I dedicate this chapter to Lynn and Christi and the glorious return of The Game of Life. Their recent update inspired me to buckle down and post one of my own. Welcome back, ladies! We all missed you.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 28 – Lies and Spies
Rory sat back in the rather uncomfortable chair nervously tapping her fingers on the armrest. The not-so-friendly looking receptionist flicked her eyes over Rory's fingers bringing their movement to an abrupt halt. She let out a ragged breath as she moved forward to sit on edge of her seat, her back perfectly straight—it really was a very uncomfortable chair—and her hands folded neatly in her lap. A few more uneasy minutes passed before another not-so-friendly looking woman walked into the lobby to greet her.
"Ms. Hayden?" she asked.
"Ye…Yes," answered Rory popping out of her seat.
"Mr. Huntzberger will see you now."
"Thank you." Rory grabbed her bag and followed the stern looking, though very attractive woman, out of the lobby. She looked to be in her mid thirties, maybe younger, with a confidence about her that Rory knew was necessary to be personal assistant to Mitchum Huntzberger. Had Logan been there, he would have informed her about the other necessities Mitchum required his personal assistants to have—namely that they be young and pretty.
"Go right in," she more or less ordered.
Rory stepped tentatively through the open door into a large room lined with a myriad of photos, plaques, trophies, and other types of awards all bearing Mitchum's name. At the far end of the room sat an older woman. She looked up from her computer and greeted Rory with a smile—the first smile Rory had received since she stepped foot in the Huntzberger Building located in downtown Hartford. "Hi," she said returning the woman's smile. "I have an appointment with Mitch...umm…I mean with Mr. Huntzberger. My name is…"
"Rory Hayden," interrupted the woman behind the desk. She walked around her desk with her hand extended. "I know who you are. I've heard quite a bit about you, Ms Hayden. I'm Gayle."
"Pleasure to meet you, Gayle." Rory happily accepted her offered hand and asked, "You've heard of me? How? From whom?"
Gayle looked at her confused expression and gave a lighthearted laugh. "From Logan of course," she said in a conspirator's whisper. "And I must say that boy scarcely did you justice, my dear. I can see why he's so taken with you."
Rory blushed at the unexpected compliment.
"He also told me, made me promise in fact, that you must have at least one very large cup of coffee before sending you in there," said Gayle gesturing toward the door next to her desk.
"Coffee would be great," said Rory feeling a bit less tense. "But isn't he expecting me. I don't want to be late."
"Relax. Your appointment isn't for another 20 minutes."
"But the receptionist outside said…"
"Michelle only sees his published schedule," interrupted Gayle. "There's a difference between his published schedule and his actual schedule. I control his actual schedule."
"Who was the girl outside that door?"
Gayle rolled her eyes. "That's Heather. Don't you worry about her. Technically, she works for me, though she more or less claims to be Mr. Huntzberger's personal assistant. Did she give you a hard time?"
"Not really," Rory answered truthfully. "She just wasn't very friendly."
"That doesn't surprise me. She's smart, but a bit too ambitious for her own good," said Gayle. "But enough about her. Let me pour you that cup of coffee and you can tell me more about yourself."
"Umm…sure." Rory drank down nearly the entire cup without stopping for breath. "What would you like to know?"
"Well, I already know the basics. Rory is short for Lorelia. You're 18, just returned from boarding school, and will be attending Yale in the fall. You were an intern at our London office and want to be a journalist. You're Kevin Hayden's younger sister, charming boy by the way," she said with an amused smile. "And in the short time you've been back, you've managed to perform a miracle. You've made Logan Huntzberger fall head over heals for you."
Rory blushed brightly and drained the last of her coffee. "I don't know about the 'head over heals' part, but everything else is accurate."
"Including the 'head over heals' part," insisted Gayle. "Trust me. I've known Logan since before he could see over this desk and I've never seen him quite so happy. And I know that it's because of you."
Rory could not stop herself from smiling. "Really?"
Gayle laughed, finding Rory's flushed face adorably sweet. "I've worked for Mr. Huntzberger for almost 25 years. Logan has been in and out of this office since before he could walk," she recalled fondly. "I've watched him grow up, sadly more closely than his own father has," she added glancing back at Mitchum's door. "Logan was the happiest child until he was old enough to understand what lay ahead of him. All of this," Gayle gestured toward Mitchum's room of achievements, "the pressure of it, the expectations, it would be terrifying for a grown man let alone a boy. Logan's childhood, privileged though it may have been, has had a cloud hanging over it from the moment he understood the definition of the word 'heir.' It's unfair really." She shook her head and met Rory's eyes. "Over the last few years, I've watched him struggling with his fate, which is probably why he's acted out as much as he has, but I'm sure you're well aware of that being the sister of his partner in crime," she added with a smile. "But yesterday when he came by to set up this meeting for you, I couldn't get him to say enough about his Ace," she threw her head back and laughed. "He had a light in his eyes that I haven't seen since he was three years old."
Rory laughed with her as an image of a three year old Logan popped into her head. She didn't have any clear memories of him at that age—she was only two after all—but she could easily picture an impish towhead with warm brown eyes and playful smirk. "He makes me happy too," she admitted.
"Yes, I can see that. You have that glow about you. Ahhh…young love," she said with a sigh. "Now, I'd like to offer a bit of advice before you go in there."
Rory put her cup down and nodded solemnly, mentally preparing herself for the task at hand.
"I'm not completely sure what you and Logan are up to, but whatever it is, if it involves deceiving the boss man in there, I advise caution. Mitchum is no fool nor does he like to be made a fool of. So whatever little scheme you two have cooked up, be prepared for the consequences should you get caught. I'm not saying I'm not rooting for you, but like I said, I've worked for Mitchum for almost 25 years, and the man is as smart and as shrewd as they come."
Rory could feel her stomach begin to churn.
"So be careful." Gayle checked her watch and stood. "All right, Ms. Hayden," she said in a very professional tone, "you're on." She walked over to the door that led to Mitchum's inner sanctum and gave Rory an encouraging nod before opening it.
Rory gathered her belongings and took a very deep breath before walking toward the open door.
"Good luck," whispered Gayle as she passed.
The room Rory walked into was much larger than she'd anticipated. Inside were a few more awards including Mitchum's first Pulitzer. Talk about intimidating. At the far end of the room sat the man himself behind a desk roughly the size of a Cadillac. He was sitting back in his chair flipping through a thick stack of papers and while she was sure he'd heard her come in, he had yet to acknowledge her.
Rory summoned up all of her courage, walked toward the Cadillac sized desk, and sat in the chair opposite the CEO of one of largest media empires in the world. Mitchum finished whatever it was that he was reading before finally speaking to her.
"Good morning, Rory," he said almost cheerfully—almost. As fond of Rory as he may have been, when he was at the office, he was first and foremost the CEO. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"
"I…I…umm…I wanted to talk about this," she managed to squeak out as she placed a sheet of paper on his desk.
Mitchum barely glanced at it as he knew perfectly well what it was. "It's an acceptance letter to the Huntzberger Junior Leadership Program. And it's got your name on it. What about it?"
