Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls is the creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Chapter 33: New Car Smell and the Art of Nose Maintenance
Hartford, Connecticut, Week of May 21, 2017
The Week
With Rory out of the hospital, life settled into a familiar if somewhat surreal routine. It shouldn't have seemed familiar but having adjacent apartments - not to mention having Colin and Finn around - soon made Logan feel like he and Rory were back at Yale living in the dorms. During their platonic friend phase, of course. However, the fact that they shared a son definitely added something to the experience.
Each day Frank drove them to the hospital. Once there the new parents - aside from periodic coffee and food breaks - would spend most of their time with Lucas. Rory would also pump milk while Logan would keep up with work. Rory's staples were removed on Monday. Christopher Hayden also finally made it to the hospital on Monday. Noting Christopher's utter lack of surprise at his being there, Logan could only surmise that Rory, or Lorelai, had given him the heads up that Logan was Lucas's father. Other visitors included Rory's step-sister April on Tuesday, as well as Colin and Finn on Thursday.
Lorelai and Luke, though they had pretty much moved back to Stars Hollow after giving up their hotel room, continued to come up each afternoon to visit Lucas. Surprisingly -to Logan, at any rate -Emily stuck around Hartford, staying not with Rory but with her not-boyfriend, Jack Smith. Jack even came to the hospital once, on Tuesday, although he did not visit the newborn. A nice enough guy, Logan was not surprised to learn Jack knew his parents.
So it was on Tuesday night that a party of six - Logan and Rory, Luke and Lorelai, and Jack and Emily- dined out at the Hartford Capital Grille. Typical of the steakhouse chain, the restaurant's décor was dominated by burgundy walls, pop art paintings, mahogany finishes, dark leather seats, and glowing Tiffany style lighting. Playing with the idea of throwing a 'welcome home' dinner for Rory, Logan used the opportunity to discretely survey the restaurant's private dining rooms.
Monday: The Art of Smelling
Most nights, however, the group went their separate ways upon leaving the hospital. On Monday night, Lorelai and Luke came back to Rory's apartment for dinner (take-out, of course). Still feeling out his place in the Gilmore universe -and more importantly - in Rory's world -Logan had hesitated in the hallway. Debating whether to join them in Rory's apartment or to go to his own apartment where Finn and Colin were holed up, the decision was made for him when Finn suddenly swung open his apartment door and spilled out into the hallway.
"See Colin? I told you I smelled Logan." Finn turned to look down the hallway. "Hi Love. And the lovely Lorelai. Ladies. Fine sir."
"'Lovely'?" repeated Luke, looking between Finn and his wife. "Lorelai, who's this guy and why's he calling you 'lovely'?"
"What? Are you saying I'm not 'lovely'?" Lorelai asked, feigning insult. "Why're you jealous? He called you 'fine sir.'"
Momentarily distracted by Luke and Lorelai's back-and-forth, Logan finally noticed Rory attempting to make eye contact with him. Focusing on her lips, he read 'Smell?'
Oh, yeah. He knew there was something he was purposefully blacking out.
"Smell, Finn?" asked Logan. "Did you say you smelled me?"
It was Colin who answered.
"Finn's decided he needs to strengthen his olfactory senses."
"I'm tired of wasting my time on sub-par tequila."
"He's been taking B-12 and zinc and has been practicing."
"Practicing?" repeated Rory, staring at Finn.
"This can't be good, Ace. Don't -"
"How do you practice smelling?"
"-go there."
"I'm glad you asked that, love," replied Finn. "A person can train their nose by choosing smells one's fond of, then taking a minute each day to go through and smell each one individually to stimulate the receptors inside the nose." Closing his eyes, Finn sniffed the air in the hallway to demonstrate. "Some even believe visualizing smells can help improve the sense of smell."
"He's been getting into bed at night with Logan and sniffing him."
Disgusted, Logan looked at Colin, then Finn. An equally horrified Rory frowned.
"How do you not live in Stars Hollow?" asked Luke, wonder resonating in his voice.
"Don't give him ideas, hon."
"In any case, I have found that a shallow sniff is key." Finn proceeded to sniff several more times.
"You heard us, Finn. You heard our voices. You did not smell Logan," argued Rory. "You can't go around shallow sniffing people; you'll get yourself arrested. And if you two are this bored during the day, we should definitely get Robert out here."
