Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lorelai  

It was Lorelai’s first day off in ages. There was no work to be done at the inn and Rory was in school until three o’clock. It took years, but she was finally at a place in her life where she could allow herself to treasure these moments of solitude, guilt-free. 

As she strolled down Main Street, she marveled at the beauty of the season — red, green, yellow, and orange leaves intermixed, standing out in bold contrast to the bright blue sky overhead. While on the ground, pumpkins, haystacks and other fall decorations lined the sidewalks and adorned the quaint shops and small businesses of Stars Hollow. 

“Cute dress!” Lorelai gushed, her walk coming to an abrupt halt as she stared longingly — coveting the black tailored suit dress she spotted through the glass of the fancy boutique shop. 

Thirty minutes and a hundred and fifty dollars later, she exited the store, not only with the dress, which fit her like a glove but with a couple of other stylish work outfits — all on sale. All signifying her relatively new status as the Independence Inn’s Assistant Executive Manager, which came with not only a hefty raise in salary, but also a heightened sense of pride and confidence.

Still on a high from her spontaneous shopping spree, Lorelai decided to take a moment to relax in the gazebo and enjoy the peacefulness of her surroundings. It had been a productive morning — her day off having been filled with errands, some more pleasant than others. As she crossed a few items off of her extremely long to-do list, she let out a loud yawn. It was that time of day. Time when her first two cups of coffee were wearing off, and she desperately needed to recharge. 

Glancing at her watch, Lorelai realized she still had an hour before meeting the real estate agent at the house she had seen advertised in the newspaper. It would need a little work, but it might just be the perfect fit for the two Gilmores if she could negotiate the sellers down a bit below their asking price. 

Sweet memories danced through her head as she thought about the potting shed. It was home. Their home for most of Rory’s nine years of life. It wasn’t one filled with expensive toys to be looked at and not played with. The closet wasn’t overflowing with beautiful, frilly name-brand clothing that couldn’t get dirty. It wasn’t a house with fireplaces in every room, yet always so cold. That was Lorelai’s childhood — or at least how she remembered it. Not joyless, but restrictive. Tidy. Programmed. 

Instead, Lorelai had given Rory a home filled with fun and laughter. With used toys, hand-me-down clothing and borrowed books. The tiny shed that they converted into a home only had one small furnace, but within it, enough love to heat an entire town. 

She yawned again. 

As she gazed across the square, her eyes fell upon that familiar sign that had been tempting her for the past few years. That simple yet beautiful golden-yellow coffee mug that swung gently in the autumn breeze, with the brown lettering that simply read “Luke’s”. 

Lorelai couldn’t exactly pinpoint what kept her from entering Luke’s Diner before now. Her busy schedule? Her lack of funds to enjoy what was provided free of charge at work? Or, perhaps, there was some trepidation in meeting its reclusive owner, knowing somehow that it would change her life forever. 

Over the years, she’d heard stories about Luke Danes and his diner from Mia and Sookie. Mainly about the tragedies Luke had endured. Losing his mother as a preteen, then his father as a young man. Even though they’d never met, Lorelai’s heart broke for the man who seemed to have been pushed into adulthood way too soon — much like herself. 

She had seen him several times around town in the past. He was hard to miss with his flannel plaid shirts and backward baseball hats that seemed to dominate his wardrobe. The man had an interesting sense of fashion. Despite that, she found him very attractive  — even though she had only seen him from afar. 

Lorelai crossed the street and peeked into the window of the diner, checking out the man himself as he moved swiftly between tables, pouring coffee and delivering plates of food. 

She gave her reflected image a quick once-over and inhaled deeply, smelling the crisp fresh air that had the faintest scent of the most divine substance on earth. She smiled widely. 

“I smell coffee.” 

After a hair fluff and an adjustment of the black v-neck sweater she had underneath her unbuttoned red corduroy jacket, she opened the door to Luke’s diner and walked inside. 

Luke

The lunch rush was even busier than usual for a Wednesday afternoon. Every table was filled, each stool at the counter occupied. Luke stayed focused on his job — getting people fed and out the door as quickly as possible, which thankfully meant there was no time for making small talk with the customers or overhearing the latest gossip spread by Stars Hollow’s most notorious yentas. Luke Danes was not a particularly chatty guy. Nor did he ever have any interest in the town gossip. He had always tried to avoid most of that — especially when that gossip was centered around him, which unfortunately had been the case for the last few months following Rachel’s departure from Stars Hollow and his life. Maybe for good, this time. But with Rachel, one never knew what to expect, other than the unexpected. 

With his love life shattered into pieces, Luke devoted all his time to his business. It’s what Bill Danes would have done. It’s what motivated him to get up in the morning. It kept him from losing his temper when Miss Patty mentioned fixing him up with the new teacher at Stars Hollow High or when the kid he hired, Caesar, dropped a stack of dishes in the kitchen. Luke’s late father was the person whom he most admired in life. So with every challenge Luke faced, he channeled Bill. Not that he always followed through with the imaginary advice his dead father would provide, but he tried his best. He knew that completely giving up was not what his father did when he lost the love of his life. So Luke kept going. Kept his mind on making money, so his business stayed afloat and kept it off of Rachel and the heartbreak he was still nursing. 

With the constant droning of conversational chatter, bells ringing on one side of the diner for orders that were up, and the front door jingling as people flowed in and out; he was surprised that one particular jingle caught his attention. 

Lorelai Gilmore walked into his diner. Into his life. And unbeknownst to him at that moment, into his heart.

He had noticed her around town before today, usually with her daughter or with Sookie St. James. Her tall, slim body, thick, black curly hair and incredible blue eyes made just about every man in town look twice. Including Luke. Even when Rachel had been on his arm.

Luke knew a little about her past from Mia and the ladies who gossiped at the diner. Even he had to admit her story was intriguing — leaving a life of wealth and privilege to work as a maid. Raising her child on her own without any help from her rich family or her kid’s seemingly absent father. He wondered why she had left that life. More importantly, he wondered why he cared.

Luke stilled for a moment as she walked in during mid-pour of Taylor Doose’s coffee, almost spilling it had Taylor not quickly spoken as the brown liquid neared the mug’s rim. Although spilling coffee on Taylor would have just added to the delight of his busy day. 

He put the coffee pot back on the burner then grabbed the plates of food that were ready to be delivered, trying to pretend he hadn’t noticed her walk in and move up to the counter right behind Taylor. 

God, she was beautiful. 

“Hey, excuse me,” she said as Luke moved from behind the counter, following him as he placed the plates down on the four-top table by the front door. “Could I get a cup of coffee?” 

He ignored her, unable to look at her directly from this close a distance. It would be like staring into the sun —  unsure if his eyes would recover or if she would leave his retinas permanently scarred with the afterimage of her heart-stopping beauty.   

“Is there anything else you need?” he asked his customers, then turned to walk back to the counter after they answered, no.

Lorelai, toting around a large shopping bag, kept pace with him, shuffling sideways behind the row of customers as Luke grabbed the coffee pot and started refilling mugs from the opposite side of the counter. 

“Hey. It’s Luke, right? I’m dying here. Please! I need some coffee, STAT! In an IV! Or a mug. Either one. I can be flexible.”

Luke surrendered to his fate and glanced up at her briefly, mesmerized by her intense, clear blue eyes. Then he did what Luke had always done when faced with adversity. He inhaled deeply, adjusted his cap with his free hand, and without conscious thought, put up his shield of armor. That gruff, hard-as-nails exterior that covered up the soft underbelly that was his true self. It was the same invisible shield that Rachel had torn down, leaving him vulnerable to the dangers of his exposed heart. Luke had to rebuild it. Quickly. It needed to hold up against this new, and apparently, coffee-addicted threat.

“Wait your turn,” he grumbled, then went from table to table, refilling more coffee mugs. 

Lorelai followed closely. “Come on,” she begged. “It’s been hours since my last cup. Have some mercy. I just got through a very unpleasant dental appointment with someone whose technique resembled Dr. Szell’s.” 

Luke finished pouring coffee for Patty and Babette, then glanced over at her  — his eyes narrowing into two small slits. 

“You know, Marathon Man. ‘Is it safe?’ Anyway, then I had my eyes examined.”

“Maybe you should have had your head examined instead.”

Lorelai ignored his sardonic insult. “They had to do that air puff test four times in each eye! I swear fascists invented that test as some kind of torture device.”

Luke weaved his way through the crowded diner, returning behind the counter. He grabbed the plates waiting for him at the pickup window and delivered them to the small table in the corner, next to the shelf with the garden hoses and cans of WD-40.  

Lorelai continued her pursuit, reminding Luke of a puppy chasing after its owner for a treat. 

“I could’ve gone to Weston’s, you know. But I heard your coffee is the best,” she tried flattering him, to no avail. “I’m Lorelai, by the way. I work at the Independence Inn. You know Mia, right? She said you were a nice guy, but I’m beginning to doubt that.”

Luke rolled his eyes as he continued making his rounds at the tables, still ignoring her pleas. 

“Hey, Backwards Baseball Hat, I’m talking to you,” she barked, her free hand going to her hip. 

Luke, recognizing the darker signs of caffeine withdrawal taking over his pursuer, turned and faced her, his jaw clenched. “You’re being annoying. Sit down, shut up and I’ll get to you when I get to you,” he said flatly, trying to conceal his mounting exasperation. 

She smiled at him — not exactly the response he had expected. There was nothing about this woman that was predictable. Except for her ability to persevere.

Lorelai obeyed, finding the recently vacated seat at the counter between the cash register and the white-haired man with a newspaper spread out in front of him. She placed her shopping bag on the floor beneath her feet, sitting with a loud sigh.  

“So, when’s your birthday, Duke?” she asked as Luke opened the register, handing the customer in front of him her change.

“It’s Luke,” he grunted. 

“Yeah, right. When’s your birthday?” 

Luke shook his head and went about his business —  clearing plates, placing checks on tables, then heading back to the counter to stack the dirty dishes in the bin behind him. 

“Your birthday? It’s not a hard question, you know. Probably the day every year you treat yourself to a clean shave and a new flannel shirt.”

“Do you always talk this much?” Luke scowled, grabbing the cleaning rag from over his shoulder and wiping up the crumbs from the surface in front of her. 

“Yes. Are you always this grumpy?”

“Only when harassed by caffeine-addicted crazy people.”

“Really?” Lorelai asked skeptically, smiling up at him almost as if she knew what was concealed beneath his protective shield. “Come on. Tell me your birthday. I promise there'll be something in it for you.”

She confounded him. Lorelai was unlike anyone he had ever met and certainly nothing like he had imagined. Not that he had thought about her much in the past —  Rachel and the diner had been all-consuming for him over the past couple of years. But with her affluent background and raising a kid on her own, he envisioned her to be more reserved — not this coffee-addicted, persistent, brazen, borderline obnoxious woman who babbled nonsense a mile a minute. 

Yet he couldn’t help himself. He liked her immediately. Her tenacity. Her cheerfulness. Her self-confidence. How she didn’t seem to care if she was making a total ass of herself in front of strangers. She was a brighter version of his unapologetic darker self.

“Jeez, you won’t give up, will you?” Luke exhaled sharply, knowing he was on the verge of capitulating. 

“Nope.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled triumphantly. 

“Fine.” He pressed his hands onto the countertop and leaned in close to her, his eyes darting back and forth before locking with hers  — as if he were telling her a secret so intimate that it needed to be guarded with the utmost of care. “It’s November 6th,” he mumbled softly, then backed away slowly, moving to check on his patrons at the table directly behind her.  

Lorelai hesitated then cleared her throat. “Aha! A Scorpio.” 

Luke watched out of the corner of his eye as Lorelai whispered something to the older man with the newspaper next to her.

The bell rang behind Luke as he heard Caesar yell, “Order up!” Luke grabbed the plates and delivered them before returning to his side of the counter. 

“Here,” Lorelai said as she ripped a small section from the newspaper and handed it to Luke. 

Luke’s brows furrowed as he looked down at the scrap of paper in his hand. It was from the horoscope section. Under the daily prediction and lucky numbers for Scorpio, she had written: 

You will meet an annoying woman today. Give her coffee and she'll go away.  

He looked up, her blue eyes sparkling, her lips curling up at the corners. 

“Now, make sure to hold onto that horoscope. Put it in your wallet and one day it will bring you luck.”

“Yeah? What makes you think that?” 

“Because your horoscope says so. Duh.” Lorelai rolled her eyes with exaggeration.

“I don’t believe in luck. Anyway, I thought it said something about you leaving me alone.” 

“Not that part.” She touched his hand, prompting him to open his fingers as she leaned over the counter closer to him, taking hold of one side of the paper as he held the other so both could read what was printed on it. “See? ‘Luck will be on your side if you choose to hold onto to the gifts that you are given.’” 

Her fingers lingered on his briefly, just long enough for Luke to become hyper-aware of the mixed scents of vanilla and lavender that emanated from her flawless skin. Luke pulled the paper free from her grasp, raised his brow and sighed, glancing down at the paper once more before folding it carefully and pushing it into his back pocket. Then he turned to get the coffee pot and a clean mug, hiding the small smile that threatened to replace his habitual scowl. 

He placed the mug in front of her and filled it with the steaming liquid. Then he watched her as she brought the mug under her nose, inhaling its aroma as her lids closed softly. She blew on it gently before bringing it to her red lips, taking a long sip. 

“Wow! Luke! This coffee is amazing!” Her eyes widened, her face glowing with sheer pleasure, bordering on erotic. He’d never seen anyone react that way from drinking coffee. A spark of electricity shot through his body as he imagined her post-orgasm —her hair tousled, skin glistening, wearing that same expression. Satiated. Gratified. Fulfilled. Completely content. 

He shook off the lurid thought as she took another sip and smiled at him. “Luke, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” 

“With me or with my coffee?”

“The coffee, of course. I haven’t made up my mind about you yet. Your customer service skills are a bit lacking. I’ll let you know once I taste one of your burgers.”

“Don’t do me any favors,” he grumbled.

Lorelai swallowed down a big gulp of coffee, then looked at her watch. “Oh, shoot. I’ve gotta go. What do I owe you?” 

Luke grabbed a to-go cup from behind him, filling it from the coffee that remained in her mug and carefully placed a lid on it. “Forget it. First-time customers are on the house. Lorelai, is it?” 

“Yeah. Thanks, Duke. I’ll be back.”

“It’s Luke.” 

She turned around to face him, a huge smile lighting up her face as she waved and walked out the door. 

 ______________________

One Month Later  

Lorelai

It was official. The house on Maple street with the wrap-around porch was hers. The mortgage papers had been signed and the deed had been transferred into the name of Lorelai Victoria Gilmore. There were some repairs that were needed, and the place would need more furniture than she presently owned, but nothing was so pressing that it would prevent them from moving in within a month. 

With a stack of papers the thickness of War and Peace and a brand new set of shiny keys in her hands, Lorelai walked into Kim’s Antiques to collect Rory and give her the good news. 

Rory was thrilled. It warmed Lorelai’s heart as she watched Rory and Lane hug then jump for joy at the idea of living so close by to one another. Lorelai had been concerned about the move. The potting shed at the inn was the only home that Rory had known. But Rory assured her that although she was sad to leave Mia and the inn, she couldn’t wait to live closer to her best friend and her favorite place to visit in Stars Hollow — the library. 

“Hey. I think this calls for a celebration. How would you like to eat out for dinner?” Lorelai asked as the two Gilmores walked out of the Kims’ business/home and towards their Jeep that was parked out front. 

“Really, Mommy? Can we go to Luke’s? Please! All the kids in my class say his burgers are the best!” 

“You know what? I was thinking the exact same thing. Let's do it,” Lorelai beamed, wrapping her arm around the slender shoulder of her rapidly growing daughter.

Lorelai had been thinking about going back to Luke’s since her first visit last month. She wasn’t sure if it was the lure of the delicious coffee or of the man who served it. Or maybe a combination of the two. But the inn had been busy and buying the house consumed every last minute of free time she had left. 

After securing the mortgage papers in the Jeep’s back seat, Lorelai and Rory made the short walk over to Luke’s Diner. 

The sun was setting as they walked into the diner a few minutes later; Rory’s face filled with excitement as she took in the unusual decor. 

It was relatively quiet compared to the last time Lorelai was there. With plenty of empty tables to choose from, they sat towards the front of the diner by the large window with the word “food” painted on it, each immediately pulling out a menu from the center of the table. 

Rory’s eyes grew wide as she read from the large selection of options while Lorelai scanned the room in search of its owner, quietly hoping he didn’t have the night off. 

“Mommy, I know exactly what I’m going to order.” 

“You do? Hmm… let me guess.” Lorelai closed her eyes and placed her forefingers on her temples. “A frog leg sandwich with extra pickles?” 

“No,” Rory giggled.

“Is it the foie gras with chicken and green shamrock frosting?”

“Nope. Not even close!” Rory played along with her mother’s silliness. 

“So, you’re back,” the deep masculine voice said, interrupting their game. 

Lorelai opened her eyes and gazed up at Luke, her mouth all of the sudden feeling dry as she found herself uncharacteristically speechless. 

She looked him over, trying to keep from ogling. He was wearing an opened, light blue button-down denim shirt over a tight-fitting dark gray t-shirt, showing off his muscular pecs. His blue eyes shined boldly against his tanned skin and the dark scruffy stubble on his face. His ensemble was, of course, topped off by an olive green baseball cap, turned backwards.

“Do you know what you want?” he asked flatly, pulling his order pad out from the front of his jeans and the pencil from behind his ear. 

“Well, hello to you, too,” Lorelai smiled, finding her voice as their eyes met. “So you remember me.”

“Something about you definitely sticks. But didn’t you say you would go away? I think I have the horoscope to prove it.” 

“I never said anything about not returning.”

Luke’s lips curled up slightly, then he glanced over at Rory, who shyly stayed focused on the opened menu in front of her. “So…  I’m assuming you don’t want the foie gras with chicken,” he said to Rory. “I’m thinking a cheeseburger. Fries. And cherry pie for dessert.” 

“Yes!” Rory answered enthusiastically, finally switching her gaze from the menu to the man in front of her. “And a Coke, too.” 

“If that’s okay with your mom.” 

“Sure, sweets. You can get whatever you want. We’re celebrating.” Lorelai looked from Rory to Luke and back again to Rory. “Rory, this is Duke. Duke, Rory.”

“His name is Luke, Mom. It’s right on the menu.” Rory rolled her eyes at her mother, now seeming at ease with the diner's owner. “Don’t take it personally, Luke. My mom loves to tease people. Especially the ones she likes.” 

Lorelai’s cheeks reddened slightly. “Don’t you want to know what I want, Duke?” she asked, her voice mockingly seductive as she tilted her head slightly, intent on provoking more than a few monosyllables from the gruff man.

“I think I can handle it,” Luke deadpanned, seemingly unfazed by Lorelai’s taunts. 

As their eyes met, a flash of heat coursed through Lorelai’s body as Luke seemed to silently challenge her to see who’d first look away. The intensity of his unwavering stare made Luke the easy winner as Lorelai, feeling flustered, turned her attention back to the menu still in her hands. “I’ll have the same as Rory. But coffee, instead of the Coke.”

“Coming right up. And, … nice to meet you, Rory.” 

As Luke walked away from the table, Lorelai glared at her daughter. “Rory, my love. We barely know him. Try not to give away all of my secrets just yet.”

“It’s not my fault you’re terrible at flirting. I just want to make sure he’ll let us come back.” Rory responded defensively. 

“Hmph,” Lorelai pouted, realizing Rory was able to read her as easily as she does an advanced-level book. “Is it warm in here?” she asked as she stripped off her jacket, hanging on the back of her chair. 

Before they knew it, Luke had returned, placing a coffee mug and Coke in front of them on the table. “So, what are you celebrating?” Luke asked awkwardly as he filled her mug, Lorelai recognizing that small talk was not his forte. 

“We just bought a house. Right around here, actually.”

“Oh, Congratulations. What street?”

“It’s on Maple. The Victorian with the long driveway and— ”

“Sure,” Luke interrupted. “I know that house and the owners. I heard they moved to New York.”

“That’s right. The Burnses,” Lorelai confirmed with surprised delight. 

“Nice guy, but the wife was a nutjob. Would order everything ‘on the side’. Anyway, that’s the problem with this town. Everyone knows everyone else's business, whether you want to or not. Doesn’t help that there's nothing else to do here besides shop for porcelain unicorns and Hello Kitty merchandise. Who buys that crap anyway?” Luke asked, his voice and manner seemingly more relaxed than before; Lorelai even noticed a faint smile forming on his very kissable lips. 

The bell behind the counter rang out, punctuating the first of many Luke Danes rants that Lorelai would come to know and love about him. 

“May I have a straw, please?” Rory asked timidly.

“Do you know it takes two hundred years for one plastic straw to break down?” Luke’s face was surprisingly animated as Lorelai sensed he was about to roll his way into rant number two.

“Yes?... No? I’m not sure. Which answer gets me the straw?” Rory asked innocently. 

“Two cheeseburgers and fries,” Caeser yelled from the kitchen.  

“That’s your food. I’ll go get it. And a straw. He started to walk away, but turned back, his expression reverting to its natural dour state.  “And, uh, sorry I said ‘crap’.” 

“It’s okay. My mom says that word all of the time.”

Luke nodded uncomfortably as he left to get their food. 

“I think Luke needs a vacation,” Rory said decidedly, a crease forming between her brows. “He seems stressed.”

“You know, I think you’re right,” Lorelai nodded lovingly at her precocious child. “Although I think he needs more than just a vacation. Maybe a —”

“Please don’t say something dirty,” Rory interrupted. “Remember, I’m only nine.”

“I know how old you are. I just have to count the annual rings on my forehead.” Lorelai pointed at her own head while twirling her finger in small circles. “And I wasn’t going to say something dirty. I just think Luke could use some… new friends. And a hobby. And maybe a fashion makeover.”

Luke delivered the food without saying anything more  — Lorelai assuming he had depleted his ration of words for a single interaction with a customer. 

The two girls devoured their food, also without words, only making “mmm”  sounds as they chewed and swallowed the heavenly meal until every crumb was cleaned off of their plates. 

It was crystal clear to both Gilmore girls — this was true love. 

Luke 

I can’t believe I used the word “crap” in front of her kid. And the lecture on the environment — I’m such an asshole. 

Luke scolded himself silently after delivering their food, afraid to open up his mouth again for fear of sticking his foot back into it.  

As he wandered around the kitchen aimlessly, he thought about why he cared so much. 

So what? She’s pretty. Beautiful, really. But so was Rachel. Is Rachel. 

He corrected himself. 

He inhaled deeply, nervously adjusting his cap before returning to the dining area. Caesar, not paying him any mind, continued cleaning the grill, accustomed to his boss’s erratic behavior.

After ringing up the only other customers and saying goodnight, Luke headed back to the Gilmores’ table — shocked and slightly repulsed by how quickly they both devoured their food. 

“Uhm, do you still have room for pie?”

“Oh, yeah! Bring on the pie, Duke! And a coffee refill!” 

“And a Coke refill!” Rory echoed her mother, pounding the table with her hand to add emphasis. 

“Really? Coffee this late? How do you sleep?”

“Coffee and pie first. Questions after.” 

“My mom needs coffee. It’s the source of all her supernatural powers,” Rory informed Luke, having memorized her mother's go-to line about her coffee-drinking habits. 

“Hmm. Supernatural powers.” Luke flashed Rory one of his rare smiles.

“Yeah. Like how Superman gets his powers from the Earth’s sun. The coffee makes her talk faster. Work faster. It makes her Supermom.” Rory giggled. 

“And eat faster, apparently,” Luke added, then turned to Lorelai as he began to clear their empty plates. “Do you know what caffeine does to your central nervous system?” 

“Ooh, do you have a chart? 'Cause I love charts,” Lorelai mocked.

“Actually, caffeine increases mental alertness, cognitive functioning, and physical performance by improving endurance and reaction time,” Rory recited confidently. 

“That’s my little genius!” Lorelai smiled proudly. 

Rory continued, “However, too much caffeine can cause nervousness, confusion, and irritability.”

“Hey! I’m not irritable,” Lorelai growled, folding her arms in front of her.

“But…  you’d have to drink 55.4 cups for it to kill you.” 

“Aha! Keep that coffee coming, Duke! I can have 50.4 more cups before I drop dead,” Lorelai gloated, tapping her fingers rhythmically against her empty mug. 

Luke stared at the young girl in awe, his mouth agape. 

“I did my science fair project on caffeine’s effects on the body last year. I got second place.” Rory shrugged her shoulders, then slurped up what was left of the Coke with her environmentally unfriendly bendy straw. 

“Uh, okay.” Luke tilted his head, then left with an arm full of plates and a confused expression on his face, pondering the contradiction between Rory’s age-appropriate behavior and her adult-like intellect.  But he was soon back at their table with two slices of cherry pie, another Coke, and the coffee pot. He gracefully unloaded the desserts and refilled Lorelai’s coffee mug, watching their identical expressions as they eyed their desserts with gleeful anticipation.  

“Anything else I can get you? I’ve got about fifty pounds of unsweetened baking chocolate in the back I could wheel out for you.” 

“Rory?” Lorelai looked at her daughter then back to Luke. “Nah, I think we’re good. Thanks.” 

Luke turned to walk away.

“Hey. How about a little entertainment while we eat our pie? Dance, Burger Boy.”

“You are a very strange woman.” 

He heard them both laughing as he walked behind the counter, trying to add up his receipts as he did each night. But tonight he was thoroughly distracted. Luke watched the mother and daughter pair with fascination as they talked and ate and laughed some more. Their bond, their love, was obvious. 

An unexpected feeling came over him while he continued to observe them — a peacefulness. He felt relaxed around them. Even with all of the teasing and inappropriate comments, he felt like he had known them for years as opposed to just a few hours; tempting him to lower his shield, just a bit, perhaps allowing them inside.  

Since Rachel left, he desperately missed that feeling. That feeling of comfort. Of connection with other human beings. Like the one he shared with the family who had left him behind, all alone. 

When he saw they were close to finishing their desserts, he returned to the table to drop off the check. 

“I must say, Luke, this meal was incredible. Your burgers are as good as advertised. And that pie! Did you bake it yourself?” Lorelai asked as she took a quick peek at the check, then grabbed her wallet out of her purse, taking out enough money for the bill and a nice tip. 

“From scratch,” Luke answered proudly.

“Are you single?” Rory teased, to Luke’s surprise and Lorelai’s horror.

“Uh…,” Luke stalled, his brow furrowing as he struggled to figure out the correct answer. Rachel was gone, but in his heart, there was still hope that she’d change her mind and return. 

“Jeez, personal,” Lorelai said, glaring at Rory whose smile quickly changed into a frown. “I guess she gets her social skills from me.” 

Luke picked up the check and cash from the table, his head bowed, purposely avoiding direct eye contact with Lorelai. “I’ll be back with your change.”

“No need. Keep it.” She turned to Rory as she stood up and started to put on her jacket. “Thanks, Luke. Come on, Rory. Let’s go.” 

“Thanks. Goodnight,” he called to them as Lorelai grabbed Rory’s hand, leading her swiftly towards the exit.

“I can’t believe you asked him if he was single,” Lorelai whispered as she opened the door.

“ You were the one teasing him. Calling him Duke. And you were definitely flirting,” Rory defended herself to her mother. 

They both spoke in hushed tones, but not quietly enough to prevent Luke from overhearing them as they walked out of the diner and into the dark autumn night, leaving the door ajar. 

“I was not flirting!”

“Were too.”

“Was not!”

As their voices faded into the night air, Luke couldn’t help but smile as he closed and locked the door behind them, flipping the “open” sign to “closed”.

As he cleaned up for the night, Luke thought about her — Lorelai. Her eyes. Her smile. The way she flirted and teased him. His mind wandered dangerously to other parts of her physical being. Her long, toned legs. And that incredible ass, showed off spectacularly by her short fitted skirt. 

He tried to clear his head — instinctually feeling a slight pang of guilt for having lustful thoughts about a woman other than Rachel, even though they were officially broken up. 

Then, right on cue, as Luke was shutting off the lights in the kitchen, the diner phone rang. 

“Luke’s,” he answered, his voice terse, his eyes widening in surprise. “Rachel…”

______________________

Lorelai 

So it began. Lorelai’s almost daily visit to Luke’s. As with any junkie, her addiction to his coffee became more powerful with each sip. She craved it — the perfect blend of smokiness and sweetness with a touch of nuttiness — kind of like herself, as Luke so boldly pointed out. 

“Especially the nutty part,” Luke smirked as he refilled her cup one time last week.

At first, Lorelai would come in during Luke’s slow time, a little before three in the afternoon, so she could get her coffee fix before picking Rory up from school. Or sometimes, instead, she’d stop by later, bringing Rory along for her after-school snack. Soon, she started coming even earlier — taking her lunch break at Luke’s. Enjoying one of his delicious burgers or one of the other mouth-watering, yet unhealthy options from his menu. 

Lorelai usually sat at the counter so she could interact with the diner’s proprietor. Although she’d deny it, his coffee wasn’t the only thing drawing her in. He was part of her addiction. She’d tease him mercilessly and he’d give it right back to her — their verbal sparring sometimes a spectator sport for anyone within earshot. 

And there was definitely lots of flirting that went along with the not-so-subtle insults and arguments. Something was brewing in Luke’s diner other than just the coffee, and it was obvious to everyone except Luke and Lorelai. Soon there was gossip floating around the town about the two of them. Not that Lorelai heard any of it. At least not until that gossip had reached Sookie’s ears. 

“Hey, Sook. I’m going to lunch and then picking up Rory. I should be back at around three-thirty if anyone needs me.” 

“Do you have a minute? There’s something I need to talk to you about,” Sookie put down the knife she was using to dice tomatoes, then looped her arm around Lorelai’s, leading her to an isolated area of the inn’s kitchen, her eyes filled with concern as the two friends faced each other.

“Sure. Everything okay? You look worried.” 

“I’m fine. But,… there’s been some rumors being spread around town. About you and Luke Danes.” Sookie spoke quietly, her lips curled downward as she waited for Lorelai’s reaction. 

“What kind of rumors?” Lorelai leaned in closer, her brows deeply furrowed as her heart began beating rapidly in her chest. 

“Well, that there’s something going on between you two.” 

“What?! Oh my god!” Lorelai’s voice rang out loudly through the kitchen, causing the staff to turn and look at the two women. 

Lorelai pulled Sookie into the large pantry, closing the door behind them. “There’s nothing going on,” she whispered. "I go there. He serves me coffee. If I beg and plead sometimes he gives me a refill. Nothing else.” 

“I believe you, honey. But,... do you like him?” Sookie questioned mindfully.

“Sure, I like him. He’s fun to tease and we talk sometimes. Well, I talk. He mostly just rolls his eyes and grunts.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Sookie’s voice toughened as she glared at her friend with candor. 

“Why the third degree on this, Sook?”

“There’s no third degree. We’re just talking, friend to friend. But if you did, you know, I’d totally get it. Have you seen the butt on that man?” Sookie smiled salaciously, gently elbowing Lorelai’s waist, her eyebrows wiggling up and down. 

Lorelai exhaled sharply, her agitation becoming increasingly apparent as she felt compelled to defend herself against the charges thrown at her feet. “Well, it’s not that I don’t find him attractive. I mean, who wouldn’t. But it’s not like that. We’re friends. At least I think we are.” 

“So then you know about Rachel?” Sookie placed her hand on her hip, looking up at Lorelai, her dimpled, thin smile bordering on smugness. 

“Rachel?” Lorelai echoed, her cheeks flushed, suddenly feeling claustrophobic, trapped in the large pantry; unjustly feeling ambushed and betrayed by her so-called best friend. 

“Rachel is Luke’s ex. I think, ex. They’ve broken up and gotten back together so many times I’ve lost track.”

“Oh.” Lorelai shrugged her shoulders with feigned indifference, despite knowing Sookie could see right through her charade. 

“That’s it? Just ‘oh’? Aren’t you at least curious as to what happened between them?”

“I guess you’re going to tell me either way, so go right ahead.”

“Well, Rachel likes to move around a lot. She’s a photographer and very adventurous. She loves to climb things and fling herself off of cliffs and dive into these really tiny lakes and ride big wild horses and fly planes.”

“Is her plane see-through?”

“Huh?” 

“Is she Wonder Woman?” Lorelai quipped, her sarcasm going over her clueless friend’s head. 

“She was to Luke. I thought they were going to get married. The rumor is that Stars Hollow was too small for her. She wanted to live somewhere more exciting. And Luke. Well, he’s been here all his life — he didn’t even go away to college. I think we’re going to bury him in that diner.”

“So, do you think he’s still in love with her?” Lorelai held her breath, waiting for what seemed like an eternity for Sookie to answer. 

“I don’t know. It’s not like Luke confides in anyone. He’s kind of a loner. But right after she left, he closed up the diner. Went fishing for a week. Luke never closes that place. Anyway, I thought you should know in case you liked him more than a friend. I just… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Thanks, but really, it’s not like that. Luke makes great coffee. That’s it.” Lorelai hesitated for a moment before asking the question that was burning in her brain. “So, is Rachel pretty?”

“Yeah. Really pretty. Elle MacPherson pretty.”

“Well, that’s… nice for Luke. I mean, sure. Why wouldn’t she be pretty?  Luke’s a good-looking guy. So… great.” Lorelai rambled as Sookie watched her friend squirm. 

“She broke his heart, so not so great for Luke. Are you sure you don’t like him, like him? You seem… jealous,” Sookie asked cautiously. 

Lorelai threw her arms up in the air. “I’m not jealous!” she huffed, trying to hide the slight tremble in her voice. “Why would I be jealous of a woman who dumped a man who I’m not interested in?”

Lorelai turned and opened the door, needing to fill her lungs with air not laced with judgments or accusations. Needing to escape the confinement of the small room and her concerned friend as quickly as possible.

“Oookay...,” Sookie smiled skeptically, before her expression turned to worry as she followed Lorelai into the large, busy kitchen. “You’re not mad at me, are you?” 

“No. It’s fine. Why would I be mad?” Lorelai snapped, her arms crossing in front of her chest. 

“Maybe not mad, but upset.” 

“I’m not mad and I’m not upset and I’m definitely not jealous. Okay?” Lorelai snatched her purse and jacket from the kitchen desk, her demeanor and her voice clearly contradicting her words as she pushed through the swinging door. “I gotta go. I’ll be back soon.” 

As she drove towards the center of town, she couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of… 

Ugh! What the hell is wrong with me?

Lorelai shook her head as her eyes filled with tears that she refused to shed. None of this made sense. Sookie was right. She was mad. She was upset. Not at Sookie, at herself — for allowing, even for a brief moment, the thought of possibly more than just a friendship with Luke.

She had made her standard pro/con list shortly after meeting Luke and tasting his coffee. Practicality had won out over lust by a large margin, so the idea of dating him was quickly dismissed. She knew that if they dated and it didn’t end well, she’d never be able to return to his diner again. 

Plus, there was Rory to consider. Lorelai had pledged to refrain from dating anyone in town for a reason. She didn’t want to involve Rory in her personal life, afraid that she’d get attached to a guy who wasn’t “the right guy”. And Rory knew Luke. And liked Luke. She was already attached. They both were.  

Then there was the fact that Luke clearly wasn’t interested in her. (So she thought.) Her coffee drinking and eating habits repulsed him. They argued all the time. He hated that she called him Duke for the first few weeks she knew him.

So what if he’s still hung up on his ex? 

Thinking back, Lorelai realized that she had seen Rachel. It was a couple of years ago at the Firelight Festival. She was pretty. Tall, thin and busty, with long, golden curls. Not exactly an Elle McPherson, but more like an Andie MacDowell type of pretty. Lorelai remembered Rachel having a large camera strapped around her neck as she and Luke walked past her, arm in arm. She remembered that Luke looked happy.

Lorelai cringed. “Oh god, I am jealous.”

She pulled into a parking space in front of the diner and turned off the ignition. Flipping down the visor, she studied her reflection in the lighted mirror, attempting to collect herself before going inside. She wiped the smudged mascara from her eyelids and inhaled deeply. 

I really need to get laid.  

As she entered the diner, she saw him standing behind the counter, pouring the steaming, aromatic elixir into a large, red mug, placing it down on the counter near the register at what was now her regular seat.  

“Wow. The service in this place just gets better and better. I’m going to write you a good review and send it to the Stars Hollow Gazette. Then the New York Times and the Boston Globe. And soon this place will be so busy that I’ll never be able to sit in my favorite seat and I’ll never have your coffee again and you know what? I think I’ll just keep my opinion to myself.”

Luke didn’t smile. Smiles from him were a rarity. An anomaly in the life of the grumpy diner owner. But Rachel had made him smile. 

“Yeah, well, my blood sugar is low. I promise not to be this accommodating the next time you’re here. Any pie to go with your coffee? Or will you be having the entire dead cow I have stored in the back?” he asked flatly as he pulled his order pad and pencil out from the front of his jeans.”

“I’ll take the cow. With cheese, please. And fries. And pie. Jeez, I didn’t realize how hungry I was until you started talking about dead cows,” Lorelai smirked, settling herself onto the stool as she watched him put her ticket on the order wheel then turn back to her, shoving the pad and pencil back into their habitual resting place. 