"Well…umm…as excited as I was to receive this, you can imagine my surprise especially since I never applied to the program."
Mitchum sat back and watched her shift nervously in her seat.
"And as much as I appreciate the offer," she continued, "I can't in good conscience accept. So…thank you very much, Mitchum, but no thank you."
"No, thank you?"
"I appreciate the offer. But no."
Mitchum was hardly surprised at her actions. In fact, knowing what he knew of Rory, he half expected it. Letting Rory into this program was hardly his idea, however, he'd already gone through quite a bit of effort to get her in, including enduring a rather humiliating dinner with her grandparents. The program's agenda had been finalized and the list of lucky participants already announced, so despite her objections, she was not getting out of this so easily.
"Rory…" he began, but was cut off.
"Look I know this is my fault. I overheard Logan complaining to Kevin about how having to be in the program this year and I just couldn't understand how he could not want to be there. I mean seriously, it's an amazing opportunity, not to mention an honor. I've read the stats. I know how many students apply for this program every year versus the handful you actually accept. And I've wanted to be in this program for so long," she ranted.
"I know that, Rory," he affirmed his voice taking a slightly gentler tone.
"And it just made me angry, and, I'll admit, a little jealous. If I had known I was going to be home this summer I would definitely have applied, but by the time that decision was made, the application deadline had already passed so there really wasn't much I could do. I didn't want to ask for special treatment because I hate special treatment."
"I know that too," he acknowledged.
"I mean I'd pretty much resigned myself to the fact that this wouldn't be my year. And then I hear Logan whining to Kevin and I…well I guess my jealousy got the best of me. So I kind of just ranted a little to Grandma. Honestly, I just needed to vent. And looking back, I should have known venting to Grandma was a mistake. One would think I would know better by now, but I just wasn't thinking clearly. I never thought Grandma would go ahead and…well you know how Grandma can be."
Mitchum nodded. He certainly did know how determined Emily Gilmore could be.
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't know what Grandma said to you, but whatever it was I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Mitchum," she continued. "You have no idea how totally embarrassed I am that Grandma did this."
Mitchum pressed his lips tightly together to keep from laughing at the expression on her face. She was clearly nervous when she walked into his office—and rightfully so as his office was designed to intimidate any and all visitors—but the look on her face after delivering that rant was pure humiliation. No one could fake that.
"I don't know why I'm even surprised. My grandparents have a tendency to…" She stopped herself before saying something unkind since technically this was a farce born out of Logan's plan. "Well, regardless, I don't think it's fair that I get to be in your program. As tempting and as generous as your offer may be. I just…I can't, Mitchum. It wouldn't be fair. And I wouldn't feel as if I really belonged there."
Mitchum, who had hardly uttered a word since she began, continued to silently study her. It was hard not to be completely taken in by those innocent eyes of hers, but his gut told him to be weary. He knew Rory could not be so devious as to put together such an elaborate scheme, but he knew very well that Logan could. Mentally weighing the options, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Rory, I want to make something clear. Yes, your grandparents had a lot to do with why you received this," he began holding the acceptance letter printed on the company stationary. "But let me assure you, if it were just a matter of pure nepotism, I wouldn't let you into the Program, regardless of who your grandparents are or what they said or did. I know how much you want to be a journalist. I know how hard you work. I know how much potential you have. More importantly, I know how much of an asset you would be to the Program."
Rory nodded and smiled slightly.
"I also know that had you applied, your application would have been one of the most impressive in the bunch. And I'm not just saying that as a family friend who's known you all your life. I'm saying that as the CEO of this company." Rory blushed at the high compliment and allowed him to continue. "The Junior Leadership Program is very important to me, Rory. And I know it's important to you too. And while you may not have gotten in under normal circumstances, you are in and you do deserve it."
"But what if…"
"No one will question your presence, Rory. With your credentials, they couldn't. And with me running the Program they wouldn't dare."
"But that's just my point, Mitchum. I don't want anyone to think that you're the only reason that I'm there."
"No one will think that about you, Rory. Logan? Yes. But not you."
Rory's face flushed ever so slightly at the mention of Logan's name, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Mitchum. "That was interesting," he said to himself. Rather than moving down that treacherous road, he opted to store that bit of knowledge away for another time.
"Look, Rory, I understand your concern and while I admire your integrity I don't think it's a smart move on your part," said Mitchum rather harshly choosing to take a different tactic as he did not seem to be making much progress with his current path.
"Excuse me?" Rory was shocked at the sudden severity of his tone.
"Say the only reason I offered this to you is because your grandparents are who they are and because they said what they said at dinner the other night. Say I have no interest in furthering your career. This is still an opportunity. Who cares why you got the opportunity? It's here, and life is about making the most of everything you're handed. Well, this is being handed to you. Now, what are you going to do about it?"
Rory's uncertain eyes met his determined ones. She took a minute to let his words sink in before reaching into her bag and placing a folder onto his desk.
"What's this?"
"It's the application I would have turned in," she said opening the folder and pushing it toward him in a voice that was far less timid than before. One thing about the new Rory was that she was far less easily intimidated. "Transcripts, essays, copies of articles I've written, letters of recommendation."
Mitchum, noting the change in her tone, picked up the folder and took a few minutes to read through the materials. As he already knew, her grades were perfect, her writing was extremely polished for someone so young, and her recommendations were glowing. There was even one letter dated that day from Jacob, the head of the Huntzberger's London office in which he referred to Rory as 'the brightest young mind I've had the pleasure of coming across in years.' Mitchum knew Jacob well and knew that sort of praise did not come easily or without merit.
"If you insist on keeping me in the program, then I insist you at least go through my application and I would appreciate if you pass it along to everyone involved."
To say he was surprised at her changed demeanor was an understatement. In addition, he was very impressed. This time Mitchum did laugh out loud. "You are full of surprises, Rory Hayden. How did you know you would even need this?"
"I had a feeling you wouldn't let me out of the program quite so easily, especially since my name was on the press release that went out yesterday."
He laughed again. "You were right about that. All right, I will make sure this is seen by all the right people. And I'll see you in New York the week after next." At that moment, his phone began to ring. "Now, if you'll excuse me, that's my 11:30 conference call."
With a nod and a smile, Rory got up to leave. When she reached the door, she turned to wave goodbye, but Mitchum was already deeply engrossed in his call. She was slightly taken aback by how in the blink of an eye, Mitchum went from family friend to CEO.
Rory left the Huntzberger Building feeling infinitely lighter than she did when she'd arrived. The meeting with Mitchum had gone according to plan and for that reason she was pleased. However, she'd been deliberately dishonest—something Rory was uncomfortable with from the beginning. What made it worse was the fact that she'd mislead a man she'd known and admired her entire life; a man who'd been nothing but kind to her; a powerful man; a very, very powerful man who had a reputation for being ruthless when crossed. She'd knowingly and purposefully deceived Mitchum Huntzberger, Logan's father and arguably the most important man in the field of journalism. As she walked further and further from the building, the reality of what she'd just done began to set in. The euphoric high of having accomplished the 'Mitchum phase' of Logan's plan began to subside. It was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety. "I lied to Mitchum Huntzberger," she whispered to herself. Rory felt sick.
