A Gilmore's Return

Chapter Forty-Two: Beginning of an End.

Alessia followed Logan into his dorm, cradling her coffee like a lifeline. His room was predictably chaotic, the kind of mess that managed to look intentional. Books were stacked haphazardly on shelves, a jacket was draped over a chair, and the faint scent of his cologne mingled with the smell of coffee and old paper. She'd been here a few times before, but stepping into his space always felt like venturing into unknown territory. Logan Huntzberger, the guy who wasn't supposed to be a "boyfriend type," was somehow her boyfriend. And yet, Alessia couldn't shake the nagging doubt that maybe she'd gotten it wrong.

"I think I've got a paper over here," Logan said, moving toward his desk.

Before she could respond, a voice she didn't recognize cut through the air, light but sharp with teasing.

"Well! Look how long you make a girl wait for you!"

Alessia froze, her grip tightening around her coffee cup. A blonde woman was lounging on Logan's couch, her polished appearance and easy confidence screaming money and privilege. She looked like she belonged here in a way Alessia never had.

Logan turned, his face breaking into a grin. "Honor!" he exclaimed, his tone warm and surprised.

Honor. Alessia's stomach twisted. She barely heard Logan ask, "What are you doing here?" because her mind was already spinning. Honor. Was that supposed to mean something to her? Ex? Fling? Old hookup? The title didn't matter; what did was that Logan looked genuinely thrilled to see her.

"Apparently begging for some affection!" the woman—Honor—shot back, standing to hug him. Logan wrapped his arms around her easily, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Alessia tried to push down the unease rising in her chest, but it felt like a losing battle. Of course, Logan had a past. And of course, someone like that was probably part of it. She was the kind of woman you'd expect Logan to date—confident, put-together, the kind of person who didn't trip over herself wondering if she belonged.

Logan pulled back from the hug, beaming. "It's so good to see you," he said, his voice soft with affection.

"You too," Honor replied, finally turning her gaze to Alessia. For a moment, her expression was unreadable. Then her lips curved into a curious smile.

Logan seemed to snap out of whatever memory he was caught in. "Oh, uh—" He turned to Alessia, as if suddenly remembering she was there. "Sorry. Alessia, this is my sister, Honor. Honor, this is Alessia Gilmore."

Alessia blinked. "Sister?" she repeated, her voice sharper than she intended. The tension in her chest unraveled slightly, but not enough to disappear.

Honor laughed, stepping forward to shake Alessia's hand. "The one and only. And let me just say, if Logan brought you here, you must be something special. He doesn't exactly roll out the red carpet for just anyone."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Alessia said, managing a small smile.

Logan groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, Honor, let's not scare her off."

Honor grinned, clearly unbothered. "So, what's the occasion?" Logan asked, steering the conversation back to her.

"Well," Honor began, extending her hand to show off a massive ring, "I had to see you. And since you never check your email, I had to drag myself down here and beg Lanny to let me in so I could show you this!"

Logan's jaw dropped. "Holy—!" He hugged her again. "No way. Josh finally caved, huh?"

"Oh, stop it," Honor said, rolling her eyes. "He's lucky I even looked at him in the first place."

"Congratulations," Logan said, grinning.

"Thanks," Honor replied. "But listen, I need a favor. I'm telling Mom and Dad tomorrow night, and I need you there for backup."

Logan groaned, already shaking his head. "Come on."

"Hey," Honor snapped, her tone sharper now. "I backed you up when you wanted to take a year off school and sail around the world. I wired you money when you sunk the yacht. And I helped pay off the Indonesian Coast Guard!"

Logan raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I'll be there."

Honor grinned, triumphant. "Thank you! I love you, I love you, I love you."

She turned her attention back to Alessia, smiling warmly. "Okay, now I can breathe and focus on you."

"Me?" Alessia asked, caught off guard.

"Of course," Honor said. "You've got to tell me all about yourself. I mean, what's the deal? How'd Logan rope you into hanging out with him?"

Alessia felt her face heat, unsure how to answer. Logan cut in before she could, his tone light. "All right, that's enough. Don't scare her off, Honor."

Honor ignored him, her attention still on Alessia. "You should come to dinner tomorrow," she said suddenly.

"Oh, um—" Alessia began.

"No, seriously. Come. It'll make everything more festive," Honor insisted, flashing a grin.

Logan sighed. "We'll see," he said, steering Honor toward the door.

"Fine, fine. Just don't be late tomorrow, okay?" Honor called over her shoulder as Logan shut the door behind her.

For a moment, the room was quiet. Alessia took a deep breath, trying to tamp down the emotions swirling inside her.

"And that's my sister," Logan said finally, leaning against the door with a grin.

"Right," Alessia replied, forcing herself to sound casual. "She's... something."

"She's cool," Logan said, moving toward his desk.

Alessia hesitated, unsure how to bring up what she was feeling. "You don't have to take me to dinner tomorrow, you know," she said, keeping her tone light. "It's a family thing. I totally understand."

Logan looked up, his expression softening. "Hey. Boyfriends bring their girlfriends to family dinners. It's natural."

Alessia raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know?"

Logan grinned. "I saw it on Who's the Boss."

Alessia rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "You're ridiculous."

"Yeah, but you like me anyway," Logan said, his grin widening.

Alessia didn't answer, but as she busied herself looking through her bag, she couldn't stop the thought creeping in: What if I don't belong here?