AN: Sorry for the delay, this kind of has been hanging out mostly finished for a few days. Happy 2021 everyone, wishing you all health and happiness.
This chapter is kind of their first real foray into being a couple at something where tongues might wag, and seeing some of the longer term things that could come up, but also just enjoying what will work for them. Two more chapters for this baby. Christmas + NYE. I have another AU multi chapter in my head, so I would be interested - do you guys like the AU thing or no? I also have a post AYITL oneshot I want to flush out, aaaand Later is ongoing. So this is ending, but I'm still here
Disclaimer: I do not own The Holidate or Gilmore Girls
Part Sixteen - December 17, 2021
"Did you hear that he moved in with someone?" one woman whispered to another as they stood together at the bar, they were all back at The Plaza for the Huntzberger Publishing Group holiday party, and it hadn't gone unnoticed that Logan had walked into the event solo. That of course was on purpose. Rory had just been announced a few weeks earlier in her new role as liaison between The Post and The Times, she didn't need to put a target on her back by also flaunting her relationship with Logan, even if it wasn't exactly new.
"He did? I wonder who it is? Didn't he date your friend?"
The woman nodded, "they went on three dates and he basically ghosted her."
"Who is that?" she nodded towards the door.
"That is Rory Gilmore-Hayden, she is the one who will be doing the in-between with HPG and The Times," the woman explained as Rory walked in, her hair had been blown straight and she was wearing a floor length, pale pink sequinned dress by Jenny Packham, along with her nude heels that she knew she would need to replace sooner rather than later.
"Was she here last year?"
"Don't think so," she shrugged, "must be making bank to be buying that dress though."
"Must be."
"I heard she is dating her editor."
"Really? Well that explains getting the job…"
"She comes from old Hartford money, her parents are rich, her grandparents are rich…before her new guy she apparently dated some book publisher who had the whole dark and broody thing going for him."
"Well if she's screwing her boss, I'm sure that wouldn't have lasted for long…"
"We'll see."
Rory smiled as she scanned the room, she would be seated at a table with Arthur Sulzberger, his wife Molly, Rory was glad they were at least younger and the more Rory got to know them, the more she liked them, she could see why Logan liked him too. Shira and Mitchum would be at the table, Honor and Logan would be attending, Josh was staying home with the kids, Matt and his wife would be there, and Cole Brown and his wife were also at the table. Logan and Rory were seated beside each other, but they figured the setup at the table was inconspicuous enough that if you didn't know they were together, you wouldn't figure it out. Rory wasn't hiding, but she wanted to get her feet wet before she announced her relationship with the heir apparent. "Honor you do not look this good," Rory laughed as she approached Honor who was standing solo at the bar.
"You're too kind, this is fantastic, who is this by?"
"Jenny Packham," Rory laughed, "and you?" she referred to the Givenchy cape gown that Honor was wearing.
"Givenchy," Honor gave her a little twirl, "have you seen him?"
Rory shook her head as she ordered a champagne, "not yet."
"He feels weird without flaunting you," Honor laughed, "at least at Thanksgiving it was an intimate group, not quite family but not not family either if you know what I mean?"
"On that note," Rory laughed as she took her glass, "I should go, I wouldn't want us to look too cozy."
"Party pooper," Honor pouted as Rory walked away. A moment later she saw her brother approaching her and smiled as he leaned against the bar beside her, "I feel like a consolation prize."
"Well you kind of are," Logan laughed, "but I'm glad we get to hang out a bit. When is the last time it was just the two of us? No Josh, no kids…."
"You have something against my children and husband?" Honor smirked as she took a sip of her drink. "It's strange that she's here but you two aren't attached at the hip, or lips, or pelvis."
"You've never seen us attached at the pelvis," Logan rolled his eyes.
"No but I did notice you two sneaking off at Thanksgiving…" Honor laughed, "reminded me a lot of your Andover days…"
Logan laughed at the memory and ignored Honor's mention of Thanksgiving, "how do you think Josh will do with all four of the monsters?"
"He'll be fine, he'll either be super dad, or he'll call the nanny…worse would be if he called his mother. A few hours with her and my kids are just beyond whiny. At least with mom and dad, they just come home with stuff, not a whole new attitude."
"Never thought the day would come where you would speak so highly of mom and dad?"
"Don't remind me," Honor nodded out to the crowd, she could see Rory chatting with a group of people, Matt, the editor at The Post and a few other colleagues, "is it strange to not be with her?"
Logan shrugged, "it's strange that it feels like we're a secret. The whole point of her and I starting this thing was to be seen, and now we have kind of backtracked. But I get it, she doesn't need a target on her back, and I certainly don't need to be the one who put it there. I will follow her lead on this."
