his eyes.
"We're not…" he paused, "this isn't wrong? Is it? I'm not stopping you from…I don't know, running off and being with someone else?"
"Logan," Rory laughed and took his hand, giving it a squeeze as she started to walk, "we're both getting what we need out of today, and I promise you, there is no one I am looking to run off and be with."
"If it ever changes," Logan told her honestly, "don't feel like you're obligated to anything here with me."
Rory ignored the comment as she led him into the building, he greeted a few people he knew and introduced Rory to them before they went to the back patio and Logan moved his arm to her waist and led her to the bar where he quickly grabbed two mimosa's and handed her one, "liquid courage," he told her as they made their way to where he could see his sister standing with their parents. "Happy Easter," he interrupted them with a smile.
"Logan, you made it," Mitchum glanced at his watch, "and on time, I'm impressed."
"Good to see you, Dad. Missed you at the board meeting on Tuesday."
"I'm sure," Mitchum smirked, "and Rory, how are you doing? I haven't seen your grandparents yet?"
"They'll be here soon, I'm sure," Rory leaned forward and gave Mitchum a kiss on the cheek. "Happy Easter."
"Rory, you look beautiful, as always," Shira kissed Rory on the cheek, "so glad you came, we missed you for Honor's birthday."
Rory smiled, "yes, I know, I wish I could've made it but I came down with the flu," she told them truthfully. Honor had invited her to the party and she had planned to attend, she had to cancel last minute and instead she had spent the better part of three days puking her guts out.
"Logan told me, so awful."
Rory nodded and turned to Honor who gave her a hug, "you look beautiful, Honor."
"Thank you," Honor smiled and then whispered, "I feel enormous."
Rory laughed as she and Honor chatted, she could hear Mitchum making passive aggressive comments about Logan and his work ethic, once again, the only nice thing Mitchum had to say about Logan was his decision to bring Rory to the event. "Boys," Rory cut in once she and Honor were done chatting and Honor had gone to find Josh and their three kids, "do you mind if I steal him?" Rory asked sweetly, she wrapped her arm in Logan's and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'm just dying to tell my dad about this podcast that Logan is going to be on next week."
"Of course," Mitchum nodded. "What podcast is that, son? You never told me about that."
"It's just a thing," Logan shrugged. He knew what Rory was trying to do, her goal was that in one swoop, she could extract him from the uncomfortable tongue lashing from his father, and also throw in a subtle jab that Logan was a respected businessman.
"Babe," Rory put her hand on his cheek and then turned to Mitchum, "it is definitely not just a thing, Logan is going to be doing Dax Shepard, and he has a profile coming up for Time …"
"Time Magazine?" Mitchum repeated, shock showing on his face.
"We'll tell you more about it later," Rory assured him as she walked Logan away from his parents and began scanning the crowd for her own family.
"You shouldn't have told him."
"He was going to find out," Rory retorted, "so at least this way, he will give you a break for the rest of the day. Why is he always such a dick? Last I heard you do your job, some might even argue you do it well…"
"He just wants me to live it like he did. My dad is a journalist first, a newspaper man first, and everything else is after that. I am Logan first, and uncle Logan second, and maybe being a newspaper man rounds out the top three."
"I think you're pretty great," Rory told him honestly, "oh fuck," she exhaled as she saw her parents in the distance.
"Straub and Francine?"
"Yup," Rory nodded.
"Well, now it's my turn to remind you just how great you are," Logan began leading her in the direction of her family. Their arms were still hooked as they finally reached them. Logan greeted Emily and Richard first while Rory embraced her parents. "Straub, Francine…it's been a while. I don't think I saw you at Thanksgiving last year?"
"Logan Huntzberger?" Francine Hayden put her hand on her chest and smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "What on earth are you doing over here?"
"Oh Francine," Emily smiled sweetly, "I would've thought Christopher would have mentioned. Rory and Logan are seeing each other."
"I had no idea."
"That's what happens when you've only been in touch for a couple of weeks," Chris muttered through his teeth. "Mom, Dad, you remember Rory?"
"Of course we do, how are you doing dear? Happy Easter?" Francine smiled, it wasn't lost on Rory though that Francine Hayden probably would have had the same greeting had Honor walked over.
"I'm doing well, thank you Mrs. Hayden," Rory didn't even know what to call these people, "Mr. Hayden," she nodded to her paternal grandfather, "Happy Easter."
"Don't be so formal Rory," Francine smiled. "Straub and Francine is fine."