"No!" Finn squawked.
"Oh, one of us has plenty to do," nodded Colin. "The other has nothing on his big boy calendar until November."
"I can't help that they only bring me out for the special occasions."
"Special? Like what?" Rory cut her gaze to Finn; Logan stifled a laugh at Rory's look of irritated incredulity. He'd called it the Rory Look when they were younger. "Ribbon cuttings? Yacht christenings?"
"Logan," Lorelai finally settled the matter of dinner. "Why don't you join us for dinner?"
"Yeah," seconded Luke. "There's no shallow sniffing allowed at our dinner table."
"Or in our beds!" Lorelai added brightly.
Logan shot a look at Rory. Her face was in lockdown. He had no clue whether she wanted him to join them for dinner or not.
"Thank you," he smiled at Rory's parents. "I'd like that."
"Well, duh. We said no shallow sniffing. What's not to like?"
Though it took Luke and Lorelai's pitying him for having inappropriate friends with borderline psychotic tendencies, Logan welcomed the thawing of the Gilmores. He appreciated their including him. As he turned to walk Rory to her apartment, he placed a hand on her elbow. At his touch, she lifted her eyes to meet his. She gave him a wry smile.
Reality check. He might be making progress with the in-laws, but Logan knew he still had an uphill battle ahead of him to prove to Rory that he was on her team and her team alone.
Tuesday: The Huntzberger Update
Logan called the Huntzberger house on Tuesday only to be told by his mother that his father had returned to London and wouldn't be back until Thursday -Friday at the latest. Shira suggested a Huntzberger family dinner for Friday night. As much as he disliked family dinners, Logan decided it would be better to talk to his father then -in person- rather than try to chase him down in another time zone via phone. Not to mention overcoming the difficulties associated with trying to gauge his father's true feelings without being able to observe Mitchum's physical tells.
So, unfortunately -or fortunately- after finally opening up to Rory about Mitchum's Lucas-focused feature idea, all-things-Huntzberger drew to a halt. While Logan welcomed the quiet, he was under no delusion that it was anything other than a temporary ceasefire. He also knew it came at a cost; with things at a standstill, there was no opportunity for a "boombox moment" with Rory.
During the brief call with his mother, it seemed that Shira might've had more she wanted to say -on what Logan didn't know and couldn't begin to guess. So he shut that down. He just needed to talk to his father about the article; he wasn't in the mood for any of Shira's petty bullshit. He had to hand it to his mother. He was surprised by her continuing ability to...surprise. For all her less-than-clever insults and myopic adherence to her precious societal conventions, Shira, apparently, could only be trusted to behave appropriately within the confines of their world. Outside her world, away from the watchful eyes of those who mattered, Shira was unpredictable. The hospital cafeteria must've been too close to the edge where peasants dwell; she hadn't felt the need to rein it in.
Shira behaved better in her sandbox. But Rory didn't like that sandbox; she liked her own (middle-class) sandbox. The one where the peasants dwelled. That might make protecting her more of a challenge.
Tuesday: Calling Paris
With Lorelai's help Logan had managed to organize the surprise dinner for Rory. Even though Rory had had a baby shower, Lorelai - to her credit - hadn't tried to talk him out of it. To the contrary, she told him she thought it was a sweet idea. She agreed with Logan's assumption that it would be easier pulling a surprise dinner off before Lucas was released from the hospital. Lorelai offered to handle inviting the Stars Hollow based guests, while Logan handled everyone else. Aside from Honor and -thankfully - Paris, everyone RSVP'd 'yes.' Hours after, days after, Logan still couldn't believe the outcome of his call to Paris.
"What are doing that for? And a steakhouse? Giving her a baby wasn't enough? Now you gotta give her clogged arteries and high cholesterol?"
"No, Paris. It's just a 'we're happy you're home' celebration. And Capital Grille has salad on the menu. No one has to eat steak."
"A 'happy you're home' celebration? Huh. That's actually kind of sweet. Doyle never did that for me. But then we were married. It wasn't the Baby Mama/Love Child thing you two got going on."
"Well, you and Doyle could still go through with the divorce and have a third kid."
"Nope. These ovaries are closed for business. Anyway, Doyle and I can't make it Thursday but you and Rory'll have to come by one day. I have some baby stuff for Lucas. Do me a favor and remind her. I've already mentioned it. Twice. But Rory seems to be one of those women who has New Mother Brain. I have to admit I never believed it was a thing but Rory's usually so meticulous. It's the only reason I can think of why she hasn't gotten back to me."