“Aren’t you worried that one day, that pencil might just go too far down there?” she asked, her brows rising up as her gaze fluttered between his face and the pencil. “I mean, that thing could be dangerous. It’s long and sharp… The pencil, that is.” She flashed him a mocking smile before bringing the steaming cup to her lips and taking a big sip of coffee. 

“Where I put my pencil is none of your business.” Luke cringed with regret as the words escaped his lips without the thought of repercussions.

“Dirty!” she exclaimed, her eyes narrowing before taking another drink from her mug. 

Luke shook his head. “That was too easy. And not at all flattering,” he muttered.

“Well, then you should start shoving larger objects down your pants. How about a spatula?” 

“Okay. No refills for you today.” 

“I went too far that time, didn’t I?” Lorelai questioned, biting down on her lower lip while Luke shot her an affirming grin. He grabbed the coffee pot from the burner, taking a spin around the diner offering refills to the few occupied tables. 

“Hey, Luke. So, this weekend it’s finally happening. Moving day. And I was wondering — ” 

“Cheeseburger and fries!” Caesar yelled, setting Lorelai’s order on the ledge behind Luke. 

“I’m right here, Caesar. You don’t have to scream it,” Luke rolled his eyes, then placed the plate in front of her. “You were wondering…”

“Have I told you recently how big and strong you are? And what a large and manly truck you have?” Lorelai rested her chin on her interlaced hands, batting her lashes at him in flirtatious jest. 

Luke rolled his eyes again.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you that someday, your eyes may get stuck like that?” 

“No, but she did teach me how to bake pies.” 

“Ah! So much more important! I mean, what woman would care if you look like Carl Reiner in The Jerk as long as you can bake delicious pies.”

“So, you need help moving?” 

“Yeah. It’s just a few large pieces of furniture that we’re taking from the potting shed. Julio from the inn said he could help, but he drives a Corolla.” 

“Sure. I can help. Will Saturday afternoon work?” 

“That would be great! You’re an angel! You’ve got wings, baby!” she smiled at him, then took a huge bite of her burger, the unpleasant, unsettling feelings from earlier in the day already fading into a distant memory. 

Luke

The “few” things that Lorelai mentioned needed moving was the understatement of the year. It took six trips back and forth with Luke’s truck, Lorelai’s Jeep, and Julio’s borrowed SUV to get all of the Gilmores’ belongings to the house on Maple. Fortunately, they were able to get some extra help from Nick, another waiter at the Independence Inn, as well as Lane and Kirk, who miraculously only broke one lamp during the move. 

They all worked hard and Lorelai insisted on rewarding them with pizzas and beer as the sun set on the long day. But Luke and Lane were the only ones who stayed. Julio and Nick both had shifts at the inn and Kirk had something to do with his mother that no one had any desire to inquire about further. 

As Lorelai served up third slices of pizza to the girls, Luke wandered outside with his beer, watching as the last sliver of pink sky faded into darkness over the tall trees surrounding the Gilmores’ new home. 

He leaned forward onto the porch rail, noticing that it gave a little under his weight. After placing his empty beer bottle on the wooden slats behind him, he proceeded with a full inspection of the rails, from one end of the porch to the other, detecting several areas requiring work to make it safe for Lorelai and Rory. 

“Hey,” Lorelai called out as Luke made mental notes of how many pieces of lumber he would need to make the necessary repairs. “I brought you another beer. The girls are working on setting up Rory’s new room.”

Lorelai strolled over to Luke, handed him a beer, then took a long draw from the bottle she had kept for herself. “I can’t thank you enough, Luke,” she said earnestly, her eyes meeting his eyes briefly before he cowardly looked away and back to the wobbly porch rail. 

“You’re welcome. Thanks for the beer.” He nodded, then took a sip from the cold bottle in his hand. “This porch rail needs some work. I’m surprised the home inspector didn’t tell you.” 

“He did. But it was excluded from the contract when we went to settlement, so I have to get it fixed on my own. I just can’t afford it at the moment.”

“It’s not safe. Rory could hurt herself if she leans up against it. Or you could.” He glanced back at her, noticing how beautiful her eyes looked even in the darkness of the moonless night. “I can do it. Fix it, I mean. I’m pretty handy with a hammer and nails and it wouldn’t take too long.”

“Luke, that’s really sweet of you, but I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering. And it’s no big deal. Really. You can pay me back in beer.” 

“You really are an angel. And here I was thinking you didn’t like me,” she said, her coy expression causing Luke’s heart to momentarily flutter out of rhythm.  

“Rory I like. I’m not sure about you, just yet,” he smiled at her, taking another swig of his beer. “The house is great, by the way. You made a good choice.” 

“Thanks. I’m happy. And Rory seems happy, too. I was worried, you know. The inn has been her only home. It’s been my only home, really.”

“What about the house you grew up in?” 

Lorelai backed up a few steps, sitting down in the porch swing while it rocked slowly back and forth as she settled into the cushion. “That house never really felt like a home. I was never comfortable there. Like I didn’t belong, even when I was little.” Lorelai placed her beer on the small table next to the swing, then patted the cushion next to her, inviting Luke to sit down. 

Luke accepted her invitation, their bodies closer than ever before, causing him to briefly lose focus. He could feel the heat emanating from her, warming him. He clutched his cold beer closely, to him, trying to cool down. Luke cleared his throat. “That’s why you left? After you had Rory?” 

“That’s the gist of it. I just couldn’t raise her there. Under their roof. Obeying their rules. I couldn’t do that to Rory. I didn’t want them to make her feel the way I did. Never good enough. Always scrutinized. Criticized. Judged.”

Luke thought about what Lorelai must have gone through. A kid herself at the time. Starting a new life with a baby, with nothing except for what could be packed into one suitcase and more courage and determination than anyone he’s ever known. He had once thought that Rachel was brave —  with all of her thrill-seeking activities and exotic adventures. But really, she was weak. Selfish. Leaving him when his father was sick and dying because it was easier than staying. And again, most recently, after he asked her to marry him. Not even saying goodbye other than the note left by their bed. All the while, claiming to love him. Running away for Rachel was playing it safe. Lorelai ran away for one reason — for pure, selfless love. 

“You must have been scared.”

“Honestly, I was but not as much as I should have been. I was very determined. Foolishly so. But I had no other choice.”

He turned towards her, their eyes meeting as he spoke, his voice soft, “You really are incredible.” 

A shy smile crossed her lips as their gaze remained locked, the air between them thick, preventing him from moving any closer to her. Even though he wanted to. Even as she wet her lips in anticipation of accepting his lips on hers. Even though her eyes, which didn’t waver from his, beckoned him to close the distance between them. He wanted to kiss her. She wanted to be kissed. 

Luke drew a deep breath into his lungs, attempting to capture the dense air that kept him from reaching her, but it was already too late.

“Mommy,” Rory called from the doorway, startling them both from their previous trance-like state. “Can Lane sleep over? Pleeeease.” 

Lorelai jumped up, moving towards the door as Luke took a long swig of his beer, his heart beating hard against his ribs. 

“Not tonight, sweets. Maybe next weekend when we’re more settled. Okay?” Lorelai spoke to Rory through the open door, Luke hearing a slight tremble in her voice. “Plus, Mrs. Kim is going to be here to pick Lane up in about…” Lorelai glanced at her watch, “... thirty minutes.”

“Okay,” Rory sighed disappointedly as she returned to her room and to Lane.

Luke rose from the swing, the squeaking sound it made capturing Lorelai’s attention as she moved towards him. “I guess I better get going,” he said sheepishly, his head hanging low as he awkwardly stared at his shoes. 

“Oh, so soon? You haven’t even finished your beer,” Lorelai implored, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Come on. Stay a little longer. Besides, Mrs. Kim kinda scares me. Can you stay at least until she and Lane leave? Pleeeease,” she drew the word out as Rory did, her hands together in prayer as she smiled widely in jest. 

“Sure,” Luke snorted a laugh. “She scares me a little, too.” 

“Yes!” Lorelai raised her arms in the air triumphantly, then walked back over to the swing as they both sat down again. 

“So,...” Luke exhaled sharply as he nervously began to peel the label from the bottle of beer, still unable to look at her. “Uh, can I ask about Rory’s father?” 

“Well, you kinda just did.” 

“I don’t want to pry into your personal business.” 

“No, it’s fine. We’re friends, right?” she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty as he finally lifted his gaze from his beer bottle. “Right?” she repeated after what seemed like a long pause.

“Yeah. Friends,” he nodded, a hint of a smile crossing his lips as he tried to mask his disappointment, thinking he had misread her earlier signals indicating she was interested in something more than just friendship. That she wanted to be kissed as much as he wanted to kiss her.

Luke listened attentively as Lorelai spoke about Christopher. How they grew up together. Their young romance. His immaturity. The marriage proposal she turned down. The way her parents were always pushing them together and how his parents blamed all of Chris’s failures on her. There was very little emotion in her voice as she recounted the events leading up to his current relationship with both herself and Rory. “I’ve always had the door to Rory open for him. He just hardly ever uses it.” 

“He sounds like an asshole.”

“Chris is not a bad guy. He just wasn’t ready to be a father. Or a husband. He still isn’t.”

“And you? Has your door remained open for him?” Luke swallowed hard as he waited impatiently for her response.

“Wow. That’s…” Lorelai exhaled sharply. 

“Sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“It’s… I don’t know. There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to my feelings for Chris. But, I guess I’ve always held out hope that he would eventually get his shit together. Be a man. If not for me, at least for Rory. Anyway, what about you?”

“What about me?”

“I’ve told you my story. It’s only fair that you reciprocate.” A long silence filled the air as Luke got up from the swing, his back to her as he looked up at the stars twinkling in the black sky overhead. 

“I guess you’ve heard. Of course you have. Nothing in this town stays private.” 

“You don’t have to talk about her. Really, Luke. Now it’s my turn to apologize for being nosy.” 

“It’s fine. There’s just not much to say. We were together. Then she left. Then she came back. I proposed. She turned me down and left again. End of story.” Luke’s hand swiped through the cool air, spraying the contents of his beer bottle all over Lorelai’s porch. 

“Oh, shit!” 

“That’s okay. You’ve just christened my house,” Lorelai chuckled, then stood, walking up behind him, gently resting her hand on his broad shoulder. Luke could feel her warm breath on the back of his neck as she let out a soft sigh. “I’m really sorry, Luke. You deserve better.”

Luke’s lids fluttered shut — feeling a surge of heat run down his shoulder and into the southern hemisphere of his body, reacting to her touch. His mind a world away from Rachel and focused on the woman standing directly behind him. 

“Eh, I’m fine. I guess it wasn’t in the stars for us.” Luke gazed back up at the star-filled sky as he felt her hand slip from its perched position.

“I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?”

“I don’t know what I believe.”

“Do you think she’ll come back? Do you want her to come back?” 

“I don’t know,” he answered. And for the first time since Rachel left, it was actually the truth. 

“The two of us are really messed up when it comes to our love lives.”

“That, we are,” Luke concurred mournfully. 

“Hey, Luke?” He turned to her, the sound of Mrs. Kim’s car coming up the driveway signaling the end of a night filled with partial confessions, half-truths, mixed messages and sobering realizations. “I’m really glad we’re friends. And it’s not just because of your amazing coffee-making and self-proclaimed carpentry skills. You’re a really nice guy. I feel comfortable with you. Like we’ve known each other for years. Is that weird?” Lorelai asked, her voice soft, atypically demure. 

Luke knew what it meant when a woman called a man “nice.” It meant he’d been friend-zoned. It was probably for the best. The pain Rachel inflicted was still fresh in his heart. He couldn’t risk that again. Not now. Not with her. Especially knowing that Lorelai still had hopes for a future with Rory’s father. So, friends, it is. They’ll be good friends. 

“No, it’s not weird. I feel the same way,” he smiled, accepting the concept of having a platonic female friend who he absolutely wanted to fuck. 

“Good.” 

“Good.” 

“Now, be a good friend and ask Mrs. Kim if Lane can sleep over next weekend.”

“Why do I have the feeling that this friendship of ours is going to be a lot of work for me?” 

“Because you are super perceptive and I’m not only adoooorable , but very persuasive,” Lorelai proclaimed happily. 

“And don’t forget cocky and immature.” 

Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him as he laughed, then spun him around to face Mrs. Kim, using him as a shield to protect her from the small, scowling woman marching towards them. 

“Definitely a lot of work,” Luke reiterated. 

“I promise. I’ll be worth it.”

Chapter Text

Lorelai 

“How’s it going?” Lorelai shouted over the clanging of hammering, hugging herself to stay warm in the chilly, early December afternoon. 

Luke stopped what he was doing and looked up at Lorelai, who was nervously hovering over him.

“It would be going much faster if you stopped asking me how it was going every ten minutes,” Luke grumbled, lining up another nail on one of the new, unpainted wood beams sparsely scattered throughout the Gilmores’ porch.

He pounded in the nail, then dropped the hammer back into his toolbox, sighing with resignation. “Okay. I think that should do it for the day. I’ve got three more that I want to get done, but it’ll have to wait until next weekend — I’m starting to lose the light and my fingers are going numb.” Luke rubbed his hands together as his body slumped over the newly secured wood. 

“Have you considered wearing gloves that actually cover your fingers? Or how about a nice pair of warm mittens?” Lorelai asked, noticing the worn, fingerless gloves that were a staple of  Luke’s cold weather attire. 

“My gloves are fine. And how would I hold my tool with mittens on?” 

Lorelai started to giggle. 

“Dirty, I know.” Luke shook his head. 

“Hey, how about a cup of hot tea? It’ll warm your fingers. Make ‘em all toasty and hopefully turn them back to a color that doesn’t match your eyes.”

“Sure. Tea sounds good.” 

Luke grunted as he straightened himself up, then followed Lorelai through the house and into the kitchen. She filled the kettle with water then put it on the lit stovetop as the last of the late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the sheer curtains covering her back door. 

“Sit. Relax,” Lorelai insisted, looking through her cabinets until she found the one box of tea she saved for emergency use when she or Rory was sick with a cold. 

“So, I was thinking...,” Lorelai started as she plunked the tea bag into the empty mug on the counter. “...it’s Saturday night and if you weren’t planning on going back to the diner, how about staying here and joining us for movie night? It’ll be fun! I can order pizza or Chinese. I’ve already rented Casablanca. Rory’s never seen it,” she relayed enthusiastically as she turned to face him, leaning her back against the tiled edge of the countertop. 

“I’ve never seen it either,” Luke admitted impassively as he tapped his bluish fingers on the kitchen table. 

Lorelai froze, stunned by Luke’s disclosure. “What?! How is that possible?” 

“I’m not into movies like you guys.” Luke leaned back in his chair, his gaze unfocused as Lorelai moved purposefully into his line of sight.    

“But we’re talking about Casablanca! Uh, we’ve got so much work to do here,” Lorelai declared, a bright smile lighting up her face. “Okay, then I’m going to insist that you stay and watch with us. Come on, Luke. You can’t go another day in this world without having seen one of the best movies ever made.”

“Well, okay. Why not,” he shrugged. “I don’t have anything better to do.”

Lorelai crossed her hands over her heart and smirked. “Oh, I love when men say that to me.” 

“You sure Rory wouldn’t mind me hanging out with you guys? I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your mother-daughter movie night plans.” 

“Stay, Luke!” Rory’s small voice came from the closed door of her room. “That way Mom will behave herself and maybe even share the Red Vines instead of hogging them up like she normally does.”

Lorelai’s nose wrinkled. “I do no t hog the Red Vines. And anyway, you always eat most of the popcorn.” 

Rory emerged from her room holding a copy of Little Women, her free hand adamantly propped on her hip. “That’s because you always scarf down all of the good Pop-Tarts!” 

The kettle whistled loudly, interrupting the girls’ argument as Rory went back into her room, closing the door behind her with a thud. 

“Jeez. You squeeze a kid out of you and that’s the thanks you get? So ungrateful,” Lorelai grinned ruefully as she took the kettle off of the burner.

“Spare me the gruesome details, please.”

Lorelai poured the steaming water into the mug and placed it in front of Luke. “Honey?” she asked as she bobbed the tea bag up and down before fishing it out by its string. 

“No thanks. I can feel my teeth rotting out of my head from just listening to you guys talk about all of the sugar you consume in one night.”

“Seriously. It’s a good thing Mia added dental insurance to our company plan.” 

Lorelai watched as Luke wrapped his hands around the warm mug and sipped the hot tea, noticing for the first time a small patch of longer hair growth right underneath his lower lip. She wondered if he’d just missed that spot when he last shaved or if it was left there on purpose. She held back the temptation to touch it. So curious to know if it would be rough or soft against her fingers; her lips. If it would taste like the chamomile tea he was drinking. 

“What?” Luke asked, puzzled, as he put down his mug. “You’re staring at me. Do I have something on my face?” He swiped at his chin futilely, in an attempt to remove whatever had caught Lorelai’s eye. 

“Uh, vain party of one. I wasn’t staring. I was just, uh, thinking about… dinner.” 

Crap. Busted.  

“Yeah, right,” Luke smirked, then lifted the mug back up to his lips, taking two more sips. 

The chair squeaked as Luke stood up and held his hands out in front of her. “No more blue.”

 “Are you leaving?” she asked, concern creasing her brows together.

“How about this — I’ll go back to the diner, clean myself up, and bring over dinner? You guys want burgers?” 

“Yes!” Rory shouted her answer through the closed door once again. “With extra cheese and fries!”

Lorelai blew out a sharp breath in relief. “I guess we’re eating burgers.” 

“I’ll be back in an hour,” Luke said, giving her a quick nod and a wink before heading out the back door. 

“I’ll be in my room,” Lorelai shouted to Rory as soon as the door closed behind Luke, then climbed the stairs towards her bedroom. She quickly showered, added some fresh makeup, then tore through her closet in search of the perfect movie night outfit. Something that said cute and casual, with just a hint of sexiness. 

Lorelai picked out a pale blue fitted sweater and her favorite pair of dark jeans. She looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror, turning her body to try to make out her backside. She smiled approvingly at her image. 

“What am I doing?” she sighed resignedly. “This is Luke. It’s not a date. It’s just Luke.” 

Lorelai plopped down on the edge of her bed, then flung herself backward, her eyes squinting as she stared up at the brightly lit ceiling fixture. 

They had been spending so much time together these last few weeks — it almost felt like there was something more between them. Lorelai had been stopping by the diner twice a day for coffee and Luke was over a couple times a week doing little projects for them around the house. It felt good having him in her life. In their lives. Oddly enough, the surly diner owner fit in well with the cheerful Gilmore girls. 

She was happy. Confused. And incredibly horny. 

Lorelai’s lids fell shut as she thought back to the first night in her house. That moment. When everything could have been different. If Rory hadn't interrupted them, Luke would have kissed her. And she would have kissed him back. 

It wasn’t the first time she reflected on that particular turning point, yet she always came to the same practical conclusion. That it was for the best— just being friends. Even though she fantasized about his lips on her lips. His big hands touching her body. His strong arms holding her close. 

Lorelai glanced over at her alarm clock, realizing she still had a good thirty minutes before Luke would be there with the food — plenty of time to get what needed to be done out of the way. She needed a release. All of this pent-up sexual frustration was clouding her judgment, causing her to lust after her friend; threatening to get in the way of the perfectly PG-rated evening she had planned. 

She tiptoed to the door of her bedroom, quietly locking it. Then she laid back on her bed, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans, her hand slipping down under the elastic band of her plain white cotton panties. 

Her eyes fluttered shut as she began to slowly stroke herself, mentally conjuring up that hot Dr. Ross guy on ER, his head between her spread legs. As her pace and pressure gradually increased, she panted quietly, working herself into a state of frustrated arousal with practiced fingers. Faster and faster, closer and closer, she futilely chased after the elusive release. Her mind’s eye gazed down between her legs, but instead of seeing the thick dark hair of the sexy TV pediatrician, she saw a backward olive baseball hat. Instead of brown eyes looking up at her, she saw dark blue eyes fringed with long, thick lashes. Instead of smooth skin against her trembling thighs, she felt the coarse stubble of an unshaven face with that soft tuft of hair rubbing her in precisely the right spot. 

A soft, constrained moan escaped her lips as she peaked, sending wave after wave of indescribable pleasure throughout her trembling body.

“Mommy!” she heard Rory’s voice shouting from the bottom of the stairs. “Luke’s here!”

“Oh, shit!” Lorelai sprang up from the bed then immediately sat back down again, feeling a little lightheaded from the lack of oxygen-providing blood in her brain.  

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

“Mom?!” Rory called again. 

She tried to calm herself, afraid her voice would betray the lie she was about to tell. “I’m coming!” she yelled back, which was technically only a lie by about a minute. “I’m just looking for my… eyeglasses,” she improvised quickly, wincing as the words escaped her mouth. 

Calm. I need to be calm. Deep breaths, Gilmore. Breathe. 

Lorelai got up, buttoned and zipped, adjusted her sweater, and smoothed down her hair. She grabbed her glasses from her nightstand, then slowly opened the door to her bedroom, casually trotting down the stairs to the audience waiting on the landing.

“I thought you only needed your glasses for reading?” Rory asked suspiciously. 

“Yeah, well, I thought I’d have them down here just in case I needed to read the box for the movie. Those words are so small, you know,” Lorelai said, her voice coming out in small puffs, still a little breathless from her recent physical activity.

“Are you okay?” Luke asked, his face scrunched with concern. “You’re all flushed.” 

Lorelai’s hands went to her cheeks, feeling their warmth, his keen observation reddening them further. 

“Oh, am I? It must be from running down the stairs just now.” 

Lorelai moved past the two sets of inquisitive eyes and into the kitchen. “Shall we eat in here? I’ll get the plates.” 

——————————

Dinner was nice. Really nice. Rory talked about school and her favorite teacher and the latest books she’d been reading. Lorelai filled them both in on the new annoying French guy, Michel, who was recently hired at the inn. Luke mainly just listened, asking the rare question when it seemed a small detail of a story was left out. 

After the dishes were washed, they situated themselves on the couch, Rory between the two adults. Luke’s eyes grew wide in disbelief as he surveyed the coffee table covered with copious amounts of unhealthy snacks and drinks.

“How are you both not three hundred pounds?” Luke asked, cringing at the mere sight of the feast they were about to consume. 

“Must be all of the coffee I drink,” Lorelai grinned, taking a Red Vine from the table and shoving it eagerly into her mouth. “So, before we start the movie, we have to go over the rules,” she proclaimed through stuffed cheeks.

“There are rules?” Luke grumbled, turning to Rory for confirmation.

Lorelai sighed, “Yes, there are rules. We are civilized humans, after all, and this is a sacred Gilmore ritual in which you’ve been allowed to partake.” 

“First, we have to get all of our wiggles out,” Rory deadpanned before breaking into a fit of giggles as both she and Lorelai bounced up and down on the couch, shaking their arms and heads about like ragdolls. “Come on, Luke. Wiggle.” 

Luke stared at them both, frozen in place. “Can we just start the movie?” 

“Not until you wiggle. Come on, Luke. You can do it! Wiggle, Luke. Wiggle!” Lorelai laughed, still gyrating crazily. 

“Jeez,” Luke rolled his eyes, then gently bounced twice in submission. 

“Lame, but we’ll accept it since you’re a newbie. Next rule, no talking. No exceptions during a true classic. And minimize distraction — no going to the bathroom. If you go, you miss the movie 'cause we're not pausing the movie. That's the only way to get the flow of the thing, okay?”

“Fair enough.”

“Okay. Here we go!” Lorelai clapped excitedly, then pressed the play button on the remote.

The movie was just as good as Lorelai remembered. She was able to maintain her focus on the screen, mostly —  the only distraction being the handsome man on the other end of the sofa. The one who had unknowingly provided her an amazing orgasm only hours prior. She glanced over at him as he clutched his beer, appearing to be completely engrossed by the film. 

As the closing credits played across the screen, Lorelai smiled contentedly. “Well?” she glanced over at Luke, not noticing the sleeping child snuggled between them. 

“Shhh,” Luke whispered, motioning with his head at the sweet little girl breathing softly, steadily, her head gently resting on Luke’s arm. 

“Oh, Rory,” Lorelai sighed, taking in the sight of her daughter curled up against this incredible man who had so swiftly, so lovingly, captured the hearts of both mother and daughter. Becoming someone they relied on, counted on — someone who neither of them could live without. 

Luke, on the other hand, looked terrified. Frozen. Signaling wordlessly to Lorelai his uncertainty as to how to proceed.

Lorelai smiled reassuringly. “Once she’s out, there’s no waking her,” she whispered as she switched off the television and VCR with the universal remote on her lap. 

Luke exhaled in relief, seemingly having held in that same breath since he noticed Rory was asleep as the movie played out its final scene. “Should I carry her to her room?” 

“If you wouldn’t mind. It’s a good thing I had her change into PJs before the movie started.”

Luke easily scooped up the passed-out child, carrying her like a baby in his arms before gently placing her down on her bed. Lorelai watched as he pulled the blanket over her small body, then affectionately moved a strand of hair off of her face, smoothing it down against her pillow. 

“You’ve got one amazing kid,” he spoke softly, glancing over at Lorelai who stood astonished in Rory’s doorway. 

“I do, don’t I,” Lorelai beamed with pride. She walked over to the bed, placing a soft kiss on Rory’s forehead before taking Luke’s hand and leading him out of the room, switching off the light and closing the door behind them. 

“Another beer?” she asked, reluctantly releasing her hand from his.

“Sure.”

Lorelai grabbed two beers from the refrigerator, handing one to Luke, then led him back to the couch. 

“So, what did you think about the movie?” she asked as she sank into the soft cushions of the worn-out couch.

“It was good.”

“Just good?” 

“The ending kinda sucked. How could she get on that plane?” Luke puzzled, his voice low and taut. 

“She was being practical. Women are very practical.”

“Or maybe she just didn’t love him.” 

Lorelai’s face sagged as she reached out and gently touched the top of his right hand, which had been resting on the back of the couch. “Oh, Luke. Sometimes love isn’t enough. It doesn’t mean she didn’t love you.”

“Me?” Luke swiftly extracted his hand from hers, transferring his beer from his left to right hand.

“You’re thinking about Rachel, aren’t you?” Lorelai questioned.

“This isn’t about Rachel.”

“It’s not?”

“Well, maybe it is,” he conceded.

“You still miss her, don’t you?” Lorelai asked, her voice soft, overflowing with compassion. 

Luke exhaled sharply, “We don’t need to talk about this.”

“Maybe you should get out there. Start dating again.”

“You think I should date?” Luke’s brow furrowed, his voice tinged with the slightest bit of hope.

Lorelai leaned back against the arm of the couch, choosing her words carefully so Luke wouldn’t mistake her intentions. “You know, Rachel isn’t the only woman in the world for you. I’m sure you’ll find someone, someday, probably at a Timberland store.”

“It’s too soon,” Luke grumbled, taking a swig from his beer before setting it down on the one clear spot on the coffee table not littered with the remnants of the girls’ movie night snacks. 

“It’s been almost six months.”

“Why are you pushing me to date?” Luke asked, confusion and anguish coloring his voice as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 

Lorelai sat there, staring into his hurt eyes, wondering if Rachel was still the reason for his pain or was it something or someone else. 

She inhaled deeply, her mind and heart in agreement. She couldn’t be that person for him. The rebound. The transition person before he’d find true love again. It was too much of a risk. His friendship meant too much to her. 

“I… I just want you to be happy,” Lorelai stated simply; truthfully. 

“I’m happy enough for now.”

“Well, there’s got to be someone out there for you. And even if you don’t find true love right away, a good-looking guy like yourself shouldn’t be wasting his prime years hanging out with his single mom friend and her kid on a Saturday night.”

“Hey. You invited me, remember?” Luke questioned her angrily as he stood up from the couch and headed towards the front door. 

Lorelai followed him over to the coat rack, slowly slipping the olive jacket out of his hands and putting it back onto the metal hook. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. You know Rory and I love spending time with you. Please, come back. Sit. Drink your beer.”

Luke’s eyes bore into hers as the seconds ticked by, a deafening silence filling the room.

“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me. I’m not some pathetic loser who can’t get a date. I just don’t like dating. Never did,” Luke countered, standing his ground in the dimly lit foyer.  

“I don’t think that! But dating is the only way out of this singleness thing. Hey, maybe I could set you up.”

“Are you even listening to me?” Luke’s face reddened as he threw his arms up in frustration. 

“Yes,” she answered willfully. 

“You’re not going to leave me alone about this, are you? And if dating is so important in the pursuit of happiness, then why don’t you date?” he asked smugly. 

Lorelai’s eyes widened, not liking how Luke had turned the tables on her. 

“I date,” she huffed, taking a couple of steps back, away from him.

Luke stepped forward, making up the distance between them that was lost. “You’re dating someone?” Luke asked, a glimmer of fear sweeping across his face.

“Well, not at the moment.” 

“When was your last date?” Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest, his brows rising up. 

“A few, uh, years ago,” she admitted, then quickly added, “But I have Rory.”

“You’re blaming Rory? You can’t get someone to babysit?”

“It’s more complicated than that,” Lorelai answered defensively while tucking a wayward strand of hair from over her eye behind her pink ear.

“So, what’s the reason?”

“I… I just don’t want Rory to get hurt.”

“Rory? Why? How would Rory get hurt?” Luke asked incredulously.

“Because if she gets attached to a guy I’m dating and then we break up — I just think a girl who’s been practically abandoned by her father... ” Lorelai’s voice trailed off, unable to find the words to complete her thought. 

“That’s ridiculous. You’re just scared to put yourself out there and you’re using Rory as an excuse.”

"Not true!” Lorelai scoffed, her hands flying to her hips.

“Fine. Then how about I fix you up with someone.” Luke leaned closer to her, his voice gruff, almost threatening, filled with provocation.

“You want to fix me up?” she sneered, her face flushing red in anger.

“Hey, you started this. What? Not such a great idea after all, is it?” Luke shot back, his eyes glaring coldly into hers. 

“It’s… It’s…,” Lorelai stammered, unable to back down now that the gauntlet was thrown. “You have someone in mind?” 

“Yes,” Luke stated confidently.   

“Really? Who?” Lorelai challenged, her eyes narrowing in disbelief, attempting to call his bluff. 

“A friend of mine. He’s new in town and I think you’d like him.”

“ You have friends?” Lorelai quipped, cocking her head. 

“Yes, I have friends,” he answered through clenched teeth. 

“So… fine!” she hissed, throwing her hands wildly into the air. 

“Which friend of yours will I be taking out? Miss Patty? Babette is already taken, so that rules her out. Sookie? Maybe Mrs. Slutsky is free next weekend. I’ll take her to Bingo Night at the church.”

“Sookie! She did say you have a nice butt. And…and you both cook for a living. So there! Ha!” she snickered, then poked him hard in the chest.

“You guys were talking about my butt?” Luke questioned, his brow furrowing as he rubbed the spot where her finger had dug into his tight pec. 

“Well,... yes. Is it a deal?! You’ll go out with Sookie and I’ll go out with — ”

“Jackson.”

“How about we make it a double date? That’ll be fun!” Luke shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“Fine! Next weekend. Set it up!” she shouted back with escalation. 

“I will! Gee, I better get on home and start planning my outfit for our big night out. Thanks for the movie!” Luke grabbed his coat off of the hook, throwing it on haphazardly. 

“Thanks for dinner! And the porch fixing thing you did!” she barked as she yanked the door open for him. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the diner for breakfast!” He turned and walked out, waving his hand angrily in the cold night air. 

“Damn right!” Lorelai slammed the door behind him and spun around, sinking down to the floor. 

She exhaled sharply as she pulled her knees up to her chest. “What have I done?” she asked herself, tears of anger and self-loathing threatening to escape her eyes as she cradled her head in her shaky hands. “What the hell have I done?” 

Luke

“What have I done?” Luke growled as he sat in his truck, banging his head against the steering wheel in disgust. “What the hell have I done?”

He started the engine and drove off, his mind racing. The night had started off so well. Dinner was good. Great, actually. He loved hearing Rory’s stories about school and the books she was reading. And Lorelai. God, she looked incredible. The way her face was glowing when she first came down the stairs — almost as if…

Luke forced himself to shake off the thought. 

He pulled his truck into its usual parking space in back of the diner and cut off the motor. As he listened to the clicking sounds of the tired old engine, a small smile began to creep onto his previously somber face.

Lorelai and Jackson. Sookie and me.

Luke started to laugh. The absurdity of the pairings was too much for his over-stimulated mind to process. The more he thought about it, the more he was looking forward to the inevitable disaster of this double date. 

As for Lorelai, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about her setting him up with anyone ever again. 

As for Jackson, so what if he really wasn’t friends with him — he’d figure something out.  

———————

Lorelai

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Sookie fretted while they walked towards the Italian restaurant in Woodbridge as Luke had pre-arranged. 

“Have I told you how much I love you recently?”

“Yes. But that’s not helping at the moment. You’re gonna owe me big time.”

“Just don’t think of it as a date. Think of it as just four friends hanging out, eating a nice meal, and feeling incredibly awkward. It’ll be a hoot,” Lorelai cackled, her arm snaking around Sookie’s as they came to a halt in front of the restaurant.

“Oh, I’m definitely not thinking of this as a date. I’m the one who warned you about Luke not being over his ex. And Luke doesn’t even like me. He caught me behind the counter once at the diner — I was, uh, adding garnish to his customers’ food and for some reason, he kicked me out. I haven’t been back in months.”

Lorelai waved her hand dismissively. “Eh. Water under the bridge.”

“So explain to me again why we are doing this?” Sookie peered through the large picture window of Sabatino’s, then turned to face Lorelai. 

“Because. He dared me. Then I dared him back. So he double dared me. How could I say no to a double dare?” Lorelai pleaded her innocence. 

“You and Rory didn’t do one of those freaky Friday things and switch bodies, did you? Cause that would at least explain why you’re acting like a nine-year-old,” Sookie chided, her finger pointing to the sky conclusively. 

“Plus, Luke seems like he could use a little ego boost. You know, after Rachel.”

Sookie snorted, “ I’m definitely not the one who can boost Luke’s ego.”

“Well, then think of it this way. If the date goes well, maybe Luke will let you squeeze his butt.” 

“Hmm. Fair enough,” Sookie said, flashing a salacious smile. 

Luke 

“Don’t think of this as a date,” Luke said, trying to calm Jackson who was fidgeting in his chair, seated next to Luke at the four-top table. “You’re new in town, and this is a great way to get your foot in the door at the Independence Inn. I know for a fact that their chef isn’t happy with their current produce supplier.” 

Actually, Luke didn’t know this as a fact. But Lorelai had recently mentioned that her chef was pissed because their last shipment of tomatoes were rotten and he was unable to make his widely advertised, award-winning tomato bisque which was supposed to be on last weekend’s menu. Luke was confident that the slightly fudged information would be good enough to convince Jackson to go through with this sham of a double date. 

“So, this Lorelai, is she pretty?” 

“She’s very pretty.”

“Then why aren’t you dating her?” Jackson asked suspiciously. 

“We’re just friends. Plus, as I already mentioned, this really isn’t a date. Think of it as a business dinner. Look, it was just the only way I could think to get you to meet Lorelai and Sookie. And anyway, I think you are going to like Sookie.”

“And Sookie, your date — she’s the sous chef at the inn?”

“Yes.”

“So, you set me up with one woman, but you think I’ll prefer her friend, who is your date for the night? Am I getting this right?”

“Right.” Luke shifted in his seat, adjusting the collar of his blue button-down that was suddenly feeling too tight around his neck. “But remember, it’s not a real date. It’s a pretend date.” 

“And you’re paying?”

“Right.”

Jackson exhaled sharply. “Oookay. I’m beginning to feel like I moved to Port Charles instead of Stars Hollow. Do you have an evil twin lurking somewhere?” 

“Well, hello,” Lorelai said in a loud booming voice as she walked up to the table, Sookie nervously following behind her. 

Both men stood up swiftly — Luke suddenly feeling butterflies stir in this stomach at the sight of her — Jackson’s date, wearing a fitted black dress that fell just above her knees, high-heeled stilettos, her hair swept into a loose updo. He swallowed hard, remembering to repeat the mantra in his head.

It’s not a date. It’s not a date. It’s not a date.

“Uh,” Lorelai smiled at Luke, their eyes locking as the air in the room became noticeably thick with tension. “I’m Lorelai,” she smiled at Jackson, being the first to break from their steady gaze.  

Luke blinked rapidly, snapping himself out of his Lorelai-induced trance. “Oh, right. Sorry. Jackson, this is Lorelai.”

“I think we did that part already,” Lorelai chuckled. “And Luke, you know Sookie. And Sookie, this is Jackson.”

“Hi, Luke. Nice to meet you, Jackson,” Sookie flashed a big, dimpled grin at both men. 

They all sat, Lorelai across from Luke, with Jackson to her right and Sookie to her left. 

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Lorelai said to Luke. “Without the baseball hat and plaid. You look nice. Really nice.”

He met her gaze as his breath hitched, “You look nice, too…,” he smiled shyly, then remembered the woman sitting next to him. “And Sookie, you also look...uh,... nice.”

“Thanks,” Sookie muttered as she picked up her menu, covering her face entirely. 

The waiter came over, thankfully, interrupting the awkwardness that must have been felt by everyone within a hundred square feet of their table. 