"How noble," Honor laughed, "dance with me?"
"Of course," Logan took his older sister by the hand and led her to the dance floor. He watched as Rory talked and laughed with a group of colleagues, he couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous that he could barely go near her, but he knew why it was what she wanted.
xxx
Rory smiled at Logan as she felt his hand on her thigh, he had discreetly slipped it under the table a few minutes earlier and Rory had enjoyed for a moment that it was normal between them. She hadn't expected it to be hard to avoid him, she found herself stealing glances and exchanging smiles with him when she could. She could feel him watching her when she danced with Matt, and she had to politely decline advances from a couple of men throughout the evening. She knew that Logan would fume if he heard about that, so she would wait to tell him if it came up. "If you'll excuse me," Rory put her hand on the clutch she had brought for the evening, "I'm just going to the ladies room, I'll be right back," she smiled at the table as she excused herself. She gracefully moved across the ballroom and out to the lobby, the truth was, she needed a moment. She walked until she found a door that would let her outside to catch her breath, and appreciated the cold air when it hit her cheeks. She wasn't completely sure what had caused her to simply need to get out for a few minutes, but as she closed her eyes she grinned, she heard the door open and close once more and a body was pressed up gently behind her, "hi."
"You alright?" Logan asked, resting his head on her shoulder and placing his hands on her hips.
"Just started to feel a bit suffocating in there," Rory told him, keeping her eyes closed as she felt his heartbeat against her body, his breath on her neck and the sounds of the city buzzing around them.
"So let's go home," Logan told her, "we've shown our faces."
Rory smiled, she loved how quickly Logan was willing to just say fuck it, let's get out of here if she was uncomfortable. "We can't go," Rory told him honestly, "but we can cut the crap."
"The crap?" Logan repeated, "and what crap are you referring to?" he smirked, and even though her eyes were shut and she couldn't see the smirk playing on his lips, she could see it was happening.
"I don't want to be here if I'm not here with the man I love."
"We're laying low at your request," Logan countered, "so this is your call."
"Well then let's go back inside," Rory turned around slowly and kissed his lips, "who cares if they talk?" If Rory knew anything about people who gossiped, they would gossip whether what they were saying was true or not, so what difference did it make if the hiding was making her unhappy.
"Give em' something to talk about," Logan countered.
"I wouldn't go that far, but come on," Rory led him back the way she had come out, their fingers intertwined as they walked back into the ballroom. Rory hadn't been sure exactly what she was worried about, she didn't notice anyone noticing them, and instead she just sat down and smiled as Logan leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Well that lasted longer than I expected," Honor smirked at the pair, "I guess I no longer have a date to this shindig?"
"Oh he's all yours," Rory laughed, "especially if he drinks too much. Where are you staying tonight? I forgot to ask?"
"Tonight I have a suite upstairs and I will have a leisurely morning at the spa and then I will return home to the monsters."
"Oh you must miss them," Rory laughed, she loved Honor's kids, they certainly weren't perfect but they were fun, they liked to talk, Rory could see that journalism certainly ran through their blood.
"I miss them," Honor agreed, "especially Ava. When they are this little, it's hard, you want a break, you want me time, you want to have a few hours with no one touching you…but then you do, and you miss them so freaking much."
"Isn't that right?" Molly Messick smiled from her seat, "the night out is such a treat but you miss them."
"I think Mol would've left me at home tonight and come by herself if she could've," Arthur laughed. "What about you two," he looked between Rory and Logan, "do you think kids are in your future?"
Rory gave her best smile as Logan squeezed her hand, as if to tell her whatever the answer to her question was would be fine. It was complicated, the world thought that they had been together for a year now, and so it wasn't an unreasonable question to be asking, but in reality they had only been a couple for a few months, although they had certainly bypassed some of the more traditional points of courtship. "I don't know," she admitted, "we uh," she looked at Logan, "I don't think kids are in the cards for us." She tried not to look at Mitchum and Shira who were surely concerned by this statement but Rory felt relief when Molly nodded her head.
"We were the same," she looked at her husband, "I totally understand, and from everything I've heard about you both, those are some big careers, and having a child…I mean, like it or not, it can get in the way of those things. Then it's a choice of having a nanny who is raising your child, or just having the help, which we are so fortunate to have. Stick to your guns, do what is right for you two."
"We'll figure it out," Logan agreed, "but we're happy, and i think right now that is all that matters."
Rory looked at him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, "very happy."
"Well, just don't screw it up," Mitchum looked at his son, steering the conversation away from children, he didn't want to watch his wife have an aneurism at a formal event, "we don't want to lose someone with the talent Rory has now that we've got our claws in her."