"Of course," Rory nodded as Logan moved his hand so it was wrapped protectively around her, she took the moment of silence to drink the rest of her mimosa, "anyone need another?"
"Rory," Lorelai exhaled as she saw the pain on her face.
"No, it's fine," Rory shook her head, "it was really lovely to see you Straub and Francine, I'm going to go to the ladies room and grab another drink," she told them before turning around and basically sprinting to the washrooms.
"Rory," Chris and Lorelai both turned to follow their daughter only to be interrupted by Logan.
"I've got it," Logan told him before turning to follow Rory. He walked slowly, he figured he would give her a moment to feel whatever it was she was feeling before he tried to tell her it would all be alright. He supposed this was how Rory had felt when she had heard Mitchum talking to him earlier. The twinge in his chest, the protective feeling where he wanted to shake Francine and Straub and tell them what an amazing person they had missed out on knowing. What a smart woman, a brilliant journalist, a beautiful human being they had chosen not to know, and then after thirty years to pop back into the equation like nothing had happened. He waited another moment before knocking on the door to the washroom. When no one responded, he let himself in and looked under the stalls until he saw her shoes. "Ace…"
"Go away," Rory sniffled.
"Come on Ace," Logan continued.
"You're in a ladies bathroom."
"Then come out so that I can leave, and we can talk, and I will drastically reduce my chances of being arrested and kicked out of the club. Otherwise I am staying here until you come out and we're going to talk through a stall. Your choice." He heard her feet moving and the door swung open to show him a splotchy eyed woman with a hand full of toilet paper she had been using to wipe her nose, "come here," Logan pulled her into a hug.
"I don't…" Rory paused to put her thoughts back together, "I don't know why I still care, after all these years. And maybe…maybe a part of me is mad because my parents just…what they started talking to them? After everything that has gone on, or rather…not gone on. I haven't seen them since I was sixteen, and they just show up here? Why?"
"I don't know, Ace," Logan took her to a quiet couch that was out of the way from the brunch attendees.
"Am I awful? I mean, I was a kid when they decided I was trash, so I must have seemed pretty awful. I don't," Rory began to cry as Logan put an arm around her and held her against his chest, rubbing her back and shh'shing her as he held her, "I don't even remember meeting them…ever…so what could I have done? And why, why did my mom and dad just forgive them? They were awful, they were awful to my mom, to my dad, to my grandparents…and we're all just here like a big happy fucking family?"
"Ace," Logan kissed her hair as he held her, there wasn't much he could say at this point, there was nothing he could say that would give her an answer as to why two people who were supposed to love her, had shunned her for no reason other than her existence. "You are a Harvard graduate, you work for the New York Times, you are an amazing woman and those people, Francine and Straub Hayden…they don't matter."
"They like you," Rory sniffled, "she looked happy to see you, and I…well she looked at me like I should've been there to pick up a discarded champagne flute."
"They're probably embarrassed," Logan tried to console her, "for the way they have treated you."
"If that was the case, why are you here and not them? And do me a favour, don't lie and say they tried to come. I know my parents would have but…those two? Nope." Rory adjusted herself so that she was leaning against his chest and Logan kept his arm around her as she calmed down. They stayed like that for ten or fifteen minutes while Rory calmed down, her chest finally stopped heaving and she just stayed wrapped up in the moment.
"Guys!" Honor glared as she found them, choosing to ignore the seemingly intimate moment that she was interrupting. "I'm going to tell them, and I need the backup. I've been texting you, Logan!"
Logan mumbled an apology, he had felt his phone vibrating in his pocket but had chosen to ignore it. "We'll be right there," Logan told her, making it clear that Honor could walk away and they would be there soon. "You alright?" Logan asked Rory as they stood up.
"I'm fine," Rory assured him, "you must think I'm a mess."
"I know better," Logan laughed and draped an arm around her shoulders as they walked back to his parents table where Honor was sitting with her three children and Josh, as well as his parents. Logan loved those kids, the oldest, Jude reminded Logan a lot of himself and he enjoyed every minute of that, Jude had just turned ten, and definitely played big brother to his two younger siblings, Ella who was seven, and Catherine who was five. Ella and Catherine both looked a bit more like Josh, the only difference was that their hair was a bit more golden.
"Thank you for joining us," Honor rolled her eyes as the meal was being served and everyone started engaging in idle chitchat. She waited about ten minutes before using a spoon on her glass to get the attention of her family members, "I have some news."
"Josh finally wised up?" Logan joked.
