Chapter 8

Rory and Logan sat in the kitchen of her quaint apartment while Lori watched TV on the couch. They were both quiet and Rory felt extremely awkward. A piece of her still didn't want him to take Lori for two weeks.

"Ok", Logan sighed after watching her for twenty minutes, "what's on your mind?"

"Huh", Rory mumbled, "nothing…"

"Rory", Logan laughed, "I know you better than that…"

"Just thinking…"

"About Jeff", Logan smiled.

"It's Jess", Rory said realizing he'd tricked her, "and no."

"Yeah right", Logan said, "so what's his story?"

"There is no story", Rory stated getting up to put her coffee mug in the sink.

Logan turned to face her. "I don't believe you. Tell me…"

Rory folded her arms across her chest and started at her shoes. "He left when we were in high school. He didn't say good bye and I never heard from him again. I graduated and went to Yale, met you, had Lori and now he's back."

Logan smirked. "So he's the one huh?"

"The one what", Rory asked.

"I always knew we wouldn't work Ror", Logan stated, "I'd hoped it and Lord knows I tried but your heart was never fully mine."

"What are you talking about", Rory asked leaning against the counter.

"You never got closure with this guy", Logan said, "and now he's back… are you even questioning that at all…"

"I've been questioning it since I first saw him back in town."

"Rory", Logan said, "you know I will back you up in what ever decision you make."

"Logan", Rory sighed, "he didn't come back for me."

"How do you know", he asked.

"Why would he", she asked, "It's been so long…"

"I think you need to ask him that."

Rory shrugged.

"He's a lucky guy", Logan stated, "He has your heart so he's a lucky guy."

"Thank you", Rory smiled.

"We better get going for the airport", Logan was getting up, "Lori, get your stuff princess."

"Yes daddy", Lori gathered her luggage.

"Do you need a ride", Rory asked.

"We got the rental", Logan said picking up his daughter's things.

"Right", Rory sighed deeply, "well… I guess this is it…"

"She'll be fine Ror", Logan said, "I promise."

"I know", Rory said bending down to her daughter's level to hug her, "behave for daddy."

"Yes mom", Lori said, "I love you."

"I love you baby", Rory kissed her forehead.

"We'll call when we get there", Logan promised and kissed Rory's head.

"Have a safe trip", Rory waved from the door.

They were gone and suddenly the apartment felt bigger than ever.

---

Rory had been walking around town thinking. She missed her daughter but knew they weren't in California yet. She was walking aimlessly when she found herself in front of Luke's diner. She could see Jess inside counting receipts and she noticed it was after ten so the diner was closed. Still, that didn't stop her from walking in.

Jess looked up from his tedious work and saw Rory walking towards the counter.

"Is Luke gone for the night", she asked sitting down.

He reached for the coffee pot behind him and poured her a cup. "Yes and its fresh."

"Thank you", she muttered and took a slow sip.

He continued counting his receipts.

They stayed silent that way until her cell phone rang. She looked up at Jess but he acted completely indifferent so she answered it, even though she was breaking Luke's only rule.

"Hello", she answered.

"Hey", it was Logan, "we landed."

"How was the flight", Rory asked.

"It was great", Logan said, "but Lori's asleep. We're in the cab now on the way to the house."

"Logan", Rory said, "please have her call me as soon as she wakes up. It doesn't matter the time."

"Sure thing Ror", Logan said, "talk to you soon!"

She hung up and put the phone away.

"They landed", she said to no one in particular.

"Hmm…"

"Did I do something", Rory was starting to get defensive.

"You didn't do anything", Jess said but never looked up.

Rory nodded her head. "Fine, thanks for the coffee, have a great night."

She got up off the stool and left. Jess watched her walk towards her house from behind the counter. As much as he knew he should apologize to her for being rude, he didn't want to chase her. Chasing Rory never amounted to anything anyway. Especially when she already had someone in her life.

---

The phone ringing woke Rory up. She reached over and answered without checking the caller id.

"Hello", she answered groggily.

"Mom?"

"Lori", she sat up, "is everything ok?"

"Yeah", Lori said, "dad said you wanted me to call."

"What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock."

Rory looked over and saw it was two o'clock in the morning.

"So how was the flight", Rory asked leaning against her pillows.

"I fell asleep", Lori said, "but it was okay… how's grandma and grandpa?"

---

"Rory", Michel called, "the golf convention canceled… they'll call back to reschedule."