"Sure, Paris. Rory's been out of the hospital four days. She was just saying how much she's looking forward to a five-hour road trip to see you."
"Hmm. You know something, mini-Hemsworth? You don't always have to be such a wiseass."
Logan replied the only way he could under the circumstances. Reminding himself that Paris was a close friend of Rory's, he bit his tongue. Hard. If there was a chance in hell of him getting somewhere with Rory, winning Paris over - or at least getting her to hate him less - had to be a part of his game plan.
"You're right, Paris. I'm sorry."
"Okay. You know it's probably all the steroids and bulking products you use. That stuff has a tendency to cause aggressive behavior. I had this one patient -"
"Yes. I'm obviously very aggressive," he mumbled under his breath as Paris continued to speak.
"So you'll come over and pick up the stuff?"
Tuning back in, Logan realized Paris had concluded her diatribe and was waiting for him to say something.
"Yeah. Sounds good." He figured that was an innocuous enough response; now he just needed to piece together what the hell she was talking about.
"Now, you need to know that it's upstairs. So someone's gonna have to bring it downstairs."
Logan deduced they were back to talking about the baby stuff Paris had for Rory.
"Why can't you and Doyle bring it downstairs before we get there?"
"Oh, yeah! You'd just love that, wouldn't you? Doyle and I are only recently reconciled. I'm trying to not give my kids the same kinda mommy-daddy freakshow I grew up with! And here! You just want us to carry the stuff down the stairs?!"
"Relax, Paris. I didn't mean to offend you." Or trigger your obvious mental instability, he thought. A simple solution occurred to him. "I'll send Colin and Finn to get it."
"Nice going, Daddy-O! I can't explain the Snoo instructions -much less the car seat!- to those two idiots! You might as well plop him on a Greyhound bus and kiss him goodbye if that kid's surviving infancy depends on those two morons' ability to relay safety instructions!"
In the end, there was nothing to do but resign himself to the inevitable: Logan would be going on a road trip with Colin and Finn to Paris and Doyle's house.
He didn't think it could happen but Friday's Huntzberger family dinner had actually been dislodged from its top spot of The Worst Thing He Had To Do That Week.
Wednesday: The New Car
Wednesday was the day Logan finally made good on his promise to buy a new car. It was late afternoon- after the early hospital visit but before the post-dinner trip. Colin and Finn accompanied him to the dealer. He figured getting the two of them out of the apartment was a worthwhile endeavor. Along the lines of tiring out a rambunctious child. Or exercising a high-energy puppy. Rory stayed behind to work on her book. Arriving back at the apartment, Logan texted her from the sidewalk in front of the building's main entrance.
Logan: Hey, look outside.
Rory: Forget your keys? Do I need to let down my hair?
Logan: Nah. If I ever forget my keys, we'll just catapult Finn up the side of the building.
Logan glanced up from where he stood a few yards from the coffee shop. Ten stories up he saw the distant blur that was Rory walk out onto balcony of her apartment and look down. He tried to interpret her facial expressions and body movements but she was too far away.
"She's gonna hate it, Logan."
"It's fine, Colin."
"Mother likes things simple."
Logan glared at Finn.
"You know she's gonna punch you one of these days, right?"
"Says you." Finn paused for effect. "Daddy."
Shuddering, Logan shook his head. Finn and Colin. He asked them to come out for support. They did provide a support system -albeit a slightly demented one. And they did keep things interesting. But Logan periodically found himself wondering whether things might move more quickly with Rory if he didn't have 'Dumb and Dumber' with him 24/7. Lost in his thoughts Logan started at the sound of a voice.
"So, what is this?"
Suddenly Rory was there. The temperature had warmed during their time visiting Lucas so she'd changed upon their return from the hospital. She now wore a floral print summer dress. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun with a few tendrils framing her face. She looked beautiful.
She also looked annoyed. Damn if his Rory whisperers hadn't called it again.
"This is our new car, Ace."
"Our new car?"
"Think of it as Lucas's new car."
"Logan, he's barely a week old. He doesn't need a Mercedes."
"I disagree, Ace."
"You tell him Love! I was pushing for the Land Rover."