“Would you like to start with some wine? Or cocktails?” the waiter asked in an Italian accent, Luke suspiciously noting the lack of an order pad and writing utensil.  

“Uh, how about a bottle of wine?” Luke suggested, grabbing the wine list from the center of the table. He stared at it fretfully, knowing full well he had no clue how to pick a good wine, only being a connoisseur of domestic beer. 

“Luke, why don’t you give that to me,” Sookie said, taking the menu from his hand, then proceeded to spend five minutes discussing the options with the patient waiter. 

A short time later, as they drank their wine, Luke tried to make small talk with Sookie, failing miserably, giving up after two minutes of chatting about the weather and the ambiance of the restaurant. 

Lorelai wasn’t fairing much better — studying her menu as if preparing for a test. 

“So, I think I’m going to get the steak,” Lorelai announced. “I wonder if I can substitute the meatballs for the salad as my appetizer.”

“You don’t like salad?” Jackson questioned.

“Nope, I’m pure carnivore. Any food that you have to pull from the ground or hangs from a tree won’t likely get past my lips.”

“So… you don’t eat vegetables? Or fruit?” Jackson looked at her with an air of shock and disgust. 

“Not if I can help it,” she mumbled, taking a sip of wine. “Not unless you count the fruit filling in a Pop-Tart.”

Luke cleared his throat, stifling the smile that was threatening to emerge. “So, Lorelai, Jackson is a farmer. He’s the new produce supplier for the diner.” 

Lorelai coughed, regurgitated wine getting caught in her throat. “Oh, sorry, Jackson. I… Luke didn’t tell me. Produce is great. Really,... colorful and…  healthy and... delicious when made into wine,” Lorelai improvised, then finished off her glass in two gulps.

Sookie’s eyes lit up; then she smiled sweetly at Jackson. “I was just reading in the Stars Hollow Gazette about a new greenhouse that’s being built. Supposedly, we’ll be able to get fresh fruits and vegetables all year round once it goes up.”

“That’s mine!” Jackson beamed at Sookie in amazement. 

“Shut up!” Sookie marveled, leaning forward on the table. 

“No, really. That’s my greenhouse. That idiot, Taylor Doose, who thinks he owns the town, gave me grief about it, saying I didn’t have the right permits. It took me an extra month of filling out paperwork and getting past his red tape to finally break ground.”

“That’s incredible! Isn’t that incredible, Lorelai?” Sookie said gleefully, never taking her eyes off Jackson. 

“Yeah. Incredible,” Lorelai faked a grin, then glared at Luke who happily refilled her empty glass with more wine. 

“I’m going to talk to Chef Louis tomorrow about you. And to Mia. We could really use a new produce supplier for our inn.”

The sparks were flying everywhere. A new relationship, born from the seedling which Luke had planted. It took root and grew like a weed in front of Luke and Lorelai’s eyes throughout the remainder of dinner.

Luke grinned triumphantly, relishing his success as they left the restaurant. 

“Hey, do you mind if I ask Sookie out? We really hit it off,” Jackson asked Luke, pulling him aside as they headed towards the parking lot. 

“Yeah, I noticed. Sure. But maybe wait until…”

Jackson sprinted over to the women, who were a few steps in front of them, almost knocking over Lorelai to get to Sookie.

“Do you wanna get dessert?” Jackson asked Sookie, his voice hopeful. 

“Sure. I’d love to. Lorelai, can you drive Luke home? Jackson and I are going out for dessert. He can drive me home,” Sookie said dreamily as they hooked arms. 

Sookie didn’t wait for an answer as she and Jackson strolled happily down the street, lost in their own world of burgeoning love. 

“Well, that went well,” Luke smiled widely, rubbing his hands together in satisfaction.  

“You planned this, right? You knew Jackson would hate me.”

“And you know Sookie has no interest in me. But I’m not one to back down from a dare. Especially a double dare.”

“There was no double dare,” Lorelai scoffed, her arms folding in front of her. 

Luke glared at her, his eyebrows raised as he titled his chin downward. 

“Fine, there was a dare. You’re much more devious than I thought, Luke Danes.” 

“So, you’re never going to set me up again, right?”

“Right. Here,” Lorelai sighed in resignation, her eyes narrowing as she handed Luke her keys. “You drive.”

“My pleasure.”

Chapter Text

Luke

“Coffee?” Luke asked as Lorelai slumped wearily onto the diner stool, dropping her handbag on the counter next to her. 

“Do you have to ask?”

“Everything okay? You don’t seem your chipper self,” Luke observed, mercifully pouring the strong brew into the green mug in front of her.

Lorelai exhaled sharply, “I heard from my mother last night— she’s expecting me and Rory to come for Christmas dinner.”

“And that’s not good?”

“Nothing good ever comes out of an evening spent with Emily and Richard Gilmore,” Lorelai sighed, then took a sip from her steaming mug. “They usually travel this time of year but my father had some kind of work emergency so they canceled their plans. So, it’ll be three hours of my mother criticizing every moment of my existence while my father says nothing. It’s all really putting a damper on my holiday spirit.” 

“So don’t go,” Luke stated simply. 

“Oh, Luke. The ramifications… you have no idea.”

“Yup. The holidays suck. Families suck,” Luke’s voice bitter as he placed the coffee pot back on the burner. 

“You’re not helping, by the way.” 

“Christmas isn’t about religion or family traditions anymore. It’s about three things: commercialism, consumerism, and materialism,” Luke growled, holding up a finger to go along with each point he made. 

“That’s a lot of isms.” 

“It’s about fighting crowds and spending hours waiting in line at the mall while people beat each other up over a television which has been mass-produced and will be even cheaper the day after Christmas,” Luke ranted, his sour mood evident.  

Lorelai smiled mockingly, “Gee, thanks, Ebenezer. That makes me feel so much better.”

“Sorry. Here, have a danish,” Luke grumbled as he plucked a danish from the cake platter, plated it, then slid it in front of her.  

“Now you’re talkin’.” Lorelai tore off a piece of the pastry and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm! Delicious! You should make every Wednesday ‘Danish Day’. Just a thought.”

Luke gave a derisive snort. “I’ll add it to my business plan.”  

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Why?” Luke asked flatly as he leaned up against the counter. 

“Ah, no reason,” Lorelai exhaled sharply, her brows raised. “Hey, maybe I’ll regret this, but... what are you doing on Christmas Eve?”

“I’ll probably just close up early — watch some TV.”

“What about your family?”

Luke lowered his head as he used his cleaning rag to scrub off the nonexistent dirt on the counter in front of Lorelai, trying to hide the disappointment, the loneliness that was apparent in his eyes. “Liz called the other night— she and Jess aren’t coming this year. Again.” 

He felt Lorelai’s empathetic eyes on him, even as he continued his feigned task. Luke dropped the rag on the counter and glanced up at her. “It’s no big deal. Honestly. I could do without Liz’s drama for another year.”

“Well, I have a great idea. Why don’t you come over to my house? We can watch Christmas movies — seems The Grinch or Scrooged would be appropriate — and you won’t even have to cook because Sookie is dropping off all sorts of incredible food. Turkey and stuffing and yams — and I’ll make sure she throws something green in there just for you. It’ll be great!” 

Luke glanced up into the endless, clear blueness of her eyes and shrugged. “You don’t have to invite me. It’s no big deal. I’m... just… not a lot of fun around the holidays,” he said, his voice soft, self-deprecating. 

“You? Not fun? I’m shocked,” Lorelai deadpanned teasingly.

Luke lowered his gaze, his mouth twisting into a wry smile. “Yeah, well, just so you know what you’re getting yourself into.” 

“Hey, I think maybe, you should take that hat off every once in a while — I can get you a crowbar to pry it off your head — then you can go crazy and, you know, let your hair down. Try to have fun. You can always go back to being grumpy the next day.”

Luke disregarded her customary banter and leaned forward, his hands pressing onto the countertop. “It’s just… since my dad died, and now that Rachel’s gone…,” he confessed with aberrant candor. 

Reaching out, she touched the top of his hand, gently resting it there. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Luke. I wasn’t thinking,” she said solemnly. “Look, I know Rory and I aren’t family, but it would mean a lot to us if you would come.” 

Her hand felt soft and warm against his rough skin. Luke held his breath, afraid even just the slightest movement would cause her to retreat and abruptly end the comforting contact. 

“Yeah?” he asked, seeking confirmation that her invitation wasn’t one based on pity or guilt. 

“Absolutely!” Lorelai’s bright eyes lit up, as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before breaking their connection. 

Luke smiled shyly, the feel of her touch still lingering on his hand. “Sure. Thanks. I’d like that.”

———————

It was late afternoon when a freshly showered and hatless Luke traipsed up the front lawn of Lorelai’s house, carrying enough decorative gift bags to give Santa a run for his money. A cold gust of wind swept through the air as the crisp fallen leaves took flight around him, clearing the path, seeming to beckon him on her behalf. Luke shivered unexpectedly. Not from the cold, but from something else altogether as he climbed the steps to her front door. 

The Waitress’s “Christmas Wrapping” drifted through the walls and windows of the house as Luke approached and knocked, his jaw clenched tightly as he waited in vain to be invited in. After what seemed like an endless minute, he tried the door, finding it unlocked. He opened it slowly, peeking his head in first, trying not to startle them as they danced joyfully around the living room, both of them wearing matching Santa hats and wide smiles. 

Luke cleared his throat as he entered the living room, attempting to announce his arrival. 

“Luke!” Rory screamed out excitedly, running over to him and giving him a big hug around his waist before going back to dancing. 

“Hi,” he shouted, trying to be heard over the music just as Lorelai lowered the volume on the boombox, causing his voice to come out too loudly, resulting in minor embarrassment. 

Lorelai came over to greet him. With her hands on her hips, she shook her head, “What did you do? You didn’t have to bring us anything.” 

“Yeah, well…” Luke shrugged and went over to the sparse but artfully decorated tree. Strings of white lights and garland strung with popcorn and cranberries were threaded scantily around the tree’s circumference while homemade ornaments, prominently displayed, hung from its thin limbs — most of them likely representing happy memories from the girls’ past.

Luke placed all but one of the gift bags underneath the tree with the rest of the presents. His eyes fell on one particular ornament— a picture frame made from painted popsicle sticks, containing a picture of Lorelai and a very young Rory, their arms wrapped tightly around one another, broad smiles on their faces. He brushed his hand up against the handcrafted frame as his lips curled up at their corners, his smile mirroring the ones in the picture. 

“Rory was four when that picture was taken. She made the frame in preschool. It was her Christmas present to me.” 

Luke turned to Lorelai, holding up the plain red bag that remained in his hand. “I brought wine. And pie.” 

“Oh, great! Can you bring that into the kitchen?” she asked, leading the way for him. He watched as she walked, her swaying hips bringing his attention to her tightly molded jeans that left nothing to his imagination in showing off her perfect ass.

“You just missed Sookie,” she said as she took the bag from him and placed it on the table, then handed him a piece of paper. “This is for you. Apparently, Sookie doesn’t trust me to reheat her food.” She rolled her eyes in mock protest. 

Luke chuckled as he looked over the detailed instructions with his name on the top in bold letters. 

“Wine?” she asked as she unpacked the bag, pulling out the pie, then one bottle of red and one of white. “White okay?”

“Ah, sure. Why not? The pie goes in the refrigerator, by the way. It’s chocolate mousse.”

“I knew I invited you for a reason,” she teased.

They sat in the living room, enjoying the wine, soft music, and lively conversations. The glow of white lights on the tree created a cozy and inviting atmosphere in the old house. Luke felt a rush of something vaguely familiar, mixing in with the pleasant buzz from the alcohol. It was on the tip of his brain yet eluded him — a lost memory hidden in the recesses of his mind. Whatever it was, he felt it most intensely every time he saw Lorelai smile. Or heard Rory laugh. It bubbled up from inside of him, this happiness, forcing him to bend to its will as he smiled and laughed along with them. 

Suddenly, it was clear. It was family. His family. Those distant memories of a Christmas long ago when there was a mother and father, a son and daughter, love and laughter. 

The phone rang bringing him back to the present, as Rory jumped up swiftly and answered it. 

“Dad!” she squealed into the phone.

Luke’s eyes darted over to Lorelai, watching her face light up with the same exuberance as her daughter’s, causing his heart to sink down to the pit of his empty stomach. 

“I’m gonna check on dinner.” He made the lame excuse, needing to escape as the reality set in that the woman and girl in the next room were only borrowed — already belonging to someone else. 

“Really? That’s great!” Rory said enthusiastically. “Mom, Dad is coming to Christmas dinner at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s!  He wants to talk to you.”

Luke busied himself in the kitchen, checking on the food as he quickly gulped down another glass of wine, hearing Lorelai as she climbed the stairs to her room while speaking indistinctly into the phone. 

Luke tried to put it out of his head — not wanting to ruin the evening. But Rory’s excitement about seeing her father didn’t allow it. Making it even worse, he felt like a total asshole for begrudging Rory’s happiness, even if he didn’t voice it aloud. So he put on a fake smile through dinner as he listened to stories about Christopher’s motorcycle and his adventures riding across the country. It was only during dessert, when Lorelai locked eyes with him then abruptly changed the subject, that he realized his acting skills weren’t as polished as he’d thought. Or was it that she knew him, better than he knew himself? Knew the secret buried so deep inside that not even he could admit to its existence. 

“Can we give Luke his presents now?” Rory asked, her eyes wide with excitement after the last of her pie was licked clean off her plate. 

“I thought you said no presents,” Luke looked at Lorelai, arching his brow, a lopsided grin forming on his lips. 

“You’re not the only one who broke the rules,” Lorelai smiled as she got up to put the last of the dishes into the sink. 

Rory bounced happily out of her seat pulling Luke by the hand as she led him to the living room and motioned for him to sit down on the couch. 

“Mine first!” Rory said enthusiastically, picking up the neatly wrapped box with a blue bow on the top, handing it to Luke. “I made it myself.”

Luke unwrapped the present carefully and opened the box, pulling out a red glazed ceramic mug which included an attached compartment and his name painted in bright yellow letters.

“This is…,” Luke eyed the mug in awe. “You made this?”

“See,” Rory pointed to the pocket on the side of the mug opposite the handle. “This is for your used teabag. And....” Rory grabbed a gift bag from under the tree and handed it to Luke. “Tea! Peppermint. Your favorite!” 

“This is perfect. Thanks.” Luke swallowed back the lump that had formed in his throat. 

“Mommy took me to a pottery place in Woodbridge. I molded the clay myself and added the glaze. Then they burned it in this huge kiln,” Rory recounted, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. 

Luke stood up from the couch then bent down to Rory’s level, weaving his arms awkwardly around her small waist and bringing her into his body. “Sorry. I’m not good at hugging,” he said remorsefully as he released her. 

“I thought it worked,” Rory smiled appreciatively, still beaming with pride. “Mom, give him your present!” 

Lorelai picked up a small gift bag from under the tree and handed it to Luke. “It’s nothing big. Don’t get too excited,” she said, downplaying her gift.

Luke pulled out the tissue paper that covered the gift, exposing the blue baseball cap. “This is great. Thanks,” he grinned, his eyes crinkling up at the corners as he lifted the hat from the bag, inspecting it intently. 

“I just thought, god forbid something happens to the one you usually wear, you might need a spare,” Lorelai rationalized thoughtfully. “Here. Let me.” She took the new hat from Luke’s hands, placing it on his head with the bill facing forward. “Does that look wrong,” she flinched, shaking her head in disapproval. 

Luke laughed as Lorelai pulled the hat off of his head and turned it to its customary backwards position. “There. Better.”

He smiled at her, fighting the urge to take her in his arms and show his appreciation in ways not appropriate per their current ‘friend’ status. He cleared his throat, “My turn.”

The stuffed unicorn and monogrammed towels evoked a quizzical expression and a feigned smile of exuberance from Rory, but the copy of The Hobbit elicited an honest reaction of elation. Rory’s eyes grew wide as her fingers glided over the smooth surface of the book jacket in admiration before she threw herself into Luke’s unsuspecting arms for a grateful and only slightly awkward hug. “Thank you! I was just talking to Mom about wanting to read this book!”

“Yeah?” Luke snorted a laugh as Rory sat next to him on the couch, the book clutched tightly in her small hands. He glanced up at Lorelai, who was standing by the tree watching them — her face filled with emotion. “I didn’t know that. I just remembered loving it when I was a kid. I was a bit older than you when I read it for the first time, but I think you can manage it now.”

“I can’t wait to start it!” Rory said, turning the pages gently to get to the first chapter. 

“Last one.” Luke rose and nervously handed Lorelai a small box with a pink bow adorning its top, unable to meet her eyes as she lifted the top off of the box.

“Oh, pretty,” Lorelai said, her voice soft, sincere, yet unsure as she held up the earring to examine it. She watched the small cluster of crystals that delicately hung from the silver hook catch the light, reflecting a rainbow of colors as it swayed slowly in midair.  

Luke could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, coloring them undetectably underneath his two-day-old stubble, suddenly realizing his gift may have conveyed the wrong message. Or the right message, but not the one Luke was ready or wanting to reveal. “Liz, my sister, made them,” he said with a slight tremor in his voice, his fidgety hands finding a stable home in the front pockets of his jeans. “Sorry, I kinda suck at buying presents. I didn’t know what to get you.”

“They’re beautiful, Luke. Thank you. And thank Liz for me,” Lorelai smiled shyly, placing the earring back into the box with its identical twin. 

“Uh, how about some coffee?” Luke said, his head tilted down, still afraid she’d see the truth in his eyes. “I can make more if you want.”

“Sure. Coffee’s good,” Lorelai nodded as Luke quickly pivoted, making his escape from the awkwardness that filled the living room and into the kitchen. 

The rest of the night went as planned. Mostly. The girls decided to go with the traditional Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. But this time, it was Luke who drifted off to sleep halfway through the movie. 

He felt a gentle nudge on his shoulder and heard a soft voice whispering his name. His lids fluttered open, blinking to try to clear the image of the beautiful, smiling face and the pair of striking blue eyes, the color of a summer sky, that danced in front of him. As conscious thought sunk in and he realized that Lorelai’s presence was no dream, he jumped up, banging his knee on the coffee table as the bowl with popcorn kernels spilled over, scattering its contents all over the table and floor. 

“Shit!” Luke yelped, grabbing his knee as his teeth clenched, trying to control the urge to yell out some more explicit curse words in the wake of the throbbing pain that rushed through his leg.

“Jeez, Luke, are you okay? Do you need some ice?” 

“No, thanks. I’m fine,” he winced. “Sorry I fell asleep.”

“You’re just lucky Rory and I like popcorn so much — we considered decorating your hair with it but decided we’d rather eat it,” Lorelai chuckled as she knelt on the floor, picking up the kernels and putting them back into the bowl. 

“Is Rory asleep?” Luke asked, rubbing his sore knee.

“Yeah. She wanted to make sure I thanked you again for the gifts and wished you a Merry Christmas — from her.”

“Oh, sure. Tell her I said the same back. Uh, do you need help cleaning up?”

“Nah, I did most of it already.” Lorelai stood, wiping her hands on her jeans to dust off the popcorn crumbs.

“I guess I better get going.”

“Wait, Luke. I… I need to ask you something.”

“Okay,” he swallowed hard, fearful of the words that would follow. 

“Well, I kinda owe Sookie a favor, because of the fake double date thing — even though we both did her a favor by introducing her to Jackson. But, anyway, she really wants to go to Miss Patty’s New Year’s Eve party. With Jackson. But Jackson doesn’t want to go because he won’t know anyone. So Sookie told him you’d be there… with me. Not a date, date. I mean, you and me — we’d go as friends. But we’d meet them there and hang out,” Lorelai rambled nervously.

“Oh. Uh… yeah. I’m not really into parties.”

“Well, hear me out. I was hoping, maybe, just for one night, you can put aside your anti-social ways. There’ll be food and booze and dancing. And, you’d also be doing me a favor. I’ve actually never gone out on New Year’s Eve and Mrs. Kim has already agreed to have Rory spend the night. And since I’m not seeing anyone and you’re not seeing anyone, why not?”

“I don’t know,” Luke said as he stroked the rough stubble on his chin. 

“Come on, Luke. Pleeeease. We can get drunk and mock everyone there. It’ll be fun!” 

How could he possibly say no to her? Luke smiled reluctantly. “Okay. I’ll go.” He paused for a moment, then groused, “Oh, jeez, do I have to dress up?” 

“No, you can wear whatever you want,” Lorelai said reassuringly.  “But, just so you know, I have a great new dress I’ve been saving just for the occasion. It’s red. And very short,” she flirted overtly.  

Luke shook his head trying to erase the thought of Lorelai’s long, bare legs as he gathered his gifts from the coffee table. Then he followed her as they made their way towards the front door. 

Did she hesitate — facing him as her hand grasped the brass doorknob before opening it? Or was it his imagination, mixed in with a touch of hopeful thinking that maybe they shared something? A moment. A connection. That maybe a small part of her didn’t want to say goodbye just yet.    

“Thanks for dinner. And the gifts. Merry Christmas, Lorelai.”

“Merry Christmas, Luke.”

Lorelai

“Oh, wow! You shaved. And dressed up,” Lorelai gasped as she entered the diner. “I’m lovin’ the tie.”

“You look… beautiful,” he said with a shy smile, his eyes lingering on her as a slight blush rose to her cheeks.

“Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend. Shall we?” 

Luke slipped on his overcoat that hung neatly on the clean countertop. It looked old, yet new — barely worn by the diner owner who rarely dressed in anything but plaid flannel and jeans. 

“Okay. Ready.” Luke flipped off the lights then opened the door for her. She stepped through, a blast of cold air enveloping her as she waited for Luke to lock the door behind them.     

“For warmth, “Lorelai said, looping her arm through Luke’s and pulling him in towards her as they made the short walk from the diner to Miss Patty’s dance studio. 

The festivities were in full swing when they arrived. The studio had been transformed — there were streamers and balloons everywhere, tables around the perimeter and a small dance floor in the center. Lorelai surveyed the room, her face beaming with excitement as she spotted Sookie and Jackson huddled together, talking. 

Lorelai leaned in, her lips dangerously close to his ear, making sure to be heard over the loud music. “I see them. Over there.” She pointed to the couple while inhaling him in — a spicy, woody scent mixed in with the faintest aroma of coffee and fried food which tempted her to touch her lips to his skin, to see if he tasted as good as he smelled. 

She noticed his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. “Why don’t you head on over and I’ll stash our coats. Can I get you a drink?” 

“Hell, yeah! I want some of that Founder’s Day party punch,” she said as she slipped off her coat and handed it to him, his eyes traveling up and down her body.

The dress she had picked out for the night was exactly as she had described — a dark shade of red, fitted, and very short — showing off her slim figure and her extremely long legs. 

It was almost cruel the way she tortured him — knowing how he’d react to seeing her in that dress. Although that wasn’t her intention, at least not on a conscious level. Nevertheless, she welcomed it. The furtive glances. The look of arousal that he tried but failed to hide as he bit down on his lower lip, his pupils blown wide while he stood frozen in place.  

“You, uh,...  sure?” Luke stammered, clearly flustered. “About the punch, that is. That stuff is lethal.” 

“I can handle it. Aren’t you going to have some? You promised you’d get drunk with me.”

“Did I?” he questioned, his eyes narrowing, her coat dangling over his stiffly folded arm.

“Well, it was implied once you agreed to be my date. Along with fetching me drinks and dancing with me,” she smiled coyly. 

“Are you this demanding with all of your dates?”

“I’m out of practice, remember? Now, run along.” Lorelai teased, waving him away. 

Luke rolled his eyes. “I’ll drink one cup of that poison. But no dancing. I’ll be back.”

Lorelai watched as he weaved his way through the crowd to the long coat rack tucked away in the corner of the room. Other eyes tracked him as well. Old and young. Married and single. Luke Danes was a handsome man and the women of Stars Hollow took notice. 

It shouldn’t have made her jealous when Anna Nardini approached him, flirtatiously chatting him up while they stood together in the drink line. But it did. She could make out Luke’s face in the distance. He smiled. He laughed. How dare he laugh at something another woman said —someone other than herself.

“Oh, honey. I’m so glad to see you and Luke together — you make such a gorgeous couple. You must give me some details,” Miss Patty cooed, startling Lorelai from her musings.  

“Oh, no. Luke and I aren’t together together. We’re just friends,” Lorelai explained, looking past Patty, trying unsuccessfully to regain visual contact with Luke.  

“Sure, sweetheart. Whatever you say,” Miss Patty responded, incredulous, then glanced over her shoulder, motioning over to Luke. “You better watch out though. That Anna Nardini would love to get her hooks into him. Anyway, have fun tonight.” Miss Patty sauntered away, leaving Lorelai even more eager for that potent drink.  

After greeting Sookie with a big hug and Jackson with a cordial hello, Lorelai tried to ease her way into their conversation — although debating the use of fruit in salads was not a subject she had any particular interest in exploring. 

“Here you go,” Luke handed her one cup of punch while holding up another to the light.

“Thank god!” Lorelai grinned, grateful for the interruption as well as the libation. “What are you doing?

Luke lowered his hand with the drink. “Just checking for the little skull and crossbones vapors.” 

Lorelai shook her head. “You’ve got it all wrong, my friend. You’ll see those after you drink it.”

“Ah, well then...” Luke held up his cup in a mock toast before downing its contents in two swallows. 

Three party punches later, Lorelai was feeling euphoric. She and Sookie danced to the fast songs while Luke and Jackson looked on, bored, having run out of conversation material after five minutes alone. 

“I think you need to rescue Luke from Jackson,” Sookie huffed, out of breath after dancing to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. “I love him but I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who could tolerate listening to him talk about cultivating mealworms for hours at a time.”

“Wait. Did you just say you love him?”

Sookie’s face lit up in surprise. “I did, didn’t I. Oh my god. I’m in love!” Sookie sang out excitedly as the women hugged, then jumped up and down in celebration of Sookie’s revelation. 

Lorelai beamed at her friend. “Oh, Sook! I’m so happy for you! Are you going to tell him?”

“I don’t know. Should I?” she asked, her face showing concern. 

“Maybe wait for him to say it first.”

“Right. You’re right.” Sookie shook her head in agreement, then wrinkled up her nose. “Do you think he’s in love with me?”

“Well, considering he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off of you this entire night, I’d have to say yes.” 

Sookie led the way, practically skipping back to Jackson, before pulling him seductively by his tie back to the dance floor. 

Luke was leaning up against the wall, a beer bottle dangling from his hand when Lorelai approached, taking the space where Jackson had stood only moments before. 

“So what was that all about?” Luke asked her, taking a sip of his beer. 

Lorelai touched his hand, gently prying the bottle from his grasp. “With Sookie? Just some girl talk.” She licked her lips before taking a swig of the cold brew, then handed it back to a stunned Luke. 

“Oh,” he nodded, then gulped down the rest of his beer, the conversation coming to a dead halt. 

Several minutes passed as they both stared out onto the dance floor; Lorelai swaying gently to the music while Luke rapped his fingers against the glass bottle still in his hand. 

Luke finally broke the silence, clearing his throat. “So, uh,... hey, did you see Taylor and Harry fighting near the punch bowl?” 

“No way! How did I miss that?” 

“Babette had to break it up.”

“So small yet so strong.”

“Take a look over there.” Luke pointed his chin towards the dance floor. 

“Is that Crazy Carrie? Dancing with both town troubadours?” Lorelai squinted into the crowd of dancers. 

“Yup.”

“Where’s her husband?” 

“Who knows? You wanna bet on which one she makes out with first?” Luke snorted a laugh. 

Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. “God, I’ve missed so much not coming to these parties over the years.” 

“Too late for a bet. Looks like it’s a tie.”

“Gah, I’m repulsed yet I can’t look away,” she cringed, tucking her head into Luke’s broad chest, her eyes still focused on the gruesome threesome. 

Luke laughed as he ran his hand over the soft waves in her hair. “You’re wearing the earrings,” he said, his voice suddenly low, husky. 

Lorelai receded, straightening her spine as she turned to face him. “Oh, yeah. They’re gorgeous. Exactly my taste. How did Liz know?”

Luke reached out, touching the crystals that dangled from her earlobe. “I just described some of the jewelry you usually wear and she did the rest.”

“She’s very talented.” Lorelai nervously tucked her hair behind the ear which had his attention, causing him to lower his hand in retreat. “You must miss her. And your nephew. How long has it been since you’ve seen them?”

“Few years,” he shrugged. “At least when I talked to her last she seemed relatively together. There have been issues in the past. Drugs. Booze. Shitty men. Anyway, it is what it is,” he said with a matter-of-fact tone. 

“She’s very lucky to have you as her big brother.” 

Luke’s face sagged. “I don’t know. Most of the time I feel like I’ve failed her.”

“Luke, you can’t blame yourself for her mistakes.” 

“Yeah. I guess.”

“Hey. I’m going to get us both some more punch. This is a party! Let’s be festive! Maybe afterwards we can —”

“Lorelai. Doll.” Babette interrupted breathing heavily, tugging her arm. “Come on! They’re doing the ‘Electric Slide’!”

Lorelai peered up into Luke’s eyes, pleadingly, apologetically, as she reluctantly allowed Babette to pull her onto the dance floor with the other inebriated townsfolk. 

She watched as Luke bowed his head mournfully, losing sight of him after being swallowed up into the crowd of randy partiers. 

A hustle and a hora later, Lorelai left the dance floor, in search of her neglected friend. Her heart sank as she finally spotted him, sitting alone, nursing a beer in the corner of the room. 

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. You’re having fun.”

“Come with me.” Lorelai offered her hand, pulling him gently from his chair. 

“Where?”

“Over there,” Lorelai said, pointing to the dance floor. “Unless you’d rather dance with Anna.” 

“Dance? Anna?” His brow wrinkled in confusion. 

“Yeah. The pretty brunette. The woman you were talking to in the drink line. She’s been eyeing you all night.”

“I didn’t notice.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’ve only noticed one pretty brunette and I’m talking to her right now.”

“Ah, smart answer. Then how about asking her to dance? It’s almost midnight and we haven’t danced together once,” she gave him a teasing pout, holding out her hand to him. He took it — Lorelai leading him to the dance floor just as the song, “I Could Write a Book” started playing. 

He kept his hand in hers, then wrapped his other arm around her slender waist as they started to sway to the beat of the music. Luke took the lead, twirling her around the dance floor, dipping her, spinning her away from him before winding her back into his body. Lorelai laughed, shocked by his bold, yet graceful dance moves.

But then he pulled her close and she wasn’t laughing anymore. Their bodies pressed up against one another. His chest rose and fell as it made contact with hers. She rested her head on his broad shoulder. Maybe it was the booze that suddenly made her body burn with desire as they moved sinuously to the music. Maybe it was her drunken imagination when she felt his body reacting in a way that surely crossed the line of their “just friends” status. 

Leaning back away from him as they continued to dance, she peered desperately into his eyes, finding them unreadable. Her lips turned up at the corners as she inhaled sharply. “I really want to thank you for taking me out tonight.” 

“No big deal. This is… fun.” 

Lorelai chuckled, “Yeah? You seemed miserable most of the night.” 

“Well, only when you left me alone with Jackson. What the hell are mealworms anyway?” Luke’s brows knitted together with a mixture of confusion and disgust. 

“I'd rather leave that a mystery.” 

“I’m gonna dip you again,” Luke warned before carrying out the grandiose dance move.

“Ah!” Lorelai yelped as her upper body hung upside down, secure in Luke’s strong arms. “You drank more than one cup of punch, didn’t you?” 

He lifted her up and smirked. “Maybe.” 

“You are full of surprises tonight, mister.”

“I like keeping you on your toes,” Luke grinned as he twirled her away from him, holding her hand tightly, then spun her back again into his waiting arms. 

Lorelai howled a laugh, then relaxed as they swayed in time with the music.  “And I can’t believe you shaved! I like that I can see your face,” she said, gazing up at him blissfully. 

“Yeah?” he asked, arching one brow as a small smile started to form on his lips. 

“I mean, you look good when you don’t shave, too.”

“Oookay,” Luke’s smile grew even wider. 

“Oh, what? So I said you look good. We’re not in 5th grade,” Lorelai huffed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t get cocky.”

Like two magnets, they were drawn together again, her hand on his shoulder, his hand on the small of her back; her cheek gently brushing up against his.

“See, now we can dance cheek to cheek,” she breathed as her lids closed, his soft skin feeling warm next to hers. She felt safe and secure, petite and feminine wrapped up in his muscular arms as they rocked back and forth in perfect rhythm. 

It must have been too much party punch — the reason why she was unaware of her own voice softly singing aloud the lyrics of the old show tune in unison with Harry Conick, Jr. while they continued to float across the dance floor. “And the simple secret of the plot, is just to tell them that I love you a lot. Then the world discovers as my book ends, how to make two lovers of friends.”

A miked voice interrupted their dance as the song played out its final notes. “Ten seconds to New Year!” 

They pulled apart, her eyes once more searching his for answers. This time, she saw it —  recognized his matching uncertainty; glimpsed the turbulent emotions which mirrored hers in the depths of his dark blue eyes, no longer hidden. 

The crowd began the countdown. “Ten. Nine. Eight…”

“You wanna get some air?” Luke gasped. 

She squeaked out a “yeah” while shaking her head affirmatively, barely able to find her voice. 

They raced out of the studio as the clock ticked down to its final seconds, hand in hand, pushing past the energetic party guests with vital determination — as if the air inside lacked the adequate oxygen needed to sustain life.

As New Year cheers rang out, Luke led her to a clearing just outside of the building. They turned to face one another in the temporary darkness; the full moon momentarily obscured by a passing cloud before the distant fireworks picked up the slack, illuminating the sky with brilliant flashes of color. It was an awkward moment, filled with unspoken feelings and unfulfilled desires. Unwelcomed insecurity and unintentional insincerity. Limitless possibilities, yet sizable risks. 

“Happy New Year,” they said simultaneously, small clouds of their breath mingling, intertwining, before evaporating into the cold night air.    

It would have to wait for another day, another opportunity. This time, they would gaze upon each other with fear and apprehension before coming together for a brief, chaste kiss and a passionless hug with only a hint of promise — that someday, soon, they would make lovers of these two friends.  

Chapter Text

Lorelai

“Achoo!” Lorelai pulled a tissue from her purse, then blew her nose into it before pushing it inside the front pocket of her jacket. “I hate spring,” Lorelai grumbled as she and Rory made their way through town to the diner on the first Sunday of the season. 

“Luke will make you feel better,” Rory consoled her mother as they walked into the crowded diner. “I bet he can make you the pancakes you love with chocolate chips and whipped cream.” 

Her shoulders slumped as Lorelai surveyed the room. “What the ….? Why are there so many people here and why do they all seem so damn happy?” Lorelai pouted, her voice nasal. 

“We usually aren’t here this early on a Sunday. This must be the before-church-going crowd. Or just normal people who don’t sleep until noon on weekends.”

Lorelai sniffled, then rubbed her itchy eyes. “Well, they all suck. And where’s Luke?” 

“You’re being such a drama queen, Mom. Look, there’s an open table. Quick, let’s grab it before someone else does.” Rory snaked her arm around her mother’s, swiftly pulling her over to the recently vacated table in the front corner of the diner.  

“Hey, you aren’t allowed to call me ‘Mom’ until you’re at least sixteen,” Lorelai whined as she plopped down on the chair, lowering her head onto her folded arms which were resting on the table. 

“Did you take your allergy medicine?” Rory asked with eyebrows raised, her tone accusatory, their mother-daughter roles reversed.  

“I couldn’t find it,” Lorelai mumbled, barely audible as she spoke into the table. 

“You look like you could use a strong cup of coffee,” a soothing female voice said from above her — like an angel sent from heaven. 

Lorelai lifted her head and blinked, trying to focus on the beautiful woman who stood before them. The early morning sun illuminated her from behind, producing beams of white light that seemed to radiate from her, highlighting a goddess-like form and long, spiraling curls. 

She blinked again. “Am I dead?” 

“Here, drink this.” The woman filled her mug, then pushed it gently in front of Lorelai. “Allergies?” the woman asked. 

Lorelai nodded her head confirmingly. 

“I’ve got some fantastic allergy medicine upstairs. I picked it up in India. It’s completely natural and works wonders. I’ll go get some for you.” 

“Upstairs? Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Rachel.”

Lorelai’s body stiffened, her eyes widening as she glared at the familiar face, now in full horrifying focus. “You’re Rachel?” 

“I’m Rachel,” the woman smiled warmly. “I’ll be right back.”

Lorelai’s eyes followed her as she made her way through the crowded diner, disappearing behind the curtain that led upstairs to Luke’s apartment. 

“Rachel?” Lorelai mumbled in disbelief. 

“Mommy, are you okay?” Rory asked, her face filled with concern. “Is that Luke’s ex-girlfriend?”

“I think so,” Lorelai answered, her voice lifeless, detached. 

“Was she wearing one of Luke’s flannel shirts?”

Lorelai simply nodded her response.

The aroma of the coffee finally penetrated her congested nose, snapping Lorelai out of her haze. Reaching for it, she brought it to her chapped lips, taking big gulps, not sips, urgently needing the medicinal infusion. 

“Slow down, there. You’re gonna give yourself heartburn,” Luke warned, appearing above her, a contented smile lighting up his typically sullen face. “Hey, Rory. What can I get you two?”