"Well she is technically on loan," Cole reminded Mitchum with a smile, "she belongs to us."
"I belong to no one," Rory interjected with a grin, "my employer is The New York Times, but trust me," she looked at the table and smiled, "there is only one person at this table who has any claim to me."
"Dirty," Honor laughed as the men grumbled.
"Honor!" Shira looked at her daughter with horror on her face.
"I'm kidding mom, relax."
Rory shook her head at the antics, "what I mean is at the end of the day the decisions I make, the suggestions I make, the articles I write will not be rooted in a loyalty to one particular publication, they will be based on what is best for each publication. That is what you hired me to do, that is what my job is, I am basically freelancing between the two of you…so any pissing match, metaphorical or otherwise…end it because you don't get to call the shots. Remember? That is the nature of my contract." When Rory had signed her deal, she had a non-compete clause outside of those two papers, any freelancing she wanted to do would first need to be reviewed by Cole and Matt respectively, or their replacements in the event of a changing of the guard at either publication. If The Post and The Times both turned down the article it could be submitted to certain publications for consideration. She reported to Matt and Cole only, and she could choose what she was covering in addition to the pieces which were assigned to her by Matt or Cole. She would have quarterly meetings with the executive team to discuss the publications and any insights she had, and she was enjoying a significant bump in salary which didn't hurt either.
"You drive a hard bargain," Arthur gave Rory a half smile.
"Well, I get that from my grandfather I think."
"Straub? He was friends with my father."
Rory shook her head, "no, my maternal grandfather, Richard Gilmore…Straub Hayden and I didn't have a relationship," she explained cautiously. "My Grandpa, Richard, he is in the insurance business, so contracts and all that fun stuff, it's in my blood…kind of the way that journalism is in his," Rory nodded to Logan.
"Don't try to drag me into this," Logan laughed.
"Enough shop talk," Honor interrupted. "We're a week away from Christmas, what on earth is everyone doing? Arthur, Molly…please say you are going somewhere?"
"We're going to be in Seattle for Christmas, just relax."
"What about you guys?" Rory looked at Matt and his wife.
"We are going to Florida to visit my in-laws," Matt made a face, "how about you? I'm sure you're heading back to Hartford?"
"Actually," Logan looked at Rory, giving her hand a squeeze as he spoke, "we are hosting Christmas this year. My parents will be joining us, Honor and her kids and the Gilmore family all on Christmas Eve, and then I think our hope is to spend Christmas day alone…?"
"That is the dream," Rory grinned, the truth was, she wanted Logan to enjoy a relaxed normal Christmas without all of the tuxedos and formality that he was used to.
"I can't believe you're making me go home on Christmas Eve, with four children."
"I'm not making you go home, you said you wanted to, and you are taking a chopper, so I'm not sure anyone should feel sorry for you."
"We should feel sorry for her after she finds out that I'm cooking," Rory laughed. Shira made a slightly horrified face and her eyes widened and Mitchum had to tell her to relax before Rory admitted it was a joke, "trust me, you don't want me cooking." It was at that moment that Rory heard it, the whispers of two women walking by, it wasn't loud, in fact, she could tell that no one else had heard them, but Rory had.
It was the same two women who had been chatting about Rory when she walked into the building, only Rory hadn't heard that conversation.
"So much for her editor?" the one girl smirked.
"Why go for the small fish when you can land the whale?" the other giggled as they continued past the table, "I can't believe that she landed Logan Huntzberger. My friend who dated him is much prettier," they continued after they were out of earshot on their way to the washrooms.
Rory watched as the two women walked out and a moment later leaned into Logan's ear, "why don't we go home?"
"Ace, my dad is going to speak soon and then we can head out. I thought you were having fun?"
"I am," Rory told him with a smile, "but I can think of much more enjoyable things to do at home."
"Ace," Logan exhaled, "I would love nothing more than to go home with you right now, or up to a room with you right now…but you know we have to sit through this…"
Rory pouted, "spoil sport."
"Can't help that you're turning me into an upstanding citizen…"
"God fearing Christian?" Rory smirked.
"Half an hour, max, he says the same thing every year," Logan told her as he watched his father excuse himself from the table and make his way to the front of the room. Logan had heard this same speech in various iterations throughout his entire life, it never really changed, for all that Mitchum was a newspaper man, he also knew when not to break something that wasn't broken.
"Good evening everyone, we're so glad to have so many of our Huntzberger Publishing family here with us today. There are old faces, new faces, I'm sure you've all noticed some guests from our new partnership, but what is really important is that we are all here together," Mitchum cleared his throat.