Logan smothered a chuckle as Rory glanced over her shoulder to briefly redirect her irritation at Finn.
"Logan, I have a perfectly good car. It's a hybrid and -"
"This one's a hybrid! It's just bigger! You - we - are gonna need the extra space."
"Rory, I think you should just go with the Mercedes. They're very safe and excel in crash tests. Even though your car scores well, based on size alone, comparatively, it's not as safe as this vehicle. You have to consider the size of other vehicles on the road. Plus driving in New England winters the all wheel drive is excellent for snow. Logan is right about the space. Strollers. Toys. Play yards. They all need to fit in the car."
The look on Rory's face as she stared at Colin was priceless. Logan could tell she was silently amazed that Colin knew about play yards.
"You looked at the crash ratings, Colin?"
"I did."
Frowning, Rory's gaze fell on the car. It was a new/old debate. Logan knew Rory didn't really worry about money even when she was underemployed and pretending to worry about money. He also knew part of the reason she didn't worry was because she was used to keeping her living expenses comparatively low. It was how she'd been raised. Even with a couple of trust funds and an inheritance, she'd grown up with Jeeps and Toyotas. Not Mercedes or Land Rovers.
"Ace, you knew I was getting a new car."
"Yeah. I know. I just didn't realize you'd be getting a $100,000 car."
"It didn't cost $100,000."
"Love, you're a mum now. You have to think of Lucas."
"Yeah," she sighed, a faraway look in her eye. "You're right. I do have to think of Lucas."
"Right. And no self-respecting child wants to be seen in a Toyota."
"Oh my God! You're insane!"
"Thanks a lot, Finn." Logan shot a look at Colin. "Do me a favor. Get him out of here."
"Gladly," replied Colin. "Come on," he waved to Finn. "It's time for 'Judge Judy'."
Logan and Rory were silent as Colin and Finn made their way towards the building entrance. They followed the two men with their eyes before their gazes fell back to one another.
"Rory, it's a safe, family car. I don't think I can be faulted for getting a Mercedes. Colin says Connecticut has the highest Mercedes to household ratio in the country."
Rory let out a disbelieving snort.
"It was half the price of the Land Rover."
"Is it really a hybrid?"
"Yes, it's really a hybrid."
"What about luxury features?"
"Nothing crazy. Just safety features and stuff you'd need to keep kids -or old college friends- occupied during long trips."
As Logan watched Rory swung open the rear passenger door and glanced around the car's interior. Since he was watching her so intently, he didn't miss the nearly imperceptible tilt of her head.
"I saw that."
Confused her eyes shot over to meet his.
"What?"
"You shallow sniffed."
"I did not!"
"I'm pretty sure you did. You know, Ace," his eyes fixed on hers, "we could stash some old books in the back."
Surprised, Rory laughed aloud. Logan's grin grew. Unlike the nervous giggle she often hid behind, he knew this laugh was genuine.
"Though I haven't seen a car with a built-in bookcase, I'm pretty sure it could be done."
"I can't believe you remember that. After all this time."
Logan returned her smile. But the look in his eyes spoke to the underlying seriousness of his next words.
"I remember lots of things, Rory. Probably every thing."
Logan could tell his truthful admission pushed her beyond her comfort zone of them. When she smiled again, this time her eyes were slightly guarded.
"I just love new car smell." Rory inhaled deeply. "Who doesn't? Does it have satellite radio?"
"Yep. And heated seats. Fridge. TV. GPS. Parking assist. So...we good?"
"Yep." Closing the rear passenger door, she nodded at him, a slight smile on her lips. "We're good."
Thursday: The Old Lost Cufflink Ruse
The big night finally arrived. Thursday. It was Logan's job to get Rory to the restaurant. He figured trying to convince her to go to the Capital Grille for dinner two days after dining there with her family was probably a losing battle. So he pretended he'd lost a cufflink during their earlier outing. After turning the car into the parking lot, Logan pulled into a spot and switched off the ignition. With a practiced casual air, he glanced at Rory.
"You coming?"
Puzzled, she returned his gaze. "No..." she replied, a questioning lilt in her voice.
"Come on, Ace. I don't want to leave you alone in the parking lot."
"Why not? I don't need to come in with you. You're perfectly capable of finding your cufflink. Besides, I don't want to waste a second of this new car smell." To punctuate her claim, she shallow-sniffed.