Lorelai stared up at him. Shocked. Nauseous. Her heart pounding like a jackhammer inside of her. “I… I…,” she stammered.

“We’ll both have the chocolate chip pancakes with extra whipped cream,” Rory said to Luke, coming to the aid of her suddenly muted mother.

Before Lorelai could process any of what was happening around her, Rachel reappeared, placing a small pill bottle in front of Lorelai. “Take one tablet two times a day with lots of water,” she instructed, then turned to Luke, her hand resting on his arm. “You already got their order, babe?” 

“Uh, yeah. So, I guess you already met,” Luke said, his manner uneasy as he briefly caught Lorelai’s eye before turning back to Rachel. 

“Not officially,” Lorelai replied, her voice honeyed as she cocked her head and glared at Luke. 

Luke cleared his throat. “Rachel, this is Lorelai and Rory, they’re two of my best customers.”

Customers. The word itself, the second perceived betrayal of the day, cutting her quick and to her core as it echoed loudly in her clogged ears. 

“It’s nice to meet you both.” The bell signaling that an order was ready rang out, catching Rachel’s attention. “I’ll go get that. Feel better, Lorelai.”

“Thanks. And thanks for the drugs.” Lorelai said with a painted smile, then watched as Rachel walked away, leaving Luke on his own. 

She couldn’t stomach to look at him. Not now. Not when she felt weak. Not when she couldn’t camouflage her pain with witty banter or flirtatious overtures. “You know what, I think we’ll take our order to go. I feel a bad headache coming on.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll take care of it.” Luke nodded, then fled their table, en route to the safety of the kitchen. 

Her already mucus-clouded head was sent reeling; the shock of seeing them there, together, too much for an early Sunday morning. Lorelai sulked and finished her coffee while Rory chattered away about spring break plans; none of it penetrating. Rory’s voice sounded distant. Tiny. Garbled. 

“Mommy? Are you listening to me?”

“Huh?” Lorelai responded, disoriented as she gazed into her concerned daughter’s eyes. 

Before she could answer Rory, Luke was back, hovering over her slumped form. “I packed the whipped cream on the side so it wouldn’t melt all over the pancakes,” he said, placing the carryout bag and a to-go coffee cup on the table in front of Lorelai. 

“Thanks,” she said flatly. “Let’s go.” She got up, throwing a twenty on the table without looking up at him, then walked towards the door.  

Luke glanced down at Rory, whose face mirrored his own stunned reaction. “She okay?” 

“Yeah. Just allergies. Thanks, Luke.” Rory stood, smiling awkwardly before following Lorelai out of the diner. 

“What was that all about?” Rory groused as she approached her mother who was pacing back and forth outside Luke’s.  

Lorelai sighed, “Nothing. Allergies.” She took Rory’s hand as they walked towards Doose’s Market. 

“I need to buy some medicine. Hold this.” Lorelai handed Rory the bag holding their breakfast, then took the small pill bottle of Rachel’s and tossed it into the trash can in front of the store. “Probably poisoned,” she muttered as she walked into the market, a mix of determination and anger on her face. 

Once they arrived home, Lorelai washed down her newly purchased, completely unnatural, chemically-derived medicine with the strong coffee from Luke’s. They ate in silence — a very rare occurrence at the Gilmores’ residence. 

It must have been the combination of the antihistamine and caffeine that brought Lorelai out of her silent rumination. “Customers? Babe ?” Lorelai huffed, stabbing her fork into the last bite of chocolate-smeared pancake left on her plate. “And did you see her? All bright-eyed with her perfect hair while I’m looking like the love child of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and the Abominable Snowman after a night of heavy drinking.” 

“Rachel seemed nice,” Rory said warily, still picking at food on her plate.

“Whose side are you on anyway?”

“Side? You’re acting all weird about this. I mean, Luke is our friend. And he’s happy that Rachel’s back. We should be happy for him. Unless…”

“Unless, what?”

“Are you jealous? I thought you didn’t like Luke that way.”

I… I don’t.”

Rory raised her brows, “Doesn’t look that way to me.”

“Maybe you need eyeglasses.”

“Mom,” Rory scowled, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I know I’m only nine, but I do have eyes and ears and I’ve watched enough romantic movies with you to know the signs. You’re just like Emma — remember she gets jealous when she thinks Mr. Knightly wants to marry Harriet?”

Lorelai’s jaw dropped as she exhaled sharply. “I really need to start monitoring what you’re allowed to watch.”

“I think you like Luke and I think he likes you back,” Rory responded with conviction.

Lorelai sighed, realizing her efforts to educate Rory about romantic love through movies may not have been the best idea.

“Of course I like Luke, he’s my friend. I just can’t believe he got back together with her and didn’t tell me,” Lorelai said, trying to justify her behavior.  “How would you feel if Lane’s ex-boyfriend came back into town and she didn’t tell you about it? Huh?”

“Well, that would be impossible because Lane is also only nine and Mrs. Kim already said Lane won’t be allowed to date until she’s twenty-one and married.”

“So, Lane will have to get married to her husband before she can date him? That poor, poor child. Okay. Not the best example. How about if Lane found a new…” Lorelai reconsidered her next line of defense. “You know what? Nevermind. I’m being silly.”

“Are you worried Luke isn’t going to be our friend anymore because he has a girlfriend? Because I think you’re wrong. Luke would never do that to us,” Rory relayed confidently.

Lorelai sat there, staring into her daughter’s big blue innocent eyes and lied. “You’re right, my sweet girl. Luke wouldn’t do that. And if being with Rachel will make him happy, then I’m happy for him. I just don’t want him to get hurt again.”

“So, you’re okay?” Rory asked, her face still showing concern. 

“I’m fine. Really,” Lorelai smiled — the first genuine one of the day. Not because she felt better about the Rachel situation, but because of the love that her daughter provided, filling her heart the way no man ever could. “Hey. Why don’t you call and see if Lane can come over today? I’m not the best company right now but that shouldn’t stop you from having a fun day.” 

“Thanks, Mommy!” Rory beamed, leaping off the chair and giving Lorelai a big hug before grabbing the telephone from the living room to call her friend. 

As Lorelai scrubbed the breakfast dishes clean, worry continued to plague her mood. What if Rachel leaves again? Or worse, what if she doesn’t? Things might never go back to the way they were. She’d lose him. That was the part that scared her the most. They’d still be his “best customers”, but she’d lose him as her best friend. 

Later that day, feeling a little more like her usual self, Lorelai spent time doing her Sunday chores while Rory and Lane played happily outside in the yard. But Luke stayed on her mind, creating a tight knot that gripped her insides without respite. 

Dark clouds rolled in during the late afternoon hours producing an ominous sky, sending the girls inside to continue their playdate. The impending spring thunderstorm didn’t evoke for her the same magical stirrings as snow, but there was something that drew Lorelai to her front porch, wanting the darkness to envelop her. She wasn’t fearful. Quite the opposite. It made her feel powerful. In control. Knowing she could safely shelter inside whenever the clouds unleashed onto the earth surrounding her. 

Distant thunder rumbled, momentarily obscuring the sound of Luke’s truck coasting up her driveway before coming to a screeching halt behind her Jeep. 

She stood on the edge of her porch, watching him, her hands pressed up against the part of the rail that Luke so diligently replaced only a few short months ago. A gust of strong wind blew through her wavy hair, sending it airborne before it landed gently in front of her, momentarily blinding her as Luke made his way up the path. 

“Hey,” he said, climbing the stairs, holding two bags of what appeared to be cartons of food from his diner. 

Lorelai swept the hair from her eyes, twirling it into a makeshift bun on top of her head. “Hey,” she echoed back, Luke now standing in front of her. 

“I brought some comfort food. How are you feeling?” he asked, his eyes avoiding hers as he stared off in the distance. 

“Better, thanks,” she answered flatly. 

The wind whipped up again as the first drops of rain started to fall. Seconds later, the clouds, no longer able to hold their weight, let loose, rain coming down in sheets crashing around them. 

“We’d better get inside,” Lorelai said, leading the way into the house, to the kitchen, as Luke followed closely behind. 

She took the bags from him, placing them directly into the refrigerator. “I’ll save it for later. Do you want some tea?” 

Luke inhaled sharply; his hands clenched nervously into two tight fists. “Is Rory around?” he asked, his eyes darting around the room. 

“Hi, Luke!” the two young girls shouted in unison from behind the closed door of Rory’s room. 

“Oh. Hi, Rory. Hi, Lane,” Luke called back, his eyes finally meeting Lorelai’s. “Can we talk in the living room?” he whispered.

Lorelai nodded, making her way over to the couch as they both sat facing each other. 

Luke took his time before speaking, shifting uncomfortably on the soft couch cushions. “I was going to tell you about Rachel — I didn’t think you’d be in so early on a Sunday.”

“So, is she staying this time?” Lorelai asked softly, her gaze focused on her fingers as she nervously picked off the polish from her nails.

“I don’t know. She just showed up last night, out of the blue as I was closing up. Said she was in between assignments and missed me. So she just hopped on a plane to Harford. I couldn’t... It was late and she had no other place to stay.” 

Lorelai’s voice was cold. “I know for a fact that the inn had a couple of vacancies last night.”

Luke stared at her, speechless, a sad sort of bewilderment etched on his face. 

Lorelai sighed, her lids shutting softly. Here he was, Luke, her friend, coming to her for comfort, advice, support, and she was being cold and selfish and childish. He’d given her so much over the past few months and had gotten so little in return. 

“God, I’m such a bitch. I’m so sorry, Luke. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I know this must be difficult for you. I’m such a shitty friend. Are you okay?” 

“I was worried you were mad at me. For not telling you,” Luke said, relief washing over his face.

“I’m not mad. Well, I was, at first. I just… I don’t want her to hurt you again.” Lorelai said, her voice earnest, her eyes sympathetic.  

“Thanks,” he grinned. “I don’t want that either.”

“So, does she want to get back together? Do you?”

“She does. At least, that’s what she told me.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I believe that’s what she believes.”

“And you? What do you want?”

“I don’t know. I mean, it was such a shock last night, seeing her. And…,” Luke’s voice trailed off. He stood up, crossed his arms and began to pace back and forth the short length of the couch. Then he sat back down next to her again. “It’s nice. Having her home, but...  it’s different this time. She’s saying all of the right things, but I can’t trust any of it.”

“You looked happy this morning,” Lorelai admitted. “From what I could tell through my brain fog, at least.”

“I did?”

“Yeah, you did. And maybe… maybe she means it this time. You’ll never know unless you give her another chance. If you still love her, that is. Are in love with her.” Lorelai pulled air into her lungs, holding it there, waiting for what seemed like an eternity until he answered. 

“I don’t know,” he replied softly, his head hanging low. 

She let out an exasperated sigh, unexpectedly peeved by his uncertainty, distressed by her own ambivalence. “But you asked her to marry you, Luke. That wasn’t so long ago.”

“And she said no!” Luke shouted as he stood abruptly, throwing his arms up in frustration. 

“Jeez, I’ve become Smeagol,” Lorelai mumbled, shifting her body to watch him as he walked over to the window. 

He gazed out at the rain which had slowed to a light drizzle. His voice was quieter now, reflective. “She said she didn’t think she’d ever want to get married. That marriage wasn’t for her. That’s what she said in her letter when she turned me down. When she left me last time.” Luke paused, his back still to Lorelai as he straightened his spine before continuing. “But to be honest, I don’t think I wanted to get married, either. It was out of desperation. I needed something at the time to get her to stay.” 

Lorelai was taken aback. “You don’t want to get married? Ever?” she asked, her brow creased. 

Luke pressed his lips together; then, she thought she noticed a slight twitch at their corners as if he had repressed a smile. “I better go,” Luke said softly. 

Lorelai lifted herself off of the couch and walked towards him. She knew not to risk alienation by pushing him for more answers. He had confided so much already. It had to be enough for now. 

As he opened her front door, she just had one more burning question for him. This one couldn’t wait. “Luke? Um, did you tell her about me? That we’re friends? Does she know you’re here?”

He turned to face her, adjusting the blue cap — the one she gave him — which seemed permanently affixed to his head. “No. But I will. Tell her. I just felt… weird.” 

“Why? We’re just friends.”

“I know, but… I’ll tell her.” 

“Okay,” Lorelai smiled, satisfied. “Thanks for the food.” 

He nodded as he stood in the doorway. “Thanks for listening.”

“What are friends for?”

“See you tomorrow?” he asked hopefully. 

“You’ll see me tomorrow.” 

Luke gave a quick wave as he walked to his truck, got in, and drove off. 

She squinted into the faded brightness of the clearing sky as it unveiled the setting sun, just in time to make one last curtain call before dipping below the horizon. “Tomorrow,” she repeated softly, then walked into the house, closing the door behind her. 

Luke

Tomorrow — it came and went. Much of it spent stationed behind the counter, staring outside through the large windows into a dim, grey void; intermittent fits of rain the only evidence of the passage of time. Breakfast rolled into lunch and lunch into dinner. The diner stayed eerily quiet — Luke assuming it was the weather that was keeping most of his regulars away. 

Rachel was gone much of the day as well — running the type of errands that would confirm her intentions to stay in Stars Hollow for more than just a short visit. A trip to the bank. To her storage locker on the far end of town. And even up to Hartford to inquire about a potential job as a staff photographer for the city’s paper. 

The quiet provided Luke with few distractions and too much time to think. His head was heavy with questions that only a crystal ball able to glimpse the future could answer. But it was his heart that he was relying on to lead him to the right decision. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be trusted either. Until recently, he thought Rachel was the only one he could ever love. Then he met Lorelai. Although he wouldn’t admit to feelings of love for her, he knew he cared for her, wanted her. 

Rachel came back early that evening with a large suitcase and a potential job in Hartford. Lorelai didn’t come in at all. Two women. One there, with him, wanting him, the other one, somewhere else, not. 

After he closed the diner, he and Rachel spent the night talking — about the past, the present, the future. She said she was ready to commit this time. He wasn’t. She said she got her adventurous life abroad out of her system. He didn’t believe it. 

It was late when they finally came to a compromise. They would give it another go. Live in the present. Take things day by day. What was he risking at this point? She’d left before and he survived. Maybe this time...

They made love after and she fell asleep in his arms. As he looked at her sleeping form, all he could think of was, is this as good as it gets?  Not that the sex was bad. It wasn’t. It was… nice. Comfortable. Predictable. The passion that was there a year ago when she left seemingly left with her. Maybe his expectations weren’t realistic. Maybe they just needed time to get back to the way things were. 

He slipped out from underneath her arm and walked over to the window. The sky had cleared. The stars were out, shining brightly against the inky darkness of the black, moonless night. He ran his hand through his mussed hair, then looked back at the woman who was sleeping in his bed. The woman with whom he thought, before, he could spend the rest of his life. And it wasn’t the woman he wanted. Not anymore. 

 —————

The next two days brought sunshine back to Stars Hollow and patrons back to the diner — but still, no Lorelai. 

Panic started to set in. Was she angry with him? Upset about not having been told sooner that Rachel was in town? Had he said something, done something wrong the last time they had spoken? 

He went over and over their last conversation in his head, but still, nothing seemed amiss. 

It was Wednesday, mid-afternoon, when he finally broke down and called the inn. The French guy answered. Said she hadn’t been to work the last three days then made some snide comments about her work ethic. 

Maybe her allergies had worsened? He called her house — no answer. He was left with no other choice. He called Sookie and got his answer. Rory was sick. Chickenpox. 

Immediately, he started to cook. Chicken noodle soup. Macaroni and cheese. Mashed potatoes. It was reflexive for Luke, cooking — providing food to ease the pain of others. To feel useful in moments of distress. Just like his mother used to do. Maybe it was a genetic trait that he inherited. Or perhaps a learned behavior passed down from generation to generation. Either way, that’s what he did. 

Luke packed everything up except for the soup — which needed more time to simmer. Then he abruptly left the diner, leaving Rachel in charge without giving her any explanation. There was no time, he rationalized.

When Lorelai opened the door, he was shocked by her appearance. Her hair was in disarray; her normally bright eyes were dull and red-rimmed with dark circles underneath. She looked weak and frail — like she was the one who had fallen ill. It was obvious that she hadn’t slept in days. 

“Jesus, Lorelai. You look terrible.” 

“Gee, thanks.”

“I just meant you look tired. Is Rory okay? Sookie told me she had chickenpox.”

Lorelai opened the door wider, silently inviting him in, then led him into the living room. She plopped down onto the couch, leaning forward, her head cradled in her hands. “It’s been a rough couple of days. She has a fever and won’t eat and I don’t know what to do,” Lorelai said, her voice hoarse, defeated. “She’s sleeping now, but she was up most of last night.”

Luke sat down next to her, putting the bags of food onto the coffee table. 

“What can I do?” he asked helplessly, his hand on her back, stroking it gently.

She remained silent, allowing his touch to soothe her; her body trembling beneath his steady hand. 

“Luke!” she gasped, suddenly springing up from the couch. “Have you had chickenpox? Because if you haven’t, you need to leave. It can be really serious in adults,” she said, her eyes and voice filled with worry. “That’s why Sookie can’t be here.” 

“It’s fine. I had them when I was eight. That’s definitely something I’ll never forget.” Luke stood, then coaxed her limp body back to the couch. “You could have called me, you know,” he sighed, lowering his eyes, afraid she’d see the disappointment in them. 

“I didn’t want to bother you. Especially now, with Rachel being back.”

He lifted his gaze and inhaled deeply, holding it momentarily before releasing the air out at a slow, steady pace. “You can always bother me. That’s what friends are for, remember?” he smiled shyly.

She nodded gratefully.

“Anyway, I brought some food. Macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. I’m making chicken noodle soup, but it’s not ready yet. I can bring that over later.”

“Thanks,” she said, a weak smile forming on her dry lips. “If I had the strength, I’d hug you.”

Luke snorted a laugh. “Hey, why don’t you go upstairs and lie down? You need to rest. I can stay for a while. Look after Rory.”

“I can’t let you do that,” she protested. 

“Why not?”

“Because… you have a diner to run.”

“It’s fine. Caesar and Rachel can handle things there for a while. And you can’t be any good to Rory like this. Let me do this,” he insisted, his hand reaching out again, this time his fingertips gently skimming the exposed skin of her arm. 

Silence filled the room as their eyes remained locked — Luke sensing the burden easing from her sturdy but slightly worn shoulders. 

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Get some rest. I’ll wake you when Rory wakes up. Promise.”

“Can you check on her? Make sure she’s breathing okay every once in a while?” 

“I will.”

“Like, every fifteen minutes?”

“I will. Don’t worry. Now go upstairs before I carry you there myself.” Luke gave her a reassuring smile before helping her off of the couch. 

“Oh, and feel her keppie. Make sure she’s not burning up.”

“Keppie?”

“Her head. I had an old Jewish nanny when I was little. She taught me some Yiddish.”

“Ah. Sure. I can do that.”

“Wake me if she feels hot. And… thanks.”

He watched as she dragged herself up the stairs — each step seeming to expend every ounce of energy she had left. It broke him to see her that way. Lorelai Gilmore — the strongest woman he knew — weak, needy, vulnerable. 

Luke felt a sharp pain go through his heart which then eased into a dull, relentless ache. 

He knew at that moment. There was no use denying it. 

This was love. 

Lorelai

Lorelai awoke from a deep, dreamless sleep. The bedroom, partially shrouded in darkness, made it almost impossible to discern whether her eyes were open or shut. Drowsily, she rolled over. Her lids fluttered in reaction to the hallway light which spilled into the room from the crack underneath the door — instantaneously rousing her from a semi-conscious state.  

Rory!

Adrenaline flooded her bloodstream. She sprang up, focusing in on the red illuminated numbers of the alarm clock. Nine-twenty. Was it night? Day? She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the dense fog which prevented her from recognizing the difference. 

With shaky legs, she rose to a standing position, opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. Noises were coming from downstairs. Luke’s voice; her daughter’s. Laughter. The clinking sound of metal against glass. She headed down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Luke smiled at Lorelai when he noticed her standing in the doorway to Rory’s room as he sat on the edge of the twin-sized bed. 

Rory was sitting up in bed. A wooden breakfast tray hovered over her lap, holding an almost empty bowl of mashed potatoes and a glass of apple juice. 

“Hi, Mommy. Look, Luke made me mashed potatoes!” Rory’s voice was hoarse, but it was the most alert she’d seen her daughter in two days. 

“She woke up about forty-five minutes ago. Sorry I didn’t wake you. But I checked her temperature and it was 99.1 and I thought you could use the extra sleep.” 

“You got her to eat,” Lorelai said drowsily, overwhelmed with relief and gratitude. 

“She said she was hungry. We tried the macaroni and cheese first.”

“It tasted funny,” Rory complained as she scratched her pock-covered arm. 

“Sometimes, when you’re sick, your taste buds don’t work quite right. I bet Luke’s mac n’ cheese is delicious.”

“I know. Luke told me. Mommy, can Luke stay a little longer? He promised he’d read to me if I finished most of the potatoes.”

Lorelai noticed the book in Luke’s hand — The Lord of the Rings. Rory had borrowed it from the library a few days before she got sick. “You know what, sweets? It’s really late and I’m sure Luke has work to do at the diner. I can read to you.”

Luke stood, stretching his back. “How ‘bout if I come again tomorrow? I’ll bring more mashed potatoes and some chicken noodle soup. And I’ll read to you while you eat lunch. Deal?”

“Okay. It’s a deal.”

Luke handed Rory her book, then lifted the tray — returning it to the kitchen table where he had found it, before heading towards the front door. 

“Hey, kid. I’m going to walk Luke out. I’ll be right back.”

Lorelai followed Luke to her front door. For the first time in a long time, she felt supported in her role as a parent — something Christopher was never able to provide. 

“You really are a lifesaver. I’m thinking about erecting a statue of you on my front lawn.”

“Not necessary. I’m glad I could help.”

“How about just a small shrine made of flannel shirts and topped with a spatula?”

“I like hanging out with Rory,” Luke said with a shrug. “And I usually don’t like kids. They’re always sticky, like they have jam on their hands. Even when there’s no jam in the house, they always have jam hands. It kinda freaks me out.”

“Yeah, well, I think Rory is past the jam hands stage. And, Luke, I’m pretty sure she likes hanging out with you, too.”

—————

Luke

“How’s Rory?” Rachel asked from behind the counter when Luke returned to the closed diner.  

“Better. Her fever is down and I got her to eat some mashed potatoes,” he relayed flatly, trying to hide the pride in his accomplishment. 

“Good. That’s good. And Lorelai?”

“She’s fine. Worried, of course. And tired. But she’ll be fine,” Luke said, stacking the chairs on the cleaned tables by rote. 

Rachel nodded. “Good... Uh, the kitchen’s clean. Caesar took care of it.” She moved from behind the counter towards Luke, her face showing concern. “So, what’s the deal with Lorelai?”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked, stalling, already knowing exactly what she meant.

“I mean, up until you called me earlier from her house where you spent hours taking care of her daughter, you’ve told me nothing. You’ve been very careful —  leaving her out of every story, anecdote, or gossip about the town,” Rachel smiled warily.

Luke froze, leaving the chair he had lifted suspended in mid-air. “There’s no deal. We’re friends,” Luke replied, keeping his back to her as he resumed his task. 

“So, just to be clear, you never dated her? We were apart for a long time, Luke. It’s okay if you dated.”

Luke placed the last chair on the table then turned to face her, able to speak with complete honesty. “I didn’t date anyone.” 

“Did you want to?” 

“We were apart because you left, remember?” Luke huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“So, I’ll take that as a yes,” Rachel nodded, pressing her lips together. 

Luke exhaled deeply, his voice calmer, “I had thought about it. But, it never happened.”

“And now?” 

“Now… you’re here. And you’re staying. Right?” 

Yes. I wanna stay,” Rachel answered, her voice sincere yet something in her eyes left Luke unconvinced. “That’s if you want me to.”

“I’m trying, Rachel.” To forgive. To trust. To love her, again. 

“Yeah, I know. I’m gonna head up. You’ll be there soon?” 

“Yeah. Soon.”

—————

The rest of the week moved by quickly. Luke set time aside each day to bring Rory, and Lorelai, at least one meal. The mashed potatoes were all Rory would eat for those first few days. But as she felt better and her fever abated, she slowly increased her food repertoire. 

The following week, Rory returned to school and Lorelai to work — which also meant returning to her usual daily visits to the diner. It was great seeing her back to her normal, cheery self, but strange to have Lorelai and Rachel sharing the same space, making small talk, joking around. 

Rachel sharing space with Luke had also become problematic. She always seemed to be around — in his diner, in his tiny apartment, and in his even tinier bathroom which she had converted into a darkroom. He felt suffocated by her — the woman who he thought at one time he couldn’t live, couldn’t breathe without. 

So Luke fled. To the bank, the post office, or the large chain hardware store outside of town for supplies for the long-ago promised but never-had-time-for projects; bookshelves for Rory’s room and the seemingly endless repairs to Lorelai’s timeworn porch. He fled directly from Rachel to Lorelai. 

Three weeks — that’s the amount of time Rachel had been back in Stars Hollow when on a sunny Saturday morning, Luke’s hammering woke up a not-so-chipper Lorelai who appeared in her pajamas on her porch to scold him. 

“What are you doing? It’s six-thirty in the morning!” Lorelai yelled with crossed arms folded in front of her and the suspect porch between them. 

“I’m fixing your porch. It was broken. I noticed last time I was here. It could hurt somebody,” Luke said matter-of-factly as he tugged on the top beam of the porch, checking its sturdiness. 

“Luke, we sleep around here. Okay? We like it. It makes us pretty and keeps us from killing our crazy friends!” She shoved him futilely, his strong body keeping him stable and upright.

“You're gonna wake the neighbors,” he said calmly. 

“Get inside. Now!” she ordered, turning her back to him, heading to the open front door. 

Luke easily climbed over the porch rail and followed her inside to the kitchen, Lorelai motioning for him to take a seat at the table. 

She sat across from him, her voice was soft and tranquil. “What are you doing, Luke? You’ve been here almost every day this week. Fixing things. Building things. You’re spending all of your free time here, away from Rachel.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true. And Rachel knows it.”

“You talked to Rachel?” Luke’s eyes widened. 

“She was looking for you yesterday. She seemed upset. You were supposed to meet her for lunch, but you were here instead. What’s going on, Luke? Why are you avoiding her?” 

“She talked to you? About me?” Luke questioned angrily, feeling betrayed, but not by the woman who deserved his mistrust. 

“Yes. Spill, mister.”

Luke hesitated, then sighed. “I don’t know. I guess I have been avoiding her.”

“Do you not believe her? That she wants to stay this time? That’s what she thinks.”

“What I can’t believe is that she talked to you about this.”

Lorelai ignored his consternation. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it? Rachel back?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, although his truthfulness was questionable. 

“So then you just need to try, take a leap of faith and believe her. Unless there’s another reason why you’re avoiding her.”

Luke stared into her eyes, hoping to see something there. A reason to hope. A reason to give up on the idea that Rachel was the only woman for him, but it wasn’t there. All he saw was the concern of a good friend who thought another woman could make him happy. “There’s no other reason,” he said, despondent. 

“Go home, Luke. I’ll see you later. Much later. At the diner.”

Luke nodded, got up, and without another word, left. 

—————

So Luke tried. He was trying when he took Rachel out for dinner a few days later and they made love after. He was trying when he gave Rachel a drawer of her own and a set of keys to the diner. Luke was trying when he resisted the urge to run back to Lorelai, day after day, ignoring what his heart was telling him to do.

It shouldn’t have surprised him but it did, when he came back from a town meeting to find Rachel standing in the middle of the diner, bags packed, waiting for his return. Without anger or blame, histrionics or sentimentality, she told him why she was leaving. She hugged him goodbye, wished him well, and walked out the door, leaving Luke standing there, frozen, stunned, even though he knew everything Rachel said was true. 

It took him less than three minutes to make his decision — he would do it. Risk it all. 

Luke walked quickly in the cool, spring air; the half-moon lighting his path and Rachel’s words running round in his head: 

I'm sure you tried, Luke. But admit it, your heart wasn't in it.

It's another girl.

So don't wait too long to tell her.

He didn’t know if he was being brave or foolish as he marched up the porch steps to Lorelai’s house, his heart pounding so hard that he felt the vibrations all the way down to his toes. 

Breathing in, he lifted his clenched fist. Breathing out, he knocked three times on the wood next to the frosted glass door panel. He heard heavy footsteps, then the click of the lock unlatching. The door started to open, creaking loudly, causing his mind to veer off course for just a split second as he made a mental note to oil the hinges. 

“Can I help you?” a man asked. 

Did he have the wrong house? “Uh...Uh...,” Luke stuttered as he looked past the man, noticing the familiar console table that held the tacky lemon lamp and the welcoming rabbi doll. Then there were more footsteps and another, slightly distant voice coming from inside the house. Lorelai’s voice. 

“Christopher? Who’s at the door?”

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Luke 

“Christopher? Who’s at the door?” Luke heard Lorelai call out as she bounced down the stairs before appearing next to Christopher in the doorway. “Oh, Luke. Hey.”

“Hey. Sorry to bother you so late,” Luke said cooly, his narrowed eyes remaining fixed on Christopher. But underneath the steely facade, Luke was raging. His heart, breaking. This man, once just a name, just a character in the stories told by Lorelai and Rory, now real, flesh and blood and standing before him; threatening to ruin Luke’s chance of the life he wanted. With the woman he desired and loved. And the family he didn’t realize, until tonight, he so desperately needed. 

“So, you’re the famous Luke that runs the diner. Rory’s mentioned you, once or twice,” Christopher said facetiously. “Your burgers are legendary.” He extended his hand to Luke, smiling warmly. “I’m Christopher Hayden. Rory’s dad.”

“Luke owns the diner,” Lorelai corrected.

“Luke Danes.” Luke accepted Christopher’s offering with an extra firm, bordering on painful, handshake. He then clenched his fists tightly, fighting the urge to wipe the smug look off his pretty-boy face. 

Lorelai’s brow furrowed as her eyes darted back and forth between the two men before landing squarely on Luke. “Is everything okay?”

Luke stiffened. “I, uh, realized I left my toolbox here the other day. I just wanted to pick it up.” 

“It’s right there.” Lorelai pointed to the porch floor where the toolbox sat, only a few feet away from Luke’s feet. 

“Oh, sure. Yeah, there it is. Right where I left it.” 

Lorelai cocked her head in Luke’s direction before turning to Christopher. “Chris, can you go check on Rory? I think she’s waiting for you to tuck her in.”

“Yeah, sure.” Christopher gave Luke a stern nod, then left the foyer.

Lorelai stepped outside, closing the door behind her. “What’s wrong, Luke? I know you didn’t come here at nine-thirty at night to get your toolbox. Unless you suddenly got a message from God telling you about a flood that’s going to wipe out every living creature on earth, so you have to build an ark, hence the need for the tools, and find two of every animal to take along with you and if that’s what’s going to happen can you make sure to leave a little room for me and Rory — preferably not too close to the lions or any other animals that could possibly maul us to death?”

“Uh, yeah. Okay,” Luke agreed absently, too distracted to pay her rambling any mind. He backed away from the door and stepped into the shadows — grateful for the burned-out porchlight that he hadn’t gotten around to replacing. “So, what’s the deal with him? He staying?” Luke grumbled through clenched teeth. 

“Just for the night. He showed up a few hours ago and surprised us. Rory’s thrilled.”

“And you?”

“Luke, why are you here?” Lorelai closed the distance, her arms hanging loosely by her sides as Luke turned away, staring out to the driveway, only now noticing the motorcycle parked behind her Jeep. 

He hesitated, stretching out the moment, hoping the tremor in his body wouldn’t reach his voice. He needed more time to think. Formulate a new strategy. Come up with a believable distortion of the truth. But she was waiting — he could feel her gaze on his back. Hear her breath moving in and out of her lungs behind him. He was out of time. “So, Rachel left. For good.”

“What? When?” Lorelai gasped. 

“Just a few minutes ago.”

“But… but why? I thought she was really in it for the long haul this time.”

Luke tried not to read too much into the disappointment he heard in her voice. “Yeah, well, she had her reasons.” 

Lorelai touched his arm, gently turning him to face her, his chin tilted downward. “I’m so sorry, Luke. What exactly did she say?”

“Uh, she was kinda vague. Something about someone else,” he muttered, the information mostly true. 

“Jeez, Luke. I feel horrible. I told you to believe her, trust her, and then she left?  I’m just… ” She shook her head in disbelief. 

“Don’t… It’s not your fault. You were just trying to help. Rachel can be pretty convincing.”

Lorelai sighed. “Why don’t you come in? I can make you tea. Or, I have beer. Or tequila, if you want something stronger.” 

“No, I don’t want to interrupt…. with Rory’s dad being here and all.” Luke couldn’t repress the bitterness that colored his voice, the scowl that blanketed his face. 

“Luke, it’s fine. We can just stay out here if you want. Christopher won’t bother us.” 

He finally felt brave enough to meet her gaze, but it was too dark to be able to tell what feelings were hiding behind her eyes. Sympathy? Most likely. Love? Probably not. Either way, there was a man in her house — a man that she once loved, most likely still loves — and Luke’s confession, his proclamation, would have to wait for a better time. Or never at all, he thought, pondering the present situation. “We’ll talk later. I’m okay. Really.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, concern flooding her face. 

“Yeah. I’m gonna go. Say hi to Rory for me. Good night, Lorelai,” Luke nodded, circling around her before slowly trudging down the porch stairs, his head and shoulders slumped forward.

“Good night,” Lorelai repeated, her voice reverberating as if being captured, trapped in the night’s dense, humid air. 

Opaque clouds engulfed the sky, snuffing out all of its former brilliance as Luke walked back home, his mood now as dark as the night. Maybe it was fate or a message from a higher power that brought Christopher to Stars Hollow on the verge of his confession to Lorelai, saving him from the humiliation of her likely rejection. Saving their friendship from ruination. Maybe their fate, their souls were only meant to share a certain type of intimacy — not one of lovers, but one of good friends. Best friends. Or maybe, Luke just had really shitty luck. 

————————

They showed up at the diner early, all three looking like the picture-perfect family — the one he thought, or rather knew , Lorelai had always wanted. 

He tried to pretend that it didn’t bother him. That it didn’t make his blood boil, his jaw twitch, his heart ache, as he stood over them, taking their order. 

“Do you have cappuccino? Or eggs Benedict?” Christopher asked as he perused the menu with an air of pretentiousness. 

Luke rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Just what’s on the menu.”

“What’s good here, Lor?” Luke picked up on Christopher’s condescension, which lacked the pretense of subtlety. 

“I can come back if you're not ready,” Luke scowled, clearly agitated.

‘Everything’s good.” Lorelai glanced up at Luke apologetically, then turned back to Christopher. “Luke’s omelets are amazing. I’ll have a jack cheese omelet with a side of bacon, please,” she said, flashing Luke a reassuring smile.

“Luke’s French toast is my favorite,” Rory beamed gleefully at her father, hanging on to every word he said, causing Luke to wonder if Rory had hoped for her parents' reconciliation. It angered him to think that Rory had to grow up settling for the scraps of her father’s attention. That Lorelai, no matter how hard she tried to be two parents in one, would never be able to compensate for Rory’s loss. He knew this from his own experience. Growing up without his mother. Always feeling like something was missing in his life that could never be replaced. Always feeling there was a small hole inside his heart that could never quite be filled. 

After they all ordered, Luke kept busy in the kitchen, only returning to their table for the obligatory coffee refills and food delivery. And each time he did, he could sense Christopher’s contempt and Lorelai’s discomfort. It wasn’t difficult for Luke to hate this man, for everything he was and everything he wasn’t for Lorelai and Rory. For his arrogance. For his smugness. For having all he could ever want right in front of him, yet being unwilling to bend, even just a little, to take it. 

It was a relief when they finally got up to leave, Christopher cavalierly throwing down a wad of cash onto the table before he and Rory headed to the door. “I’ll meet you outside in a minute,” he heard Lorelai say to them. 

Luke watched the quick interaction from behind his counter, his safe zone; the line of demarcation separating him from them. All of them. Customers, so-called friends, would-be lovers, and enemies alike. 

“So,… you okay?” she asked as she slid into her regular chair at the counter. 

“Shouldn’t you be with your family?” 

“Luke....” Lorelai shook her head, then took in a breath, her eyes leveling him with their steady gaze.   

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” she responded, her voice earnest. “How about we hang out later tonight?  Have a few beers. Talk. Laugh. Maybe get a little rowdy. Braid each other’s hair.” Luke couldn’t help but snort a laugh as she continued to try and sell her proposal. “Heh? If things get really wild, we can do a baseball cap fashion show. What do you say?” Lorelai flashed him a teasing smile. 

His heart beat just a little harder; his breath came a little faster as he watched her face light up in anticipation of his answer. She knew he could never turn her down. That she had him wrapped around her slender finger. “Sure,” he acquiesced, surrendering to his fate. 

“Great! I have to get through dinner with my parents first, but we should be back early. I want to give Chris and Rory some alone time anyway.”

We should be back. We. That word lingered in his mind, breaking the bewitching spell she had cast. Christopher, deadbeat father to Rory, ex-lover of Lorelai, was staying another night in Stars Hollow. 

