"What will we do tonight?" Poppy asked Rory as they sat down in their suite in Austin, they were staying at the Thompson hotel, and were in one of the bigger suites on the top floors.
"You aren't tired?" Rory asked incredulously. They were on day ten of their tour, stop number five. So far it had been relatively quiet, they had gone to Disneyland when they stopped in LA for the Glendale event, went on a whale watching tour in Vancouver- managing to actually see a pod of orcas. Poppy had wanted to go rapelling down the space needle in Seattle, but Rory had convinced her that was just the alcohol talking. It was like being back at Yale with Logan and the Stooges.
"Not really. I feel more like I need a break. The event is tomorrow, so we have all day today free. The concierge suggested a wine and bbq tour that they can get us places on, is that something you would be interested in?"
"Barbeque as in brisket and ribs?" Rory asked, perking up.
"Exactly, followed by a trip to two wineries. Sounds like a pretty good way to spend the day." Poppy said, quirking her brow at Rory in question, knowing that food was her weakness.
"Okay, okay. I'm in. Do you need me to call down and book it?" Rory asked, standing to walk to the phone near the island of the kitchenette in their room.
"No, I booked it while you were checking us in."
"Poppy!" Rory exclaimed.
"Well, I knew you would say yes once you heard barbeque food. And if that hadn't worked I was gonna lead with the chocolate pecan pie."
"Pie?" Rory chirped.
"Yes, pie. Now let's go get unpacked and changed. We are meant to be downstairs in fifty five minutes." Poppy said, already walking into her room to the right of the living area. They each had an ensuite which was a big help when it came to getting the two of them out on time to events.
"Oh God, I ate so much I'm not sure I'll be able to fit any wine in," Poppy said as she climbed off the bus onto the driveway of the first vineyard that they were stopping at.
"I hope this wine is worth it, I could have eaten at least three more ribs," Rory said with a small pout as she joined Poppy in looking around the picturesque yard. She could see how they had tried to blend the European Vineyard style with classic Texan style.
"Come on, we both know you put some cornbread in your bag for later," Poppy retorted with a smile.
"Hey! It's good cornbread!" Rory exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, did she just say you stuffed your bag with cornbread?" A voice interrupted the pair.
"I wouldn't say stu-" Rory started to reply while turning to greet the owner of the voice.
"Colin!" Rory exclaimed questioningly.
"Reporter Girl?" He asked, looking her up and down, before exclaiming again it is you, and pulling her into a hug.
"What are you doing here?" Rory asked, trying to work out what the most stuck up Stooge was doing in the middle of Texas.
"I assume the same as you, checking out the Vineyard, Finn is inside. He is trying to find a new house wine for an Austin hotel he owns."
"Finn is here?"
"Ahem" A cough interrupted whatever Colin had been about to reply.
Rory quickly turned back to look at Poppy who was watching the byplay with a smirk on her face. "Oh sorry Poppy! I didn't mean to ignore you. This is Colin McRae, we both attended Yale at the same time. Colin, this is Poppy Khannington, she is an author that my firm represents, and hopefully a friend."
"Nice to meet you Miss Khannington," Colin said, taking her hand and bowing over it to kiss the top of her hand in greeting.
"Poppy is fine, Mr McRae." Poppy said, eying this strangefellow up and down.
"Then you must refer to me as Colin."
"Now Ladies, may I escort you both inside?" Colin asked, extending both his arms so they could each put a hand in the crook of his elbow.
"Why thank you kind sir," Rory said, stepping forward, after checking that Poppy seemed okay with this detour.
"Charmed," Poppy said, moving to his other arm.
"You said Finn is here?" Rory asked, as they entered the atrium of the large Barn style building.
"Yes, he should be around here somewhere; he was trying to persuade them not to wait on the two people going on the tasting with us and to just let us go on ahead. But I think once he sees who the two people are, he will be happy to let you accompany us."
"Okay, and you two buying everything can distract them from the fact we just want the wine. See Poppy, we won't be pressured into buying lots, because Colin and Finn simply can't help themselves." Rory said with a grin directed at Poppy.
"Hey, we could have grown up," Colin pouted indignantly.
"Have you?" Poppy asked, deciding to join in the fun of antagonizing him.
"I might have," Colin said quietly.
"Colin, where are you?" An Australian voice was calling as they moved through the atrium towards it.