"Ah-ha. Okay. How about you come in with me and we get a drink at the bar? I thought that lactation consultant my sister turned you on to said you should drink?"
Rory laughed. "Wow, you really do have selective hearing. She didn't say I should drink. She said I could drink. Big difference."
"I stand corrected. So what do you say?"
Suddenly something shifted in the air between them. Logan sensed it. He was pretty sure Rory did too. As sunset approached, dancing shadows of the surrounding trees flickered in the car. Logan's eyes rested on Rory as he waited for her answer. When she didn't respond immediately he wondered what was going on in her head. Her features, in profile as she stared out the front windshield, gave nothing away. Abruptly she turned to meet his gaze.
"Is this a date?"
Oh, hell.
He hadn't seen that coming. Suddenly this celebratory dinner seemed like a really dumb, inconveniently timed idea. He felt something tighten, low in his stomach. He needed a second to catch his breath. And to figure out the right answer to her question.
What the hell was the right answer?
"Do you want it to be a date?"
"You can't answer my question with a question."
All of a sudden, Logan recognized where he was. How could he not? It was familiar terrain.
He was right between Rock and Hard Place.
If he said 'yes' he'd risk the comfort level they'd managed to build over the past week. If she wasn't ready, she'd tell him immediately. And possibly shut down. But, if she was ready, that would be...perfect.
When -in his life - was anything perfect?
If he said 'no,' but she was ready, she'd feel rejected. If he said 'no,' and she wasn't ready, she'd take comfort in the idea that they're both not ready, and she might use it as an excuse to retreat and go back to talking bullshit about "co-parenting."
Debating the pros and cons of how to proceed, Logan finally came to a resolution. He picked up Rory's hand and held it firmly between both of his. Rory's eyes followed the movements of his hands before traveling back up to his eyes.
"The next time I ask you out on a date, Rory Gilmore, I will have the perfect date planned. Since I didn't have a chance to do that tonight, this is just a Connecticut Baby Daddy taking his beautiful Baby Mama out for a glass of wine because he wants her to know how extremely grateful he is to have a beautiful albeit likely diabolical son with her and also how extremely grateful he is to have her in his life."
As Logan spoke he'd kept his eyes on Rory. Though she continued to hold his hand, at the end of his little speech she'd once again shifted her gaze away from him to stare out the front of the car. When she finally turned back to face him, he saw tears coursing down her cheeks. As he watched, he heard her take an unsteady breath.
"Ace, Ace. I did not say that to make you cry. Please, Rory." Freeing a hand, Logan pulled his handkerchief out from his jacket pocket. He dabbed the tears on her cheeks. "I'm running out of handkerchiefs, Ace. I'm gonna have to borrow from Finn and Colin and I really don't want to do that."
Rory laughed. "I don't blame you. Who knows where they've been?"
"Exactly."
"You could buy some."
"True. Easier said than done. Little busy these days."
"Right." Rory took the handkerchief from Logan and finished wiping away her tears. "Why do you keep insisting Lucas is diabolical?"
"What he did today for one."
"But you were so proud of him! What did you say? 'That's -',
"'That's my boy!' Yeah," Logan nodded. "Well, I was. And I still am. He's a smart kid. He's gonna keep us on our toes. You're the one who him called wily."
"He is wily. It just took me by surprise. His scooching around to find my breast."
"A little explorer. Our very own Magellan."
Rory laughed at Logan's comment.
"You know - what he did - is actually normal newborn behavior."
"And that's exactly what he is."
"Yeah." Suddenly she was smiling. Tears gone. "He is. It just surprised me. He's getting bigger. And stronger."
Logan, suddenly ridiculously happy, smiled.
"So am I buying you that drink? Got the black Amex. We can go top shelf."
"With an offer like that, Huntzberger, how could I possibly refuse?"
"That's my girl." Logan brought her hand up to his lips and dropped a featherlight kiss.
Rory narrowed her eyes as she once more gifted him with the Rory Look. He wasn't disappointed. He'd expected that reaction to his slightly condescending term-of-endearment.
"You know I actually love that look."
"I know. I figure that's why you goad me."
"Probably. Let's go."
Thursday: For She's the Jolly Good Mommy
Logan had taken Rory's hand in his when he'd helped her out of the car. He continued to hold her hand as they made their way from the parking lot to the restaurant. Once the couple walked into the restaurant, the hostess, a twenty-something blonde wearing a black skirt and white fitted blouse, was quick to greet them.