“Yeah. Okay,” Luke muttered, mindlessly pressing his pencil eraser firmly into the rag that laid on the countertop, then sliding it back and forth, almost snapping it in two. He flashed her a forced smile, attempting to camouflage the mixture of emotions that washed over him.  

“Here? Eight-thirty?” she asked. 

“That should work.” 

He watched her walk away, opening the door slowly. The bells jingled cheerfully as she turned one last time towards him, her lips curling in a triumphant smile. Luke felt her joy in that moment — her vision of what a life of happiness and fulfillment would include. Rory, first and foremost. Christopher — the man she loved and was willing to wait for. And Luke — the friend she knew she could rely on, always, to be there if the rest of it went to pieces. 

——————

It was a little before six in the morning the next day when he saw her again — sitting on his front stoop, her head cradled in her hands, elbows resting on the thighs of her wrinkled powder blue I Love Lucy pajama pants. She stood as she saw him turn the corner, his keys dangling from his long fingertips, his face revealing his surprise, disappointment, anguish, bitterness, all at once as he stopped abruptly in front of her. 

“I feel horrible,” she said, her open hands crossed, pressing between her breasts. 

“Don’t,” he grunted as he moved past her, his stretched-out arms keeping her at a distance. 

It had been a long night. He had waited in the diner until long after closing time, worried thoughts of car crashes and hospital emergency rooms flooding his mind, interspersed with moments of anger, jealousy, clarity — knowing that realistically, he’d probably just been forgotten. Blown off for something, someone better. 

“I stood you up. I didn’t even call,” she apologized sincerely. 

“It’s okay,” he said, his tone indicating the opposite. 

“I’m a rat. We had a date and I stood you up.”

“It wasn’t a date.” 

“I’m a rat. I need cheese.”

Luke exhaled sharply, “Was it an emergency?”

“Yes... No,” she admitted readily. She sat back down on the step, motioning Luke to join her. He sighed, then sat next to her, his head down, unable to meet her gaze as she began her confession. “We got to my parents’ house and Chris’s parents were there. Which was not a pleasant surprise. And they were rude and horrible and Rory was stoic and Chris was mortified and I… I was humiliated. They blamed me for everything. For Chris not going to Princeton, for all his business failures. Basically calling me a whore in front of my daughter. I’ve never seen my father so mad. I thought he was going to hit Straub — Chris’s dad. So we walked out. Before the appetizers were even served.”

Luke’s head jerked up, seeing in her face and hearing in her voice — unyielding strength yet heartbreaking vulnerability — and loving her even more in that moment because of it. “Jeez, Lorelai. That’s just... I’m sorry.”

“I should have called you. But we got back home and got Rory to bed. Chris was furious and then there was the tequila. A lot of tequila. And —” 

Luke turned away from her and put his hand up, stopping her from saying what came next. “Yeah. I get it. I gotta go. I’m late,” he said softly as he stood, his head hanging low as he began to open the door to the diner.

She followed him to the door, his back to her. “Do you hate me now? Please don’t hate me.” 

Luke pivoted to face her, knowing he didn’t need confirmation but asking for it in spite of himself. “So, you and Chris—”

“... and Jose Cuervo,” she added, her unblinking eyes penitent, locking with his. “Probably not the smartest threesome, considering that the last time we all hung out, well,...”

Luke nodded, understanding her meaning. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you,” he admitted quietly, his anger, his pain being held at bay for the moment. Although it would surface later, when his fist would meet an unsuspecting bag of flour, creating a plume of white powder in the diner’s storage room before he opened for the day. 

“So, can we reschedule? Maybe you can come by tonight? He’ll be gone by then,” Lorelai simpered, her voice tinged with hope.

“I can’t tonight. Another time.” 

She simply nodded, her lips pressed firmly together, seeming to accept the small amount of punishment he was bestowing upon her for causing him pain. Then he stepped across the threshold, pausing before slowly closing the door between them — watching momentarily as she stood frozen on the other side before turning and walking away.

—————

Lorelai 

It came as a shock when Mia summoned Lorelai to her office on a Friday afternoon in early June. She informed Lorelai of her plans to move to California to be closer to her son and offered her the promotion to Executive Manager of the inn. She was excited and honored, but also sad and terrified. Mia was part of her and Rory’s family — how could she deal with her absence in their lives? Would she be able to do the job that Mia was entrusting to her? Her head was still spinning with questions when she walked into Luke’s, desperately needing some coffee and the support of her friend. 

“Bad day?” Luke asked as he poured a cup of coffee and slid it in front of her. 

“I got a promotion. I’m the Independence Inn’s new Executive Manager,” Lorelai said, her voice flat, her face stoic as she sat holding the warm mug in her hands before taking a sip and placing it back down on the counter.

“That’s fantastic! Congratulations!” Luke beamed with genuine excitement, patting her shoulder awkwardly. 

“Yeah. Thanks,” she said with a forced smile.

“Isn’t that fantastic?” Luke asked, his brow furrowing with concern. “Why don’t you seem happy?” 

“Mia’s leaving Stars Hollow. She’s moving to California. I’ll be in charge. Me. Lorelai Gilmore, former maid, black sheep and huge disappointment of the Gilmore family, will be running the whole damn thing.”

“Mia’s moving away? I know you guys are close, but I also know Mia. She’s a shrewd businesswoman. She wouldn’t give you this job without the confidence that you could do it.”

Lorelai shook her head, her eyes unfocused as she stared into her coffee mug, watching the steam rise in swirls before fading into nothingness. 

“Lorelai, this is incredible news. I know you might be… scared, but you can do this. You’re smart. You know the job. We should be celebrating. Have you told Rory yet?”

“It just happened. I can’t even process it. Luke, how am I going to do this? And without Mia around — I don’t know if I can handle it.” 

“This is what you’ve been working for, right? And I know you can handle it. You can handle anything.”

“Your optimism is really messing with my panicking.” 

Luke’s face clouded with confusion as he leaned closer to her, adjusting his rolled-up sleeves before pressing his hands against the countertop. “I don’t get it. You’ve been practically running the place for the past year. What’s with the panic?” 

“Oh Luke, do not underestimate the complete and total lack of confidence I have in my abilities,” Lorelai admitted shamefully, her forehead coming to rest on Luke’s outstretched arm. It felt good, comforting, her skin touching his skin, inhaling his familiar scent, filling her lungs with him. 

Feeling him stiffen, she lifted her head, finding his face only inches from hers — his warm smile sending a rush of heat through her body. 

Luke didn’t move. “You’ve got this. Trust me,” he whispered, his voice low, husky. Whatever it was, maybe something in his eyes or in his voice, but in that moment, she believed him. She believed in herself. 

But it didn’t last long. His eyes strayed as he backed away from her, the upward curve of his lips fading into a straight line. It was only one small step. Only a few millimeters — the difference between a smile and the expression he was now wearing. Barely perceptible to anyone watching. But she felt its weight. The heaviness suddenly returned to her shoulders after he had briefly lifted it from her. Like he had propped her up, only to suddenly let go. 

“What about Sookie? Does she know?” Luke asked.

“She knows. Actually, she’s been promoted, too. Sookie St. James is going to be the new head chef at The Independence Inn. She’s ecstatic.” Lorelai took another sip of her coffee, then lifted her eyes to Luke, once again seeking reassurance. “You really think I can hack this?”

“I just told you you could. Several times. Apparently, you haven’t been listening to me,” Luke teased sweetly.

Lorelai exhaled sharply. “Okay. You’re right. I can do this. I’ve done more difficult things in my life. Right?”

“Right.” Luke’s smile returned as he reached out to stroke her bare arm encouragingly.  

“Thanks, Luke,” she sighed. “So, how about tonight? We can celebrate with a pizza and a movie at my place.” 

“Oh, yeah, well, uh, I can’t tonight,” Luke stammered, turning away from her to grab the coffee pot from the burner, then topping off her cup. 

“You’re working late?” 

“No.”

“Then what? You gotta hot date?” she mocked before taking a large sip of her coffee, watching his expression transform suddenly into one of guilt and awkwardness.

 “Actually, yes. I do.”

Lorelai’s eyes widened — this was one more shock she wasn’t prepared to deal with at the moment. “Oh, Luke, that’s… that’s…,” she uttered vacantly, the bitter taste of coffee lingering on her tongue, eliciting a cough. “Water... please?” she sputtered. 

Luke sprung into action, quickly pouring her a glass of water and handing it to her within seconds of the request.

She guzzled down the cold drink, then cleared her scratchy throat. “Thanks.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. The coffee just went down the wrong way.” Lorelai paused, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the empty glass. “So, who is she?”

“Her name is Nicole. She’s actually Taylor’s lawyer. They were here last week, having a meeting. And, well, after Taylor left, we started talking and—”

“A lawyer? Huh. Doesn’t seem like your type.” 

“Well, she seems nice and she can’t stand Taylor, so I know she’s got good sense.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice brittle as she tried to understand her own emotions.

“I just did tell you.”

“I mean before. I’ve seen you every day. Actually, twice a day this entire week.”

“I don’t know. I just felt weird telling you.”

“Luke, we’re friends. You shouldn’t feel weird about it. I think it’s great,” she said, managing a fragile smile.

“Oh. Okay. So, now you know.”

“Right. Now I know.” 

“How about a raincheck on the celebration? Maybe next weekend? I’ll take you and Rory out for a nice dinner. My treat.”

“Sure. That sounds great. Anyway, I, um…, I’m gonna go pick up Rory from school and give her the good news. About my job, not your date,” she laughed nervously as she slid off of the stool and grabbed her handbag, slipping the strap over her shoulder. 

“Yeah. Okay. And, congratulations again.” 

“Thanks. Bye. Good luck tonight. Uh, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Lorelai called out as she strode backwards towards the door, cringing the moment those last words came out of her mouth. 

—————

“Am I calling too late?”

“Luke. Hey.” Lorelai relaxed into the soft couch cushions as she switched the phone from one ear to the other. “Nope. I’m up. Just watching TV. Casablanca’s on.” 

“Which channel?” Luke asked, his voice garbled as she heard his television turn on in the background. 

“Eleven. What are you doing up this late? Don’t you have to get up super early?”

“Caesar’s opening tomorrow.”

“Ooookay. And…”

“What?”

"It’s just… you’re not really a phone guy. I’m just surprised you called.” 

“I can’t sleep. I thought listening to you talk might help remedy the problem.” 

“Gee. Thanks. Why can’t you sleep? Does this have something to do with your date with Nicole last night? You didn’t tell me — how’d it go?” Lorelai asked, curiosity getting the better of her.  

“Remember I told you that I hated dating?” 

“That bad?”

“Worse.”

“What happened?”

“It was awkward. I was nervous. I was rambling about, I don’t know what. She didn’t know what. The food was bad. And she was… not what I expected and not in a good way.”

“Oh, Luke,” she said, her voice oozing with sympathy. “It’ll get better. This was your first date since Rachel. It might take a while before you’re comfortable with someone new. And It could be months before you’re ready to, you know, be uh, intimate with someone new.”

The dead silence on the other end of the phone caught her off guard. “Luke? You still there?” 

“Uh, yeah.”

Lorelai sat up, shifting her weight forward, her breath momentarily catching in her throat. “You slept with her? On the first date?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this.” 

“I just can’t believe… I mean, you said it was a bad date. You said you didn’t even like her.”

“It was. I don’t.”

“But you still slept with her?”

“Why are you getting mad?” 

“I’m not mad,” she said defensively. “It’s just… I didn’t think you were that type of guy. The one-night stand kinda guy.” 

Luke snorted. “ Type of guy? That sounds judgemental. What, you’ve never had a one-night stand before?” Lorelai could hear the indignation in his voice, yet there was something else there. Maybe a hint of underlying satisfaction that he could get her riled up. Or maybe that was her imagination. 

“Sure. I mean. Once. Okay, twice,” she admitted, the knots in her stomach tightening with a vice-like grip.  

“So it’s okay for you but not for me?” he questioned, Lorelai picking up the smug provocation in his tone.  

“I didn’t say that and I’m not judging you. I’m just surprised. Does Nicole know you won’t be calling her again?” 

“Oh, she knows. She got what she wanted. That’s all she wanted. Why do you think a woman like that would go slumming with a guy like me anyway?” Luke asked rhetorically. “And why are you so bothered by this? You’re the one who said I should be dating. To get over Rachel.”

“I’m not bothered,” she resisted, feeling her face flushing red. Grateful that they were having this conversation over the phone instead of in person. “And, by the way, you are not beneath her! I mean, she’s not better than you, but if that was her attitude, then screw her.”

She heard Luke laugh. “Err! Stop laughing! And I’m not bothered!”

“You clearly are,” Luke replied, the laughter now mostly gone from his voice. 

“Okay. Fine! I’m bothered!” she barked, the burst of anger surprising even herself. 

“Hey, you’re the one who said we could talk about this kinda stuff.” 

Lorelai took a deep breath in, holding it before blowing the air out slow and steady. “Well, I was wrong,” she stated calmly. 

“Is there a reason? Why you’re bothered?” he persisted.

“I don’t know. Can we just drop this?” she asked defeatedly, imagining the gratifying smirk that she was convinced covered his scruffy face.  

She heard his exhale through the phone. “Why, Lorelai?” he pressed, this time, in earnest, with clear desperation in his taut voice. 

“I… I…,” she stuttered as she glanced over to the muted television. Her stomach flipped and her eyes burned, blurring the images on the screen; blending them into a mishmash of black and white resembling some sort of bizarre Rorschach test. She turned the volume up with the remote. “Wait. It’s the end of the movie.” 

“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”  

Lorelai could hear the dialogue echoing from the other end of the phone as Luke remained silent. 

“One of the greatest last lines of a movie,” she sighed, blinking back the unwanted tears that threatened. “I’m really tired, Luke. I’m gonna go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Okay. Good night, Lorelai,” she heard him say before hanging up the phone. The tears she held back suddenly broke free, streaming down her confused face as she switched off the television and buried her head in trembling hands. She couldn’t get the images out of her head. Luke with Ally McBeal. Kissing her collagen-injected pouty lips. His large hands roaming her slim body. Luke fucking her wildly. 

“Uuuugh!!” she growled, tugging at her hair, trying to manually pull the vivid images from her mind, simultaneously vowing to never watch that stupid dancing baby show again. When that didn’t work, she threw herself down on the couch, smooshing her face into the cushions. 

It’s just Luke. My friend. My super sexy single friend who’s kind and generous and who’s always there for Rory and me. 

Lorelai sat up, wiping her tear-stained cheeks with her hands. With a deep, cleansing breath, she then rose to her feet, switched off the lights in the living room, and plodded up the stairs. When she reached her bedroom, she flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling, the last few days swirling around in her addled mind. Mia was leaving. Lorelai’s new position at the inn would start in a few weeks. So many changes. It was all starting to make sense, she rationalized — the reason she flipped out about Luke. She needed him more than ever now. Didn’t want to share him with anyone else. This is what Lorelai told herself. And she believed it.  Convinced herself of all of it — the lame excuses, the lies, the denials. 

Rolling onto her side, something on the dresser caught her attention. A necklace hanging from the jewelry tree Rory had made. It was a birthday present from Luke — the match to the earrings he had given her for Christmas. It sparkled as the crystals twisted and turned ever so slightly from the warm summer breeze coming through the open window. Beams of moonlight created a kaleidoscope of tiny rainbows on the wall behind it, hypnotizing her into a state of relaxation. She watched it, entranced, thinking of Luke — the anger and jealousy fading away, leaving only fondness, affection, gratitude for his presence in her life. Her eyelids fluttered shut, their weight too heavy to resist as Lorelai finally found the elusive transition into the peaceful, dark abyss of sleep. 

—————

Luke

“How did I get rooked into this?”

“Uh, I’m irresistible?”

“Yeah, well, have I mentioned I hate shopping malls?”

“No, I thought you said you hated flopping balls, which, well, I can kinda understand from a purely theoretical point of view.” 

Luke ignored her comment as they walked side by side, past the crowded mall food court to the rows of chain stores, each one appealing to a different demographic but all promising to sell you something which will change your life. To make you younger, thinner, faster, sexier, smarter or happier —and all for a reduced price and available in multiple colors. 

“I can’t believe it took fifteen minutes to find a parking space,” Luke groused.

“That’s because you went into the garage. I told you not to.”

“I had no choice. That’s where the mall cop directing traffic made me go. Maybe if you’d been paying attention instead of fixing your lip gloss, you could have helped me find the other parking lot.”

“Hey, I can’t look this good without a little help. But don’t worry. As long as we remember we’re parked on level Z ! Good thing I’m not arachnophobic.”

“That’s being afraid of spiders,” Luke pointed out. 

“Yeah. Right. I meant to say that. Because of all those gigantic creepy spiders that live on the top levels of mall garages. That's a thing, you know.”

“I don’t see why you just can’t get them a plant and be done with it.”

“That’s no fun.”

“People like plants.”

“Boring.”

“Practical.”

“This is a moving in together and engagement present — it needs to be special,” Lorelai explained as she surveyed the stores surrounding them. “Oh. My. God. Luke! Luke! It’s a Sharper Image! There! Take me there!” Lorelai squealed with excitement, bouncing up and down as she grabbed Luke’s hand and pulled him into the store, stopping just inside the entrance. 

“Jeez. Calm down. It’s like shopping with an eight-year-old. Am I going to have to buy you a toy?” Luke rolled his eyes, gently withdrawing his hand from hers. 

Yes,” Lorelai grinned. 

“What the hell is this place? A porn shop?” Luke asked as he lifted up a large, thick wand from the display shelf, studying it intently before accidentally pressing the button, bringing it to life, buzzing and vibrating in his hand. 

“Well, you did say you’d buy me a toy.” Lorelai took the pulsating object from him, eyeing it curiously. “Luke, uh, it’s a neck massager, not a vibrator. Although…” she squinted at it, pursing her glossed lips. “Nah… Maybe…? No. Definitely not.” She shook her head before switching it off and placing it back on the shelf. 

Luke pointed towards the other side of the store. “I’ll be over by the massage chairs if you need me.” 

“Wait. Hold everything. I found it. The perfect gift!” Lorelai pranced over to the table in the center of the store, giddy with excitement. She flipped the switch on the front of the eighteen-inch tall machine, lighting up the control panel; a loud screech coming from the speaker as she spoke into the hot mic. “Luke, please report to me,” she boomed, her amplified voice echoing loudly through the store. 

“It’s a karaoke machine,” Luke said flatly, stating the obvious. “What are Sookie and Jackson going to do with a karaoke machine?”

“They’ll use it. You know… to sing songs. Have dance parties.”

“Well, you know them better than I do, but I can’t see Sookie turning her place into a disco.”

“Disco? Pshhh. That’s so 1979!” Lorelai waved him off, then flipped through the CDs next to the machine. 

Luke’s eyes widened as he noticed the sign displaying the price. “Three hundred and fifty dollars? Are you kidding me? For a CD player and a microphone? Maybe you should get Sookie the neck massager instead.”

Lorelai ignored him, picking up one of the CDs, studying the label. “Ahh, I love this song! Let’s sing it!

“You’re nuts. I’m not singing. What’s with you today? Are you off your meds?” Luke scowled. 

“Hey, you’re the one that gave me three refills of coffee before we left.”

“I did not.”

“You didn’t? Oh. Right.”

“Did you go behind my counter and pour your own coffee?” Luke crossed his arms in front of him. “Unbelievable. That whole thing about smelling something burning from my apartment — you made that up, didn’t you?”

“And you fell for it. Twice.” Lorelai giggled.

“You’re a sick, evil woman.”

“Track four,” she said as she popped the CD into the machine and pressed the buttons to start the music — the lyrics showing up on the attached monitor. 

Then, Lorelai began to sing into the microphone, Luke looking on with feigned embarrassment, trying to suppress the smile that was threatening to break through his disapproving facade. “ You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you. You’d be like heaven to touch. I want to hold you so—  ”

“Lorelai Gilmore!” a woman’s voice rang out, causing Lorelai to stop mid-performance. 

She squinted across the store, recognizing the well-dressed woman who was standing by the store’s entrance. “Mom?” Emily walked closer as Lorelai turned off the machine and dropped the mic onto the table. “What are you doing here?” 

“Shopping. That’s what people usually do at malls, not sing like they’re at some disco club,” Emily said, chastising her daughter. 

Lorelai leaned closer to Luke, nudging him with her elbow and whispered, “See. Disco. That’s old-person talk.” 

“And who’s this?” Emily eyed Luke, giving him a once-over before returning her attention to Lorelai. 

“Oh, Mom, this is my friend Luke. Luke, this is my mother, Emily Gilmore.”

“Hello. So can you explain why my daughter is singing in public?”

“Hi. Uh…well… I’ll just be over there while you two catch up.” Luke motioned with his head towards a display of electric razors, proceeding to eavesdrop while pretending to browse. 

“I was just having some fun, Mom.” 

"So, is he the reason you turned down Christopher’s proposal?”

Luke dropped the razor he was holding as his head shot up — Lorelai’s mother revealing new information. 

“What?” Lorelai asked, stunned. 

“Christopher told me he proposed again a couple months ago and you said no.”

Lorelai shook her head and exhaled sharply. “I can’t believe he told you.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

“How serious is it, between you and that diner guy?” Emily asked, her voice thick with disdain. 

“Diner guy, huh. I guess Chris told you about him as well. We’re just friends, Mom. Luke has nothing to do with why I said no to Christopher.”

“Then why?”

Lorelai let out an exasperated sigh. “Because. He’s not ready. That’s why. And I’d rather not have Rory get hurt when it doesn’t work out. I don’t want to get hurt. Can you understand that?”  

Luke bowed his head, hearing the pain in her voice, knowing he’d heard too much. Feeling the all too familiar sting of jealousy and the dull ache of disappointment that seemed to reside permanently inside of him — dormant until triggered. 

He needed to retreat. Escape. But he couldn’t abandon her. Couldn’t leave her there with that cold as ice woman, now fully comprehending why she left home with Rory at age seventeen. Surveying the area, he found his salvation on the other side of the store.

It started all the way up at his neck, rolling, vibrating its way down, pausing for several heavenly seconds beneath his shoulders, kneading the tight muscles of his trapezius, before proceeding slowly down to his lower back, lingering there before repeating the process in reverse. A soft moan of appreciation escaped his parted lips as he allowed the physical sensations, the tranquil music, and the welcoming darkness to lull him into a state of peaceful relaxation. 

A gentle squeeze of his arm, not machine-generated, prompted his lids to blink open. Lorelai was hovering over him, lips moving, eyes weary. He pressed the button on the arm of the chair, halting its pleasure-producing movements, and removed the large headphones from his ears, allowing him to hear her voice. “Luke. Let’s go home. We can stop at the nursery on the way.”

—————

Lorelai

It was mid-afternoon when they pulled up to Sookie’s house; Luke got the Birds of Paradise plant from the bed of his truck while Lorelai rang the bell. They had driven back to Stars Hollow in relative silence — only talking inside the nursery when deciding which plant to buy. 

Sookie answered the door and invited them in, a huge dimpled smile lighting up her face. Conversely, Jackson appeared stressed, attempting to rearrange the combined furniture now cluttering the couple’s living room. 

“Thanks for the plant! It’s gorgeous,” Sookie beamed. “Isn’t it gorgeous, Jackson?” 

“Yeah. It’s nice,” Jackson grunted as he looked back and forth between two coffee tables in the center of the room. “Which one do you like better?” he glanced over to Luke, indicating that his opinion was needed. 

“Uh, I don’t know. They’re both fine,” Luke shrugged indifferently. 

Sookie walked over to Jackson, wrapping her arm around his. “Jackson, honey, let’s not bother them with this.”

“But mine clearly looks better in the room,” Jackson whined.

“Which one is yours?” Lorelai asked. 

Sookie rolled her eyes. “Do you really have to ask? It’s the hideous one with the pineapple base. That’s his. And it’s not staying.” 

Lorelai glanced at Jackson apologetically. “Yeah, sorry, Jackson, but I have to agree with Sookie on this one.”

Jackson faced his fiance. “What do you have against pineapples?”

“Jackson, it’s fruit. Fruit has no place in home decor unless you can eat it. And, besides, it’s just so awful.”

“Doesn’t Lorelai have a lemon lamp?” 

“Hey, can we leave my lamp out of this?”

“Pfft,” Luke grunted loudly, roughly adjusting his cap as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other and back again.  

Lorelai’s eyes widened as she watched Luke’s face. She knew that look. She knew that sound. A Luke rant was forthcoming. 

“What?” Sookie asked innocently, clueless about what was about to occur.

“You guys getting married. You know, it’s not biologically natural for people to mate for life. Animals don't mate for life. Well, ducks do, but who the hell cares what ducks do?”

“Luke — ” Lorelai warned, drawing out his name as her eyes darted back and forth between Luke and the recently betrothed couple. 

“I mean, people grow and evolve their whole lives. The chances that you're gonna grow and evolve at the same rate as someone else… too slim to take. The minute you say 'I do', you're sticking yourself in a tiny little box for the rest of your life.”

“Hey! Who asked you?” Sookie scowled. 

“No one. Enjoy the plant. I’m outta here,” Luke huffed as he started for the door before turning back to face the couple. “You know what? I’m just trying to give my friends some sound advice. Right now, you’re both happy and in love, but one day, you’ll wake up and realize that the person you trusted to be truthful was keeping things from you. Important things! But do what you want. And by the way, Jackson, I’d be happy to take this coffee table off your hands.” Luke pointed sharply at the offensive piece of furniture, the veins in his neck visibly bulging. “This stupid, ugly, pineapple, garage sale, coffee table — so I can run it over with my truck!” Luke shouted manically. 

“Hey!” Jackson pouted, his hands on his hips as Luke stormed out the front door, slamming it behind him. 

“What the heck was that all about?” Sookie asked Lorelai. 

“We ran into Emily at the mall. I think he might have overheard her lecturing me about turning down Christopher’s marriage proposal. I better go,” Lorelai said, worry veiling her features. 

“Christopher proposed? When?”

“I’ll explain later.”

Lorelai left the house to find Luke leaning against the passenger door of his truck, his head down, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. “Hey,” she said brusquely as she approached him. 

“I know, I know — I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Yeah. You shouldn’t have. If you’re mad at me, take it out on me. Not Sookie and Jackson — or that poor, innocent, hideous pineapple table,” Lorelai grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

Luke lifted his head and glared at her. “You’re right. I should take it out on you.”

“Whoa.” She put her hand up in front of him, attempting to stave off his attack. “So I guess what you said inside was just the opening act.”

Luke pushed himself away from the truck and moved closer to her. “As friends , we should be able to tell each other everything. Express our feelings without judgment. Without repercussions. So I should be able to tell you that I’m pissed! Really fuckin’ pissed that I had to hear it from your mother that that piece of shit sperm donor proposed to you! Again!” he barked, the volume of his voice escalating, reaching a deafening crescendo. 

“Well, gee, I’m sorry, my mistake. I didn’t realize you’d react so calmly about it,” Lorelai snapped, the crease between her brows furrowed tightly. “What the hell, Luke? Why are you so mad about this?”

“Because! You should have told me! That’s what friends do, right? So maybe we’re not really friends!”

“Hey! That’s not fair. You expect me to tell you everything about my personal life? About Chris? Like you told me about why Rachel left? Huh? What happened there, Luke? Why did she leave you? You never did spill the beans on that little secret of yours!” she shot back, her arms crossing over her chest. 

Luke pivoted away from her, pacing angrily back and forth on the sidewalk while Lorelai watched and waited. When he seemed ready for round two, he stopped in front of her, his blue eyes dark, his jaw clenched tightly. “Why can’t you just admit that you’re not over him?” 

“I turned him down, Luke!” 

“Then why won’t you date anyone new?!” 

Lorelai threw her hands in the air, her frustration and indignation mounting. “What does that have to do with anything?! Dating someone new will prove that I'm over Chris? I don’t have to date or fuck some random guy to prove anything to anyone. Certainly not to you!” 

“Right. Of course not. You just fucked Christopher to prove that you're not over Christopher.”

“You know what, I don’t have to take this shit from you!” Lorelai turned, stomping up towards Sookie’s house before spinning back around and marching back to face him again. “And we are friends! But you have no right to make me feel guilty about not telling you certain things. And who I decide to date or fuck or marry is none of your goddamn business!”

She stared at him, breathless, hands trembling, sensing his capitulation — knowing she’d hurt him; that she’d struck the final blow. But still, out of vengeance or spite or just impulse — she wasn’t sure which one — she took it one step further. “And by the way, Luke, since you want to get everything out in the open, let me ask you this. Did fucking Nicole help you get over Rachel? Huh?”

“No,” Luke grumbled as he glared back at her, wounded, defeated. He leaned back against his truck, rubbing his temples as he squeezed his eyelids shut. When his lids fluttered open, she was standing in front of him, her cheeks flushed, her heartbeat beginning to regulate from its prior frenetic state as she waited for him to speak. 

When he did, his voice was soft, gentle, tinged more with hurt than with fury. “I just… I hate that man. So much. How could he have done that? How could he let his child grow up without him? How could he do that to Rory? To you? What, he was too busy riding his motorcycle across the country? Or partying in Europe? Or doing whatever else he does. That was more important than being a father to Rory? Or being there to support you?”

Lorelai sighed. “Luke, I chose not to marry him when he asked me all those years ago. I made that decision to raise Rory on my own,” she explained calmly. 

Luke straightened his spine, his eyes finding hers as he pressed his lips together — seeming to collect himself before he rebutted. “No, you said you wouldn’t marry him. He still could have been there to help you. To be a dad. I would never have let that happen if Rory was mine. Never. I would never have left you on your own at age sixteen, with my baby, to work your fingers to the bone. To scrape and save every penny just to take care of her. And you did it all by yourself. But it shouldn’t have been that way. You. Rory. You both deserved better.”

“Oh, Luke.” Tears filled her eyes as she witnessed the intensity, the passion, the love that poured out of him. That he felt for Rory. And for her.

Luke gritted his teeth together, his head tipping downward, breaking their shared gaze. “I hate that Rory looks up to him. I hate that you slept with him and stood me up. And I really hate that you’re still in love with him and are waiting for him to somehow grow up so that you can all live happily ever after. Because I don’t think it will ever happen. And you know what, he doesn’t deserve for it to happen. Not now. Not ever.”

Lorelai hesitated then touched his chin, lifting it gently, regaining their lost connection. “Luke, you are an amazing, incredible, sweet man. And I know you would never abandon your own child. You would always be there for her. But Chris, he’s not you. And he was young and stupid and he made mistakes. He was my first love and part of me will always love him. But I’m not waiting for him. Not really.” She took a long breath, then continued. “I mean, yes, I’ve had that fantasy, on occasion, that he’ll suddenly become this perfect man. The perfect father. And we could be the perfect family. But it’s not real. I know that. And sometimes that hurts. But this…,” she raised her arms by her sides, motioning to what surrounded her. “ This is real. Stars Hollow. You. Sookie. Mia. You guys are my family. Rory’s family. And I’m so lucky to have all of you there for me, in my life and Rory’s life, permanently, forever. I mean, at least I think I have you— ” 

“You do,” Luke interrupted, smiling shyly. 

“Good.”

“Come here,” Luke said, his voice thick as he touched her hand, pulling her body to his for a long embrace. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” 

Lorelai held him tightly, feeling so safe in his strong arms. So protected. So… loved. She pressed her lips to his scruffy cheek for a soft kiss, then whispered, “Me too.”

Chapter Text

Luke 

Luke was dead tired. It had been a long, grueling week at the diner. The end of the summer had brought demanding tourists, families with rambunctious kids, and irritated regulars who were used to getting more of the proprietor’s individual attention. 

After he washed off the grease and grime of the day, Luke padded the short distance from the bathroom to his bed, the steam from his shower quickly evaporating into the cool air of the apartment. He draped his wet towel over his desk chair and lazily put on the pair of grey boxer briefs and the soft navy blue t-shirt that was laid out on his bed before plopping down onto the firm mattress. 

As exhausted as he was, he wasn’t ready to sleep — not yet. Not when a million things were racing through his head; most of them having to do with a certain woman who wasn’t among the diner’s many patrons this week. It had been an extremely busy week for Lorelai as well, so he hadn’t expected to see her much. Although she had officially taken over as The Independence Inn’s Executive Manager several weeks ago, this had been her first week without Mia and her anxiety leading up to it was something Luke had never witnessed before. But he had helped her through it. Been the rock she needed to lean on. The “family” member she could count on. 

Since the fight that day at Sookie’s house, their relationship had deepened into one of mutual admiration and understanding. Filled with reverence and loyalty. Brimming with thoughtfulness, compassion and affection. 

A broad smile crossed his lips as he sat in bed, his damp hair resting against the dark-paneled headboard, an unopened book on his lap as he thought about the previous weeks spent with Lorelai and Rory. The weekly dinners and movie nights. The boat trip, which was supposed to be a fishing trip — the girls outnumbering him with their not-so-subtle protests, chanting, “Let them swim! ” and “Fish are friends, not food!”   The Sundays at the lake spent swimming and picnicking. Building sandcastles along the water’s edge with Rory. Touching Lorelai’s alabaster skin while smoothing the creamy sunblock onto her back. Her hands on his back as she did the same for him.  

Then there were the phone calls. The almost nightly calls when they talked about their happiest and most painful childhood memories. Amusing stories and anecdotes from the past and present. They teased and joked and flirted. And with each conversation, they revealed more. Confided more. Trusted more.

No longer feeling threatened by the other man in Lorelai’s life, Luke had found hope. And with hope came happiness. With happiness came confidence and certainty. He had seen it in her eyes. Felt it in her stare. She looked at him differently than before. Smiled at him in a way that made his heart race and skin burn. There was a heat between them that was undeniable. A spark connecting them, charging the air around them with electricity. 

He wasn’t a patient man, but he would wait for her to see it. Acknowledge it. Accept it as their destiny, as he finally had done.

The phone rang, startling Luke from his pleasant reverie. 

He answered on the first ring. “Hey,” he said cheerfully, knowing it could only be her on the other end of the line. 

“Are you in bed?” 

“Is this some kind of phone sex call? Because if so, I’m into it,” Luke chuckled, twirling the coiled cord around his fingers as he straightened himself against his headboard. When he was met with silence on the other end, he quickly added, “That was a joke.”

“Can you come over?” she asked, her voice coming out in strangled gasps. 

Luke sprang up and swung his legs over to the side of the bed as a wave of panic swept over him, realizing she was crying. “What’s wrong? Is Rory okay?”

“Rory’s fine. She’s sleeping at Lane’s.” Luke heard her choke back a sob, drowning out the pounding of the pulse in his ears. “He’s getting married.”

Luke ran his hand through his hair as his eyes narrowed. “Who’s getting married?”

“Chris!”

“I’ll be right there,” he said hurriedly, slamming the phone down before practically launching himself from the bed.

Luke pulled on his gray sweatpants, slipped on his worn boat shoes, grabbed his keys, and was out the door within minutes of hanging up the phone. 

As he drove over to her house, all he could think about was the pain in her voice; not the fact that he was worn out from the busy day. Lorelai’s call had fixed that, jolting him into a state of hyper-awareness. Or the more significant fact that she was distraught over Christopher being off the market. That information, if Luke had considered it, would have been both worrisome and reassuring — the latter because having Christopher completely out of the way would mean that Lorelai might finally see that love, companionship, dependable family, had been right in front of her these past several months, happily serving her coffee and making her delicious burgers.

But none of that mattered now. She needed him. Wanted him there to comfort her in her time of weakness. And all he wanted was to be there for her. Support her. Be a shoulder to cry on. Do whatever he could to make her happy again. 

Luke didn’t bother knocking. The door was unlocked, so he let himself in. “Lorelai?” he hollered, looking around the first floor of her darkened house, not finding her there. 

“Upstairs,” she shouted back. 

Taking the stairs by twos, he quickly reached her bedroom, finding her sitting up in bed, her eyes red and moist, and her lids puffy, her lap covered in crumpled-up tissues. “Hi. Sorry to call you so late,” she sniffled as Luke sat on the side of her bed. 

“It’s alright,” Luke said, his voice gentle, loving. “So, uh, can I get you something to drink? Water? Something alcoholic?” 

“No. I just… Rory was at Lane’s and I didn’t want to be alone. Which I know is… it’s not like me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“What exactly happened?” Luke asked sympathetically as he reached out to gently stroke her trembling arm. 

Lorelai sucked in a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “Chris called. I hadn’t heard from him since, well, when he was in town a few months ago. He asked about the inn and Rory — you know, normal small talk. Then he told me he moved to Boston. Got a new job. A real job. One with health benefits and a company car. He sold his motorcycle, rented a condo, blah, blah, blah.” She grabbed another tissue from the box on her nightstand and blew her nose forcefully before dropping the used tissue on her lap with the others. “And the whole time he’s telling me all of this, I was thinking... I’m over him. I’m completely over him. It wasn’t theoretical anymore. This is what I’d been waiting for. This was the test and I passed it. He’s finally become a responsible adult and I wasn’t remotely interested in being with him. That small part of me that had held on to the fantasy of a family with him was gone — I could finally let go.”