"Josh is lucky I ever looked at him," Honor retorted as she leaned and gave her husband a quick peck on the lips, "isn't that right, darling?"
"Yes dear," Josh smirked.
"Josh and I," Honor grinned, "are having another baby!"
"Oh really?" Shira's face lit up, she enjoyed having kids around to spoil, it gave her something to do when Mitchum was away on business, "darling that is wonderful, congratulations."
"Soon you'll have a full line for a hockey team," Mitchum smirked as he stood to embrace his daughter and son in law.
"Told you," Logan leaned and whispered to Rory who was passing her congratulations on from her seat.
"When are you due?" Rory asked once everyone had settled down, she knew the answer because she had already known Honor was pregnant, but she wasn't about to let that secret out for Shira to pounce on.
"Early November."
"Another baby for the holidays," Shira smiled, "Mitchum isn't this just lovely."
xxx
"Ace," Logan sighed as he watched her sleeping in the car next to him, she had fallen asleep about half an hour into the drive and she wasn't waking up now that they had arrived in front of her condo. She was drained, emotionally, and he didn't have the heart to wake her and watch her go, so after he tried three times to get her to wake up, he instead drove to his own building and pulled into the underground parking. Suddenly he was thankful for having private elevator access because he was acutely aware that he was carrying a drunk, sleeping woman up to his unit. He walked in the front door and adjusted Rory ever so slightly as he traipsed up the stairs to put Rory down on one of the guest beds. He placed her on top of the blankets and pulled a different blanket out from the closet and covered her gently with it. Logan looked at her for a moment before he left the room and went to the kitchen where he grabbed a bottle of water and two ibuprofen, he then went to his expansive closet where he pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, returning to the guest room, he put them at the foot of the bed, kissed Rory gently on the forehead and walked out of the room.
He had waited up for her for a while, but when Rory hadn't come down by midnight, he decided it made more sense to go to bed. She would figure it out if she woke up, and it's not like he had dumped her on a mattress on the floor of his one bedroom apartment. After Honor had announced her pregnancy, her mother had come to ask to speak with her and pulled Rory away for a little while. When she came back, although she wouldn't tell Logan what they had discussed, it was clear by the speed at which she was drinking that whatever it was had set Rory off. By the time had had gotten her to leave, plus traffic, it was nearly seven by the time they had arrived back in his building and he knew she needed to rest. Logan woke up at eight and brushed his teeth and hopped in the shower, by the time he was dressed and got downstairs, he was surprised to see no evidence of Rory except for the shoes that he had taken off of her and left in his living room the night before. He walked into his sleek, white kitchen with walnut accents and began brewing a pot of coffee before opening the fridge and pulling out a pack of bacon. If he knew anything about the amount of alcohol Rory had consumed the day before, she would be feeling it this morning and would need to eat.
"Hey," Rory walked awkwardly into the kitchen and leaned against the island, his back was to her and all she could smell was bacon which smelled both enticing and vomit inducing at the same time.
"Hey yourself," Logan moved to a cupboard and pulled out a mug, pouring a cup of coffee before he turned to face her and slid it across the island, "how ya feelin there, Ace?"
"Better than I deserve?" Rory cringed as she took a sip of the water, Logan once again turned his back to her but returned from the fridge a moment later with another bottle of water, and two vitamin C tablets. "Thank you."
"Hydrate," he told her simply before returning his attention to the bacon.
Rory sensed a difference in him. She had been drunk the day before, but she still remembered the events until she got in the car, however arriving back in Manhattan, how she had ended up in Logan's condo was lost on her, but given that she woke up fully dressed and Logan didn't seem like the kind of guy who was a closet nymphomaniac, she had to assume they hadn't had sex. "So…yesterday…"
Logan laughed, she could see his shoulders shake slightly as he did, "I'm just making breakfast, Ace," he told her, he knew that she was worried that he was upset with her, "just take a seat and give me five." He began to scramble some eggs and Rory drank her coffee quietly at the island, absently scrolling through her phone as she did. She smiled as she saw that she had been tagged in a few Instagram stories by Honor with Logan. Thankfully, none of those photos had caught her meltdown, but they had caught a few moments of the two laughing, and one particularly cute photo where Rory had her hand on his chest and pressed a kiss against his cheek, Logan was giving a trademark smirk and his arm was wrapped firmly around her waste. "Cute pictures from last night," she commented.
"Honor posted them?" Logan laughed.