"Table for two?"
"Actually, I called earlier. We dined here two nights ago. I lost a cufflink. I spoke with the manager, Dave. He said he'd look for it."
"Oh, Dave! Dave! Right! I know all about this! All about this!" Eyes wide, the woman rifled through some papers on her podium.
As Rory shot a curious look at the hostess, Logan said a silent prayer of thanks that the woman hadn't said more. Her skills at subtlety were non-existent. He was fairly certain she had it in her to ruin the surprise.
"So, the good news is Dave found your watch!"
"Cufflink," corrected Rory.
"Oh, right! Did I say watch?"
"Yeah, you did. And he hates watches." Rory gestured to Logan. "We both do."
"Why would you hate watches?"
Rory shrugged. "We just do."
Logan wasn't sure when it had started, but it seemed that they were halfway into a bit. He decided to play along.
"The whole paying attention to the passage of time thing." He grinned at Rory before turning to the hostess. "It just seems over-rated."
"Yeah," agreed Rory. "Like if we all agreed -all of a sudden - that we weren't gonna wear watches, and we weren't going to look at clocks, really what would change?"
"You might miss the first few minutes of 'The Late Show, Ace.'"
"Uh-huh. I have an internal clock."
"And it works like clockwork?"
"Exactly."
The hostess had just been standing there, immobilized, silently listening to their banter.
"Uh, anyway...So Dave put your watch in the lost and found." The woman gestured to a room located to her left. She continued in a stage whisper. "It's in the Board Room. Right over there."
"The door's closed." Rory glanced at the door and then back at Logan. Seeing her face, he stifled a smirk. The cat was so out of the bag.
"So? Just open it. The only thing in there is your watch. I swear."
"Riiight." Logan bit back his laughter at Rory's obvious skepticism.
With a chuckled "Thank you," Logan led Rory away from the hostess's podium.
"Huntzberger?"
"Yeah, Ace?"
"Is a psychotic knife-wielding clown gonna jump me if I go in that room?"
"Don't know what you're talking about."
Rory stopped them in their tracks. She gave Logan the Rory Look.
"You're slamming me with that look today!" he laughed.
"Well?" she replied with no small amount of impatience.
Recognizing that the jig was up, Logan couldn't waste a golden opportunity.
"Since Paris and Doyle couldn't make it, I'm gonna say the answer to your question is 'no'."
Rory chuckled. "Ah! Paris probably didn't want to come cause she knew I'd expect her to bring the stroller and the crib. And she doesn't want to because she and Doyle would have to go upstairs to get them."
Logan really didn't want to go back down the path -or stairs - to CrazyLand.
"Okay, so here's the deal." Logan guided Rory to a spot along the wall near the still-closed door of the Board Room. "There's a room full of people looking to surprise you. You think you can play along?"
"Of course I can play along. I'm the Queen of Playing Along."
"Good to know, Queen."
Pausing, Logan tucked several stray hairs behind Rory's ear. Making the most of their proximity -and of what he saw in Rory's eyes - Logan leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. He held back from deepening the kiss. Once initiated, kissing Rory was hard thing to pull back from. There had always been a connection between them. Like an electrical current that buzzed along, dormant until there was something to conduct it. Like a kiss. Or a touch.
Or Lucas he found himself thinking.
It was Rory who broke the kiss before it got too heated.
"Uh, don't we have someplace to be?"
"Yeah."
"Don't sulk. Next time just tell my mom 'no.'"
From her comment, Logan surmised Rory thought the party was Lorelai's idea. He'd just let her think that. It didn't matter. In the meantime, he couldn't help but see the implied possibility in Rory's words. Next time...now, that was an offer he couldn't refuse. He wouldn't refuse. He smiled at her.
"You ready, Ace?"
"Ready!"
"Let's go."
"Let's go."
Walking to the door, Rory pushed it open to chorus of voices.
"Surprise!"
Rory's blue eyes were wide as she took in the restaurant's private dining room. Logan, looking around, smiled. Lorelai had proven herself a very capable ally. Not only had she delivered on the guests, but balloons and flowers decorated the perimeter of the room.
"Oh, wow! Thank you!" Rory threw her arms around Logan. Waving across the room to Lorelai, she called out to her mother. "Thanks mom! Thanks Luke!"
