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Chapter 3: Meeting the Huntzberger's

Rory didn't know whether to be happy or sad that she was back home. She had loved travelling and seeing the world. She was already planning a trip to Asia. But as the car pulled up in front of her house, she found that she had missed her grandparents and it would be great to tell them all about it. She was planning on missing out selective facts though, like the fact she spent a week in Ireland staying in a hostel. They definitely wouldn't approve of hostels. Usually she would go directly round to the pool house which had its own entrance but she decided to go through the main house and see if her grandparents were around.

"I'm back," she called, taking the bag from the driver in the doorway and thanking him. "Hello?" Then she smiled as an unfamiliar maid walked into the hallway. She was used to a different maid every couple of weeks. "Hi, I'm Rory. The granddaughter," she added when maid didn't recognise her name.

"The one that lives in the pool house?" asked the maid.

"Yes. Are my grandparents about?" she asked. They knew she was getting back and she thought they would be around to greet her.

"Emily is talking with the gardener and Richard is in the garage," explained the maid.

"Thank you," Rory said, grabbing the handle of the suitcase and going out to the garden.

"Rory, you're home," called Emily as she walked over to her granddaughter.

"Hi grandma," called Rory, hugging the older woman.

"Richard! Rory's home!" shouted Emily.

"Rory!" cried Richard, hurrying round the side of the house. "How was the flight?"

"Good. Better than expected," smiled Rory, thinking of the flight and, more importantly, Logan. She had thought about him a lot in the car and wondered if he would actually want to meet up with her or whether he was being polite. Well he didn't have to ask for her number, she thought.

"Why do you have your suitcase? The maid should be bringing that out," noticed Emily.

"It's no problem, honestly," said Rory.

"You must be tired from the jet lag and travelling," said Richard.

"Not too bad but I do just want to sit and relax," said Rory honestly.

"Well the pool house is just as you left it, I got the maid to clean out there so it wouldn't get all dusty," explained Emily.

"Thanks grandma."

"Will you be joining us for dinner? I got the maid to get your usual groceries."

"I'll just have a snack before bed," said Rory.

"Okay. Oh I almost forgot, we're having a small dinner party the day after tomorrow and we need you to attend. Will that be okay?"

"Sure," shrugged Rory, not having much choice. "Who's coming?"

"Oh just some Yale alumni friends of mine," said Richard vaguely.

Jet lag caught up with you yet?

Rory heard her phone beep and looked over at the new text.

Well I'm awake at 5am so definitely! She replied, smiling that he'd actually text her. She had to keep reminding herself that he was only back in the country for a couple of weeks at the most.

Guess what film I found on pay per view – Charlie and the chocolate factory.

Really? How are you liking it?

I didn't say I was watching it, just that I found it.

It's a good film! Watch it!

Relax, I am watching it. It's alright.

Alright? Are you crazy! It's amazing.

Maybe I need company whilst watching it.

Rory smiled.

Rory spent her first couple of days back at home relaxing. Her gran had invited her to a DAR lunch but she had politely declined and had instead spent the afternoon searching for job opportunities at newspapers. She had finished writing her resume and was planning on sending it out to every newspaper she could within the tri state area, she wasn't sure if she wanted to venture too far. On her second full day back, the day of the alumni dinner, her gran entered the pool house mid afternoon and found Rory lay on the sofa watching TV.

"You'll need to start getting ready soon," Emily said.

"There's still a couple of hours," replied Rory, sitting up.

"But I want you to look your best."

"Who's coming exactly?"

"Oh just some friends of your grandfather's," Emily replied vaguely. "Have you decided what you're wearing?"

"The black dress I wore to my graduation party."

"Oh you look just beautiful in that," smiled Emily, obviously pleased. "And how are you doing your hair?"

"Just loose?" Her hair was just below shoulder length at the moment which she liked.

"I think you should wear it up," suggested Emily. "It's more ... sophisticated."

"Well ..." thought Rory.

"My hair stylist is coming by in an hour to do my hair. I'll get her to do yours as well," Emily informed her.

"This isn't a big party is it? I thought it was just a dinner."

"It is. But there's no harm in looking your best."

Two hours later, Rory was dressed in her dress with her hair tied back into a bun with wisps hanging down either side of her face. Her makeup had also been done for her and the woman had used slightly more than what she was used to. Usually she went for a more natural look.

"You look wonderfully, Rory," said Richard as she walked down the stairs from where the stylist had set up in one of the bedrooms.

"Thanks. So, what time are your friends getting here?" she asked.

"Any moment now I should expect," he said looking at his watch. There was something about him that wasn't quite right, thought Rory. He looked ... nervous? But she couldn't see why. Emily on the other hand was busy lecturing the maid on what time dinner should be served. Before Rory could ask any more questions however, the doorbell went. Richard and Emily went to greet their guests whilst Rory stayed in the living room to be introduced. When the visitors entered the room however, she found her mouth opening.

"Logan?" she gasped.

"Rory? Well this is a nice surprise," he smiled.

"You two know each other?" asked Emily, confused.

"We sat next to each other on the flight back to New York," explained Rory. "I got a little scared on take off and we got talking."

"Well it's nice that you two know each other," Emily replied, smiling at Richard. "This is Logan's father, Mitchum Huntzberger and his mother Shira."

"Nice to meet you," she greeted. She couldn't believe it. Logan was the Huntzberger heir. As in Huntzberger Publishing Group, the biggest newspaper corporation in the country.

"Huntzberger?" said Rory quietly to Logan as the adults exchanged pleasantries and Richard took drink orders.

"Sorry I didn't tell you. But you didn't tell me your surname either," he pointed out.

"I suppose. So you work for HPG?"

"Yeah."

"Logan, what drink can I get you?" asked Richard, interrupting their conversation.

Once they had eaten and listened to Richard and Mitchum relive their Yale days, Emily led them back into the living room. Just before Rory and Logan sat down however Emily spoke.

"Why don't you two go out to the pool house. I'm sure you'll get bored listening to us go on about the good old days and the DAR."

"What an excellent idea," agreed Mitchum, "leave the old people to reminisce and talk about the two of you."

"Umm okay," replied Rory, changing course and heading towards the door.

"Do you get the feeling that we're being set up?" asked Logan as they entered the pool house.

"With me being forced to have my hair and make up professionally done and then the conversations over dinner? They are totally trying to get us together," agreed Rory.

"Well at least we can get away from them for a couple of hours," Logan smiled as they entered the pool house.