AN: This is a really long chapter. It's to make up for all the short chapters so far. And I'm pretty sure you guys will like it.
Rory threw an arm over her face to block out the sun. It was Monday morning, that's all she knew. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. She had a lunch meeting with Tristan. To get their schedule's in order. She had his, but he didn't have hers. She had told him she could work around his. But he wouldn't listen.
"You plan on getting up anytime soon?" Jess asked from the door.
"What time is it?" Rory mumbled into her pillow.
"It's almost eight. Don't you have to go to the office?"
"Not until this afternoon."
"Well, I'm heading out. I'll see you later."
Rory waved him off before hearing him chuckle as he walked out the door. She really didn't want to get out of bed. Maybe she could call Tristan and talk into coming over for lunch. That way it wouldn't be awkward. She reached for her phone hearing Chester walk into the room. She dialed his number, forcing herself to keep her eyes open.
"Tristan
Dugrey."
"Hi."
She heard Maddie and a dog barking in the background.
"Damn it! No!"
"Aww, daddy."
"Is this a bad time? I can call back in a little while."
"Can you call back in ten minutes? Maddie's being difficult. And now I have to change."
"I'll call you back in ten minutes."
"Bless you." He said with a sigh.
Rory got out of bed and pulled on her robe. She walked into the kitchen noticing that Jess had finally cleaned. She grabbed a bowl from the counter and the cereal from the pantry. She was getting the milk when her phone rang. She grabbed it from her pocket seeing 'Tristan' flash across the screen.
"Everything okay?" She asked smiling.
"For now. Maddie's at school and the devil dog is in the laundry room."
"I was wondering if you wanted to come here for lunch. It wouldn't be as awkward, and if you get uncomfortable you can leave." She said in one breath.
"That's a good idea. Give me your address."
Rory gave it to him and he said he would be there by one. She looked at the clock; it was almost nine. She had a lot to do in four hours. The living room was a wreck, she had to go grocery shopping, and she had to get ready. Maybe inviting him over was a mistake.
XXXX
Tristan was starting to regret saying that he would come to see her. He wouldn't be held responsible if something happened. He was able to control himself on Saturday. They had been in public and he hadn't wanted to scare her. If they were alone he wasn't sure he would be able to keep himself in control.
She hadn't changed at all. She was still the head strong, opinionated girl she had been at sixteen. Only now she was a woman, she was all woman. With curves Tristan had to restrain himself from touching. The kid from ten years ago was starting to come back. He didn't want that. He knew she hadn't liked him then. Not the way he wanted her to, but now he had been given a second chance.
Seeing her two weeks ago had taken him by surprise. He was slowly making his way into her world. He could go slow, if in the end she was with him. How was it possible to feel this way after ten years? He couldn't explain it. It was almost as if the feeling had never left.
The phone rang breaking him from his thoughts. He checked the ID before throwing it on the couch. It was his sister; he could call her back later. Right now he had bigger things to worry about.
XXXX
Rory was running late. It was almost twelve thirty and she still had to get dressed. She could hear Chester howling from the back yard. She had hated forcing him to go out there. She had to carry him out to get him out. He hated being out there, and it showed.
She was doing a last minute check in the mirror when the doorbell rang. She could hear Chester going crazy in the back yard. She checked the clock before opening the door. Quarter 'til, he was early. She opened the door with a smile. Tristan stood on the other side looking at his hands. Rory never pictured him as the nervous type.
"Come in." She said opening the door wider.
He walked in looking at the floor. She watched him with an amused smile on her face.
"Are you okay?" She asked putting a hand on his shoulder.
Tristan stopped in his tracks. He needed to pull it together. What he really needed was a drink. He nodded hoping that would reassure her. She walked down the hall and Tristan followed her.
"If you don't want to do this now, we can meet later."
"Now's good, sorry if I freaked you out." He said giving her a shy smile.
"It's all good." She said giving him a reassuring smile.
They finally fell into easy conversation.
"So what happened earlier?"
"You mean my fall from grace? Maddie was being difficult. She wouldn't do anything I told her to. She doesn't do that often. And to make matters worse our dog jumped on me. My coffee went everywhere."
Rory couldn't help but laugh. She put a hand over her mouth to stop, but she couldn't. Tristan glared at her, but he was actually thinking that he wanted to make her laugh again. He couldn't hold back his smile. Pretty soon he was laughing too.
"So are you okay with this? I know I wouldn't be. Especially since we're just starting to get to know each other."
"I wouldn't have agreed to it if it wasn't."
"How do you know Megan?"
Tristan sighed before rubbing his neck.
"Since I'm supposed to be honest I'll tell you."
"She's your secret lover isn't she?" Rory asked trying to be serious.
"That's it. The secret is out." Tristan said nodding his head.
"Seriously, how do you know her?"
"You have to promise you'll still write the article."
"It can't be that bad. What is she, your sister?"
Tristan nodded in response. Rory didn't know how to respond to that. She never would have thought Megan was his sister. She looked nothing like him. She was his total opposite with dark hair and green eyes.
"You okay over there?"
"Yeah, just letting it sink in."
"Need a minute?" He asked smirking.
"No, I'm good smartass. Just confused. Was this your idea or hers?"
"It was hers. I swear I didn't know you worked there until that morning."
"Did Military school have anything to do with how you've changed?"
"A little. It was mainly because of a girl. She made me see being a jerk wasn't getting me anywhere."
"Maddies' mom?"
"Yeah, her name was Rachel."
"She died?" Rory was starting to regret starting the conversation.
"She had cancer. We got married at eighteen; Maddie was born a year later. Rachel died not long after that. Maddie wasn't even a year old."
"That's horrible. Do you need a few minutes? Something else to drink?"
"Another beer. I'll get it though."
He came back a minute later with Chester following him.
"He was supposed to stay outside."
"He was whining, I didn't think you'd mind."
Tristan sat down next to her and watched the dog. Chester was sitting at Rory's feet waiting to be told he could get on the couch.
"Come on." Rory said patting the couch.
"I was thinking. Since you're digging into my personal life, I should get to ask you some personal questions."
"I knew that was coming, it's fine."
They talked for another hour before Tristan realized he had missed his three o' clock meeting. It was almost five; that had never happened before. He still had to pick up Maddie from daycare; he had to go back to the office first though. He'd call his brother-in-law; hopefully he could pick up Maddie.
"Rory?" Someone called from the foyer.
Tristan came from out of the living room. He was face to face with a dark hared guy who was a good four inches shorter than him. The guy was staring him up and down. Chester came into the room and sat at the guys' feet.
"Rory's upstairs." Tristan said looking the guy in the eye.
The guy nodded then pointed to Tristan.
"You're Tristan right?"
"Yeah, you're Jess?"
"Yep." Jess said nodding.
Rory came downstairs a minute later. Jess and Tristan were still staring at each other. Tristan looked up when he heard her.
"Megan said she's not mad, but you owe her dinner. And next time, keep track of the time." She said giving him a smile.
"I'll bring her dinner alright. I'll see you tomorrow night." He said pulling on his jacket.
Rory watched him leave from the stoop. Jess opened the door giving her a questioning look.
"Don't ask."
"Wasn't gonna." He said closing the door after she came in.