Tears started streaming down her face as she continued. “But then, he said he had some even bigger news. She works in his office. Her name is Sherry and… Chris is having a baby with her. They’re getting married. And he’s going to be there for her, with her, while she’s pregnant. They’re going to raise their child together. Be that perfect family. And I’ll still be here, all alone. Probably single forever. I’ll never have more kids. And will probably die in this very spot surrounded by a houseful of cats. Luke, I’m not even a cat person. I’m a dog person!” Lorelai lowered her head, her hands covering her face. 

“First of all, you are not alone! You have Rory. And you have me. Secondly, you can forget about the cats. Or any other pet. You know, because of the hamster murder incident.” 

Lorelai’s head shot up. “I did not kill that hamster! It was defective when I bought it.” 

“What about the guinea pig?”

“Hey, that was a suicide. You can’t blame me for that one. She was the one who climbed out the window and jumped off of the roof.” Lorelai pointed to her window, pleading innocence. 

“The pig knew when to get out,” he teased, a slight grin crinkling the corners of his eyes. 

“How can you sit there mocking me at a time like this?” she asked, pulling away from him. His hand slipped from her arm as she pushed herself off the opposite side of the bed from Luke, the used tissues scattering onto the floor as she walked over to the window. 

With waning confidence and splintering hope, Luke followed her, standing behind her as she peered out into the dark, moonless sky. “Lorelai,” he started, biting down on his lower lip as he formulated the question, the answer to which might just shatter him. “If there was no Sherry, and Christopher had the new job and the new car, and he asked you, again, to marry him, would you say yes?” He held his breath as he waited, watching her ghost-like image reflected in the window, hearing only the crickets’ tireless chirps as they performed their nightly version of the dating game. 

“No! But why didn’t he change for me? What’s wrong with me?” She turned to him, her bright blue eyes still moist with tears, searching his for answers. 

Luke exhaled with a loud sigh, then lifted a shaky hand to cup her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. “Nothing. You’re perfect,” he told her earnestly. 

A deep crease formed between her brows as she held his gaze, seeming to doubt his sincerity. Lorelai shook her head, then turned from him, flopping belly first onto the bed, the mattress springs squeaking underneath her. “No, no, no! How can you say that?” Her words came out muffled as she shouted into her pillow.  Luke laid down next to her, rolling her onto her side towards him, a mass of dark curls hiding her features. He reached out, smoothing the hair from her face while she continued to protest. “I drink too much coffee. I talk too much.” 

“Probably because of all the coffee.”

“I’m stubborn. I can’t cook anything except for Pop-Tarts and tater tots.”

“And don’t forget Beefaroni.”

“And… And...,” she stammered. “... I don’t always floss after meals and sometimes I forget to lock the front door. That’s miles away from perfect!” Lorelai sat up, her feet dangling off the side of the bed. 

Luke mirrored her movements, sitting up to face her. “All endearing qualities if you ask me,” he smiled warmly. 

The corners of her mouth curled up for a fleeting moment, then fell just as quickly. “Oh, Luke,” she cried, burying her head in his strong chest. 

Luke wrapped his arms around her as her tears continued to flow. “You’re going to be okay. You’re the strongest woman I know. You’re beautiful. Smart. Caring. An amazing mother and friend. And you’d have men lined up out the door for you if you’d just open yourself up to finding someone new. I promise.” 

He pulled away from her, but their faces remained close, their eyes transfixed in a steady gaze as Luke carefully, lovingly, wiped the salty liquid from her pink cheeks. Then he closed the distance, placing a soft kiss on her lips before backing away and gently tucking an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll go get you some water,” he said sweetly, mostly unaware of the tightrope he had just walked, the line he almost crossed.

Her eyes grew wide with anxiety, with need. “Will you just hold me a little longer?” she pleaded. 

The vulnerability she revealed made his empty arms ache to be filled by her. “Sure,” he said soothingly. He drew her into his body and held her there securely, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder, his stubbled chin nestled against the crown of her head.  

He smoothed her hair and stroked her back, tracing idle circles through the thin, pink camisole she wore, feeling damp spots against his chest — tears which had soaked through the fabric of his shirt, reaching his heated skin, drying on contact.

It felt good to hold her like this. Too good. Too important — as if his arms were made to wrap around her, his hands built to touch her, feel her, warm her skin. His lips created to… He held her tighter.

They breathed in unison —  long, steady inhales followed by sharp, brisk exhales. Luke could feel her heart beating against his chest, his own falling into sync with hers. 

Lorelai let out one more shuddering breath, then withdrew from his embrace. Her eyes, searching his eyes, his face, his lips. Who initiated what happened next, he’d never know. Was it him? Her? Or a mutual force that brought them together, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss.

Any thoughts of impropriety, exploitation or just poor timing vanished from Luke’s consciousness before having time to creep in as he continued to kiss her —  lips parted, tongues mingling; the taste of her sparking a desire so strong, so insistent, he thought his heart would cease to continue beating if he stopped. 

With one hand at the nape of her neck and the other around her waist, he pulled her closer, his mouth ravaging hers as she moaned her approval. He tipped her head back as his lips traveled the length of her neck, dusting the skin there with warm kisses until he reached the vee of her top. He slid the spaghetti strap down from her shoulder, then peeled away the lace-trimmed fabric, his mouth ready and waiting to capture her exposed, perfect breast. Lorelai arched backward as his teeth grazed her peaked nipple, gently tugging it, feeling it harden to an even tighter point while he cupped and kneaded the soft flesh below it.

Retreating with a pleased sigh, Luke’s hand skimmed her smooth contours, catching her nipple while his eyes followed, watched, drinking in every shudder of her body, every heave of her chest as his fingertips lightly pinched and rolled the tender bud. His mouth, hungry again to taste her, replaced his fingers — sucking, biting, licking. Lorelai, her moans growing louder in response, reached under the hem of his shirt, digging her fingernails into the taut skin of his back. Pain mixed with pleasure as she marked him, sending a jolt of electricity down his spine to where his arousal throbbed in its confined space.  

Without warning, Lorelai pushed him off with a gentle nudge. Luke’s brow furrowed as he stared at her fervidly, his heart racing, the reality of the situation finally reaching a conscious level. With a hint of a coy smile, Lorelai lifted up her disheveled camisole, pulling it up over her head and throwing it to the floor. 

“So damn beautiful,” he rasped as he lunged for her, finding her lips again, coaxing them open for a searing, endless kiss. Rushed and desperate hands roamed her newly exposed skin, wanting more of her. Wanting all of her.  

He took her, enveloped in his strong arms and lowered her down so they were lying across the bed, their kiss, their embrace, unbroken.  

Tugging at the soft cotton of his shirt, Lorelai lifted the front of it just enough so that her hands could weave underneath it, caressing the hard muscles of his chest. Her touch sent shockwaves of pleasure rippling from the points of contact to all areas, north and south, east and west. His body set aflame, creating exquisite confusion as to whether he should make love to her slowly, tenderly, or mercilessly fuck her into oblivion. 

His primal urges won out. He’d wanted this, her, too long to be restrained. Too much to be subdued. What he’d imagined, fantasized doing to her over the last few months flooded his already dizzied brain, overwhelming him. But this was better than any fantasy, any dream he could have conjured up. Her lips were sweeter. Her skin, softer. Her touches, her noises, her beauty —more erotic. More intoxicating. More… everything.

Luke broke the kiss. Breathless and panting, his hand traveling the distance from her chin to her navel, caressing its way downward, his eyes taking in every freckle on her chest, his fingertips feeling each goosebump on their glorious path. When he reached his destination, he sat up and tugged the elastic of her pajama pants, sliding them down over her hips, down her long legs, before dropping them carelessly to the floor.    

Lorelai propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes finding his. “I missed laundry day,” she shrugged with a wanton smile, alluding to the fact that she lacked the expected undergarment, making his pulse race, his breath hitch. 

Luke rose from the mattress, then lifted his own shirt above his head, toed off his shoes and lowered his pants and boxer briefs in one quick motion — freeing his thick erection.  

Standing bare above her, Luke grabbed her thighs, spreading them apart, pulling her body swiftly towards him. “Jesus, Lorelai,” he breathed, his voice husky as his hands skimmed their way up her toned legs towards her center, parting her as he plunged one finger, then two, inside of her, finding her wet and ready. 

“Jesus,” she echoed with a loud groan as she gripped the rumpled sheets beneath her hands, her knuckles blanching white, her face flushing red. Lorelai’s hips surged off of the bed, meeting his thrusting fingers as he watched her, thinking he could come undone from just the sight of her, just from this. He withdrew his fingers, now warm and wet, then pressed them against her clit, circling the sensitive nub with deft agility. 

“Please, Luke. I need you. Now,” she pleaded with dark eyes, with unsteady breaths as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her feet on his ass, pulling him towards her, causing him to stumble forward. He landed softly on top of her, his hands bracketing her head as he braced his fall.

Luke stilled as he hovered over her, his legs between hers, their eyes locked in a hypnotic gaze. “I can’t believe this is happening,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, with longing. “Lorelai, I—”

Lorelai lifted her head, capturing his lips with her own, kissing away the two words that were left unsaid; her tongue sweeping away the confession that dangled from the tip of his. 

She retracted, her head falling back onto the mattress, her dark tresses cascading off the edge of the bed as her hand reached between their bodies, enclosing her slender fingers around his hard shaft, stroking him firmly before lining him up with her entrance. Luke gasped at the feel of her hand on his body, her warm breath on his face, the tip of his cock moist with their combined arousal.   

With a slight tremor and a guttural groan, Luke pressed into her, holding her gaze as their bodies merged into one. Lorelai cried out softly as he felt her melt underneath his weight, her arms winding tightly around him, holding him there as everything around them blurred. Seeing, feeling, breathing only her. Knowing he belonged there, with her, inside her, Lorelai wrapped around his soul.  

He ducked his head down, finding her lips again, still tasting the salt from her tears, reminding him of the pain brought on by another man. He kissed her harder, parting her warm lips with his, wanting to eliminate all traces of Christopher from her mouth, from her mind, from her heart, leaving only himself there for her to love. 

Lorelai broke the kiss and stared up at him, her eyes questioning, his eyes answering as he pulled out almost completely before plunging into her deeply, forcefully, again and again, grunting savagely with each mind-blowing thrust. She moaned in response, her head tilting back as she gripped his ass, pulling him into her, harder, closer, deeper — her hips moving in equal and opposite reaction to his. Gasps tumbled from her lips, filling the room, spurring him on until he was only breaths away from completely unraveling.

Luke halted his movements as he let out a hoarse, almost painful-sounding moan. “I’m too close,” he whispered breathlessly, desperation filling his voice. “I need you to come. I want to watch you come.” 

Without giving her time to react, he wrapped his arm around her waist, his legs scissoring her legs and in one swift motion, he rolled her on top of him. She gazed fervently down at him, her hair falling forward, the ends of her loose curls tickling his cheeks. He reached up, gathering it in his hand as he gazed at her with pure adoration, with all-encompassing desire. 

When he lifted his head to kiss her again, she pulled back, sitting up to straddle him, their bodies still connected as she started to grind against him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. So beautiful. So perfect. His hands were everywhere. Stroking her hips, cupping the soft curve of her breasts, trailing them down to her firm ass. 

He leaned forward, his mouth finding her hardened nipple, sucking it as she accelerated her movements, making her moan and pant as he felt her tightening around him. 

His head fell backwards, relinquishing her breast while his hands spread her thighs further before roaming over her ass again, fingertips dipping in and grazing the crease there. Lorelai let out a loud gasp and arched her back, her hands pressing against his chest. Luke forced his heavy lids open, watching as her eyelids fluttered shut and her lips parted, her breath coming out faster and faster. 

“Oh, god! Oh, god!” she screamed as she came, her body spasming around him, setting off a chain reaction of unimaginable pleasure, of delirious bliss. Luke continued to thrust up into her, his hips surging frantically, his control shattered, lost inside her, calling out her name as he finally let go.

Lorelai   

Lorelai shuddered, breathless, her body still pulsing with the residual contractions of her climax as she collapsed on top of him, Luke slipping out of her in the process. She rolled off and laid next to him, resting her head on his chest as he snaked his arm around her waist. Their bodies were moist with the sweet sweat of their lovemaking as they snuggled in silence, Lorelai only hearing the allegro tempo his heart was tapping out. Luke placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She smiled, feeling satiated, happy, secure in his strong embrace. 

She brushed her hand over the soft hair on his chest, enjoying how it tickled her fingertips; following the path to his abdomen, then back up again. Her legs wrapped around his, locking them together, the sole of her foot rubbing languorously against his calf. 

“I’ll be right back,” she purred, placing several gentle kisses on his chest before twisting around, reluctantly lifting herself off of the bed.  

“Wait. Come here,” he rasped, grabbing her wrist and swiftly pulling her back to him. She turned, kneeling on the bed next to his stretched-out frame. She studied him intently as he inched her closer, his features echoing how she felt  — gratified. Elated. Fucking fantastic. She blinked shyly as Luke reached out to stroke her cheek, leaning towards her for a soft, lingering kiss. 

Lorelai dreamily padded her way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. After cleaning the evidence of their encounter from her body, she slipped on her robe and checked her reflection in the mirror.  

“Luke,” she whispered to herself, smiling widely at her image. Her lips still swollen and red from his kisses. Her cheeks, her chest still flushed from their desire.

“Luke,” she said, repeating his name, this time, more question than answer, as reality started to slowly seep in, the lovely dream transforming into a nightmare. Her heart sank as panic suddenly filled her, reshaping her expression into one of confusion and regret. “Fuck... Fuck!” she muttered to her reflection. “Oh my god, I fucked Luke.”

Lorelai grasped two fistfuls of tousled hair from the front of her scalp as she paced the small bathroom, her mind racing with all the potential ramifications of their torrid indiscretion. 

“Lorelai?” Luke called. “I’m gonna go downstairs to get some water. You want some?”

“Ah… Sure,” she answered, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tremor in her voice. 

She waited until she heard the creak of the bed and Luke’s footsteps on the stairs before she left the safety of the bathroom. Picking up her discarded pajamas off the floor, she dressed quickly, then posed on the edge of the bed near her nightstand — legs crossed, arms folded stiffly over her chest. A rush of uncertainty swept over her causing her to stand up and take a frantic lap around the room. 

Act natural, Lorelai. Natural? I just slept with my best friend —nothing natural about it. His dick was inside me, for Christ’s sake!  

Her heart jumped as she heard him coming up the stairs to her room. Scrambling, she raced back to the bed and sat back down in the same contrived position as before.  

“Here you go,” he smiled as he handed her the glass. 

Lorelai took a sip. “Mmm. Good water,” she babbled nervously. “Nice and cold.” She gulped down the rest in record time. 

Luke’s eyes narrowed as he watched her. “You okay?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m great. Thanks. Uh, yeah,” she nodded. 

“Lorelai?” Luke asked, his head cocked, worry blanketing his face.

“I’m fine. Really. I was just thinking…” she stalled, her eyes traveling the length of him as he stood there in just his boxers, looking like a Greek god with his muscular chest and arms, his lightly bronzed skin from their days at the lake, and that sexy as fuck tattoo that had sent a rush of liquid heat between her legs the first time he took his shirt off in front of her. And again, now, as she stared at the inked pattern on his toned upper arm. “When do you have time to work out?” The question fell from her lips abstractedly.  

Luke snorted a laugh; the corner of his eyes crinkled as he reached out to tip her chin up, placing a gentle kiss on her battle-scarred mouth. 

As he pulled away from her, Lorelai blinked up at him confusedly — momentarily lost in the tug-of-war that was taking place between her brain and her pulsating nether regions. 

She stood up, walked towards the window and opened it, needing to breathe air that didn’t smell faintly of the combination of pine-scented soap, coffee and sexy diner man. She closed her eyes and let the warm breeze wash over, allowing the left side of her brain to regain control over her thoughts. 

“You should probably go,” she said, still turned away from him, not having the courage to face him. “If Babette or Morey see your truck out there this late, it will be all over town by morning.” 

“Oh. Right,” he responded quietly, succinctly. 

Lorelai pivoted, watching as he quickly dressed, then pulled his keys out of his pocket. They jingled as he shook them nervously, trapped in his cupped hand, his shoulders slumping forward as he moved towards the bedroom door.  

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she called out with a forced smile, Luke turning back to meet her gaze as he stood idly in her doorway.

Then he nodded, slowly, deliberately, his lips stretched into a thin line. “See you tomorrow.” 

She listened to his footsteps descend the stairs, thinking she could almost hear the disappointment and sadness in his slow gait. 

After the front door slammed shut, she peeked out of the window. She watched him walk to his truck, open the door and freeze there — his hand on the opened door, his body statue-like as if he had just stared into the eyes of Medusa. A full minute must have passed before he crooked his head up to her bedroom window for one last look. Lorelai jumped, retreating beyond the window frame, her back against the wall, her heart pounding fiercely against her ribs. 

Once she heard the truck rumble to life and the crunch of tires pressing gravel into the hardened earth beneath its treads, she scurried over to her phone. 

“Hello?” Sookie muttered groggily.  

“It’s me.” 

“Lorelai? It’s late. Are you okay, honey? I didn’t leave the stove on at the inn, did I?” Sookie’s tired voice suddenly panic-filled. 

“No, it’s not the inn.” Lorelai inhaled deeply and sighed. “I messed up, Sookie. I really, really messed up.”

“What happened?” Sookie asked, sounding concerned.

Lorelai slumped into bed, bringing her knees to her chest as she balanced the phone between her shoulder and ear.  “It’s Luke. I was upset. Christopher had called to tell me that he’s getting married. And that Rory’s going to be a big sister.”

“Oh, honey. Wow. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?... Wait, what does that have to do with Luke?”

“Rory was at Lane’s and I didn’t want to be alone. I don’t know, just the shock of Chris’s news and the inn and Mia leaving… I just...I fell apart. So I called him. And he came over. And he was sweet and comforting. Sook,… he thinks I’m perfect. And he was holding me and saying all these wonderful things and it… it just happened.”

“What happened?”

“We did it.”

“Did what?”

“Sookie! We had sex!” Lorelai shouted, grasping the phone tightly in her hand then dropping her forehead down to rest on her knees. 

“Oh… Ohhh! That’s fantastic! Jackson, wake up! Luke and Lorelai had sex!” Sookie exclaimed.

She lifted her head and ran her hand through her untamed hair. “No! Not fantastic.” 

“Why? Was it not good? That would surprise me because Luke has that vibe going, you know, like he knows what he’s doing if you know what I mean.”

“Hey!” Lorelai heard Jackson’s muffled protest in the background.

“Go back to sleep, sweetie,” Sookie murmured. “Go ahead, Lorelai.”

“The sex was fine. Good, actually.” Lorelai blew out a frustrated breath. “Okay, it was freaking incredible. But that’s not the point.” 

“I don’t understand, then. You and Luke. Luke and you. You guys are meant for each other. Like crepes and caramel sauce. Lamb chops and mint jelly. Ooh! Like duck and blueberry balsamic!”

“Duck and blueberry balsamic?”

“Actually, it’s this new recipe I came up with that I’m dying to try out,” Sookie answered enthusiastically.

“Stay focused, Sook!”

“Sorry. But, honey, it’s Luke. He’s so crazy about you.”

“No. He can’t be. I don’t want that! Luke’s my friend. He can’t be crazy about me and I can’t be having sex with him. It’s gonna ruin everything!” 

“So, you’re not in love with him? You’ve been spending so much time with him. I really thought… Jeez, Lorelai.”

“No. I mean, I don’t know. I have feelings for him, but… This was just so wrong.” 

“So what did you say to him? After the incredible sex.”

“I panicked. I asked him to leave. I told him I was worried that Babette would be spreading gossip all over town if she saw his truck here so late at night.”

“Well, that’s probably true.”

“But he just stood there, looking so… hurt. What am I gonna do?” 

“Be honest with him. Tell him you just want to be friends. If you’re sure that’s what you want.”

“It is! I mean, I think it is.” Lorelai’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

“Okay, look, Luke cares about you. He’ll be fine, eventually. And things can go back to the way it was before.”

“You think? I hope you’re right. And… I don’t think he’s in love with me. He’s not even over Rachel! I’m sure he’ll see it was all just a big mistake, right?” Lorelai didn’t give her friend the chance to answer. “Okay, thanks. I feel better now. Go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you.”

“Get some sleep, honey. Call me tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

Lorelai hung up the phone and crawled under her covers. Immediately, thoughts of Luke inundated her mind. His kisses. His hands on her breasts, her thighs, inside of her. His voice calling out her name. The erotic sounds he made when he came. 

She tossed and turned. Blanket on, blanket off, unable to find a restful position. One that would erase all traces of him from her body and mind. But that was impossible. The scent of him, of their lovemaking, still lingered on her sheets and on her skin, making her want more of him.  

With a frustrated moan, she switched on her lamp, got up, stripped her bed, her pajamas, throwing everything into a messy pile on the floor. Thoughts of setting fire to the lumpy mound of lust and regret at her feet briefly crossed her mind. Instead, she opted for a less destructive approach — a fresh pair of pajamas and a short trip downstairs to Rory’s room to sleep — not needing to take the quick detour to make sure he had locked the front door on his way out.

It was Luke. Reliable Luke. Of course he had. 

————————

Lorelai woke up early the next day to the sound of chirping birds and the sun streaming in through Rory’s window, casting the room in golden-yellow tones. She tensed as last night’s events trickled into her mind like raindrops in a summer storm, soft, slow, steady at first, then suddenly pouring over her, drowning her with the vivid details which made her shudder with both arousal and remorse.  

She pulled the pillow from under her head and placed it over her face, attempting to smother the unwanted memories to death. When that failed to provide any respite, she begrudgingly got up, trudging upstairs to try and wash them away under the hard spray of her shower. But everything reminded her of Luke. The pile of linens still on the bedroom floor. The monogrammed bath towel he had given Rory for Christmas which hung from the bathroom door. The showerhead with three different spray options that he had installed as part of her birthday present slave services.

The day was already off to an unusual start. The perpetually punctual Mrs. Kim had dropped Rory off at exactly at 9:07 am, seven minutes later than planned. (Lorelai often wondered if Mrs. Kim had been in the army in a former lifetime.)  

Lorelai made coffee, toasted two Pop-Tarts, and sat at the kitchen table — her gaze unfocused as she broke off a piece of the nutritionally devoid breakfast treat and popped it into her waiting mouth. 

“You slept in my bed?” Rory questioned as she leaned against her door frame, startling Lorelai. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I, uh, was missing you,” Lorelai lied and hated herself for it. 

“No breakfast at Luke’s? We always have breakfast at Luke’s on Sundays. What gives?”

“I made you a tart instead. I need to get caught up on laundry.”

Rory snatched the other Pop-Tart from the table and took a bite. “Does that mean we’re not going to the lake today, either?” she asked, her words garbled as she chewed.

“Sorry, sweets. Not today.”

Rory swallowed. “But summer’s almost over! This might be our last chance!” she whined, her hands defiantly on her hips. “Well, I’m going to call Luke and see if he’ll take me. Just because you have to do laundry doesn’t mean I have to suffer, too.”

Lorelai stood up suddenly, her palms striking the table. “No! You can’t call Luke!” The words came out of her mouth faster than her mind could process. She looked at Rory’s shocked face and sighed. “It’s just that… Luke has to work today. It’s busy this time of year for him.” Not quite a lie, but still causing her guilt — having something she couldn’t explain to Rory, couldn’t share. 

Rory’s eyes narrowed, her head tilted. “Did you and Luke have a fight?” 

Damn, this kid was too smart. Too perceptive. Lorelai contemplated hiding her books, maybe even taking her out of school to dumb her down a bit.

“No,” Lorelai’s voice calmed. “In fact, we, uh, have dinner plans.” Another lie, but one she was hoping would become truth. She had to talk to him. Straighten things out. Make sure she could convince him to still be friends after what happened last night. God, she hoped she could. “You, my precious girl, will be having dinner with Sookie and Jackson.” Not that Sookie was aware of these plans either — they were being invented on the fly. 

“You did get in a fight with him, didn’t you?” Rory crossed her arms over her chest, her small voice even smaller as her eyes filled with tears. 

“It’s fine. Really. Luke and I will be fine. Mommy will fix it. Promise,” Lorelai said, finally being honest as she pulled Rory into her arms to soothe her. Her dear, sweet child. 

Rory getting hurt — this had been Lorelai’s fear. The reason why she rarely dated. The excuse she told herself to close off her own heart to any potential risk. Any possible threat. Because she couldn’t bear it. The thought of Rory getting attached to a man, becoming dependent on him, loving him, then having him leave. 

Not again. Especially not now. Lorelai couldn’t let this happen to Rory. 

She saw it in her daughter’s eyes — every time Christopher would disappoint her. The last-minute canceled plans. The promised phone calls which never came. The shortened visits because something else was always more important. He’d never given Rory enough time. Never enough love. And now, with the new baby on the way, the reality set in that the future wouldn’t be any better. Rory would become the “other” child — the one who’d only get scraps of her father’s attention, only the smallest piece of his foolish heart.  

With bolstered determination and a trembling hand, Lorelai picked up the phone and did what she had to do. 

Dinner. Silvano’s. Seven o’clock. It was a date.

Chapter Text

Luke

He was early. She was late.

Luke sat at the small table of the Italian restaurant, his eyes peeled on the large picture window, his foot tapping the floor as he anxiously awaited her arrival. 

They had been there once before, the three of them together, right after Lorelai got her promotion at the inn. It turned out to be an unforgettable night. Rory had lost her last baby tooth in a meatball. Lorelai had way too much Prosecco. The middle-aged waitress, thinking they were a family, told Rory she looked just like her father — Luke! The two girls laughed throughout the meal until their sides hurt and tears were coming out of their eyes.

Luke hated that she picked this restaurant for tonight, knowing full well that the sweet memory from their past would now be eclipsed by the harsh reality of their present — forever ruining it.   

He lifted his drink, watching the swirls of clear liquid from the ice bleed into the auburn-colored bourbon before bringing it to his parched lips. It was sweeter than he expected and went down smoothly, the effects hitting him almost immediately yet providing little relief for the trepidation causing his hands to tremble and his empty stomach to somersault. 

He looked at his watch. It was almost seven-fifteen. Was she really going to stand him up? He glanced out the window again, then scanned the Tuscan-inspired room — its warm sun-baked colors and rustic charm the antithesis of the gloomy greyness that existed outside, beyond the four walls, threatening to break through. 

Luke flagged down the waitress, wordlessly signaling to her that he wanted another drink. 

He knew what was coming; what Lorelai wanted to “talk” about in this overpriced restaurant on a Sunday night at the edge of town. It was the way her voice sounded on the phone earlier in the day when she asked him to dinner. It was how she basically kicked him out of her bed after they’d made love — unable to look at him. The regret that filled her voice that night. The shroud of pity that blanketed her face right before he left her bedroom. 

He had been such a fool to think that she could love him the way he loved her. But it seemed so obvious, so clear at the time. How could he have imagined it?  She had said she wanted him. She conveyed it in every way possible. And, right after, she looked happy. And he felt… loved. 

It had never been that way before. Not even with Rachel. That closeness. The connection that lived between them that night. 

The waitress delivered his drink with a flirtatious smile. She was young. Pretty. Blonde, with bright green eyes and a curvaceous figure. He could probably have her if he wanted — she was obviously interested. The restaurant was quiet and she looked bored. He could ask her to meet him in the back alley, fuck her against the wall so he could feel something other than pain. Do something to free himself from the hold Lorelai Gilmore had on his heart. But that hadn’t worked before. He tried it with Nicole, but the experience only left him bereft, wanting even more of what he could never have. So he merely responded with a sheepish grin and polite “thank you” as she left with a disappointed nod and a jaunty sway of her hips.

Luke let out an exasperated sigh then took a sip of his drink, the clicking sound of heels on the terracotta tiled floor grabbing his attention as Lorelai walked hurriedly towards him. Her hair was straight and smooth. Her black dress, even though more modest than she typically wore, hugged her in all the right places. 

“I’m so sorry. Have you been waiting long?” she asked, a worried expression blanketing her face.

Luke swallowed down the rest of his drink. “Not too long,” he lied, then stood, awkwardly greeting her with a chaste kiss on her cheek, his hand resting briefly on her arm. “You look beautiful,” he said before he could stop himself, pulling out the chair opposite his, inviting her to sit. 

“Thanks. So do you,” she responded with a nervous chuckle as she sat down, adjusting herself in the chair, avoiding his eyes. Luke’s heart sank. “I dropped Rory off at Sookie and Jackson’s — Jackson wouldn’t stop talking about these Meyer lemons he’d grown. He wouldn’t let me leave until I tasted one. Anyway… that’s why I’m late.” 

“Oh. No problem. You want a drink?” 

Before she could even answer, pretty, blonde Jenna appeared at their table. “Can I get you a cocktail?” she asked Lorelai curtly, seemingly disappointed that Luke’s date actually showed. 

“Gin martini with a twist,” Lorelai rattled off.

“And for you, sir? Another bourbon?” she simpered, leaning forward slightly to allow Luke an eyeful of her ample cleavage while she cleared his empty glass. 

“I’ll have a beer. Whatever you have on tap.” Luke glanced up from underneath his long lashes, flashing a sexy smile Jenna’s way.  

 He felt like a fraud — the pointless mind game he was trying to play. Flirting in an attempt to provoke some kind of jealous reaction from her. Pretending not to care that she was about to break his heart into a million pieces. “So, you wanted to talk,” he said, turning back to Lorelai, his mouth sagging, his voice dry, lifeless. 

But he already knew. He was certain now. The tilt of her head. The fear in her eyes — he knew what she was about to say. What he hadn’t thought about was how he’d respond. Even though it had consumed him throughout the last twenty-four hours. Even though he’d replayed every detail of that night over and over again in his head until he was drowning in both the sweet and bitter memories.

He had to decide what he was willing to accept. What he was prepared to lose.  

Lorelai’s lips parted, but the thick air between them must have prevented her words from escaping. The moment stretched out in uncomfortable silence, each second becoming increasingly painful, overwhelmingly unbearable. She exhaled sharply. “Luke —”

“One gin martini with a twist. And your beer. Are you ready to order?” Jenna asked, placing their drinks in front of them. 

Lorelai didn’t even glance at the menu. “I’ll have the meat lasagna,” she responded quickly, then drained her martini in two swallows. “And another martini.” She tapped her fingernail on the glass.

“Uh, I’ll have the arugula salad. Thanks.” 

Even Jenna must have felt the tension between them because she quickly took the menus from the table and fled. 

Maybe it was pride, not allowing her to say it first. Or just another head game that he felt compelled to play. “Listen, Lorelai. About last night. It’s no big deal if you just want to forget about it. I guess… it was probably a mistake.”  

“Yeah?” Lorelai questioned, her brows coming together in a furrow. And for a fleeting moment, Luke thought maybe he was wrong. But then her lips curled up and her shoulders relaxed. “I’m so relieved you think so, too... Not that it wasn’t great. It was.”

Luke’s eyes sank and the muscle in his jaw twitched. “Yeah, it was.” 

“I mean, you really know your stuff, mister,” she avowed bashfully, then leaned forward, awkwardly giving his arm a gentle nudge. “We, uh, just shouldn’t have done it.” 

“Right,” Luke mumbled, despondent, his lips drawn in a thin line trying to hold back the bile that was rising in his throat. 

“So…” Lorelai fidgeted, biting down on her lower lip, uncharacteristically taciturn. 

“So...” 

Lorelai surveyed the room, twisting her body around impatiently. “How long does it take to make a martini? It’s not like this place is busy.” 

Luke nodded in feigned agreement, wondering how he would manage to get through the meal when every cell in his body was screaming for him to leave. Knowing that he’d have to keep pretending, continuing to play the game he’d already lost. 

Throughout dinner, Lorelai babbled, seemingly unfazed, eating heartily, filling up any awkward silences with stories about work, Rory, Meyer lemons, Sookie and Jackson’s upcoming wedding. Meanwhile, Luke just picked at his salad, shuffling the leaves from one side of his plate to the other, trying to give her the appropriate responses when necessary: a forced smile when needed, a hollow laugh, a thoughtful expression when called for. 

“You okay?” Lorelai asked, sipping her coffee, a chunk of tiramisu dangling from her fork. “You barely ate.”

“I’m fine. I had a late lunch.” 

When the check came, Luke scooped it up swiftly, his eyes flickering between what was written on the slip of paper and Jenna. He cleared his throat and pulled out his wallet, placing two crisp hundred dollar bills on the tray, then folded up the paper and shoved it into his bloated wallet. 

“Thanks. Keep the change,” he said, glancing up at Jenna again, giving her an understanding nod. 

“My pleasure,” she responded, lingering there for a brief moment before sauntering over to the restaurant’s bar where she sat, gazing back over her shoulder at Luke.

“Hey. I wanted to pay. I’m the one who asked you out, remember?” 

“This wasn’t a date,” he snapped, his words coming out harsher than he had intended. He inhaled deeply, “I mean, don’t worry about it. My treat. You can pay next time.”  

“Sure. Next time,” she echoed softly, her mouth twitching up into an uncertain smile, her eyes lifting to meet his. “Thanks, Luke.” 

She stood, adjusted her dress and slid her purse over her narrow shoulder. “You ready?” she asked as Luke sat motionless, pondering the situation, his wallet containing the check with Jenna’s phone number and the words “call me” still in his hand. 

“I think I’m gonna stay. Have another beer at the bar,” he gestured over to where Jenna still sat with her back turned away from them, chatting up the bartender. 

“Oh. I, uh, okay,” she stammered, her expression nonplussed. “Well, thanks again for dinner.” Lorelai hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked away. 

After he watched her leave, Luke rose unsteadily from his chair, moving past the bar and Jenna to the men’s room where he immediately threw up his two bourbons, one beer, and the six leaves of arugula that he had been able to choke down, leaving nothing left inside of him, other than soul-crushing humiliation and the pieces of his broken heart. 

Lorelai 

She couldn’t get out of there fast enough — tears welling up in her eyes as soon as she turned away from Luke, breaking free when she pushed her way through the heavy glass door of the restaurant. By the time she reached her Jeep, they were streaming down her face, full force, clouding her vision as she fumbled to find the keys in what seemed to be a bottomless purse. 

After she settled herself into the driver’s seat and wiped away her tears, Lorelai stared out through the plastic window at Luke’s truck which was parked across the small parking lot. 

“Stupid Luke with his stupid green truck!” she screamed to no one. 

It was a mistake.

His words echoed in her head, sending a chill through her body. But she had agreed with him wholeheartedly. Even felt a sense of relief right after he’d said it. Then why did she feel so angry now, so humiliated, aggrieved at his attempt to seduce the waitress right in front of her? Why did she feel a stabbing pain in her chest when he dismissed her so callously at the end of their meal?

He had been cold and distant — it was so unlike him. He wasn't the same man who she had opened her heart to. Who she invited into her bed, inside her body only twenty-four hours ago. 

Maybe it had all been a mistake. Not just the sex, but allowing him in her life. In Rory’s life. Maybe men and women really can’t be friends because the sex part gets in the way. 

Nevertheless, there was no turning back. 

Lorelai inhaled a deep, shuddering breath, blowing it out slowly, rejecting the intrusive thoughts that buzzed through her brain. 

She started the engine and backed out of the parking space. That was the only time she looked back. Her eyes remained steadily focused forward on the road ahead. The road that would lead her home. 

————

“Well?” Sookie asked, her eyes wide as Lorelai filled her mug from the industrial-sized coffee maker, the wait staff buzzing around them carrying the last of the breakfast orders out from the inn’s kitchen. 

Lorelai leaned up against the center island and took a sip from her steaming cup. “Well, what?”

“Lorelai!” Sookie grumbled, her voice a loud whisper as she wiped her hands on her apron and faced her friend from across the island. “I’ve been dying all morning. How did it go with Luke last night? You left so quickly with Rory and never called like you promised.”

“It went fine.” Lorelai took another sip. 

“Fine? That’s all you’re going to tell me? How did he take it? Was he upset?” Sookie’s brow creased. 

“Nope . He was fine. Absolutely fine. He was the one to say that our, you know, night together was a mistake before I had the chance to say anything.” Lorelai shrugged her shoulders, feebly attempting to feign indifference. 

“So that’s good, right? That’s what you wanted. So, uh, why don’t you seem fine?” 

“I guess… I don’t know. I guess I wanted him to be at least a little disappointed.”

“Lorelai—”

Lorelai cut her off, seeing her friend’s stern expression, knowing she deserved her censure. “I know. That makes me sound like a terrible person. I don’t want him to be hurt. But he clearly wasn’t. You should have seen him — he was flirting with our waitress right in front of me. We didn’t even leave together. He probably went home with her .” 

Sookie’s face sagged as she moved around the island to stand next to Lorelai. She put her hand on Lorelai’s arm and stroked it soothingly. “That doesn’t sound like Luke. Are you sure? Maybe you misread the situation.”

“I did not misread the situation.”

“I’ve known Luke forever. He’s a proud man and he’s definitely not a person who wears his emotions on his sleeve. He must have been hiding how he felt. Or maybe even trying to see if he could make you jealous. Either way, he’s definitely not okay with this.”

“Sookie —”

“Hear me out. I’ve seen you two together. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. There’s no doubt in my mind that Luke is totally into you.”

“You’re wrong!” 