"Yep," Rory laughed, "and the pregnancy announcement, which is sweet," it was a photo of the three kids holding a sign that said 'Somebunny is joining us just in time for Christmas', and all three kids were beaming. "And I…" Rory paused as she noticed she had posted a picture as well, "who let me use this yesterday?" she asked, not particularly expecting an answer.
"Oh there was no stopping you," Logan smirked, "first you demanded that I take photos of you with the Easter Bunny, which let me tell you, was weird, and then after, you made Honor take what must have been fifty photos of you and I, and then you did a mini photoshoot with Honor."
"I was hoping that was all part of a bad dream, or a bad trip, maybe?" Rory cringed as she saw that she had posted a photo of her smiling up at Logan while he had his arm draped around her. The caption was far more cringe worthy than the photo itself which was rather cute, Hoppy Easter to my peeps! is what the caption read. "You're bigger than me, you could've wrestled it away from me. You've seen this, right? I tagged you."
"Oh you did, and forgive me if I didn't feel the need to re-share that," Logan finally presented her with a plate full of bacon, scrambled eggs and toast, he followed with his own plate a moment later. "It was fun, the photo is fine, everything is fine."
"So we didn't…" she looked between them.
"Us?" Logan laughed, "no, we didn't. Girls who barely remember their own names aren't really my things. Plus, we're friends."
"Friends," Rory nodded, "right, exactly. We're friends who just…do this stuff together. No other stuff."
"Yup," Logan began eating the food, "eat before it gets cold," he told her.
"Thank you," Rory smiled. "So my mom and I really went at it? Or did I imagine that?"
"Well you wouldn't tell me," Logan explained, "but you left with your mom for a while and came back pretty frazzled and started downing the mimosas as fast as you could get them, and then complained that they wouldn't give you tequila shots."
"I do remember that," Rory bit her lip, "I guess I have some apologies to make."
"Look, if you ask me, you don't owe anyone an apology," Logan told her honestly, "you were surprised to find out that Straub and Francine would be there, and they were about as welcoming as an iceberg to the Titanic, and your mom wouldn't listen when you said you didn't want to talk about it there, but she kept going…so you exploded. It was like picking a scab."
"I'm mortified."
"Oh come on, I'm sure no one noticed, and anyone who did notice has probably seen worse. Do you not remember a few years ago when someone fell into the chocolate fountain?"
"Oh my god I wasn't there that year," Rory laughed, she had been in California with Jess visiting his father, "but my mom told me."
"So you and your mom shouting in a corner was probably ignored by all. Just call Emily and Richard and apologize for leaving so abruptly and I'm sure that it will be fine."
"Thank you," Rory smiled, "and for the clothes too…and letting me crash. I guess I wasn't in any position to go home last night."
"You didn't wake up when I tried to drop you off," Logan laughed at the memory, "and you remained comatose when I put you in bed."
"Nice place you've got here," Rory took a moment and looked around at the expensive space.
"I moved here a couple years ago," Logan told her, "I spent a few years in Soho before that, and then…well, we didn't work out, and then I moved here. It's very dignified, this is the type of building a CEO lives in."
"And your last place?"
"My ex kept it when we split," Logan explained, "it always made more sense for her. It was near her work at the time, and it was still a trek for me, so she bought me out and I moved out."
"I'm sorry," Rory told him softly, she couldn't imagine if she had needed to leave her home after she and Jess split. "That must've been hard."
"Real estate in Manhattan is simple if you have enough money," he shrugged, he knew what she was actually saying, but it was easier to pretend it hadn't bothered him.
"You know that isn't what I meant," Rory stood up and took her coffee with her, going to take in the impressive city views. "What was her name?"
"Who?"
"Not fair," Rory smiled out the window, "you know all about Jess."
Logan inhaled and then followed her to the window, "her name was Laura," Logan explained, "we started dating just after I graduated, and she broke up with me just before my birthday when I turned thirty. Which was extra fun because we were supposed to be going on a trip to Mexico."
"Some birthday."
"So Colin and Finn came instead and we spent a week getting absolutely wasted."
"As one does when their heart has been broken and Colin and Finn are involved. Which reminds me, nothing stupid for Nick's bachelor party, I don't want to have to spend the entire weekend watching Abigail glued to her phone hoping for an update."
"We'll be good, promise," Logan laughed. "When I got back from Mexico, my bags were packed and I needed to give her a new address to send them to, so I bought this."
"Well, I like it here," Rory looked at the view.
Logan for his part smiled and looked at Rory, "I do too."
