Chapter 16- 22.8 miles

"Jess, how are we going to work?"

He sat on the couch and watched his girlfriend as shewrung her hands nervously, waiting for his answer. He took her hands with his to stop her fidgeting.

"Can I answer that without being cut off by your ranting?"

"So you have an answer?"

"I have an option."

"An option?"

"Let's call it that, for lack of a better word."

"Okay, so what's this option?"

"The guys I met with in New Haven offered me a job. The pay would be better than what I make now and I would get to do only editing, instead of running around trying to sell books. I have to give them an answer in two days."

"You're serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"Do you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"So you're going to take this job?"

"Probably."

"So you're moving here?"

"Not here, here but closer to here."

"Jess, I…this is…you are…" Rory tried to speak but the words got caught in the back of her throat so she just jumped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him full force on the mouth. "This is amazing."

"I thought it might be easier if there weren't 400 miles between us."

"This is just so…amazing…"

"You already said that."

"Let me process the information. I promise I'll come up with a better line in a few minutes. And you really want to do this? You're not doing it just because…"

"Just because what?" He watched her blush furiously and smiled.

"Just because…of me." She was staring intensely at his hand, avoiding his glaze at all costs which seemed a little difficult seeing as they were both on the couch, their faces merely inches away. He took a deep breath, delaying his answer for a few seconds, enjoying seeing her blush. When he decided he had let her squirm enough he lifted her face with his hand a made her look at him.

"Rory, I want to do this. It's a good opportunity, I get to do something I like and get paid for it and I am close to you, so all things say that I should take this job."

"But are you really sure this is what you want?"

"You're starting to sound like you don't want me here."

"No, Jess, it's not that! I'd love having you near. But I don't want you to give up your life in Philadelphia and be miserable here. Because I want you to be happy and if that means that you have to be in Philly then we will find a way to make it work."

"You make me happy. This is a great job and New Haven doesn't seem like a bad place to live, so I don't see any reason why I should be miserable here."

"So you're really going to do this?"

"For the tenth time, yes."

She felt tears gathering up in her eyes but for the first time in days, they were tears of happiness. She knew that this relationship was actually going to work. She wanted to tell him just how happy he had made her but the words seemed to escape her again so she kissed him, sneaking her arms around his waist. He responded quickly and pulled her closer to him. When they broke apart she rested her forehead against his and smiled.

"I love you so much…"

"Love you too…"

They stayed like that for a few moments, her head resting on his shoulder, enjoying each other's company.

"So this means you have to find a new place to live."

"Well, living in Philly kind of defeats the purpose of moving near. And the commute would be a nightmare."

"You could stay with Luke here until you found something. It's not that far, it's only…"

"22.8 miles." He watched the surprised look that appeared on her face.

"I can't believe you remembered that."

"Some things tend to stick."

If she hadn't loved him already that would have definitely been the moment when she'd have fallen in love with him.

"So…do I get my bonus for carrying your bags home now?"

She reached for her purse and rummaged through it until she found a Snickers bar and handed it to him, a playful smile on her lips.

"Here!"

"Not exactly what I had in mind…" He took the chocolate bar and the purse out of her hands and placed them on the floor before pulling her on top of him so that she was straddling him and kissing her.

Later that day, in Rory's bedroom:

They lay in bed, her head resting on his chest while she played with his hand, drawing little circles in his palm and going up and tracing his fingers with her own.

"We should probably get dressed soon."

"In a minute."

"If your mom comes home and finds us like this she is going to kill me."

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand.

"She isn't supposed to be home for at least another couple of hours."

"What if she decides to come home early?"

"She has an apple convention checking in this afternoon and if she lets Michel alone with them he will either kill them or kill himself and I don't think she's going to take that chance."

"What's an apple convention?"

"A bunch of people that really love apples, I think"

"What' so special about apples?"

"Ask them, not me…unless they're made into pies. I like pie."

"I know you like pie."

"Jess…You make me really happy."

He smiled and kissed her on top of her head.

"What does that have to do with pie?"

"Nothing…I just wanted you to know that."

"You're not so bad either…"

"So when are you going back to Philadelphia to pick up your stuff and everything else you have to do?"

"Probably some time next week. I talked to one of the guys this morning before I saw you and told him about the job and that I was thinking about moving here and they said that after I finish with the bookstores I have left I can start this job so I'm guessing next Saturday or Sunday."

"I'm going to miss you while you're gone."

"You could come with me."

She turned her head so that she could look at him.

"Really?"

"Sure, why not?"

"I'd have to talk to mom first, see if she doesn't mind not having me around for a couple of days."

"Talk to her and if you decide to come let me know, okay?"

"Okay." She lifted herself up a bit and kissed him, then returned to her previous position. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I don't know…why?"

"I thought we could go see a movie or something before I have to go to Friday night dinner."

"I forgot about those."

"I wish I could forget as well but unfortunately there's no chance with my grandma calling me twice a week to remind me."

"Are you going to tell them about me?"

"I don't know…they'll have to find out eventually. I have to break the news that I'm not with Logan anymore and I'll see how that goes."

"I'm guessing they liked him."

"They were almost picking china patterns."

"I still don't get what you saw in that guy."

"Now that I think of it, I don't either."

"Let's not talk about him anymore, okay? Your ex isn't exactly the subject I'd like to discuss while I'm in bed naked with you."

"Oh really? And what subject would you like to discuss?"

"How about I show you? We still have some time left until your mom gets home…" He flipped them around and smiled before kissing her…

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, it's very nice to know that people still like this story and a special thanks to Cat for the BETA.