Sookie shook her head, “Sweetie —”

“I gotta get back out to the front desk before Michel goes off on another guest — he’s in a mood today.”

“Wait, Lorelai. Are you sure this is what you want? What would be so horrible about having a real relationship with him?” 

“Because! I just can’t. I… I… We made a mistake. We both agreed. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“So, what are you going to do?” Sookie’s eyes were filled with concern. 

Lorelai sighed, her lips curling up in a faux smile. “I’m going to pretend like it never happened, that’s what I’m going to do. It’s what Luke wants. It’s what I want. And we’ll go on, being friends. Anyway, I really gotta go.” 

The day passed quickly. The morning rush of checking guests out spilled into the late afternoon of check-ins — Lorelai kept the staff on their toes, making sure everything ran smoothly during the hectic transition.  

When four o’clock rolled around, Lorelai gathered her belongings, said goodbye to the staff and made her way over to Luke’s. If things were going to get back to normal with him, she had to try to stick with her regular Luke-related routine. 

The diner was quiet. Only a few tables were filled, only a couple of people seated at the counter when Lorelai walked in. Luke was nowhere in sight. 

“Hey, Kirk,” Lorelai said, taking the seat next to him at the counter, Kirk occupying her usual spot near the register.

“I can sit here, you know. You don’t own this seat,” Kirk said defensively. 

“It’s fine, Kirk. Is Luke here?”

“He’s back there, somewhere, I think. You guys in a fight or something? He took off as soon as he saw you walk up to the door.”

“Huh? Uh, no.” Lorelai tipped her head down and pressed her fingers into her temples, rubbing tiny circles in an effort to rid herself of the throbbing pain that suddenly ripped through her head.

“Coffee?” she heard Luke ask as relief flooded her worried soul. 

“Hi! Of course,” she grinned before noticing he had pulled a to-go cup from the stack next to the coffee machines. “For here. I have some time before I have to pick up Rory from camp.” 

“Okay.” Luke poured coffee into a large mug, then placed it in front of her, his expression stoic.

Lorelai sighed as her hands clenched the warm mug. “So…” 

“Anything to eat?” 

“No. Just the coffee.”

“Kirk. You’ve been sitting there for two hours already drinking the same cup of coffee. Order something else or scram,” Luke grumbled.

“The service here really stinks, you know.” Kirk got up and left, the bells on the door jingling in his wake. 

“So, how are you?” 

“Fine. Good,” Luke answered flatly, avoiding her gaze as he got out his cleaning rag and started wiping the counter in front of her.  

“Good. That’s good that you’re good. So… anyway…  the inn was crazy today. Michel got into an argument with these guests because they checked out five minutes late. It was an older couple and they couldn’t understand his accent. But he was going on and on about charging them an extra night’s stay. Anyway, they were so upset, I ended up having to comp their restaurant and bar tab,” Lorelai rambled nervously.

“Hmm,” he grunted, continuing to busy himself with the menial task.

“Yeah, well... So, are you free on Friday night? How about coming over for dinner and a movie? It’s been a while since we’ve done that.” She looked up at him hopefully.

“Can’t. Plans Friday night,” he shot back immediately.

Was he lying? Was he going out with the waitress? Lorelai’s confidence began to wane. “Oh. Sure. Okay. I can’t do it any other time this weekend. We have two weddings this weekend at the inn and —”

Luke finally stopped what he was doing and met her stare. “Do you need help with Rory? I can take her to the lake on Sunday. She starts school on Tuesday, right?”

“She does. Uh, thanks. That would be great. I’m sure she’d love that.” A spark of hope lit up her formerly dull eyes. 

“Yeah, well, let her know. You can drop her off here before you go to work.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ve got some work to do in the back,” Luke exhaled, motioning behind him. “Caesar is coming off break in a few minutes if you need something else.”

“Oh, okay.”

“See ya.”

And with a patented Luke Danes wave, he was gone. 

Lorelai finished her coffee and fished a dollar out of her purse, setting it underneath her empty mug. 

It will get easier, she thought to herself as she walked out of the diner towards her Jeep. She felt somewhat encouraged that Luke wanted to spend time with Rory, even though his manner was detached, his demeanor aloof. Keeping him in Rory’s life had to be enough, at least for now. 

————

Space and time. Maybe that’s all they needed to right what was wrong. To fix what was broken between them. That or an actual time machine to go back to that night when the line was crossed. When desire and neediness took the place of prudence and forethought. 

So Lorelai kept her distance from Luke, only speaking to him once to finalize plans for his outing with Rory, not seeing him again until Sunday when she dropped her off at the diner. But even after almost a week apart, nothing seemed any better. And while he was thrilled to see Rory, Lorelai was met with a lackluster hello and a robotic overview of the itinerary for the day. 

As she drove to pick up Rory at the diner later that afternoon, she decided to try a new strategy. Not that she knew what that strategy was going to be, but clearly giving him space wasn’t doing the trick. And she missed him. More than she could admit to anyone. Even herself. 

But when she got there, she found Rory sitting alone at the counter, sipping on a vanilla milkshake, with a plate of what looked like the remnants of a cheeseburger and fries in front of her. 

“Hey, kid! Did you have fun?”

“Mommy!” Rory jumped off the stool and wrapped her arms around Lorelai, giving her a tight squeeze. “We had so much fun! We built this amazing sandcastle and then Luke took me in the water and I rode on his back while he swam around. And he packed us the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ever with potato chips and soda and he made sure to help me reapply my sunscreen and wait the full thirty minutes after we ate before we got back in the water,” Rory relayed breathlessly. 

“Wow! That’s fantastic! I’m so glad you had a good time.”

“And Luke made me a cheeseburger and fries so you wouldn’t have to worry about giving me dinner. Plus, I was super hungry from all of that swimming.” 

“So, where is Luke?” Lorelai scanned the empty diner. 

“He went upstairs. Some blonde lady came to see him and he said he had to talk to her in private.” 

“Blonde lady?” Lorelai’s eyes narrowed, her heart sank to her stomach. 

“Yeah.”

Lorelai just shook her head in disbelief. 

“Mommy?”

Could Luke have done that? Left Rory on her own while he went upstairs to do god knows what with that...? 

“He left you alone?” 

“No, Caesar’s here. He’s washing dishes, see?”

“We should go.”

“But I haven't finished my milkshake yet. And I have to say goodbye to Luke,” Rory whined. “He said he’d be back down in a few minutes.”

Lorelai inhaled deeply, watching as her daughter’s big blue eyes filled with confusion and disappointment. “I’m sorry, sweets. It’s just been a really long day. Finish your milkshake. We can wait for Luke.” 

Her stomach knotted. The idea of seeing Luke when that woman was in his apartment. Maybe in his bed. Lorelai blinked away the thought — focusing on Rory. Then it came to her; the absurdity of it all. Luke. She did know him. He wouldn’t leave Rory in the diner so he could have a quickie upstairs. She trusted him with her daughter more than almost anyone else in the world. More than she did with Christopher. 

“What’s so funny?” Rory asked before slurping up the last of the thick white liquid, Lorelai not even realizing she had laughed aloud. 

Then she couldn’t stop laughing — the stress and fatigue of the week causing her to break into hysterics.  

“Hey. What did I miss? What’s so funny?” he asked, Luke’s voice snapping Lorelai out of her state of giddiness.

“My mom has lost her mind.” Rory rolled her eyes.

He was standing at the edge of the counter, the curtains of the makeshift door that separated his work life from his home life swinging gently behind him. Lorelai crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Luke’s shoulders, his hands hesitantly clutching her waist. And for a brief moment, everything felt right again. 

“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. 

“Anytime,” he replied, his voice taut as he pulled away from her, his eyes gazing downward as he separated himself even further from her, Lorelai shuddering from the loss. “I, uh, I have to get back upstairs.”

“Oh. Okay. We’ll get out of your hair.” 

“Take your time. Caesar can lock up behind you. It’s just that…,” Luke motioned with his head, then walked over towards the front door, Lorelai following. “Liz is here,” he said softly. “She just showed up out of the blue while Rory was eating. And she reeked of pot. I, uh, didn’t want her to be around Rory in that state.” Luke’s eyes finally met hers. There was sadness in them, embarrassment, shame. 

“Oh. Oh, Luke. I’m sorry. Is your nephew here, too?” 

“No. She said she left him with a... friend . Most likely, whatever loser she’s been shacking up with. She needs money. That’s why she’s here. That’s the only reason she ever comes home.” 

Lorelai just stared up at him, wanting so badly to touch him, to comfort him, but knowing that she couldn’t. That what he wanted was for her to leave. It was written all over his face. He didn’t want her there. 

So they left. But not before Rory ran to Luke, her arms stretched out wide as Luke scooped her up so they were eye-level, placing a quick peck on her sun-kissed cheek. 

They said their goodbyes and thank yous and all the polite niceties of acquaintances; devoid of the intimacy they once shared.  And Lorelai felt lost.

Luke

She called him once. A few days after the time at the lake with Rory. They spoke briefly about Rory’s first day of school, Sookie and Jackson’s upcoming wedding, and pre-wedding parties before Luke made the excuse that he was tired and had to go to bed. 

She had stopped coming to the diner. He knew why. He hadn’t been subtle. But it was easier on him this way. Not having to see her. Not having to pretend that things between them hadn’t been blown to pieces in the aftermath of their night together. 

And to add to his current misery, the loud whispers in the diner were back. Some of the rumors were unnervingly accurate, others just flat-out ridiculous. Luke hated all of them with equal abhorrence, although not all gossip was created equal. The worst of the rumors wasn’t actually a rumor — it was fact. Told to him directly by Jackson. Lorelai was seeing someone. A teacher at Rory’s school. 

He knew this would happen. He felt it the first time she walked into his diner and yet was powerless to stop it. At least with Rachel, when that was over, he didn’t have to worry about running into her at Doose’s. Or seeing her across the square with a Weston’s coffee cup in her hand. Or even worse, watching as she walked out of the Black-White-Read with her arm around the tall, dark-haired teacher, gazing into his eyes, looking happy. 

He laid awake at night, torment heavy against his chest, slowly crushing any hope he had left. Desperate for things he wanted but could never have. Missing her. Missing them. Hating himself for being weak. Feeling foolish for ever believing in love. 

————

The day of the wedding arrived and the weather was perfect. It was early enough in autumn that they were able to hold the ceremony and reception on the grounds of the inn. A large white canopy tent had been erected, tastefully decorated with jewel-toned flowers and ribbons set under a vivid blue sky occasionally interrupted with sparse fluffy clouds — adding brief moments of respite from the bright, mid-day sun. 

Luke showed up right on time and sat in the last row, hoping to make his obligatory appearance at the ceremony, eat a couple of hors d’oeuvres afterwards, congratulate the bride and groom, then be on his way.

The sound of dissonant chatter abated as Jackson and his best man took their places under the floral archway, joining the minister. He looked relaxed, peaceful, the opposite of what Luke expected from a typical groom. That was what it must feel like to marry the love of your life. To have no doubts. No second thoughts. Just pure, unwavering certainty that the woman who was about to walk down the aisle and commit to loving you for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part, was the one person who’d always make your heart happy, your life complete and would never make you eat French food.

Jackson was indeed a lucky man. 

Rory came down the aisle first, holding a white basket in her hand, her sweet face resolute and determined while “I Can’t Get Started” by Ella Fitzgerald played in the background. Each step was mindful, measured, as she sprinkled the ground with pink and red rose petals, provoking a collective symphony of “awws” from the guests. But she remained undaunted, steadfast in her task until crossing the imaginary finish line, letting out a relieved giggle while taking her seat in the front row. 

Maybe he’d stay long enough for one dance with Rory.  

Following closely behind was Lorelai. She wore a teal blue dress. It was simple, form-fitting, elegant — she was stunning. Upon reaching the end of the aisle, Lorelai turned and faced out towards the guests. As “Here Comes the Bride” rang out and everyone stood, she spotted him. An uncertain smile curled at the corners of her dark red lips as her gaze settled on Luke. He tried to look away but found it impossible; she wasn’t playing fair. Her eyes were his kryptonite, capable of disarming him, breaking his will, and holding him captive — only releasing him once Sookie started the descent to join her husband-to-be at the altar. 

After the ceremony, the tent was quickly transformed for the reception. Beautifully adorned tables surrounded a large dance floor; some eager guests already flocking to it, getting the party started as they danced to “Celebration”. It was a beautiful, tasteful event, with an added touch of whimsy thrown in to make it personal, unique — distinctly Sookie and Jackson. Lorelai was brilliant at her job. 

With a beer in hand, Luke watched as people mingled and danced, all seeming to be enjoying the festivities and good food being passed around by the inn’s wait staff. He had already congratulated Sookie and Jackson, chatted briefly with Patty and Babette, and successfully avoided Jackson’s very strange cousin, Roon, whom he’d had the misfortune of meeting at Jackson’s small-scale bachelor party two nights prior. 

There was only one other person whom he wanted to see, and one he wished to avoid. Unfortunately, they usually came together as a package deal. 

“Luke!” Rory shouted as she ran up to him, throwing her arms around his waist, her face glowing with a wide smile. 

He wrapped his arms snuggly around her small frame, the awkwardness of showing their mutual affection long since vanished. “Hey, there! Are you having fun? You did a great job walking down the aisle.”

“Thanks! I am! Lane’s here and the food is soooo good! We’re gonna dance soon.” 

“Make sure you save a dance for me,” he said with a wink. 

Rory’s cheeks flushed pink, her nose crinkled up with excitement. “I will!” 

“Good. So, how’s school been?”

“Great,” she responded before her face sagged and she gazed up at him, her big blue eyes almost dancing to the slow rhythm of the music. “But, I miss you. Mommy said she’s been too busy to take me to the diner recently, but I don’t believe her. You guys are in a fight, aren’t you?” 

“Uh, we, well, not really. It’s just that…,” Luke stammered, being caught off guard by Rory’s question, unable to form an appropriate yet remotely truthful answer. 

“It’s okay. You don’t have to try and explain. I’m just hoping that you’ll still come to my birthday party. It’s in two weeks at the house. Will you?” Rory unknowingly tugged gently at his heartstrings. How could he possibly say no? 

“Of course,” he smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. As long as it’s okay with your mom.”

“Rory! Come on. Let’s dance! I love this song!” Lane shouted enthusiastically from the edge of the dance floor. 

“Thanks, Luke! Gotta go. See you later!” Rory happily skipped off, joining Lane as they both showed off their best, silliest dance moves while Luke watched, laughing spontaneously, unaware of who had taken a position by his side. 

“Hi,” Lorelai said cheerfully. 

Luke glanced over at her briefly before returning his attention to Rory and Lane. “Hey,” he replied, his voice flat, his gleeful expression reshaped into a scowl.  

“Beautiful ceremony.”

“Yup.” He took a sip of his beer. 

“No champagne? Come on, Luke, it is a wedding, after all,” she said mockingly. 

“I hate champagne.”

“Oh. Right. That’s right. I knew that. So, anyway, you should have seen Sookie right after the ceremony. Jackson and I had to literally restrain her from going into the kitchen to check on the food.”

“I bet,” Luke snorted, his gaze remaining straight ahead, choosing to keep Lorelai in his peripheral vision. 

Lorelai pivoted, placing herself in front of him, giving him no choice but to face her directly. “So, how have you been?”

“Fine.”

“So, uh, business is good? I’ve been wanting to come by, but, you know, things have been busy, with the wedding and the inn...”

Luke focused on the beer in his hand, challenging himself to determine which bead of sweat would be the first to reach the bottom of the tall glass. 

There was a long silence, followed by Lorelai poaching a glass of champagne off a passing tray, then drinking it down in one swift motion. 

“So, uh, are you seeing anyone?” Lorelai asked tentatively, champagne caught in her throat. “Because, believe it or not, I was dating this teacher, Max, from Rory’s school. He was nice, but it just didn’t work out.” 

Luke’s jaw clenched as he glared at her. “Lorelai, I really don’t want to talk about this.” He guzzled down the rest of his beer, placing the empty glass on a nearby tray as he walked out of the tent, Lorelai trailing closely behind.

“Luke! Wait!” she called after him, breathless. “Why can’t we get past this? Are we going to carry this thing around forever?”

“Forever?” Luke halted, turning towards her, a sharp crease chiseled between his brows. “It was only four weeks ago.”

“It felt much longer to me,” Lorelai shrugged, squinting into the sun which illuminated her already bright eyes, making the blue almost transparent.

“I need time, Lorelai,” Luke sighed with frustration as he ran his hand through his hair. 

 “Time? For what?” 

“To figure things out.”

“Figure what out?”

“Jeez, Lorelai. I never pegged you as clueless.”

“I’m not clueless! You’re just verbally stunted and non-communicative.” 

“Just because you babble on and on about things — it doesn’t make you a great communicator.” Luke exhaled sharply, his voice coming out a taut whisper as he leaned closer to her, “You want me to just pretend like nothing happened? That… that it didn’t mean something?” His eyes bore into hers as he found himself weakened in her return gaze, wanting to close the distance. Wanting to take her in his arms and kiss her, but instead, backing away, chastising himself for his near lapse in judgment.  

“I never said that, Luke. Of course, it meant something. But why does it have to ruin everything?” she asked, her tone dithering between a whine and plea. 

“Because… ”

“Because what? Because we were attracted to each other? I mean, it was probably inevitable that we’d, you know. But now that we’ve gotten it out of the way, we can move on.” 

The knife-like pain of her blithe confession twisted into his gut. It was so much more than that for him — how could she not know? Luke searched her eyes, hoping she would understand, knowing he didn’t dare say the words aloud. That the damage from his confession would be irreparable. But when he saw nothing there other than his own distorted reflection, he turned away from her. 

“Luke,” she sighed, grabbing his arm, pulling him back towards her. “I don’t know what you want me to do?”

Luke stared at her, seeing the confusion, the frustration clouding her face. He knew the answer to the question, but it wasn’t one he could coax or compel from her — she needed to feel it. “Nothing,” he replied softly. 

Lorelai shook her head, her lips pressing together in a firm line. “Nothing? Really? So, now what? Do I need to make an honest man out of you now? Should I ask the minister if he’s up for another wedding? Maybe we can get a two-for-one deal.”

“This isn’t a joke to me, Lorelai.” 

“So that’s it? Friendship over? You know, you’re being a total ass!” 

Anger welled up inside him, pushing aside his pain and humiliation for a brief moment before it all fused back together, spilling out of him unbidden. “I’m an ass? You threw me out right after we made… after we were together!” he yelled, pointing emphatically in her direction. 

Lorelai’s head reared back. “I did not!”

“You didn’t? You couldn’t get me out of your house, out of your bed fast enough!” Luke bellowed, his cheeks reddening with intensity. 

“We both said it was a mistake. We agreed!”

“Yeah, a huge mistake.”

Lorelai threw her arms up in defeat. “Well, I can’t take it back. But it’s not like I forced you into it. If memory serves, you were a very active and enthusiastic participant.” 

Luke stared at her blankly, his brain dizzy with mixed emotions, remembering that night, realizing he shared some of the blame. He should have known it was never about him. She needed someone that night, anyone to take away her pain and he was there. He was convenient. So willing, so wanting to believe it was something it wasn’t. He should never have risked their friendship. All these facts, however true, did nothing to alleviate the anguish that coiled tightly around his stomach or to piece together what was left of his broken heart. 

Luke opened his mouth to say something — to mitigate the widening chasm growing between them. But instead, he found himself sinking to the bottom as if being engulfed by quicksand. The more he fought it, the faster he sank, leaving him gasping for air. 

“And you can just save your forthcoming rant on the proper etiquette required post-sex with your best friend,” Lorelai continued, seeming to overlook his struggle. “Because I’m not really in the mood for a lecture on social graces according to Luke Danes.” 

Luke growled, then walked further away from the tent, signaling for Lorelai to follow, noticing that their voices were starting to garner the attention of some nosey guests.

“Hey, I came over that night to comfort you after your asshole ex broke your heart… again. I was trying to make you feel better,” Luke replied defensively, yet his voice revealed all the anger and bitterness that had been stored up inside him. She had hurt him that night, and every day since — and he wanted to hurt her back. 

“Excuse me?” She blinked in surprise, her mouth agape. 

“I mean, you were an emotional wreck that night. Telling me you needed me. That you wanted me to hold you. Then you kissed me ! What was I supposed to do?” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his arms folding in front of him.

Lorelai’s eyes grew wide. “What are you trying to say, that you felt sorry for me? I was a pity fuck?” she gasped, her voice filled with indignation.

“No! That’s not what I meant!” 

“You know what, Luke. Take all the time you need. I’m done. I thought you cared about me. About Rory.”

“Hey, don’t bring Rory into this. That’s not fair.” 

“Fair? We had a deal! I thought you were my friend.” 

“I was your friend!”

“Was? Fuck you, Luke!” Lorelai yelled before storming off back towards the tent. 

"Shit!” Luke lowered his head, roughly rubbing the knots in the back of his neck, before deciding that Lorelai twisting his words around was not how he wanted their argument to end. 

He raced after her, walking up beside her on the deserted dance floor. All of the guests were seated around their tables, focusing on Jackson and Sookie, who had taken their places at the long, center table in front. 

Jackson clinked his champagne glass with a butter knife. “Everyone, may I have your attention, please? I’d like to propose a toast to Luke and Lorelai.” Jackson held up his glass, motioning towards Luke and Lorelai, who both stood dumbfounded as everyone turned their gaze in the direction of the visibly embarrassed pair. “If Sookie or I had found either of them remotely attractive, we would not be here today.”

The crowd let out a roar of laughter, then clapped enthusiastically. 

Luke and Lorelai stood frozen in place — horrified, humiliated, both wearing matching wan smiles as their eyes met in a fleeting sideways glance.

Once Jackson started speaking again, regaining the guests’ attention with a more traditional toast to his bride, Luke slowly turned and walked away. Out of the tent, through the inn, to the parking lot. Not once looking back to see if Lorelai had noticed. Not caring at the moment if she had or hadn’t. Nothing else was left to say. 

He slipped out of his jacket and loosened his tie before sliding into the driver's seat of his truck. Sinking down into the worn leather, he eased his head back onto the headrest, allowing his eyelids to flutter shut. 

It was over. It was really over. And he felt lost. 

Chapter Text

Luke

September 30

Luke was tired. So tired of the constant lump that lived in his throat, the knot that took up residence in his belly and the ache that inhabited his heart. But he continued on. Deciding that, if Lorelai allowed it, he would try to keep Rory in his life. And if that meant he’d have to deal with Lorelai, then he’d swallow his pride, his grief, and do what had to be done to make it happen. He couldn’t lose both of them. There would be no internal debate. He wasn’t willing to give up the little girl whom he had come to love as if she was his own. 

Perhaps someday if the pain was to subside, and he could accept the fact that he’d most likely remain single for the rest of his days, he’d be able to handle having Lorelai back in his life as well. But that wasn’t now. He wasn’t ready. It was too soon. 

After a long day of pouring coffee and flipping burgers, Luke settled into his leather chair with a cold beer, the television on, only half paying attention to the baseball game that had gone to extra innings, when the phone rang. 

For a fraction of a second, he considered answering it, remembering a time when that sound filled him with joy. With excitement. When it meant he’d hear her voice. Laugh with her. Flirt and tease and open his heart to her — confiding the things that he’d never told another living soul. But that was then. 

He muted the television.

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.” 

“Hey, Luke. It’s me. Look, I know you’re not talking to me but Rory mentioned that she invited you to her birthday party and I know you wouldn’t want to disappoint her. It’s at the house a week from Friday at five o’clock. She really wants you there, so I hope you’ll come. And if you wouldn’t mind pretending not to hate me  — my parents are making an appearance and I’d rather not have to answer any, uh, personal questions. So, anyway, that’s it. Bye.”

The machine clicked off and Luke sat there, idle, staring at the flashing red light indicating a new message. He blinked away his sadness, his regret, before guzzling down half of his lukewarm beer. Then he slowly stood and walked the short distance to his desk, hovering over the small black box that had captured her voice, her thoughts, her anger and resentment, all on a thin strip of ribbon wound up tightly inside a cassette tape. 

With a simple press of a button, he could delete Lorelai from the machine and his apartment. But it would take much more effort, if even possible, to erase her from his life. 

“Message erased.”

October 9

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.” 

“Hi. It’s me. I just wanted to say thanks again for coming to the party — Rory was thrilled you were there. And I appreciate the Oscar-worthy performance. And, uh, for putting up with my mother and her… horribleness. You’re a great guy for….” Luke heard Lorela swallow hard before continuing. “... for being there. For Rory. Anyway, so I, uh, yeah. Okay. That’s it. Oh, and by the way, Rory loved the books you got her. And the bracelet. And, yeah. I’ll hang up now. Okay. Bye.”

October 20

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.”

“Hey. It’s me. Lorelai. I’m sorry if we kind of ambushed you at the diner today. Rory really wanted one of your burgers… and to see you. And I really, really needed a cup of your coffee. But I guess I should have warned you ahead of time. You seemed… surprised to see us. So, thanks for being so great with Rory. And for being, uh, civil to me. I know you did it for Rory’s sake, but, either way, I appreciate it. And it was nice being... in the diner. I’ve really missed…” There was a long pause, her silence giving way to a cacophony of mumbled voices and clanging dishes, allowing Luke to deduce she was working a late shift at the inn. “... your coffee. Yeah, so, good night, Luke.”   

November 7

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.”

“Hey. Are you there? If you are, can you pick up? Well, anyway, I hope you had a nice birthday. Rory said you liked the present she got you. And just so you know, it was her idea. I certainly wouldn’t have picked out a Harry Potter book for you,” Lorelai sighed loudly. “I, uh, didn’t think you’d want to see me, so that's why I sent Rory into the diner on her own. She really misses you, Luke. Jeez, I miss you, too. And it really sucks because I can’t even explain to Rory why we don’t talk anymore. I mean, I think she gets it. I think she knows something happened between us. And,... I know I haven’t said it before but I’m really sorry, Luke. For the way I handled that night. After we… you know. I just panicked. I was scared that it would mess up our friendship. And, I guess it did anyway, and pretending it never happened was, well, not the right way to deal with it. I just wanted to tell you that. So, if you want to call me back, I,...well, I’m here. Bye.” 

December 1

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.”

“Hey. I’m starting to wonder if this answering machine even works. I guess we were bound to run into each other sooner or later — I just didn’t think it would involve actually running into you with my grocery cart. Sorry I made you drop your apples. You can contact my insurance company for any damages or personal injury claims.” Lorelai let out a hoarse chuckle. She hesitated before continuing, her voice revealing frustration, disappointment. “God, Luke. What do I have to do to get you to forgive me? I just… I don’t understand. I mean, you forgave Rachel all of those times. And you slept with her more than once, I assume. I just thought… You were my best friend, Luke. Well, I’m done making an idiot out of myself. I won’t call you again. So, have a nice life.” 

December 20

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.” 

“Hellooo? Luke? Candygram. Land shark. Hey, remember when I used to call you Duke? You hated that. Oh, by the way, I’m a little bit drunk, in case you couldn’t tell. Okay, a lot drunk. Rory’s at Lane’s so I got myself a big ole bottle of tequila,” Lorelai slurred. A sudden, piercing bang echoed out of Luke’s machine, then a moment of quiet, followed by reverberating crackling. “Crap! I dropped you. So, what was I saying? Oh! Do you remember that karaoke machine in Sharper Image? Well, I bought it for Rory for Christmas. But, shhh, it’s a surprise. So, being that she’s not here and there was nothing on TV, I thought I’d try it out. Anyway, I found this song and I thought of you. It’s a James Taylor song but, fun fact, it was actually written by the extraordinary Carole King, in case you didn’t know that. So, here goes nothing:

Lorelai cleared her throat as the music began to play. Then she sang in a soft, melodic voice, “When you're down and troubled, and you need a helpin’ hand, and nothin', whoa, nothin' is goin' right. Close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there, to brighten up even your darkest night. You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come runnin', oh yeah baby, to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you got to do is call, and I'll be there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You've got a friend…” 

“Call me. Please, Luke,” she pleaded, her voice breaking before the line disconnected. 

Luke lowered his head and blinked back a rare tear. 

December 21

“You have reached Luke Danes. Leave a message.”

“Hi, Luke. If you’re there, pick up. Sorry about last night. The singing thing. I was kinda smashed. Yeah, so, it’s almost Christmas and I really want to talk to you. Are you there? Luke?” Her voice was filled with desperation, tinged with hope. “Please, Luke, please.”

Luke stared at the phone, then hesitantly picked it up.

“I’m here,” he said softly.

“Oh, wow. Great! That’s great. How are you?”

“Lorelai, what do you want?” He ran his hand through his mussed hair, hunching over as he sat on the edge of his bed.

“I just wanted to say hi and see what you were doing for the holidays. Rory and I are going to my parents’ for Christmas day and then, believe it or not, Rory’s going to stay with Christopher and Sherry for the rest of the week until New Year's Day. I’m a little freaked out about that but he's her dad so she should spend time with him. Especially before the baby comes. But, Rory’s never been away that long before. And I’m just... Anyway, I was thinking, if you didn’t have plans on New Year’s Eve, maybe we could go to Patty’s party again. That is, if you’re not seeing anyone. I’m not... seeing anyone. I thought it could be fun. Like last year.”

Luke let out a sigh. “Lorelai, I can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

He straightened, his voice a mixture of anger and pain, “I can’t be your consolation prize.”

“That’s not… You’re not. I… I just want… I need us to be friends again.”

“I can’t,” Luke shook his head, exhaling sharply. “Don’t you get it, Lorelai? I can’t just be your friend. At least, not now. Not yet.”

“Then when?” Luke heard a quiver in her voice.  

“I don’t know.”

“Luke—”

“I gotta go. Tell Rory I said hi. I’ll drop off her Christmas present tomorrow after she gets home from school if that’s okay.” 

“Sure. It’s fine.”

“Bye, Lorelai.”

Luke hung up the phone. He turned out the light on his nightstand and lay down, burying his head underneath his pillow. 

She was getting to him. Driving him mad. Wearing him down to the point where he was on the verge of capitulating. The irony that her persistence was one of the things that drew him to her was not lost on him, he thought, recalling the first day they met at the diner. But he was coming to the inevitable realization that she’d never love him. Not the way he loved her. Concluding that having her in his life in any capacity was better than not at all.  

Fuck me.

Lorelai

Lorelai heard the click of the phone disconnecting and the hum of the dial tone. She hung up the phone before throwing it angrily on her bed, watching it as it bounced off, landing with a soft thud on her bedroom floor. 

Wiping away the stray tear that rolled down her cheek, she wearily padded over to her window. The moon was full and bright, eclipsing the stars that would have otherwise been shining. Her eyes strayed down to the empty spot behind her Jeep, recalling that night — the way his face looked as he gazed up into her open window. The sadness, the disappointment, the pain. She could see it all in the darkness, in that fraction of a second, before she concealed herself from him. Hiding behind the wall that separated them. Burying the truth so deep down, that even she couldn’t retrieve it. Then locking it away. Pretending it was never there. Until now. 

He loved her. There was no doubt about it. He loved her and she broke his heart. And she hated herself for it. 

December 22

Lorelai was changing out of her work clothes when she heard the familiar squeal of Luke’s truck coming to a halt in her driveway. Her heart began to pound against her chest as she peeked out of her bedroom window before calling down to Rory, “Luke’s here for you!” 

She pulled on a long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, listening attentively to what was happening outside her four walls: The bang of the truck door slamming shut. The doorbell ringing. Rory’s light footsteps against the wood floor. The creak of the front door being opened. Then...

“Luke!” Rory yelled with excitement. 

“Hey, there! I wanted to bring you your Christmas gift now since I probably won’t see you until after the holidays.” 

“Thanks, Luke! I’ll put it under the tree. And I have one for you, too.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that. Thank you.” Lorelai heard the smile in his words, the heartfelt gratitude. “So, I hear you’re staying with your dad after Christmas. That’s great. Are you excited?”

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. I’ve only met Sherry, his girlfriend — I mean wife, once. She seemed nice.”

“I’m sure you’ll have a great time.”

Lorelai tiptoed out of her room and peered around the corner, only able to see Luke’s back, but having a full view of Rory’s face as they stood in the living room. 

“I wish we could hang out with you on Christmas Eve again, like last year,” Rory muttered.

“Yeah, me too. But you and your mom have other plans and I’m going to be away. I’m visiting my sister and nephew for Christmas. They’re in New York. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them.”

“That sounds fun. I love New York City. Mommy took me once and we saw The Lion King. It was so awesome!”

“Yeah? Well, maybe you’ll go back someday soon. And maybe, sometime, you could meet my nephew, Jess. He’s about your age and I heard that he loves to read, just like you,” Luke relayed hopefully. 

“Sure. I’d like that.” Rory’s lips curled up slightly in a wan smile before her gaze dropped to her feet. “Luke, whatever she did, can’t you forgive her?”

Lorelai could see Luke’s spine stiffen as Rory’s eyes lifted and she continued. “It’s Christmas. It’s the time of the year to forgive and forget.”

“Rory, I’m sorry. I, uh... It’s just complicated,” Luke conveyed with regret.

“It’s stupid! That’s what it is! You love each other! I know it! Why can’t you just be friends again?!” Rory crossed her arms over her chest, Lorelai watching as tears filled her daughter’s eyes. 

“Rory—”

“The two of you really suck, you know that!” Rory cried. 

Luke dropped down to his knees and pulled her small body into his, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’m so sorry, Rory. I am. I wish it were different. But no matter what, I’ll always be in your life. I promise,” he reassured her gently, lovingly as he released her, his hands now resting securely on her trembling arms. “ So, if you ever need anything, anything at all, call me, okay?”

Rory wiped away her tears, then nodded understandingly. They fell into each other’s arms again, Luke smoothing the back of Rory’s hair affectionately as he kissed her softly on her pink, tear-stained cheek. 

This was all her fault. Lorelai couldn’t blame Christopher or her parents or anyone other than herself this time. She put her own needs in front of her child’s. If she hadn’t brought Luke into their lives, her daughter wouldn’t be hurt. If she hadn’t taken Luke into her bed, Rory wouldn’t have to feel another man she loved slip away.  

Luke stood to his full height, then turned, Lorelai catching a glimpse of his face before he moved out of view. His eyes were glassy and his jaw taut. “Have a great Christmas, okay?” 

“You, too.”

Lorelai heard the front door close and then seconds later, Rory’s door slam shut. 

Lorelai descended the stairs apprehensively, trying to prepare herself for the confrontation she was about to have with her distraught daughter. Not knowing how she would explain the situation and the dizzying emotions swirling around it to a ten-year-old when she barely understood them herself. When she had no answers for the problem that needed fixing. 

When she reached the closed bedroom door, Lorelai knocked softly, cautiously opening it after she was met with willful silence. 

She found Rory facedown on her bed, her head buried beneath her pillow, what was left of the early evening light creating soft shadows in the dimly lit room. 

“Rory? Hon? Can we talk?” 

Rory sat up and faced her mother. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks flushed pink. “This is all your fault! You’re so mean!”

Lorelai pressed her lips together, then sat on the edge of the bed. “Rory, I—”

“First, you pushed Dad away. And now, Luke. Why can’t you just… just…” Rory stuttered, seemingly unable to articulate a reasonable question.  

Lorelai inhaled deeply, slowly, in an effort to steady her frazzled nerves— her voice coming out as a shaky whisper. “Rory, your dad and I, well, it was never going to work out between us. I’ll always love him because he gave me you, but it just wasn’t meant to be. And he’s happy now with Sherry. And I’m happy for him.” 

“What about Luke? He loves you. I can tell.”

Lorelai shook her head, “Luke and I want different things right now. And that makes being friends… difficult. And I’m sorry if that hurts you. I made mistakes. Ones that I can’t quite figure out how to fix just yet. Grown-ups do that sometimes.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m the evidence of one of your mistakes,” Rory said ruefully.

“Rory! That’s not true! No, you weren’t planned, but you were, are , the best thing to ever happen to me! But this situation with Luke — it’s my fault. I should never have let him into our lives. He got too close. I thought I could protect you and… I messed up.” 

“No! Stop it! Stop lying! Don’t say you’re doing whatever you did to protect me !”

“What are you talking about?” Lorelai asked with a puzzled frown.  

“I heard Sookie talking to Jackson a few months ago. The night you and Luke went to dinner. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she said defensively. “But Sookie said you’re the one who’s afraid of getting hurt and you’re just using me as an excuse. Not on purpose though. She thinks you’re doing it…,” Rory paused, looking up at the ceiling like it would have the word she was seeking written on it. “…subconsciously,” she said the word slowly, tentatively, pronouncing each syllable with the utmost care. 

Lorelai’s eyes widened in surprise, dumbstruck as Rory crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. 

“But can’t you see? Luke would never hurt me and he wouldn’t hurt you, either,” Rory asserted, almost as a plea.

“Sometimes, even the people that love you can hurt you. And you can hurt them. Even if you don’t mean to. Sometimes, it just happens.”

Rory’s expression softened. “Like when Dad forgot my birthday? Or when Grandma says something mean to you?”

“Right. Exactly right.”

“But if they love you, they’ll apologize, and then you can forgive them. Although I’ve never heard Grandma apologize to anyone.”