She was brought out of her thoughts but the vibration of her cell phone.
"Hello?" she answered somewhat in a daze.
"Hey, Ace. How'd it go?"
"Ummm…good…I think."
"What does that mean?" he asked.
Rory continued to walk in no particular direction and ignored Logan's question.
"Ace," he said after a few seconds of silence. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Where are you?"
"I just left the Huntzberger Building…your building I guess…and I'm walking," she continued to move away from said building heading in no particular direction.
"Where are you walking to?" he asked concern evident in his voice.
She didn't answer and continued to move.
"Ace?" Logan could hear her heals hitting the pavement. "Rory, stop walking."
She did as she was told.
"Did you stop?"
"Yes," answered a weak voice.
"Good. Now look around and tell me where you are," said Logan in a calm, but firm tone.
Rory took a breath and forced her eyes to focus on her surroundings. "In front of a restaurant."
"What's the name of the restaurant?"
"The Little Bistro," she replied. "There's a blue awning."
"That's only a few block's from my dad's office. Don't move. I'm coming to get you."
"Hurry," she said in a whisper.
Logan committed a few traffic violations, but pulled up in front of the restaurant in less than five minutes. Rory was standing awkwardly on the sidewalk, her cell phone still clutched in her hand. She was pale and looked completely panicked. Logan jumped out of his car, ran toward her and instinctively pulled her into his arms.
"Hey, Ace, are you ok?" he asked in a whisper. "What did he say to you?"
Rory buried her face in his neck, breathing in his cologne and a hint of soap. It was a comforting scent she associated with being in Logan's arms.
"Rory, what did he say?" he asked now very worried at what his father could have said or done.
"I lied to him," she began.
"That was part of the plan," he stated with a small smile continuing to hold her close.
"I know, but…" She pulled away in order to look into his eyes. "I lied to him. And not just a little white lie. A big fat lie that involved manipulating my grandparents and…"
"Ace, relax," said Logan finally figuring out what had her so panicked. She was afraid of Mitchum, or rather what Mitchum might do.
"What's going to happen when he finds out?"
"He's not going to…"
"Yes, he is, Logan. Our relationship will be public one day and when it is, he's going to figure all of this out and he's going to kill us," she said with a terrified look.
"Kill us?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. "My dad is ruthless, Ace, but he's not the 'sleeping with the fishes' kind of ruthless."
"You know what I mean," she replied somewhat exasperated.
"Yes, I do," said Logan as he led her to his car. "And I'm not saying he won't be really angry. He's going to be furious."
"Not helping, Logan."
He pressed her against the side of his car and leaned into her. "He is going to be furious. I think it's a good idea that we're both prepared for that. But he's not going to be furious at you. Trust me. He's going to be furious at me."
"But, Logan, I just…"
"Yes, you lied to him," he interrupted, "but if I know Mitchum he's going to find a way to lay that blame on me. He's going to know it was my plan. He's going to know I talked you into it. He's going to blame me. And I'm ok with that," he told her reassuringly.
"What's he going to do?"
Logan shrugged. "Yell. Scream. Threaten to disown me. You know, the usual," he said with a small smile.
"This is serious," she retorted but bit her lip to keeping from smiling herself. That playful look of his was so infectious.
"I know, Ace. But I don't want you to worry about it. Look at me," he ordered and she obeyed. "My father is a ruthless, heartless, vengeful, bastard. No one knows better than I do how frightening he can be." He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers. "But he has more sense than to go after the angelic Gilmore-Hayden heiress, especially when his favorite target is equally culpable and so easily accessible. And even if he tried to pin this on you, I would never, ever, let him hurt you. Do you understand that?"
Rory could see the sincerity in his eyes and nodded slowly.
"I won't let him hurt you," he repeated. "When he does find out, I'll take the hit ok? He's not going to blame you. I won't let him. This was my plan. I'll suffer the consequences whatever they may be."
"Logan…"
"Rory, listen to me. Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise. Just stick to the plan and we'll be fine. He's going to find out eventually, they all will, but not for a while and in the mean time, let's not worry about it."
"Live in the now right, Huntzberger?" she asked in a calmer though still somewhat shaky voice.
"You got it."
She nodded. "Ok."
"Ok," he agreed. "Don't worry about it until we absolutely have to."
"Ok," she repeated.
"And I meant what I said. When the truth comes out, you let me worry about it. I'll take the blame. It was my plan."
"But I went along with it," said Rory. His words had done wonders for her panic. She felt her heart race begin to slow as she found comfort in his declaration—his promise to protect her from the fall out. She suddenly felt very silly for her behavior of the last 15 minutes. More importantly, she didn't want Logan to face the brunt of the blame on his own once everything came out in the open. "It was your plan, but I went along with it. I went to the club and tricked my grandma. I walked into your father's office and lied to him. I did it all willingly. You didn't force me," she reminded him. "I'm sorry for the minor melt down. I knew the risks when I agreed to all of this. It's just that…when I walked out of his office passed all his trophies and awards, it suddenly hit me that I just blatantly lied to the great Mitchum Huntzberger. I'm sorry. Minor freak out, but I'm ok now."
He smiled. "Don't worry. It's understandable."
"It won't happen again. I promise. And just for the record, when the time comes, let's agree to share the blame. We're in this together."
He nodded. "And try not to worry about it ok? Just remember we had to do this because of how my parents are so technically this is their fault," he reasoned.
Rory laughed at his twisted logic. "That is partly true."
"And we're doing all this for us, so we can be together. You did what you did for a very good cause," he said in a teasing voice.
"Good cause? Oh you mean all to be alone in New York for two weeks with my lying, scheming, though devilishly handsome, boyfriend?"
"I don't know about the lying and scheming, but the devilishly handsome part is right," he said with a cocky grin.
"You are awfully cute," she said purposely stroking his ego. She pushed herself up on her toes so their lips might meet. The kiss was soft and feather light, their lips barely making contact. It was the type of teasing kiss Rory knew he loved and hated at the same time. Logan pressed himself against her soft willing body, letting her feel his unending desire for her. "Let's take this somewhere more private," she offered.
"As you wish," he eagerly agreed. Logan opened the passenger door for her and within seconds, was speeding away toward a less public setting.
That setting was the secluded spot behind the Huntzberger property—formally Logan's private spot and what he now considered their private spot. The two were leaning over the center console of Logan's Porsche engaged in a heavy round of making out. Logan had one hand on the back of Rory's head as their lips furiously and passionately met again and again. The location of his other hand was in a far less innocent spot on Rory's anatomy. That second hand was busy unbuttoning her blouse in a desperate need to see and feel more of her skin.
Rory's own hands were fairly busy themselves. They were currently gripping the hem of Logan's shirt easing it off his body. She briefly broke their kiss only long enough to pull that shirt completely off. In response to her actions, Logan made faster work of the buttons on her blouse. In his impatience, he ended up ripping the last two off completely.
