Chapter Eight – Zero to Hero
By the time that Rory and I returned to the office the next interviewee had already arrived and was waiting for us in my office. I walked up to the door, dreading the moment that was to follow. Why couldn't I just have one normal aspect of my life? Steeling myself, I reached for the brass doorknob and pushed the door open ready to face another session of torture that was shaping up to a rather accurate picture of what I believed the rest of my life to look like.
When I finally caught sight of my interviewee, I was shocked. This person was certainly the opposite of whom I was expecting. I eyed the woman sitting in the chair across from the secretary's desk. She was put together and looked like a person who wouldn't put up with any nonsense. It also didn't hurt that she was drop dead gorgeous. Half of the staff would be in love with her when they caught sight of her. I was just hoping that she was just as promising in her journalistic qualifications as she looked professionally.
I cleared my throat softly, as to alert her to our presence in the room. "Ms. Feldman?" I called.
She looked up from her notes and rose from her chair. She walked demurely across the room and stopped an appropriate distance in front of us before meeting my welcoming handshake halfway.
"Yes. My name is Charli Feldman. I'm sorry that I was so early for my interview. I completely forgot that you would probably be out on your lunch break," she said with a sheepish grin. "I'm a little overenthusiastic sometimes."
I laughed out loud at her proclamation and I could hear Rory stifling laughter behind me, reminding me of her presence.
"Excuse my manners, Ms. Feldman. My name is Logan Huntzberger and this lovely young lady here is Rory Gilmore-Hayden. We will be conducting your interview this afternoon." I watched as Rory and Charli shook hands before ushering both of them into my office; Rory behind the desk with me and Charli facing us.
"Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Water?" Rory asked us both before sitting down.
"Nothing for me, thanks," I replied with a smile, "But do get coffee for yourself and whatever Ms. Feldman might want."
Charli smiled. "Just water for me, thank you, and only if you're getting something for yourself. I don't want to inconvenience you."
Rory just smiled. "It's not a problem at all. I'm a certified coffee addict and I could use another cup." She made her way out of the room. "I'll be right back. Feel free to start the interview without me, Logan," she said as she pulled the door shut behind her.
I chuckled. She was too smart for her own good. She hadn't even known that I wanted her to conduct some of this interview herself and she had already managed to find a way to subvert me.
"Let's get started then," I said to the blonde woman across from me. "I'll just ask you a few questions while we wait for Rory and then she'll continue with your interview when she gets back."
"Sounds great," she replied with a smile.
"Okay then. Why don't you tell me why you want to work for Huntzberger Publishing Group?"
I finished the boring part of the interview about an hour later and had already made up my mind that Charli Feldman was going to be the next Editor in Chief of the London Times. As soon as I thanked her for her time and assured her that I would be in touch within the next couple days. As she got up, I turned to Rory.
"If Ms. Feldman has time, would you mind taking her on a tour of the building Rory?"
Rory turned and smiled at me from her corner knowing that this meant there were no more interviews. "No problem Logan." she said standing from her chair and making her way toward the door.
"I think we should start by introducing you to Angie." Rory said with a grin as she led Charli out of my office.
"Who's Angie?" I heard Charli enquire faintly as they walked down the hall to the break room.
"The coffeemaker," was the last thing I heard before I started laughing. Trust Ace to deem the one most important thing in the building coffee.
Almost five hours later I was jolted out of sleep when I felt the first rumbles of the landing gear being lowered into place. I blinked hard trying to focus my thoughts, my brain still foggy from the nap. Why was I on a plane again? I looked around me at the familiar surroundings of the Huntzberger Jet for any pertinent information of my whereabouts. When I finally caught sight of Finn's flip flops by the bar and Rory curled up fast asleep in the couch by the window my brain finally clicked into place. Rome. Honor. Stupid Huntzberger paper emergency. Right… As soon as I realized that I sat back in my seat and did my best to relax. The next couple days would be busy enough without me making more work for myself. Of that, I was perfectly sure.
When we hit the ground I watched with a smirk as both Sophie and Rory were jolted out of sleep, Rory looked around the plane with the same bewildered look as I had done not twenty minutes before, although I will admit that she looked much more adorable than I ever could, with her hair sleep mussed and her bright blue eyes half lidded from sleep.