"I'm coming," Colin shouted while rolling his eyes.
"Finally. Now they say we can't ditch the people we are waiting on but I was thinking-" Finn started before stopping suddenly as he turned and realized that Colin was not alone anymore.
"Do I know you?" Finn asked, while pulling Rory into a tight embrace.
"Hi Finn," Rory said through her giggles.
"What are you doing here?"
"We are, coincidentally, the people that you were just telling Colin that you had developed a plan to abandon."
"Oh, we would never leave such lovely ladies as yourselves alone without handsome escorts to get through the afternoon."
"And when are the handsome escorts appearing?" Poppy asked, looking around.
"You! You are new, I'm not sure if you get an opinion," Finn stated, looking offended at her insinuation that he and Colin were not handsome.
"Finn!" Rory exclaimed, horrified at how Finn was speaking to Poppy. Yes they were becoming friends, but she was still a very important work client. "This is Poppy Khannington, she is with me, and you will behave yourself, or I will be the one requesting that we join a different group for our tour."
"Fine! If Rory will vouch for you then you must be okay," he said with a huff.
Two hours later Rory was regretting her decision to join Colin and Finn. Poppy had quickly banded together with the two and now Rory was trying to babysit three tipsy people instead of the one that she had been prepared for.
"Our ride back to our hotel will be here soon," Rory said, trying to direct Poppy towards the front of the building.
"Where are you staying?" Finn asked.
"The Thompson, in Austin." Rory said, adding Austin, in case there was any confusion.
"Really?" Colin asked as Finn piped up:
"That's my hotel! That's who the wine is for!"
"Yep, really. We are there the next two nights and then we move on to Chicago for a night." Rory stated, looking warily at the twosome.
"Do we at least have you in a decent room?" Finn asked, probably in the most sensible tone he had used the whole day.
"Yes, the room is lovely. It is one of the two bedroom suites on the top floor. It has a wonderful view," Poppy answered.
"Oh you are probably our neighbors for the night then, Colin and I are in the other suite up there."
"I'm sure I will regret asking this, but would you like to join us for supper this evening? I feel like if you don't join us you two won't eat; maybe it was all of the looking after you at Yale, but I feel responsible for making sure that you each something before continuing your drinking binge." Rory asked, having glanced at Poppy to see if she agreed.
"Don't mind if we do," Finn replied. "Now may we escort you fine ladies back to your ride?" he asked, with a flourish as he bent his arm and offered his elbow to Poppy.
"And maybe bum a ride," Colin added.
"So you're telling me that Rory here jumped off a seven story scaffolding? I don't know if I believe it." Poppy exclaimed tipsily.
"I have photographic evidence," Finn said, pulling out his phone.
"You do?" Rory said, shocked, she had never seen a picture of it.
"I do, I have pictures of all the events that happened over the years."
'Let me see, I wanted to go rappelling in Seattle and she said no," Poppy pouted.
"Off the Space Needle?" Colin asked, when Poppy nodded affirmatively, he continued. "It's overrated, we did it once, I've seen better."
"Oh My God Rory! Look at you!" Poppy cried, pointing at the picture of Rory and Logan. "Oh you were just a baby!"
"It was only what, seven, eight, years ago! I'm not that old." Rory said, reaching for a churro from the plate that was in the center for them to share.
"We will have to find something fun to do at one of our stops," Poppy said contemplatively.
"Where else are you stopping?" Colin asked.
"We still have Chicago, Portland Maine, Boston, Toronto and New York." Rory answered warily, not liking the look on Colin's face.
"You could go over Niagara Falls in a barrel?" Finn said, semi seriously.
"We are looking for something that won't kill us," Rory said firmly.
"Speak for yourself." Poppy entoned.
"I know you are only joking but you haven't finished your book series so Mr Miller will kill me if you get severely maimed or killed, so remember my life is in your hands."
"It's not totally on your way but we are going skydiving next week," Colin started. "At an airfield between Boston and Hartford. You could come with us."
"Oh Lets!" Poppy said, bouncing in excitement.
"What day? I have to see how it fits into our schedule, we don't have any flexibility around the main events," Rory warily answered.
"Tuesday," Colin stated, looking up from his phone.
"Perfect," Poppy said. "That is our day off between Boston and New York, pencil us in."
"Goody," Rory stated in a tone that implied it was anything but.