"Did you just rip my shirt?" she asked looking down.
"Sorry," he said with a smirk, although he wasn't really all that sorry. She still had on far too many layers of clothing.
"You're buying me a new top," Rory said with a giggle as he pushed the blouse the off her shoulders.
Logan's lips eagerly sought out the newly exposed skin. "I'll buy you anything you want, Ace." He nipped at her collarbone before seeking out her neck. He loved kissing her neck. "In New York," he added before biting down on pale white skin.
"New York," she whispered in a breathy moan tilting her head to the side to give him better access to her neck.
"Two weeks of uninterrupted you and me," he murmured.
"Mmmm…sounds heavenly."
"It will be," he continued. "It'll be perfect. I'll make it perfect for you."
"I know you will." Rory knew he wasn't exactly talking about New York. She loved the fact that this boy—who'd already had plenty of experience with sex, so much so that their first time almost should have been a non issue considering how ready and willing she was—was doing his utmost to make sure the experience was special for her. "I trust you."
That last line pulled at Logan's heart strings. It was such a simple phrase, but one that held so much meaning. She trusted him with her body—maybe even her heart. That thought made his pulse race wildly, and not from panic, but from excitement. "Ace, I…"
Whatever he was going to say left his mind because at that moment, Rory's hand was reaching into his boxers. Sometime during the last few seconds, she had managed to undo his belt and the fly on his pants without him even noticing. She placed her left hand on the back of his head bringing their lips together in a hungry kiss. Meanwhile, her right hand pulled his already hard cock out of his boxers and began gently stroking it.
Logan groaned as any and all thoughts instantly left his mind. His senses were on overload. He had a scantily clad Rory in his arms, his tongue in her mouth and his cock in her hand. His own hands found the hooks of her bra and expertly undid them. He slid the lacey materials off her body and painfully broke their kiss for just a moment in order to admire her newly exposed flesh. The site before him only fueled his urge to kiss her again, even more deeply this time. Logan began massaging her breasts, as they continued to kiss. They broke apart to give their lungs a moment to catch up during which Rory's hand continued to stroke him. She took a moment to admire her handy work, Logan's beautifully and perfectly erect cock, flashing him a sultry smile before she dove for his lips again.
Logan cupped her breasts in his hands, caressing and massaging the delicate skin. He ran his thumbs over her nipples until they were perfect little peaks begging for his mouth's attention. Rory, however, was not at all willing to relinquish access to that mouth. She was pouring six years worth of emotion, not to mention lust, into that kiss. She was determined to keep him right where he was—at her mercy. She tightened her grip on his now fully erect and pulsating member and as her long smooth strokes became shorter, quicker ones, Logan's breathing turned erratic. He more or less surrendered to her will, continuing to kiss her with all the passion he could muster, as his hips began to involuntarily thrust into her hand. Logan moved his hands off her breasts and cupped her face, an intimate gesture that made Rory's heart flutter. She leaned further over the console until her breasts were pressed against his bare chest causing Logan to emit a groan. The primal sound only encouraged Rory to send him over the edge. She pumped harder and faster, stimulating every nerve in his body.
"Just let go, baby," she whispered.
Logan, far too gone at this point, let his body respond to the sound of her voice, the touch of her skin, and the vice grip she had on his cock. Rory felt his cock pulse at the same time Logan not too gently bit down on her bottom lip. His head fell back as he grunted calling out her name in the midst of a few very colorful phrases. Rory continued pumping until his body was completely spent. She watched him lying back in the driver seat eyes closed, looking exhausted, but very, very happy.
"So…was it good for you?" she said in a teasing voice.
Logan smiled, but didn't open his eyes. His heart was still pounding and it took all his energy to muster the smile. Several seconds passed before he had enough strength to open his eyes. When he did he saw a still topless Rory wearing a very proud smile. "You look awfully pleased with yourself there, Ace," he said as he tugged her toward him.
"Just congratulating myself on a job well done," said Rory.
"Oh…that job was definitely well done," he assured her. "You get a gold star." He kissed the top of her head and enveloped her in his arms. After that experience, he needed to feel as close to her as possible. Logan was never much for cuddling, but with Rory, everything was different. He was different.
"Well it was the least I could do to make up for my mini freak out earlier."
"Really? That was the least you could do? I'm going to have to find ways to freak you out some more because if that's the response I can expect…"
Rory laughed and playfully slapped his chest.
"You do know this phase of the plan isn't over yet right?" he asked bringing them back to reality.
She sighed. "I know."
"You have to talk to your parents."
"I don't want to lie to them," she said sitting up to meet his eyes.
"Then don't. Tell them the truth."
"What? You want me to tell my parents that I'm going to New York with you for two weeks so that we can be alone to have sex?" she asked incredulously.
An amused smirk crossed Logan's face. "Oh is that what we're doing?" he teased.
Rory blushed realizing she'd just put into words what, until then, had been the silent undertone of their plan. "You know what I mean."
"Yes, I do," he said in a serious tone. "I know you don't like lying, especially to your parents, so don't. Tell them Emily bullied my father into letting you into the program, which she did. Tell them you tried to get out of the program, which you did. Tell them you really want to be in the Program, which you do."
"It's still lying," she said.
"I know, but…it's for us," he said almost desperately.
Rory looked into his warm brown eyes and saw the depths of his emotions. She knew then that she would do whatever she needed to in order to be with him. "New York," she whispered.
"Just keep saying it," relied Logan. "New York. You and me in New York. You and me alone in New York."
Rory rechecked her appearance for the third time, making sure she looked devoid of any sign of her recent rendezvous with Logan. At the thought of what just occurred between them, her face burned bright red. Whenever she was alone with Logan, all matter of time and space disappeared and only the two of them existed. She closed her eyes and pushed down the thoughts of his lips on hers, his hands on her body, the look on his face as she brought him to the brink.
"New York. New York. New York," she chanted. Rory fought back her naughty thoughts and tried to focus on the task at hand. Getting her parents to sign off on her trip to New York would be easier said than done. True, she was 18 years old and technically—legally—she didn't need their permission, but the good girl in her knew she would never truly enjoy herself if she went to New York without their permission.
Rory ran through her previously rehearsed arguments, took a breath, and walked straight into the lion's den—or rather the family room where her parents were cozied up on the couch watching television.
"Hi," she greeted with a cheerful smile.
"Hey, sweetie," replied Christopher. "How was your day?"
"Good, Daddy. How was yours?"
"Busy, busy, busy. I need to wrap up a bunch of things so I can take a couple days off before the Fourth. I want to make sure this year's party is the best. You getting excited?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm getting really excited," she answered truthfully. Rory hadn't celebrated a Fourth of July in the States in four years.
"What's up, sweets?" asked Lorelai with a knowing look. She knew her daughter well.
"Ummm…well…I have some exciting news," she began. "Surprising, but exciting…I think."
Christopher hit the mute button and sat up, pushing Lorelai up as well. "What happened?"
"Well I got this letter in the mail yesterday," said Rory handing her acceptance letter to her mother.