"Now, remember how we practiced?" Hearing Finn, Logan shot a look at his friend.
"Hey, is that Gigi?" called out Rory.
"Rory! I just flew in this afternoon."
Logan watched as Rory went over to greet her half-sister.
"Lana! Dad! Hi! Grandma! Jack!"
"One...two...three...For she's a jolly good mommy, For she's a jolly good mommy, For she's a jolly good mommy, which nobody can deny..."
"Wait. Those aren't the real lyrics, are they?" asked Jackson.
"No." It was Lane who answered. "It's 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.' And did you know that's actually the second most popular song in the English language? After 'Happy Birthday to You'?"
"You ever notice it's the same tune as 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain'?" asked April.
Zach proceeded to alternate humming lines from 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow' and 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain'.
"Whoa! I never noticed that!" Zach seemed pretty freaked out by April's revelation. "And Lane and I actually sang the bear song to the boys. How'd I never pick up on that?"
Sookie's husband Jackson was similarly shocked by the revelation. "Why do they do that?! I hate when they do that! It's like the songs are leading double lives!"
"Yeah!"
"Calm down, Jackson."
"You too, Zach. There's plenty of songs that lead double lives. We just call it plagiarism now."
"Oh. Right."
"Hey, thank you for coming."
"Of course, Logan," answered Sookie. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. You know next month we're having our soft opening at the Dragonfly annex. You and Rory, of course, have to come. And you should bring your two friends. What're their names again? The squirrelly one? And the tone deaf guy who won't stop singing?"
"That's actually what we call them, Sookie."
"Really?!"
"No. They're Colin and Finn."
"Oh! Well we have a 30-Something Gang in Stars Hollow. All single. Half of them are female."
"Good to know. Is there a date for the opening?"
"Saturday June 24. Will Lucas be out of the hospital by then?"
"Definitely. He's pretty attached to his mom. Now that she's out, I think he's angling for an early release."
"Oh, that's so sweet."
"Logan?"
Hearing Emily from across the table, Logan made his way to the other side of the table.
"Emily. Jack. Good to see you again."
"I heard you tell Sookie you and Rory are going to the Dragonfly opening in June."
"It depends on Rory and Lucas but I don't see why we wouldn't."
"So you're not planning on returning to London?"
Logan nearly laughed aloud. These days he gave little thought to his former life in London.
"Emily, nothing's official but I'm kinda having a hard time seeing myself moving back to London full time. We'll see."
"Hm. Well, if you think you'll be around I wanted to invite you and Rory and Little Lucas to Nantucket for July 4 week. It's far enough away, being away from Lucas's doctors for a few days shouldn't be an issue. Hopefully Luke and Lorelai can make it that week. There's fireworks and all kinds of family events scheduled."
"You have to join us Logan. I promised this lovely lady a lobster bake and since she keeps inviting more people, I'm realizing I'll be the one in hot water if I don't get some help!"
"Oh, Jack!" Logan's eyes nearly fell out of his head at seeing Emily flirting with not-boyfriend Jack.
"Jack, Emily. I'll definitely see what I can do. That's by far the second best offer I've had today."
"Second?" asked Emily.
"First came from your granddaughter."
"Well. We certainly can't compete with Rory."
Hearing her voice, Logan zeroed in on where Rory stood talking with Luke and Lorelai, her father, sister, and a woman he assumed was Chris's girlfriend, Lana.
"It's really nice. It's got that new car smell. A refrigerator, which is great for the baby. GPS and it talks you through parallel parking like a patient drivers ed teacher. Oh, and I'm 60% sure he was joking but Logan offered to have a bookcase installed in the back."
Logan was smiling at Rory's words when she happened to glance over and catch him watching her. She returned the smile and gestured for him to join her. He nodded to Emily and Jack before making his way to Rory.
"I wasn't joking, Ace. Just say the word, and we can have that new car smelling like old books in no time."
So far it had been a really good week.
AN: Time is starting to move now. I hope this chapter format wasn't overwhelming. Thank you for reading. The idea of Finn getting into bed with Logan was inspired by Ch. 7 of Dollsome's "Revival Remix: The Rory and Logan are Married! AU." Next up is Huntzberger Family Dinner. Who thinks Logan's week is about to get real sucky, real fast?
10/02/2017