Rory groaned. She was so sleepy. She stayed on the phone with Lori for about two hours and was up by six in the morning for work. She was only able to sleep two hours after the call. But it was worth it. She missed her daughter, but knew she was having a great time.

"Rory", Loralai offered her a cup of coffee, "why don't you stay with me and Luke for the next two weeks… that way you're not alone in that apartment."

"Its fine mom", Rory said taking a long sip of the coffee.

"If you change your mind", Loralai smiled, "the offer stands."

"Thank you", Rory said taking another sip of coffee.

"So what'd Lori say", Loralai asked.

"She loves it over there."

"I figured she would", Loralai smiled, "I'm glad she's having fun."

"Yeah", Rory smiled.

"That Luke's nephew is here Loralai", Michel walked into the kitchen, "he says he has something for you from Luke…"

"What could it be", Loralai was about to walk out when one of the waiters called her for an emergency in the dining room with one of the guests, "Rory, I have to handle this… can you handle Jess?"

She was out the door before Rory could even answer. Rory slid off the stool she was sitting on and went to go see what it was Jess needed.

She found him standing in the center of the room carrying a big box.

"Hey", she greeted, "mom had an emergency… can I help you?"

"Luke just asked me to drop this off", Jess nodded towards the box.

"What is it", she asked.

"He didn't say", Jess mumbled.

"Well, you can just place it on the counter for now", she directed him.

He set it off to a corner so it wouldn't be in the way of the check in area.

"So how are you Jess", Rory asked.

"Fine", he said while picking up his things to go.

Rory realized he wasn't going to return the pleasantries. "I'm fine too", she said.

"Huh", he mumbled and left.

Rory watched him leave wondering what his problem was. She looked at the box and went to open it. She smiled at the contents inside. Luke had delivered everything he owned that dealt with golf. He knew there was a convention coming and now the Inn had clubs and tees to offer its guests. Rory smiled at the thought of her step father. She stopped smiling however, when she thought of his nephew.

---

Jess walked back into the diner and went straight up the stairs. He'd received a call from his editor earlier that day asking for the chapters of his latest novel. The problem was he was going through a writer's block and hadn't written a thing. He sat down at the desk his uncle had in the middle of the room and looked around. He saw pictures of the family all over. He never pegged Luke to be a picture kind of guy, but he figured that was Loralai's touch.

Jess saw a picture behind a family portrait and stood up to get a better look. When he picked up the frame and realized it was he and Rory ten years ago. Rory was smiling and he was smirking at the camera. He remembered Loralai took the picture on Christmas Day. He smiled at the memory. He'd worked extra hours at Wal-Mart just to buy Rory's present that year. He remembered her expression when he gave it to her. A gold necklace with a heart pendant, it was more than he'd ever given any girl he dated. He sighed and put the frame back where it belonged.

Sitting down at the desk he opened his laptop and realized he had the perfect idea for his next novel.

---

"What'd Jess want", Loralai asked her daughter when she found her later in the day.

"He came to drop off a package from Luke for the golf convention."

"Oh good", Loralai smiled, "you okay?"

"Yeah I was just thinking…"

"About Lori?"

"Well yeah", Rory said, "but I was thinking about Jess."

"Jess?"

"Yes."

"Yes its Jess."

"Mom… not again."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist", Loralai said.

"It's just he's been acting weird with me", Rory said.

"Weird how", Loralai asked.

"He's like indifferent to me. Like he doesn't… I don't know…"

"Doesn't what babe?"

"Like me", Rory said.

Loralai was now confused.

"Not like like… just it's like he doesn't think of me as a person who would have a conversation with…"

"Did something happen?"

"Not that I know of."

"Maybe you should ask him."

"Like he'd tell me anyway", Rory muttered.

"He's not the same kid you dated when you were eighteen babes", Loralai said, "Give him a chance to explain."

"I guess", Rory said.

"There you go", Loralai smiled, "hey I just got an idea. Let's have dinner tonight at the house and invite Jess."

"You think he'd come?"

"Sure", Loralai said, "and I'll even let him drink a beer."

"Cute mom", Rory smiled.

"We don't lose anything by asking."

"True", Rory sighed.

"I'll run the idea past Luke and he can ask him", Loralai said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am a LIT fan. That's all I'll say about where this story is going. Bear with me. I'm still developing some story lines. Remember reviews equal love!! Until next time… stay thirsty my friends…