"Dear Ms. Hayden," read Lorelai, "We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the Huntzberger JUNIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM," she screamed the last three words. "Oh my God, Rory! Congratulations!" Lorelai leapt from the couch to hug her daughter. "This is fantastic! Chris, isn't this fantastic?"
Christopher kept his seat on the couch and was reading through the letter that Lorelai had hastily dropped in her zeal to congratulate their daughter. "Congratulations, sweetheart, but I'm a little confused. I didn't think you applied for the Program this year."
"Well…technically, I didn't…until this morning."
"But I thought you said the letter arrived yesterday," he pointed out.
"It did," confirmed Rory.
"You got accepted to a prestigious and highly competitive national program before you even applied?" asked a now very suspicious Christopher.
"Sort off."
"Our daughter is just so brilliant," gushed Lorelai not paying any mind to her husband's suspicious tone. She knew how much Rory had always wanted to participate in this program and wasn't too concerned about the circumstances of her acceptance. Rory's happiness was all that mattered.
"She is brilliant," agreed Christopher, the letter still in his hand. "But I have a feeling you getting this letter had nothing at all to do with your grade point average."
"It did," argued Rory. "Well at least in part."
"Explain," ordered Christopher in his no-nonsense father voice.
"Well it all started a couple of days ago when I went to the club with Kevin and Joanna. They were going to play golf and I didn't really feel like following them around for three hours so I ended up having lunch with Grandma."
"Hayden or Gilmore?" asked Christopher with a fearful look.
"Gilmore."
Christopher let out a sigh. "Oh boy."
"You had lunch at the club? With my mother?" asked Lorelai. "Willingly?"
"I ran into her and I couldn't really say no to Grandma."
"No one really can," added Lorelai. "I always said she should consider a career as a police negotiator. I can just picture her now…a bullet proof vest worn tastefully over a perfectly tailored pant suit."
"Lor," warned Christopher. Lorelai, always the mature parent, responded by sticking out her tongue.
"Well, we were talking about my summer plans," continued Rory, "and somehow the subject of the Junior Leadership Program came up. Grandma knows that I've always wanted to be in the Program and then before I knew it, she was talking about going to Mitchum and getting him to let me in. I tried to talk her out of it, but you know Grandma. Once she gets an idea into her head, she's not gonna budge. And somehow, who knows how, she actually got Mitchum to do it."
"She is good," said Lorelai. "If only she wouldn't use her powers for evil."
"Well this morning, I went down to Mitchum's office to thank him and politely decline, because while I've dreamed of being in this program all my life, it didn't feel right that it should just be given to me. You know I'm not like that. I want to be in the Program, but only if I deserve it, not because my grandma knows the boss. But when I tried to tell Mitchum that, he refused to let me out. We talked about it and he I agreed to stay in the Program if he agreed to no more special treatment and to have all the judges actually read through my application. So…that's what happened."
"Sounds good to me," said Lorelai. "We should go shopping—new clothes for our little junior leader."
"HOLD IT," ordered Christopher before either his wife or daughter could make a move out of the room. "Doesn't this program require you to spend two weeks at the Huntzberger's main headquarters?
"Yes," answered Rory.
"In New York City?"
"Yes."
"And isn't Logan going to be in the program this year too?"
"Yes."
"So you and Logan will be in New York City?
"Yes."
"For two weeks?"
"Yes."
"Together?"
"I guess."
Christopher chuckled bitterly. "Rory, sweetie, look at me," he said pointing to his own face. "Do I look stupid?"
"Daddy…"
"No seriously. Do I look like I just fell off a turnip truck? Do you think something happened to me in the last 30 seconds that caused my IQ to drop 100 points? Did you honestly think I was going to let you go to New York City with your boyfriend for two weeks? Alone?" He began to laugh. "You're not going."
"Daddy, you can't be serious. This is an incredible opportunity. I can't just…"
"You're not going. I've kept an open mind about you and Logan, Rory. I'm fine with you two dating, but you are not old enough to be going away with your boyfriend for two weeks."
"But it's not a vacation. The Program has a very busy agenda. We'll be in classes and meetings all day…"
"It's not how you two will be spending your days that worries me."
"But, Daddy, I can't just…"
"You're not going, Rory," he said calmly. "I'll talk to Mitchum and smooth it all out. You can apply next year." There was no anger or screaming this time, just a calm, firm no.
"Mom," she said pleading with her mother.
Lorelai looked into Rory's pleading face. She could see the determination in her eyes. She could also see the stubbornness in her husband's eyes. "Go to your room, Rory," said Lorelai.
Rory tried to read her mother's expression, but found no indication as to which side she'd be taking. The youngest Hayden groaned, but obeyed.
Once she was safely out of earshot, Lorelai directed her attention to her husband. "Chris."
"No, Lor. Not this time. She's not going. There is no way in hell."
"Chris, she really wants this."
"No."
"It's a great program and it's a really great opportunity for her."
"If this was really about the Junior Leadership Program, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But this has nothing to do with the Program and you know it."
"Chris."
"They're playing us, Lor," argued Christopher. "They planned this—your mother, the club, all of it. They planned this. They're playing us. How can you not see that?"
"I know, Chris. I didn't fall of a turnip truck this morning either."
"Then why are you even considering this?"
"Because."
"Because?"
"Because our daughter—our beautiful, responsible, trustworthy, grown-up daughter—wants to go."
"To be with a teenage boy who has every intention of…of…of…"
"Deflowering her?" offered Lorelai.
"Oh God," moaned Christopher. He sat down and put his head in his hands.
"Chris."
"I think I'm having a stroke," she stated, sheer terror evident in his voice.
"You are not having a stroke," said Lorelai rubbing his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. "What you are about to have is a sexually active teenage daughter."
"Oh God," he cried. "This cannot be happening. We can't let this happen."
"I don't like it anymore than you do, but I don't think we can stop them."
"Sure we can," he insisted with a look of quiet determination.
Lorelai gave a sad laugh. "I wish you were right. I really, really do. But, Christopher, they're in love. You and I know better than anyone how intense first loves are. Hell I never got over mine," she teased giving him a meaningful look.
That caused him to look up from his hands and smile at his wife.
"His name was Bobby Fenton," she said in a dreamy look. "We met on a swing set in third grade."
His smile became a scowl.
"Just kidding, Chris. But seriously, do you remember us back then? Nothing stopped us. Nothing could keep us apart—not punishments, not grounding, not walls, not even miles of separation—nothing could keep us apart. Hell not even the combined wills of Emily Gilmore and Francine Hayden could stop us. Do you really think anything is going to stop them? She's in love with him."
"She's a child," he argued weakly.
"No she's not."
He let out a long, sad sigh. "I know." He looked over at his wife. "How can you be so ok with this?"
"I'm not," she admitted. "I'm terrified and completely freaked out."
"Really?" he asked taking some comfort in her admission.
"Yes, I'm not thrilled with the idea of my teenage daughter having sex. What parent would be? But…"
"But?"
"Logan loves her. You can see that can't you?"
Christopher let out another sigh. "Yeah," he admitted. "Little bastard," he muttered. How dare that boy fall in love with his daughter?
