The Thrill of the Chase

thirty four

While Rory was getting dressed to meet his mother the next morning, Robert ran out to grab breakfast. Rory had tried to persuade him to order room service like normal, she couldn't understand why he didn't want to this time. Just as she began to wonder where he had been he wandered into the room with a drink tray and a white and gold bag.

"What did you get that you had to go out for?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"For le mademoiselle une Americano and une macchiato. Yes, I know I'm mixing French and Italian, just go with it," he said, after catching a glimpse at the look on her face. "To eat I got you a variety because I wasn't sure which you may want to try more. So to start I got you a classic pain au chocolat," he said, setting it on the table between them. "Then I got you a DKA also known as a Kouign Amann, then as a final option, which I believe will be the winner. I got you a, drumroll please," he paused and gave himself a fake drumroll on the table. "A Horchata Caramel Cronut!"

"You got cronuts!" Rory exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement. She had wanted to try one for ages, but didn't remember ever mentioning it to Robert. "Are we near Dominique Ansel?"

"Yep, it's only 2 blocks away, that's why I had to go get some. I grabbed myself the same options as you, and got a third cronut for my Mom, she loves them." Robert said, sitting down at the table and pulling his coffee and DKA over to start.

"Thank you," Rory said, leaning over and giving him a kiss, before sitting down and opening her first coffee. "How long do I have before I have to meet your Mom? She does know she didn't have to pick me up, I could have got the subway."

"Please, like she would let you do that. At least this way you will get to drink your macchiato as you drive uptown."

"Should you have got your Mom a coffee? Is she going to shout at me for eating carbs before dress shopping?" Rory asked, stopping herself before she took her first bite of cronut.

"No, she won't, she isn't Emily. She might if she saw you eat all three options though, so you might need to eat up. And no, she will already have a coffee with her, so it would be a waste to get her one now, and only delay how soon you get to take a coffee break while you are shopping."

"Thanks. Oh My God this is delicious." Rory said, almost moaning in pleasure as she eats her cronut. "Are they open tomorrow? I might need another."

Robert watches with a smile as Rory happily dances while eating her cronut, but when she stopped and left a chunk before reaching for her DKA he was confused. "What's wrong with that bit?" he asked, pointing at the final chunk.

"Nothing, I'm leaving it so it can be my last bite before I run out the door." Rory answered, as if it should have been obvious.

"Of course, I can't believe I didn't realize," Robert said, rolling his eyes teasingly at her.

"Shut it you. Oh this thing is good too!" Rory said, looking at the DKA in her hand. "Chances he would open a bakery in New Haven?"

"Slim to none, sorry." Robert replied with a laugh, just as Rory's cell beeps.

"That will be your Mom. You have fun today and don't get into any trouble. Maybe call around lunch and see where we are? You might be able to spring me?" Rory says hopefully.

"It's shopping, not a prison sentence. My Mom is not that bad to shop with, she likes to power shop, she doesn't believe in making sure she has seen everything before going back and buying the first thing she tried on. If she likes it, she will just buy the first thing, then go home." Robert stood pulling Rory into his arms for a goodbye kiss.