She got up from her seat and moved to sit down on the chair next to mine, leaning her head on my shoulder as we rolled gently to the terminal. "So we're in Italy?" she asked with a yawn.
"That we are Ace."
"Is Honor meeting us at the airport?"
"I'm not sure," I replied. "If she isn't then she will have sent a car for us, and we'll likely see her as soon as we get to the house."
She nodded sleepily against my shoulder. "Sounds good. How long before we deplane?"
I looked at my watch. "I'd say we still have a good twenty minutes. There was a bit of air traffic coming in, so it could be a while. If you want to go back to sleep I'll wake you up when we're ready."
She nodded against my shoulder again. "Thanks Logan," she said before drifting once again to sleep.
I watched her sleep for another ten minutes before I was jerked out of my reverie by a black flip flop that hit the side of my head.
"Good god Finn!" I yelped. "What the hell was that for?"
Finn said nothing but shot me a knowing smirk before sinking into the couch next to Sophie and throwing an arm over her shoulders. In reply to his idiocy, I did nothing but roll my eyes, not wanting to disturb the girl who was sleeping on my shoulder, knowing that I would have to in a few minutes time so that we could get off the plane.
About thirty seconds later I received a call from the pilot, letting us know that they were ready for us to disembark. Gently I shook Rory awake and stood up to let Finn, Sophie and Tristan know to get their stuff together. I heaved a silent sigh, it was time to work.
For the next three days I lived at the newspaper office, Rory coming in for a few hours each day to experience the life working at a newspaper. I was almost busy enough to ignore the fact that Rory was in one of the most romantic cities on earth with her buddy Tristan Dugrey and I was completely out of the way, working my ass off. How the hell did I get myself into this situation? I dropped my head in my hands and groaned out my frustrations. Why me?
I was startled out of my pity fest by the buzzing of my cell.
"Hello?"
"Logan, you have to come home right now."
"Honor?"
"Get home. It's Grandpa," my sister's voice sounded through the line.
"What? What happened?"
"There's been an accident."
Just like that, my world got tilted on a different axis and my thoughts spun out of focus. I hurriedly packed up my things and sped out of the office as quickly as possible, racing home to Honor's little villa.
"Honor!" I called as soon as I walked in the door.
I braced myself as my older sister threw herself in my arms and sobbed. "He's dying, and there's no way we can get there in time."
"Shhh…"I soothed her feeling tears prickling the backs of my eyes. "We'll get there, and he'll live. He has to."
Honor just sobbed harder and I resolved to do anything in my power to get us home as soon as possible. I motioned Josh over with my head transferring my weeping sister to her husband's arms and I left the room to make an emergency call, one I had hoped I would ever have to make.
Exactly six hours later Honor, Josh, Emilie and I were walking through Bradley International Airport towards our car when I felt my phone buzz once again in my pocket.
"Hello?"
"Where the hell is everyone, Logan? Tristan and I just got back to the villa and there's no one here! Where did you all disappear off to?" Rory's slightly panicked tone rang through the line.
"Oh shit. I'm so sorry Ace. I should have called you. It's been a really bad day. We're actually all in Connecticut. Just stay in the house for now with Tristan and I'll give you a call in a couple hours to fill you in on the details. I'm really sorry."
"You're WHERE? You just up and left the country and you're telling me after you get there. Thanks a lot Logan—
"Hey, sorry man, Rory was just getting too worked up to talk to you." Tristan's voice cut in.
"No problem. It's probably a good thing that you intervened. You're welcome to stay in the villa as long as you want. We're in Hartford. My grandfather was in an accident and I'm not sure when we'll be back. So let Rory know I'll call her later with the details for when we can finish up her newspaper intro." I paused. "And Tristan?"
"Yeah man?"
"Tell her I'm sorry please?"
"No problem. We'll talk to you soon."
"I'll check in with you guys later tonight. Thanks for everything Tristan."
"Like I said, it's no problem. Just go be there for your family. I'll take care of everything over here."
I quickly hung up when I felt Honor tugging on my arm and I ducked into the waiting limo. Hold on Grandpa, I thought to myself. We'll be there soon.