"As much as I don't like the thought of my daughter having sex, there is some comfort in knowing she's in a stable relationship with someone she loves and who loves her back."
Christopher seemed to think about that and as much as he hated it, he did find some comfort in that thought as well. "It's a very tiny, itsy-bitsy, piece of comfort," he corrected.
Lorelai smiled. "But it's still there."
"I guess," he muttered.
"It would be useless, not to mention hypocritical, to try to keep them apart. You know it wouldn't work and it would only make her resent us. Rory is Rory. She's a smart kid, a responsible kid. If she wants to do this, if she wants to have sex, you and I both know we can't stop her. We can only trust that she'll be responsible about it. She knows about birth control and protecting against STDs."
"Oh God," cried Christopher burying his head in his hands again. The mention of his little girl in the same sentence as birth control and STDs was not sitting well with him. "What does a stroke feel like?" he asked clutching his head again. "Cause I really think something's happening to me here. And I'm having a little trouble breathing." He could literally feel a sharp, stabbing pain in his head at the mere mention of Rory and sex. "Check my pulse," he demanded extending his arm out to her.
"Christopher, I need you to focus. You are not having a stroke. I'm trying to be the reasonable one here, but I'm not exactly comfortable with the situation either so I need you to help me stay calm about this." Lorelai loved and respected her daughter. She accepted the fact that the decision to have sex was Rory's to make—and Rory's alone. However, she was first and foremost a mother and if it was up to her, Rory would continue to wait.
"It was so different with Kevin," muttered Christopher still massaging his aching head. "It was so much easier."
"For you maybe," argued Lorelai. "I was a wreck when I found out. My sweet little baby boy," she muttered fondly.
"My sweet little baby girl," added Christopher recalling how it seemed like only yesterday he was bouncing his bright eyed daughter on his knee.
The couple sat silently reminiscing for a moment.
"You really think we should let her go?" asked Christopher.
Lorelai looked into his sad, troubled face. "I think being in the Junior Leadership Program is something she truly wants and completely deserves."
Christopher nodded in agreement.
"And as far as what else might happen in New York…I think that's her decision to make."
He let out a sad sigh. "I can't believe this is happening."
"I know, babe. I don't like it any more than you do, but…"
"…we really can't stop her," he muttered looking somewhat defeated.
"We should sit her down and see if she has any questions. Do you want to talk to her together?" asked Lorelai.
"About sex?" shrieked Christopher. "Absolutely not!"
"Come on, Chris."
"Come on nothing, Lor! I am not talking to Rory about…about…about…ugh…absolutely not! I had the talk with Kevin. This one is all you," he declared.
"Fine," said Lorelai. "We'll go up there together to tell her she can be in the Program. I'll talk to her about the other thing, but you have to stay in the room. I'm basically giving our daughter permission to have sex and for that I'm going to need some moral support."
"Fine."
And that's just what they did. Rory was thrilled she had her parent's permission to participate in the Junior Leadership Program, but was somewhat horrified to learn that her parents completely saw through her little charade as evidenced by the second half of their conversation. Christopher made a valiant effort to stay in the room, but made a speedy exit at the first mention of the word 'foreplay.' Rory endured a conversation which included a few more words no one wants to hear their mother say: condom, sperm, seaman, penis, penetration, ejaculation, etc. On more than one occasion, Rory covered her ears and broke out in loud renditions of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star so as to drown out her mother's voice during moments when Lorelai mistakenly thought it would be appropriate to share certain aspects of her own sex life. Sentences that began with the phrase, "When Daddy and I," caused Rory to try to run screaming out of the room.
Lorelai walked out of her daughter's bedroom later that afternoon feeling both relieved it was over and nauseated at what she'd just done.
The rest of the week passed quickly—too quickly. And before everyone realized how much time had passed, it was Saturday.
Joanna stood in the foyer of the Hayden home with three very large suitcases in tow. She and Rory were fighting off tears as they said their goodbyes.
"I can't believe you're leaving. It's going to be so weird not having you here," said Rory. "Promise you'll come back and visit again."
"I promise. And you promise to call me and tell me all the details about you and lover boy. All the dirty details," she teased.
Rory laughed and nodded just as the car taking Joanna to the airport announced its arrival. She looked over at her friend who currently had her eyes fixed to the top of the stairs. "He's probably still sleeping," Rory said of her brother although she knew perfectly well that was not the case. Over the last week, Kevin had made a point to distance himself from his sister's pretty friend. He was polite and friendly enough, but was hardly his usual charming and flirtatious self.
"I'll be back in a minute," she told Rory before ascending the staircase. She quickly made her way to his room and entered without knocking. Though not asleep, Kevin was still in bed. He acknowledged her presence with a small smile but didn't move to get up. Without thinking, Joanna walked over to him, toeing off her sandals as she did, and climbed into bed with him. If Kevin was surprised at her actions, he didn't let on, but rather pulled her into his arms as if this was an everyday occurrence. Joanna settled herself into his embrace and the two lay there. After a few minutes of silently holding each other, Joanna faintly whispered, "Were you planning on letting me leave without so much as a goodbye?"
Kevin responded by pulling her closer until her entire body laid over his. He tilted her head so she was facing him and he brushed her hair off her eyes. "I didn't know what to say," he told her honestly. "I wasn't sure how to say goodbye to you."
"So you were going to say nothing at all?"
"I admit it's not the best plan, but it was the only one I had," he kidded making her smile. "But come to think of it, it may not have been such a bad idea since it did end up getting you in my bed."
She laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder. "Shut-up and don't ruin this," she chided with a smile as she buried her face into his neck and held him tighter.
"How would I ruin this?" he asked absentmindedly playing with her hair.
"By speaking," she replied. "Just be quiet and hold me."
"Ok."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." After a few seconds of silence, Kevin couldn't help but ask, "So if I stay quiet for a little while longer, would you consider giving me a goodbye shag?"
She laughed and made a halfhearted attempt to push herself off him. Kevin's significantly stronger arms held her right where she was. "You are such a disgusting, arrogant, pig."
"I'll miss you too," was his response.
They indulged in their goodbye for another minute before Joanna reluctantly moved off him. Without saying a word, she sat up and kissed his cheek. He watched her move away from him and affectionately kissed her hand before she was out of reach. They smiled at each other one last time before she picked up her discarded sandals and closed the door behind her.
Rory couldn't help but notice the happy smile on Joanna's lips as she descended the stairs—quite a change from the morose expression that she wore barely five minutes ago. "I take it he was awake?" she asked.
"Awake enough to say goodbye," she said somewhat cryptically.
"Are you ready to go, miss?" asked the uniformed driver standing in the entryway.
"I'll be out in a minute," said Joanna. "Thank you."
"Very good, miss," he replied as he wheeled her last suitcase out to the car.
"Oh my God, you're really leaving," cried Rory pulling her friend into another hug.
"Do me a favor."
"Of course."
"Make sure your brother has a lot of fun on the Fourth of July."
"Uh…ok," answered Rory somewhat confused by the request.
