AN: I'm so glad you liked the last chapter. At least that's what all of you have said. Thank you so much. This chapter is on the short side. But the next couple of chapters are longer. And you'll start to see some Trory action soon. I promise! Thank you for being so patient.
Thursday was dragging on forever. Rory hadn't gotten much work done, and she knew she would have to stay late. She groaned when she came in after the meeting. Someone had piled more work on her desk. There was no way she would be leaving before midnight. She sat down to get started when something caught her eye. It was a message slip dated for Monday. How could she have missed that? It showed that her grandmother had called. Rory was surprised she hadn't called back. She picked up the phone with a sigh.
"Hello?"
"Hi Grandma."
"Rory! I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me."
"I lost your message. I just found it."
"Are you busy?"
"Busier than usual."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I wanted to invite you to dinner on Friday."
"I've got too much work Grandma. I can't."
"Luke and Jess are coming. I can never get Jess to come over."
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Don't wait so long in between calling next time. I miss talking to you."
"I won't."
Rory hung up feeling bad. She knew she would never hear the end of it from her mom and Jess. Those two were so alike it was scary. At least Jess wasn't a nut job. But her mom was a nut job that she loved.
XXXX
Tristan ran a hand through his hair again. It was sticking up like he had stuck his finger in a electrical socket but he didn't care. His run had done nothing to clear his head. He stood in the middle of the park bent over with his hands on his knees. He was getting strange looks from everyone around him but he didn't care. What Rory had said had gotten to him. She was right. It wasn't fair to keep his mom out of Maddie's life. He was so confused he didn't know what to do. His mother wasn't a bad person, her heart was in the right place. He needed to talk to Megan first though.
He walked through the park making his way to the entrance. He had planned on spending the weekend with Maddie. Now it looked like he might be taking a weekend trip to Connecticut. Maddie wouldn't be coming with him, he wanted to talk to his mom first.
Tristan stepped out of a cab and into his apartment building. He opened the door to his loft and pulled off his clothes while making his way to the bathroom. He stared the shower waiting for the water to heat up. He stared at his reflection wondering if he was making the right decision.
XXXX
It was almost one when Rory climbed into bed. She had finally gotten caught up. She sighed as she laid her head on the pillow. She thought she would be able to fall asleep easily. But she tossed and turned all night.
She gave up at four. Tomorrow she was going into work late. Hopefully she would be able to sleep after a long bath. She sighed as she sank into the water. 'A girl could get used to this.' Rory thought as she closed her eyes. Half an hour later she was back in bed. And she finally got some sleep.
XXXX
Tristan was woken up by something landing on his stomach. His eyes snapped open seeing beady eyes and a snout.
"I swear I'm getting rid of you." He growled shoving the dog off the bed.
He was searching for a pair of pants when his door opened. Maddie stuck her head around the corner. Tristan smiled at her over his shoulder. She climbed on his bed watching him get ready. He packed a bag decided that he would just go to Hartford and get it over with.
"Daddy are we going somewhere?"
"I'm going out of town for a few days. You are going to stay with Julie." He said zipping his bag.
Maddie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He had never been away from her for more than a day. So he knew this was coming.
"If you're good I'll take you to see Rory next week."
"You will?" She said lacing her arms around his neck.
Tristan nodded picking her up. He carried her into the kitchen while trying to fix his tie. Things were going to be fine. If he kept saying it, he would eventually believe it.
XXXX
Rory heard her phone ring and she groaned. She reached for it knocking things off the nightstand in the process.
"Hello?"
"Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Tristan?"
"No it's your knight in shining armor."
"So it is you? What do you want?" She asked teasing him.
"I was going to ask you if you wanted to come to Hartford with me."
"I can't. I've got work to catch up on."
"Bring it with you." He said she should have thought of it.
"Well, my Grandmother did invite to dinner tonight."
"What about me?"
"I can tell her that I'm bringing someone. What's with the sudden urge to get to Hartford?"
"I'm going to see my mom."
"And you need me because?"
"I need a support system."
"What about Meg?"
"I would rather go with you." He said hoping she would say yes.
"Where would we stay?"
"In a hotel."
"I'm not sharing with you."
"Even if it has two beds."
"Not even then."
"I'll work something out. Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Rory hung up the phone thinking about what she had just done. She had agreed to spend the weekend with Tristan. Was she insane? She shouldn't have said yes, she was still trying to figure out her feelings. She hoped she would be able to control herself around him.
She needed to talk to someone about this. She needed to talk to someone who would be honest and not tell her something to make her happy. She knew exactly who to call.
"Hello?"
"Hey Zach, where's Lane?"
"She's right here, hold on."
"Rory?" Lane said sounding excited.
"Hey buddy!" Rory said getting excited.
"Why haven't you called!"
"I've been busy. But I need your advice."
"Spill."
"There's this guy, I really like him. But whenever I'm around him, I act like I'm in high school again."
"And it's not Logan?" Lane said sounding confused.
Had it really been that long since Rory had talked to her? She tried to think back to the last time she had talked to her best friend. It had been over the summer. Everything had been fine then.
"Logan's out of the picture. I should have called you, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, how long have you known this guy?"
"Ten years, but we're just now starting to really get to know each other."
"So do I know him?"
"You met him once."
"Who is he?"
"Tristan Dugrey."
"Bible Boy!" Lane yelled into the phone.
Rory held the phone away from her ear as Lane squealed into the phone.
"You done?" Rory asked smiling.
"Are you serious? Is he still good looking?"
"He's even more good looking now."
"So what is he like? Has he changed?"
"He has a daughter. And he's changed so much, but then again no."
"He still calls you Mary?"
"He's done it once."
"This is amazing."
"I know."
"You going to let him walk out of your life this time?"
"Not if I can help it."
"That's what I like to hear."
They talked for a few more minutes before she realized it was after one. It wouldn't do her any good to come into the office now. She called Megan to tell her what had happened.
"You're going aren't you?"
"Yeah, do you think I shouldn't?"
"Absolutely you should go!"
"I'll come in tomorrow to pick up my work. I'll get it done this weekend."
"Don't worry about it. I'll push it off on someone else."
"You don't have to do that." Rory said sounding worried.
"Yes I do. You are going to have fun with my kid brother. And I won't take no for an answer!" Megan said before hanging up the phone.
Rory shook her head in wonder. If she had found out that Tristan was Megan's brother sooner she would have saved herself a lot of heartbreak and tears. But she couldn't worry about that now, she was back in his life and she wasn't leaving anytime soon.