"He said this all last year," Rory whispered to Logan who smiled back at her as if to say I told you so.
"We at Huntzberger Publishing Group are a family, this business was started by my family and I look forward to continuing that for generations to come," Mitchum looked at his son and Logan purposefully averted his eyes and instead gave Rory a half smile. "We have prospered this year, we have expanded our portfolio, we have purchased new papers, we have expanded our reach further across the globe with a deal brokered by my son, Logan, and now as we move forward, we cannot wait to see what the HPG family can accomplish. So to all of you, thank you, please enjoy the party, have a Merry Christmas and a happy holidays, a happy new year. Thank you."
"Did dad just publicly declare that the company would be continued into the future? As in…a future generation of Huntzberger children?" Honor whispered to Logan.
"Well I don't know where he is getting them from," Logan shrugged, "let dad talk, it makes him think he has control over something."
"Be careful baby brother," Honor warned, they both knew their father never did anything that wasn't on purpose.
They spent another half hour enjoying idle chitchat and pleasantries before Logan gracefully excused the pair of them, Rory said her goodbye's, assuring Honor that they would be fine with the three kids for New Years and that they would see everyone on Christmas Eve. Rory smiled as they walked to the car that was waiting for them, trying to swat Logan's hand away playfully as it travelled down her back, she didn't care who saw them together, but she also didn't want to give them a show. "What a difference a year makes," Rory smiled as they got settled in the black SUV.
"A big difference," Logan smiled.
"So this week," Rory exhaled, "we have Christmas Eve with everyone and that is it…?"
Logan chuckled softly, one of the many things he had learned about Rory was that she was basically incapable of sitting still. She was always thinking about the next thing on their plate, whether that was work, a social engagement, a work trip or any number of other things. "We have dinner with the crazies on Christmas Eve," he agreed, "and this Sunday we are having dinner with Nick and Abigail, and New Years we are in with the kids, so I promised Finn we would have a night out with them sometime during the weird in-between week."
"The weird in-between week?" Rory raised an eyebrow.
"You know? The week between Christmas and New Years, you spend it eating and drinking and you are basically composed completely of cheese and wine by the end of it…ringing any bells?"
"I mean…normally I shop?" Rory shrugged, "and hang out with my mom."
"So you don't spend the week in a perpetual drunken stupor?"
Rory shrugged, "nope."
"That is way too mature," Logan laughed, thinking of all of the years he and his friends had partied that week away.
"Well, I'm willing to try anything once," Rory told him.
"That much I know," Logan grinned at her suggestively as they pulled up in front of their building, Logan didn't wait for the driver to open the door, he slipped out and then helped Rory out after him, not wanting her to exit the car into the traffic, "tonight was fun."
"It was," Rory nodded, "it's strange to be getting to know Arthur and Molly, like…they are part of the Sulzberger dynasty or whatever you want to call it…but I suppose that is less weird than the fact that I live with Logan Huntzberger."
"They are good people. I too am shocked that someone like you was willing to settle down with me."
Rory gave him a quick kiss and ignored his comment, "how well do you know them?" Rory asked, realizing she had never really discussed this with him before, neither of them were interested in the connections the other had.
They walked hand in hand to the elevator and Logan pushed the button with his left arm on Rory's back, "I've kind of known him forever. Since we were kids I guess?" Logan shrugged, "he's a good guy, modernizing things…hopefully dad will do some of that, but if he doesn't start moving soon it'll end up being what I do when I take over."
"Can I ask you something?" Rory was tentative when she spoke as they got into the elevator and Logan pushed their floor.
"Anything."
"When are you going to take over?" Rory and Logan had discussed his future many times, but more as a vague idea than a real thing. She knew he would eventually take over HPG from his father, but was it in a year? Two years? Five years?
"Probably within five years," Logan told her, "nothing is finalized, I just know what my dad has told me, and that is that he thinks about five years from now."
"And…they know? About…us?" Rory asked as they walked into the foyer.
"About us? What about us?" Logan was confused now as he emptied the contents of his pockets not he console table and Rory kicked off her heels.
"That we don't…we don't know if we'll have kids, and that we don't think marriage is in the cards. Are these things deal breakers for your future?"
"Are they a deal breaker for you?" Logan countered.
It was Rory's turn to look at him with confusion, "I just want to be with you."
Logan kissed her gently, it wasn't a peck, but it also wasn't a passionate kiss, it was a loving kiss. The kind of kiss you give someone you plan to kiss for the rest of your life. "And that is what I want. The rest doesn't matter. We don't owe anyone an explanation of what our relationship will look like."