"I'll call you when I land."
"Ok," said Rory hugging her once more. "I'll miss you."
"Me too."
Rory watched Joanna get into the back seat of the waiting Town Car and stood in the driveway until the car was out of sight.
The Fourth of July was a perfect summer day—sunny, hot, and not too humid. As tradition dictated, the Hayden house was full of friends, family, and neighbors. Richard, Straub, and a other gentlemen of their age group, Elias Huntzberger among them, were enjoying a box of Romeo y Julietas as they discussed business and politics on the far end of the patio. Emily and Francine were seated on the opposite side of the patio, the shaded side of course, amongst a gaggle of their country club friends. An impeccably dressed Shira Huntzberger was included in that party, claiming a seat near the head of the table, next to Emily Gilmore. Next to the grill stood Christopher Hayden, arguing with his wife's business partner and best friend, Sookie St. James over the seasoning he was using on the chicken. Lorelai stood within earshot egging the two on.
Poolside was the younger crowd—the inner circle and reigning kings of Hartford society, Kevin, Logan, Colin and Finn. There was another dozen or so college aged boys and as usual at least three dozen bikini clad college aged girls. At any given social event, Finn always made the sure the boy girl ratio worked out in his favor. This time was no exception as he sat with a blond to his left and a redhead to his right. Colin was busy with a buxom blond of his own and the majority of the remaining females in attendance were doing all they could to garner the attention of the Hayden or Huntzberger heir. The former was a far cry from his usually life-of-the- party self as he sullenly nursed his drink. The latter attempted to be sociable all the while sneaking subtle glances at his girlfriend, who for obvious reasons, was sitting at the opposite end of the pool—far away from him.
Logan had to fight the urge to be near her. Rory looked beyond tempting wearing a bikini top and shorts as she laughed with his sister Honor. He was slowly being driven mad as he watched Rory reapply sunscreen on her pale skin and he wondered if she was deliberately teasing him. He knew just how soft that perfect porcelain skin was and his fingers were literally itching to touch her. Logan glanced in the direction of his mother and grandfather, both of whom appeared engrossed in their own conversations. He played with the idea of sneaking Rory to a quiet corner, but decided he didn't want to risk blowing their secret—not when they were less than a week away from New York. He let out a sigh and forced himself to look away.
"Down, boy," said a teasing voice.
Logan turned and came face-to-face with a petite Asian girl. She extended her hand in introduction.
"Hi, I'm…"
"Lane," he finished for her. "Rory's friend from Stars Hollow. I remember you," he said with a friendly smile thinking she looked exactly the same as the last time he saw her. "It's been a while."
"Four years at least," she replied. "Things sure have changed."
"How's that?" asked Logan.
Lane smiled up at him. "Well from what I remember of these parties, you used to be the one laughing and having fun while Rory watched you from some quiet corner. Now look at her," she gestured toward Rory and Honor. "She's having a blast and you're over here gazing adoringly at her whenever you think no one is watching."
Logan did not even attempt to hide his surprise at her characterization. "I think 'gazing adoringly' is a bit of an over statement," he argued. "I'm just…glancing over there…occasionally…to umm…to make sure she's ok that's all."
Lane shook her head and laughed. "She used to make up excuses too. 'I wasn't watching Logan. I was checking the time and he's standing in front of the clock,'" she mocked. "Or 'I was looking for Kevin. Can I help it that Logan's standing right next to him?' After a while she learned the best way not to get noticed was to peer at you from over the top of whatever book she was reading. Do you want me to run inside and get you book to hide behind?" teased Lane.
Logan laughed and decided he definitely liked Rory's Stars Hallow friend. "Thanks, but my reading a book during a party will probably raise more than a few eyebrows around here."
Lane laughed with him. "Good point. But regardless, you should probably turn those looks you're giving her down a notch. If Mrs. Gilmore caught you looking at her like that she'd…"
"Oh I know," interrupted Logan with a shudder of fear. "Thanks for the advice. I'll try and not…" His thought was interrupted by the distinct sound of Rory's laughter and despite his best effort he was once again gazing in her direction with an unmistakable look of adoration. Lane shook her head and laughed as she walked away from the former playboy who was falling hopelessly in love with her friend.
Meanwhile, Kevin continued to sip his drink not paying too much attention to his surroundings despite the bountiful supply of half naked coeds parading in front of him.
"Oy, what the hell is wrong with you?" demanded Finn not at all appreciating Kevin's mood. "You're negative energy is killing my buzz. For heaven's sake, get off your ass, grab yourself a girl and join the party," he ordered snatching the drink out of Kevin's hand and replacing it with a fresh beer.
Kevin was about to reply with a snarky come back when his cell phone beeped. He glanced down at the screen and his face noticeably changed. That change became more prominent as he read the contents of the text he'd received. A now smiling Kevin immediately fired back a response and waited only a few seconds before his cell beeped again. That message caused him to laugh out loud and he shot a quick reply back before getting out of seat and declaring it was time to start the football game. The Kevin Hayden that led the crowd to the middle of the large lawn was a fry cry from the sullen boy he was mere minutes earlier. Finn jogged after him pleased that Kevin seemed to have gotten over his funk, but made a mental note to investigate just what, or rather who, could alter his friend's mood quite so significantly.
The Hayden Fourth of July barbeque continued without a hitch. During the annual football game, Kevin's team thoroughly trounced their opponents while Rory, Lane, Honor and the other girls cheered them along. Christopher and Sookie's battle over the grill ended in a draw, as it did every year, and the two worked together to feed all the guests. Lorelai managed to say a half dozen inappropriate things in from of her mother's friends. Francine and Shira caught up on the latest club gossip. Richard was able to uncover some dirt on a business rival. Straub and Elias made plans to play golf the following weekend. And Logan was even able to steal a quick kiss from Rory. Overall, everyone had a great time.
"I must say, Mitchum, this Lorelai is very impressive," said Tim Lang, a Senior Vice President based in the New York office and director of the Huntzberger Junior Leadership Program. "Where did you find her?"
"She goes by Rory," Mitchum informed him as well as the six other ladies and gentleman sitting in the executive boardroom on the top floor of the Huntzberger Building in New York, a building that was also home to the New York Times. "And in addition to being very talented, she also happens to be the granddaughter of Richard Gilmore and Straub Hayden."
"She's one of those Haydens?" asked David Ross, the gentleman sitting next to Tim. "The granddaughter of a federal court judge should make the sessions on journalistic ethics very interesting."
"And the fact that her other grandfather is practically an icon in international business isn't bad either," added Sandra McMillan, one of the only two women in the room. The other was Tim's assistant and only there to take notes. "Very impressive indeed. And she interned for Jacob while she was in London. The recommendation he wrote her was glowing, especially for Jacob. I don't think I've ever seen that man use this many superlatives."
"Rory's determined to make it as a journalist and she's not one for nepotism so I had to basically twist her arm to get her to accept a position in the Program, which is why I gathered you all here. I want to make it very clear that no one, especially the other participants, knows Rory did not apply to the Program. She's very talented and one day could be a huge asset to this organization and I don't want her to feel like she's here because of who her grandparents are. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," they all agreed.
"What about Logan, sir?" Sandra asked bravely.
"What about him?" asked Mitchum, his voice taking an intimidating tone.
"We're all very pleased that our next CEO will be participating in the Program this year, but I don't think anyone involved, especially the other participants, will see him as…"
"They will see him as the next CEO of this company," interrupted Mitchum. "Which is who he is. My son is smart and talented, if not a bit over spirited, but he'll grow out of that," Mitchum assured them. "We all do," he muttered to himself. "Logan just needs a heavy hand to guide him and a bit more discipline in his daily life. I'm hoping this Program will give him a taste of that which is why I'd like to review this year's schedule in more detail."
"The schedule, Mitchum?" questioned Tim. "It's been set for weeks. We follow the same pattern every year."
"I'd like to make a few tweaks to it," said Mitchum.
"What sort of tweaks?"
"I want to eliminate as much free time as possible."
"There's very little free time as it is," argued Sandra. "Breakfast is at 7AM and sessions run consecutively from 8AM till 6PM and that's on the days they're not out on assignment. It's already a pretty long day."
"I'd like to occupy their nights with as many group activities as we can schedule," said Mitchum.
"What sort of group activities?"
"Oh, I don't know. We're in New York City for heaven's sakes. Take them to plays, tours, whatever. Just as long as it keeps them busy."
"The cost of extra…"
"Spend what you like," ordered Mitchum. "I'll sign off on any added expenses. Now you have less then a week to pull this together so I suggest you get started." His tone was such that no one in the room dared to argue or even question. Everyone began to collect their belongings to leave.
"Tim, I'd like a word with you." The man nodded and tried to appear as calm as possible. Once everyone was gone, Mitchum began, "I've reviewed the pairings and small group assignments and would like to make some changes."
Tim was very surprised at that. Mitchum was always very involved in the Junior Leadership Program. After all, he designed it as a breeding ground for his future employees. However, he never got too involved in the everyday management of the Program. Changing the schedule was one thing, but rearranging the pairings and small group assignments was something else entirely. Mitchum was always involved, but was never the type to micromanage. "Mitchum, the assignments are made randomly every year. You designed the program that way so that these kids are exposed to every aspect of the business, not just the one they're necessarily interested in. It's been very successful at…"
"I know," interrupted Mitchum. "But this year will be different. I want you to see to it that Rory and Logan are grouped together as often as possible."
"Sir?"
"Knowing Rory, she'll be the most focused and driven person in the Program. And knowing Logan, he'll be the least focused and driven. I want my son to get the most out of his time here and I'm sure Rory will be a good influence on him."
"Of course, sir. I'll have the assignments rearranged right away."
"Make sure they're together more often than not, but not every single time. I don't want to raise any suspicions."
"Suspicions? From whom, sir?"
"Logan for starters," he openly admitted. "I don't want him to feel like Rory's there to babysit him, but I want him engaged during every aspect of this Program. Pairing him with Rory will assure that."
"Yes, sir."
"Oh and there's one more thing."
"Yes, sir."
"I am very interested in how my son and Ms. Hayden…interact with each other."
"Excuse me, sir?"
"I'd like you to assign someone—one of the reporters maybe, one you can trust—to keep an eye on the two of them."
"You want me to find someone to spy on your son and the granddaughter of a federal court judge?" he asked hardly believing, though not really surprised, at what he was being asked to do.
"Spying is too strong of a word in this case. I like to call it careful observation. I'd like you to find someone you trust to carefully observe any and all interaction between my son and Rory Hayden. And whoever it is, make sure he's thorough and discreet. And make sure he doesn't know where the order came from? Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir. Anything else?"
Mitchum got out of his seat. "Yes, have the circulation report delivered to my office in the next 20 minutes. I'd like to review it before my next meeting." And once again, Mitchum instantly transformed into the CEO, as if the rather suspicious conversation had never even occurred.
Days later, Rory was awakened from a deep sleep by the shrill ringing of her cell phone. Looking over at her fuzzy alarm clock, she noted that it was just after 3AM and wondered who could possibly be calling at this hour.
"Hello," she greeted still half asleep.
"How's my girl?" asked Logan his own voice revealing he was still half asleep himself.
"Sleepy," she mumbled. "And wondering why you're waking her up."
"I had a dream about you," he whispered.
"What kind of dream?"
"A good one."
"Logan, if this is an attempt on your part to initiate phone sex, I'm really way too sleepy to talk dirty to you," said Rory.
He laughed. "That wasn't my end game, but now that you mention it what are you wearing?" he asked in a throaty whisper.
"Logan," she whined.
"Ok. Ok. I had a dream about kissing you."
"You never dreamed about us kissing before?" she asked almost insulted considering her dreams of late involved the two of them doing a lot more than just kissing.
"Ace, I have those types of dreams all the time…even when I'm not asleep," he informed her.
Rory smiled. "Really?"
"Oh yeah, Ace. You star in my dreams every night."
"How was this one different?" asked Rory feeling a bit more awake.
"I've had this one before. You and I are sitting somewhere just talking. You're laughing at something I just said. I don't remember what, but I remember thinking how beautiful you look and I just lean down and kiss you. At first you look surprised, and I'm worried that you'll be mad, but then you just smile and we keep talking. I don't remember what about, but I remember feeling really happy."
"And you've had this dream before?"
"A long time ago. A couple of days after you left for London. And I remember being completely weirded out by it. I never thought of you that way. You were Kevin's little sister—part of me thought of you like a sister. So dreaming about kissing you was bizarre. I wrote it off as me just missing you. You'd always been around and then all of the sudden you weren't. I told myself that it didn't mean anything. I didn't even remember it until now."
She wasn't sure how to respond.
"I don't know why, but I woke up and needed to tell you about it."
"That's sweet, baby."
There was a loud silence on the other end of the line.
"You mean the world to me, Ace. You know that right?" he asked. His voice still sounded sleepy but she knew he was awake, alert and fully conscious of everything he was saying.
"I know, Logan."
"And you know what today is right?"
"We leave for New York today," she answered with a smile.
"That's right, Ace."
"I have to sit in a car with my father for two and a half hours," he whined. "The things I do for you."
"You'll survive," she said in a comforting tone. "And hey if you want, you're more than welcome to drive down with me and my parents."
"Considering the looks of pure hatred Chris has been giving me lately, I think I'd actually prefer dad."
"So I'll see you there."
"Go back to sleep, baby."
"I miss you." She knew it was stupid. They'd seen each other less than eight hours ago and would be seeing each other again in less than eight hours.
"I miss you too, Ace. Good night." He was about to hang up when she called out his name. "Yeah?"
"You mean the world to me too you know?"
He smiled. "Good night, Ace. I'll see you soon."
Rory hung up and almost instantly back to sleep. Logan lay awake for a almost an hour contemplating his feelings for her. He wasn't sure exactly how to characterize those feelings, but he knew they went far beyond any infatuation he'd ever felt before. As he drifted off to sleep, he wondered if what he felt was…