Lorelai let out a short laugh, then sighed. “When it’s someone you love who hurts you or disappoints you— it goes deeper. You feel it even more. Even if they say they’re sorry. Do you understand?” 

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

“And I don’t want you to feel that — ever. That’s my job as a mom. I want to protect you from that for as long as I can. So if I’m cautious about bringing new people into our lives, it’s for that reason.”

“But I’m growing up and you can’t always protect me. And sometimes, isn’t having people you love in your life worth taking the risk that they might hurt you or you might hurt them? 

Lorelai looked at her baby girl with pride, her big blue eyes filled with wonder and more courage than she had thought possible. With wisdom way beyond her years. Then she answered with a simple, “Yes.”

Rory nodded, her lips curling up in a satisfied smile.  

Lorelai took Rory’s hands in her own, squeezing them gently. “Your dad, your grandparents, me — all love you very much.”

“ And Luke.”

“And Luke.”

“Then why? What happened? Did he kiss you and you didn’t like it? Like when Robbie Keller kissed me on the playground in third grade? It was all wet and yucky.” Rory cringed, pulling her hands from her mother’s. 

Lorelai didn’t know if she should laugh or cry or hunt down this Robbie Keller kid and make him pay for assaulting her daughter. Instead, she decided on some honesty. Well, the PG version of the truth. “No, it wasn’t yucky at all,” she smiled shyly at her daughter whose face lit up in response to her mother’s revelation. 

Rory let out a soft giggle. “Aha! I knew it! Do you want him to do it again?”

“Oh, Rory. My sweet, precious, smart girl. I love you so much. More than I could love anyone. With Luke, it’s just… complicated. Sometimes feelings aren’t black and white.”

“But sometimes they are.” 

They sat in silence, Lorelai trying to find the right words as Rory grasped her Hug-A-World pillow tightly to her chest, her chin resting on Antarctica. 

“Yes. Sometimes they are.” Lorelai lifted Rory’s chin from the stuffed globe, gazing with intensity into her eyes. “Look at me, Rory. I promise I’ll fix this thing with Luke. Okay? We’ll have him back in our lives.”

“How?” 

“I don’t know yet.”

“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel? And then... kiss him.”

Chapter Text

Luke

“Jesus, does this man ever age?” Luke grumbled at the television as he slumped into his leather chair, a cold beer propped between his thighs.

“One hour until the New Year,” Dick Clark’s disembodied voice reported over the noise of the rowdy Times Square crowd. Luke watched with judgemental eyes as the thousands of people, jammed in like sardines, danced and waved balloons, apparently not noticing it was five below freezing and starting to snow.

“Bunch of idiots,” Luke grumbled, then took a swig of his beer before muting the TV, hearing the distant sound of music and laughter coming from outside his apartment. 

He rose from his chair, taking the time to stretch out his long limbs, then padded leisurely over to the window. Lifting the curtain, he noticed her Jeep was still parked across the street. She was in there. Probably dancing. Definitely drinking that toxic combination of grain alcohol and god knows what else. He shut his eyes for a moment, recalling the bittersweet memory of his hand in hers, swaying in time to the Rogers and Hart tune, Lorelai singing softly in his ear:

“And the simple secret of the plot, is just to tell them that I love you a lot. Then the world discovers as my book ends, how to make two lovers of friends.”

His eyes fluttered open just in time to see two people emerging from Patty’s studio, their arms wrapped around each other as they kissed madly, their bodies pressed together in a passionate dance. Luke squinted. He could only see the woman’s back, but she had long, dark hair and wore a dress that seemed inappropriate for the arctic temperature. Was it her? 

The couple separated and Luke finally got a glimpse of her face. Anna Nardini. He blew out the breath he was subconsciously holding in a whoosh of hot air, creating a heart-shaped cloud of vapor on his window. He touched the cool glass with his fingertip, drawing a letter “L” in the center of the condensation as his heartbeat gradually returned to a slow and steady pace — one which would hopefully allow him to survive at least until the ball dropped and the East Coast welcomed in the New Year. 

But with relief came an overwhelming wave of sadness, emptiness. That’s when he decided he didn’t want to be alone anymore. He didn’t want to be without her. That he would accept her friendship, her platonic love. Whatever she was willing to give him. He’d settle for that. Because he couldn’t bear to live a life without her. 

Lorelai

She stood in the corner of the large room, her gaze unfocused as familiar faces swam in and out of her vision, yet she saw no one. Waves of sound — conversations, laughter, music, vibrated her eardrums, sending electrical impulses to her brain, yet she heard nothing. 

It had been a long and lonely week without Rory. Lorelai tried filling every second she could. She worked extra hours at the inn. Cleaned out her closet. Knitted two scarves and a pair of mittens for whoever would be bold enough to wear them — the red and green striped, Freddy Krueger-like patterned sweater an unintentional error of judgment. There was an ache inside of her that she felt in her bones. The only respite was that time in the early evening when they spoke. Rory would recount her day. Lorelai would listen attentively, hanging on to every word, absorbing every thought, every feeling, until they had to say goodbye. 

It wasn’t only Rory whom she missed, whom she thought about in the quiet moments of the week. The conversation she had with Rory about Luke and love constantly replayed in her mind. It weighed heavily on her fractured soul. Was she so afraid of having love, of losing love, that she pushed everyone away? Everyone except Rory? Is that who she was — just a scared little girl in a woman’s body? Pretending she knew how to be a mother? How to be a friend? How to love? All the while hiding behind her daughter? Using Rory as a shield to keep herself from getting hurt, not the other way around? 

“Hey! Lorelai!” Sookie bellowed, her brow creasing in concern. “Are you okay?”

Lorelai looked confusedly at her friend. Her mind had been so lost in thought, she had forgotten momentarily where she was. “Oh, I’m fine. Just tired.”

Sookie put her hands on her hips and let out a loud sigh. “Come on, Lorelai. Can you at least try to have fun? It’s New Year’s Eve, for Pete’s sake!”

“I never understood that. Who is Pete and why should I care about his sake?” she quipped halfheartedly. 

“Lorelai,” Sookie huffed. “You barely touched your drink and you haven’t danced once. Rory is coming home tomorrow and this is your last night of freedom. You should be enjoying it!”

Lorelai’s gaze fluttered from her friend’s face to the almost full cup of party punch in her hand. She brought the cup to her lips and shot it back in one fell swoop. “There. Happy?”

Sookie shook her head, her mouth twisting into a lopsided frown. 

“I think I’m gonna go home.” 

“But it’s almost midnight! You can’t leave before midnight!” Sookie insisted, her face scrunched up with worry. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve got my new cellular phone and I want to call Rory before the ball drops so I can be the first to wish her a Happy New Year. Now go find that husband of yours and party on!” 

“Yeah, okay,” Sookie sighed resignedly before pulling Lorelai in for a tight hug. “Happy New Year, honey.”

“Happy New Year.”

Lorelai bundled up in her coat before stepping out into the cold night air. She fished her phone out of her purse and dialed Chris’s number. “Hey, Chris. Happy almost New Year. Is Rory still up?” she asked as she paced slowly in front of the dance studio.

“No. She passed out about an hour ago. Do you want me to wake her?”

She let out a disappointed groan. “No, that’s okay. Just let her know in the morning that I called,” Lorelai’s voice began to crack, her eyes filling with tears. “Tell her I love her and that I said Happy New Year, okay?”

“You got it. Hey, are you all right?”

“I wish everyone would stop asking me that. I’m fine. Listen, I gotta go, Chris.” 

“Lor?”

“Yeah?”

“You raised a great kid.”

A faint smile crossed her lips. “Thanks, Chris, but we’re not done just yet,” she reminded him, twisting a lock of hair with her finger.

Christopher chuckled, “Point taken. Happy New Year, Lor.”

Lorelai pressed the end button on the phone then dropped it back into her purse. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the tears fall, breathing in the chilled air, missing her little girl. As she wiped her damp cheeks with the sleeve of her coat, she inhaled again, this time deeper and through her nose. A familiar scent triggered a sense of calm that had eluded her these last couple of months. Lorelai’s eyes popped open.

I smell snow.

She peered up at the dark sky and waited. First one flake, then five, then hundreds, millions, bursting from the blackness, swirling, fluttering to the ground, covering her face, clothing, and hair in icy crystals. It was beautiful. Magical. 

The best things in my life have happened when it snowed.  

Lorelai twirled around, arms outstretched, a child-like giggle escaping her lips as she took in the majesty of her surroundings. Suddenly, life felt anew. She was mindful in the moment. Grateful for the people who loved her, who loved Rory. Grateful that Rory was with her father. That she had a week where she could finally feel loved, cared for by him. Proud that her baby girl was courageous enough to risk her heart to give him that chance when he had disappointed her so many times in the past. 

She wanted to be that brave. She knew she could. She’d been before.

Music wafted from the doors of the dance studio, capturing her attention. Ol’ Blue Eyes was singing “It Had to Be You.” Lorelai glanced over to the diner, watching as the snow started to dust the roof of the building, the window ledges, the yellow coffee mug sign with “Luke’s” painted on it. With the song providing an evocative backdrop, her mind flashed back to that first day she walked into his diner. It brought a curl to the corners of her lips as she remembered chasing Luke around in a caffeine frenzy. The moment their eyes first met. The first taste of his coffee. 

These thoughts — the glimpses of their shared past, their beginning, warmed her body from the inside out, melting the snow on contact as it touched her skin. She felt her cheeks pinken, her face set aglow by the heartfelt images; losing herself in hypnotic reverie.    

More memories flickered into her brain — initially in snapshots, then like hastily edited movie clips spliced together into a montage: Luke helping her move into the house. Fixing her porch rails. Nights spent at her house. Watching movies. Eating. Talking. Laughing. Times spent at the diner. Days spent at the lake. The three of them together — a family. 

And then the night they made love. Their passionate kisses. His soothing touch, making her feel things she’d never felt before. Lying in his strong embrace. Feeling so loved. So happy. 

She shooed away the memories that came after, shuddering at the mere thought of her actions. The way she treated him. Her fear, her regret, his pain.

A flash of light caught her attention. The interior of the diner now glowed brightly, causing the swirling snow in front of it to look like glittery specs of confetti. 

Luke.

The door opened and he stepped outside, wrapping his arms around himself as he met her stare. 

“Luke!” she yelled out, walking briskly as they met in the snow-covered street, halfway between the dance studio and the diner — the icy surface causing her to slide the last couple of feet into his steady arms.  

“Careful,” he muttered as she regained her balance, still holding onto her, Lorelai not wanting him to let go. 

“Luke,” she said breathlessly. “I’m so glad you’re here. I need to tell you something.”

Luke lowered his head and released her from his grasp. “I need to tell you something first,” he sighed. “I… I want us to be friends again. I know I said I couldn’t before, but…,” he let out a deep, shaky breath. “...I understand that you don’t, uh, feel the same way about me and that’s okay. It has to be okay.” He glanced back up at her, his face stern, resolute. 

Lorelai shook her head emphatically, a bright smile gleaming her opposition. “No. It’s not okay.”

Luke’s brows knitted together. “No?”

“No,” she sighed assuredly. “Here’s the thing, Luke. I love you.” 

“You don’t have to say that, Lorelai. Really.”

“No, I’m not just saying it. I mean it! I’m in love with you.” The words flowed out of her unfettered, making her feel weightless, serene, emboldened. 

This time it was Luke who shook his head. “Don’t do this to me, Lorelai. You can’t do this,” he pleaded, his tone conveying anger, yet his eyes… His blue eyes sparkled with a tincture of hope. 

“What are you talking about? Do what? I thought you’d be happy. Am I too late?” she asked with a worried frown, her heart beginning to beat fiercely against her ribs.

Time passed slowly while she waited for Luke to respond, their gaze remaining fixed, steady, even as the door of the studio slid open abruptly and several couples stumbled out onto the sidewalk — the countdown to the New Year had commenced. “Ten. Nine. Eight…”

“Look, I know it’s New Year’s Eve. I know you’re feeling lonely and you miss Rory.” Luke paused as if waiting for a rebuttal. 

“... Four. Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!” the guests shouted, the sound of party horns and “Auld Lang Syne” ringing out through the frosty winter stillness.

He raised his voice in order to be heard over the celebratory commotion. “And you’ve probably had way too much of that crap party punch to even know what you’re saying.”

“You don’t believe me?” she puzzled, oblivious to everything and everyone around them. There was only Luke. 

“I can’t… It doesn’t work this way, Lorelai.” Luke threw his arms in the air and turned, heading towards the diner. Lorelai followed behind, reaching out, grabbing onto his shoulder as they reached the sidewalk. Luke pivoted to face her, his cheeks flushed red, his eyes narrowed into small slits. 

“Fine. How about this way?” she began, her rapid breathing visible, coming out in small bursts of steam. “I love your stupid flannel shirts and your backward baseball hat. I love that you smell like coffee and faintly of meat. I love that you get annoyed at me when I ask for coffee refills and that your eyes get all scrunched up when you’re looking at me like I’m crazy. I love your rants. God , I love your rants. I love that you love my daughter. And I love how you make me feel… like I can do anything. Be anything. You make me feel warm and safe and loved. 

“And it’s not because I’m lonely. And I’m definitely not drunk. I probably loved you right from the beginning. But I was scared. Scared of loving you. Scared of losing you. I pretended I didn’t feel it. I made myself believe that I was protecting Rory. So I lied. To you. To Rory. To myself. But not anymore.” 

“You love me?” he blinked, an icy crystal caught in his long lashes twinkling like a distant star.  

“Duh! Have you been listening?” Lorelai teased with an eye roll. 

“You love me,” he repeated, his face revealing a mixture of wonder and elation.

“Luke. If you give me another chance, I think we’d be good together. So good. So fantastically, perfectly good.” 

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled widely, taking her bare hands in his gloved ones, warming her. “Okay.”

“Okay?” 

“Sure. Why not? It’s not like I’ve had any better offers yet this year,” he quipped.  

Lorelai gazed up into his eyes, recalling Rory’s advice: Why don’t you just tell him how you feel? And then... kiss him.

“So, I can kiss you now, right?” 

He snorted a laugh as he moved closer to her, releasing her hands, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Oh, yeah,” he muttered hoarsely, drawing her in closer, Lorelai’s hands coming to rest on Luke’s bristly cheeks.

Snowflakes swirled around them like fireflies, illuminated by the streetlights overhead as they moved towards each other, caught in the magnetic field of their mutual longing and affection; of Lorelai’s newly confessed feelings of love. 

There were no doubts, no hesitation as their lips met, melting together, soft and warm in a tender kiss. Luke’s hands slid up her back, pulling her closer as he titled his head in countermotion to hers, deepening the kiss. 

Lorelai moaned into his mouth as their tongues gently tangled, feeling the heat of his kiss burning its way from her lips down to her toes. 

Needing air, needing to see the eyes of the man she loved, she broke the kiss. “Wow! That kiss was… fireworks!”

Luke grinned, “Yeah, it was, but are you sure you’re not just saying that because of the actual fireworks?” He spun her gently towards the center of town, then positioned his arm securely over her shoulders. 

They both tilted their heads towards the sky as it was lit by a burst of colorful lights, before fanning out and dissolving into blackness, crackling and popping along the way. 

A loud boom echoed followed by another array of flickering lights that illuminated the world around them as she lowered her head to his sturdy shoulder. “Nah, the fireworks I saw, and felt, were in my head. Believe me. I’m still feeling them in a few other places that I’ll tell you about later,” she teased playfully. 

“Whatever you say, crazy lady,” he chuckled, then turned to face her. “Let’s get you inside before you freeze to death and you can tell me all about it. Or show me.”

“Ooh, show and tell! I love that ga—” Luke cut her off with a sweet kiss.  

“Happy New Year, Lorelai,” he whispered tenderly, his forehead resting up against hers. 

“Happy New Year, Luke,” she breathed, then pressed her parted lips to his beginning a session of endless kisses, roaming hands, and stumbling, tangled feet as they made their way into, then through the diner. 

It didn’t take long before they were in Luke’s apartment, undressing each other slowly at first, then with more vigor, as they kissed heatedly, breathlessly, their clothing scattered on the floor marking a path to his bed. 

“Are you cold?” Luke asked, his voice husky, eyes expressing concern as she lay on her back. He hovered over her, his erection pressing against her thigh, his palm skimming the soft curve of her breast. “You’re trembling.”

She tipped her chin up and met his gaze. Her eyelids were heavy, her body set aflame with desire, with love. “No,” she answered, her voice thick, tremulous. “I’m just...I’m so happy.” 

He smiled down at her and exhaled, “God, you’re fucking beautiful.” Then his lips were on her neck, placing warm, wet kisses on the hollow of her throat while he kneaded her breast, then rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Lorelai gasped at the sensation, her hands digging into the solid muscles of his back as she arched into him.

His mouth soon replaced his fingers on the peaked tip of her breast, sucking, licking, teeth grazing — Lorelai already so wet, so aroused, she thought she might come just from this. 

She moaned loudly, her chest rising and falling rapidly as he kissed and caressed his way down her body to her hips, still clad with the last barrier between them. He tugged at the elastic of her pink panties, dragging them down and off, then came to a kneel between her spread legs. She could feel his warm breath against her skin, could hear the guttural noises coming from the back of his throat as his hands slid under her, cupping her ass and lifting her pelvis just slightly before parting her with his tongue. 

“Oh, god!” she gasped, bending her knees and spreading her legs wider. She pulled herself up to rest on her elbows, watching as he licked and sucked then plunged his tongue deep inside of her, tasting, thrusting, devouring her. It was so erotic — the combination of exquisite sensations and the view of his muscular, tanned shoulders flexing as he pleasured her. 

He stopped momentarily, staring up at her through his long lashes, his pupils blown wide, his lips glistening from her arousal. “Please,” she whimpered absently before dropping her head back on the pillow, her hands grasping the mangled sheets beneath her as the tip of his tongue pressed against her clit, circling it, two deft fingers now dipping inside of her at a steady pace. 

“Luke,” she moaned with an aching desire, with desperation, her hips writhing, her body undulating wildly against his mouth. So close yet afraid to let go. Afraid to fall. Teetering on the brink of orgasm. Scared that she’d never feel this adored, admired, loved again. Wanting to hold on, to savor this feeling of ecstasy, of rapturous delirium just a little longer. 

Luke withdrew his fingers and shifted slightly, his hand gliding up the center of her body to the valley between her breasts, holding it there overtop her pounding heart. Her breath hitched as she arched into him, that small gesture assuring her that when she fell, he’d be there to catch her and take her back there again. So she let go. Crying out as she broke in a rush of heated contractions, her vision graying, her breath coming out in short, quick bursts. 

Her body slowed as she melted into the soft mattress, feeling something way beyond satisfaction, something so much better than happiness. Luke extracted himself but not before taking one final lap with his talented tongue then quietly muttering, “Thank you.”

A breathless laugh tumbled from her lips, her mind still in a blissful haze, her body quivering with the aftershocks of her orgasm. “You’re thanking me ?” she asked as she unsuccessfully attempted to sit up, the blood from her brain diverted elsewhere. Then she grabbed Luke’s arm and pulled him to lie next to her. He gathered her in his arms and stroked the smooth skin of her cheek as her head rested on his chest. 

Luke exhaled slowly, his voice brittle. “Yes. For letting me do that to you. For loving me. For just… being.”

Lorelai lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were moist, his jaw was clenched tightly. 

“Oh, Luke.” She kissed him tenderly, her hand skimming the muscles of his chest, past his tight abs to his semi-hard erection. “You can thank me again after,” she purred, then curled her fingers around his shaft, feeling it grow harder in her firm grasp. 

Luke groaned appreciatively as Lorelai began to stroke him, delighted in the feeling of him in her hand, heat pooling between her legs as her desire was renewed. 

“Wait,” he exhaled sharply, touching her arm, signaling for her to stop. He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her hungrily, desperately, before rolling her over so she lay on her back and he was on top of her. She glanced up at him as her heartbeat accelerated in anticipation. 

He entered her, pushing in until he was deep inside, his eyes never leaving hers, their fingers laced tightly together on either side of her head. He told her he loved her. She repeated the words back, realizing how simple it was to be loved by him. To love him. There was nothing complicated or confusing about it. How could she have thought otherwise? 

With each slow, deliberate thrust, they moaned in unison, their breathing ragged as Lorelai’s legs wrapped tightly around his hips and her arms around his broad shoulders. 

“Lorelai,” he muttered, his lips brushing against her cheek, his husky voice reverberating in her ear, sending a spark of electricity down her spine. “You feel so good.” He pushed in deeper with a grunt, filling her completely, moving faster, making her dizzy with pleasure. His body seemingly designed for hers. A perfect fit. 

Lorelai’s hands slid down his sides to his ass, pulling him closer so that his chest rubbed up against her breasts. She gasped an unrecognizable word, luxuriating in the friction they created, hot and slick, feeling the bulk of his weight pressing down on her, trapping her there, leaving her with no desire to escape. 

She wanted to tell him that she was close, that she would come again, but the words were muddled in her brain, lost, tied up in knots on her tongue. 

Luke lifted his head just slightly so she could see his face as he continued to move inside of her. Their eyes met briefly before her lids fell closed of their own volition — no longer having control over her body, screaming out as she came hard, came undone. Wave after wave of immense pleasure crashed over her before gradually receding, leaving her floating in a state of euphoria. 

Luke kissed her parted lips then buried his mouth into her neck, driving into her with abandon as the forcefulness of his thrusts, the guttural sounds of his unraveling awakened her senses,  setting off another round of gratifying spasms inside of her. 

She gazed up at him with a beatific smile as they panted in concert, Luke kissing her again before collapsing beside her. 

“Wow!” Lorelai said as she turned on her side to face him, her body shuddering, flushed, and warm. 

“Wow,” he echoed, his voice shaky. He rolled over onto his side as his eyes skimmed over her; a look of astonishment and pure elation brightened his features. 

His fingers traced the curve of her shoulder, traveling down to her arm to her hand before clasping it in his. “I love you,” he whispered assuredly, then brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

She smiled, feeling like she belonged there, in his bed, lying bare next to him. Vulnerable yet unafraid. Seen. Known. Understood. No longer lost. He felt like home.

“I love you, too.” 

Luke

He had died and gone to heaven. Well, at least just the heaven part. 

He let go of her hand and snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her towards him. 

“So, no freakout this time?” he asked, grinning playfully before placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. 

“Nope,” she smiled back. “You’re stuck with me now, like it or not.”

“Oh, I definitely like it.” 

She kissed him sweetly. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she got out of bed, slipping on the flannel shirt that was lying on the floor before heading towards the bathroom. 

Luke watched her as she moved leisurely, listening to the sounds of the floorboards creaking underneath her feet, like all of this was commonplace. Routine to be in his apartment, sharing his bed, wearing his shirt after they'd made love. Like she belonged there with him. To him. It brought another smile to his lips. 

“I like this shirt. I’m gonna keep it,” she told him when she climbed back into bed and snuggled into his chest. 

“It looks good on you. But you look even better without it.” He slid it off of her shoulder and ran his hand down the side of her breast, feeling his body respond, his burgeoning erection pressing against her stomach.

Lorelai giggled into his chest then tilted her chin up to face him. “You sure are feisty for an old man.”

“It’s you, Lorelai. You make me crazy.” His expression was earnest as he rolled her on top of him. Luke smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I can’t even imagine ever not wanting you. I think I could make love to you every day for the rest of my life.” 

She sat up and straddled him. Her cheeks were flushed, making her vivid blue eyes shine even brighter in the dimly lit room. “I’d like that. I want that, too,” she professed, running her fingers through the soft hair on his chest. 

“That doesn’t scare you?” he asked, slipping the flannel off her completely and tossing it to the floor.

“No. You not being in my life scares me. This. Me and you together makes me happier than I ever thought I could be.” 

Luke lifted himself upright, his legs stretched out in front of him while maneuvering Lorelai on his lap so her legs circled his waist. They kissed passionately, greedily, the tip of his cock nudging at her entrance as he held her hips steady and slid inside. Her fingernails dug into his back. She felt warm and wet and tight around him and he gasped at the sensation, breaking their kiss. 

“Jesus, Lorelai,” he moaned, his eyes holding her gaze, mesmerized, possessed by his need for her. His heart, his body, completely and utterly at her mercy as she began to grind against him. 

Her head lolled back, allowing Luke to place a trail of wet kisses down her neck. Lorelai arched her spine when he reached her breast. He sucked and scraped his teeth against her nipple, his hands gripping her ass, guiding her as they rocked their way into oblivion.

Lorelai came first, immediately followed by Luke — their eyes locked in an impassioned stare; their hearts pounding as they both shuddered from their shared release. 

Afterward, they lay utterly spent  — Lorelai’s head nestled into the crook of Luke’s neck, their limp, damp bodies curled into each other forming a sloppy yin-yang symbol. 

“So, now what?” Luke asked, his voice a fragile whisper. 

“Well, I think I’m going to need to sleep a little before we go for a third round.”

Luke disentangled himself from her and sat up. Fidgeting, he gathered the comforter from the foot of the bed, sheltering them both in its warmth. 

Doing his best to find strength, he battled the rising tide of vulnerability, the malevolent undercurrent that threatened to drown him once again. He ran a shaky hand through his tousled hair and blew out a nervous breath. “No, I meant… how are we going to work this? Us together. The logistics of us being a couple.” 

She sat up to face him, holding the comforter over her breasts. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I just had my epiphany about you less than two hours ago so I didn’t think past the jumping-your-bones stage. What do you think?”

He nearly smiled as relief skirted the borders of his mind, teasing him, just out of reach. “I want to be with you. Not just dating or sleeping together once a week. I… I want a future with you and I want it to start now.”

“Okay,” she shrugged, responding without hesitation.

Luke’s brow furrowed. “Okay to what, exactly?”

Without answering, Lorelai stood and walked to the window, the navy blue comforter like a royal cape around her shoulders, dragging behind her.

“Hey! It’s cold,” Luke shivered, perhaps not entirely because he was cold, but more so that he was nervous about her answer. He pulled on his boxers and joined Lorelai. With her eyes focused on the world outside the apartment, she wrapped the comforter around them both, then dropped her head onto his shoulder.  

The snow had stopped falling and the sky had cleared. The moon and stars shone brightly against the inky darkness of the night, reflecting a shimmering veil of white on the earth below.    

Lorelai turned to meet his eyes. “Okay to everything. All of it. The whole package. With you,” she said, her voice uncharacteristically tenuous. But then she smiled. “You know, when we first met, I thought you didn’t like me.” 

“No, I definitely liked you. I thought you were a little nuts, though,” Luke grinned, the skin around his eyes crinkling, finally allowing this reality of happiness to penetrate.

She nudged his arm with her elbow causing the comforter to slip from her grip. “You still think that.”

Luke’s fingers delicately traced the newly exposed skin on the curve of her shoulder. “True. And I thought you didn’t like me.”

“Well, you were a bit… grumpy. Still are. But I liked you. Immediately.”

“It was the coffee, wasn’t it?”

“Yup. And your hot bod.”

Luke laughed and pulled her closer, cradling her in his warmth.  

Lorelai turned to gaze out of the window again and sighed. “It’s so beautiful here, isn’t it? This town. Our town. All lit up for the holidays and covered in snow.” 

Luke gently wound the ends of her wavy, raven-colored tresses around his fingers. “ You’re beautiful.” 

Moonlight gleamed through the window bathing the contours of her face in its soft glow. She tilted her head back towards him, her eyes narrowed, her expression pensive. “Luke, do you believe in fate? We talked about that once before, remember? The night you helped me and Rory move into the house.”

“I remember everything,” he said. 

“So, do you? Are we meant to be? Written in the stars?”

He placed a kiss on the top of her head and smiled sweetly. “You know I still have the horoscope you gave me. The first time we met.”

“You do?” 

“You told me to put it in my wallet, and one day, it would bring me luck.”

“Yeah, I did. I just… I can’t believe you actually kept it.”

The comforter dropped to the floor in a puddle around their feet as Luke pressed his body against hers, his arms encircling her waist.

Then he kissed her passionately. His heart so full of love for her that he almost couldn’t breathe. He’d forgotten all about the pain of the past. Only knowing the pure joy of what was right here, right now, in the air between them. In the bond that connected them.   

His lips left hers, but their faces remained close. He whispered, his voice thick with emotion, “I don’t know what to call it. Fate. Destiny. It doesn’t matter. For me, there’s only you, Lorelai. It’s been you. It will always be you.”

Chapter Text

The first time they met, they didn’t like each other. (Well, Luke thought Lorelai didn’t like him, and Lorelai thought Luke didn’t like her. They were both wrong.) The second time they met, Luke suspected that Lorelai didn’t even remember him. (She kept calling him Duke.) The third time they met, they became friends. Then they weren’t. And then… they fell in love. 

Six months later, they were married. 

Just before sunset on June third, they took their vows in the gazebo in front of family and friends. Rory was the maid of honor. Jess, the best man. The sky was a perfect backdrop — glowing streaks of pink, lavender, and yellow watercolors; the sun still visible above the horizon.

Lorelai was stunning in a satin ivory gown, strapless, with an A-line skirt covered in a layer of delicately-beaded, shimmering tulle. The simple veil, elbow-length, covered her long, loosely curled hair. With a translucent blusher draped softly over her face, she walked down the aisle holding a bouquet of pink daisies, her arm interlocked with her father’s. She gazed adoringly at her husband-to-be through a white haze, yet her mind was unclouded. She was marrying her best friend. Her one true love. This was fate. She was convinced.

Clean-shaven and wearing a black suit and navy tie, Luke beamed proudly as his breathtakingly beautiful bride seemed to float down the aisle towards him. Any nervousness lingering from earlier in the day immediately evaporated in the warm spring air, leaving only overwhelming feelings of love and immense gratitude for whatever force (god, destiny, karma, luck) brought them together. For what seemed like forever, she’d been his secret wish on a star, his wildest dream unfulfilled. As she approached, carefully making her way up the steep stairs, images from the past ran briefly through his mind — everything they’d been through to get to this day, this perfect moment in time. 

After father and daughter reached the platform of the gazebo, Richard lifted up his daughter’s veil, kissed her cheek, then dutifully shook Luke’s hand with a firm grip. In the spirit of tradition, she’d agreed to be “given away.” But she never belonged to them, not really. 

A beatific smile spread across her painted red lips as she took her place by Luke’s side. With the past momentarily forgotten and the future too vast to consider, she joyfully embraced the present. This lovely man next to her. This beautiful, precious memory in the making. 

This was where she belonged. 

After Rory secured the bridal bouquet, Luke and Lorelei faced one another and joined hands, their eyes connecting in a meaningful gaze.   

The touch of her soft hands; the sunlit glow of her clear blue eyes looking lovingly into his — this was really happening. Lorelai Victoria Gilmore was standing in front of him about to become his wife.

This, was his happiest wish, his best dream, come true. 

As the service began, Reverend Skinner spoke about the shy boy Luke had once been and the kind, courageous and loving man he’d become. “Your parents are smiling down on you today, my friend.” He complimented Lorelai on her strength and determination, her selflessness and empathy, her humor and loquaciousness. “This is the quietest I’ve ever seen you, my dear.” He spoke of their love, of their future as husband and wife. “Anyone who has seen you together can see the strong love you share, your friendship and respect for one another — your complete devotion to each other and to your family. Today marks only the beginning of your journey, the start of your love story. And knowing you both, what a wonderful story it will be.” 

Their vows were simple. They held hands while they promised to love, honor, and cherish each other, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as they both shall live. And when they kissed for the first time as husband and wife, time stood still; everyone around them dissolved into a blur of faded colors. It was just the two of them connecting, sealing their love, their future, together. 

Days, months, years later, they’d remember it all as if it were a beautiful dream. Candle-lit tables and yards of hanging white string lights. Pink and white daisies in short, clear glass vases. The champagne (and beer) flowed; the food impressed. There were stationed hor d’oeuvres, all of Lorelai’s favorites modified for the elegant occasion. Bite-sized gourmet hamburgers and cheeseburgers held together with fancy cocktail picks, french fry shooters decorated with a smattering of ketchup, tiny crostini pizzas, as well as Emily-approved assorted puffs and mini quiches. The main course was a delicious surf and turf, buttery lobster tail with a perfectly cooked filet. The cake, a three-tiered coffee-flavored Sookie original masterpiece, was topped with chocolate mousse and served with a warm, decadent raspberry sauce on the side.

When the sun finally surrendered and gave way to the darkness of night, the newly-wed couple waltzed under a crescent moon and a canopy of twinkling stars. They shared the makeshift dance floor with their wedding party, surrounding themselves in the warmth of their family and friends’ love as the evening air took on a slight chill. Gazing ardently into each other’s eyes, incandescently happy, Luke and Lorelai held each other close as they swayed slowly to the music. Rory blushed and smiled shyly as she danced with Jess. A radiant, pregnant Sookie and her Jackson spun around joyously. Even a tipsy Richard and sloshed Emily seemed to fall under the spell of the night’s romance as they moved gracefully in time with the music. 

Then, when the night came to a close and all the guests had gone, they walked the short distance home. Lorelai giggled as Luke picked her up and carried her over the threshold, squealing in delight as he made it halfway up the stairs before his legs started to buckle under the strain. Silencing her with passionate kisses, they stumbled their way to their bedroom, drunk off alcohol or love or both. 

They made love slowly, taking their time to savor every kiss, to memorize each touch, to fulfill every desire. After, as they lay in each other’s arms, sated and blissful, they recounted the day's many highlights — talking and laughing until their sides hurt and their voices were hoarse. And as the moon faded from the sky and the sun dawned on a new day, they made love once more. Their last words to each other before drifting off into a deep, peaceful sleep: I love you, wife. I love you, husband. 

It was the perfect day. A perfect night. And it was … just the beginning. 

                                                                                      _________________

Luke and Lorelai 

“Does this man ever age?” Luke grumbled at the television, a cold beer in his hand, his wife’s head in his lap. 

“One hour until the New Year,” Dick Clark’s disembodied voice reported over the noise of the rowdy Times Square crowd.  

“I heard he’s actually a vampire,” Rory yelled from the kitchen. 

Lorelai sat up, arching to stretch her back. “I heard he sleeps in one of those hyperbaric oxygen chambers to keep his boyish looks. Hey! Where’s Mommy’s popcorn?” 

“It’s still popping. Jeez. Have you stopped eating since dinner? You’re going to get fat… ter ,” Rory teased, shouting over the escalating sounds of pops and crackles.

Lorelai turned to Luke and pouted. “Am I fat?” 

“You’re perfect. Come here,” Luke grinned, setting his beer down on the side table and pulling Lorelai into his chest. With one hand on her protruding belly and the other wrapped around her shoulder, Luke kissed the top of her head. “Does your back hurt?”

“A little,” she whined. 

“Turn around. I’ll give you a massage.”

“Not in front of the kid, Luke.”

“Not a dirty massage.” Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

“Hey! I’m coming out with snacks so whatever dirtiness is happening out there better stop.”  

“It’s safe, Rory. All completely G-rated out here.”

Rory emerged from the kitchen with two large bowls of popcorn. She handed one to Lorelai and kept one for herself as she sat on the opposite end of the couch. Rory shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth. 

“I’m eating for two. What’s your excuse?” 

“I’m a growing girl and need my strength. Especially once my little brother or sister decides to take over our lives,” Rory mumbled, crunching through stuffed cheeks. 

Lorelai, now sitting up, placed her popcorn bowl on the coffee table and turned to Luke. “Should we tell her now?” she leaned in close, whispering into his ear. 

Before Luke could answer, the phone rang. 

“I’ll get it!” Rory announced, bouncing quickly off of the couch and grabbing the cordless phone from the entrance table. 

“Saved by the bell,” Luke grinned, kneading her lower back as Lorelai moaned contentedly. 

“Hi, Jess!” Rory beamed, speaking into the phone as she walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. 

“Jess? My Jess is calling for Rory? What’s that all about?” Luke asked, his brow furrowing into a deep crease. 

Lorelai twisted slightly to face him and shook her head. “Oh, Luke. Luke, Luke, Luke.”

“What?”

“I can’t believe you’re this clueless.”

“What are you talking about?” Luke grumbled. 

“Rory and Jess. Jess and Rory. They like each other.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, like? As in like like? They’re only twelve.”

“Like like? Are you twelve?”

“They’re too young for that.”

“Uh, apparently not.” 

“When? How?” 

“After Jess visited over the summer. They’ve been talking on the phone at least a couple of times a week. She says they just talk about books since they’re both obsessed with reading, but I can tell she’s got a crush on him.”

“How can you tell?”

“Because I have eyes. She blushes when she talks about him and gets all… squirmy.”

Grabbing the beer from the table, Luke took a long swig from the bottle. “Rory’s first crush,” he said dazedly, then put the bottle back down beside him. 

“Well, second if you count Peewee Herman.” Lorelai scooped up a handful of popcorn, rotely feeding herself one popped kernel at a time. 

“Oh, god. Do I really want to know this?” Luke winced, tugging on the hair at the back of his neck. “How come I didn’t know about this?”

Lorelai swallowed and wiped the popcorn crumbs from her lap. “Because you’re Luke Danes: Clueless Diner Man. Hey! That should be your superhero name. Able to fill a coffee mug faster than a speeding bullet. Leap not-so-tall countertops in maybe three or four bounds — depending on whether or not you’ve gotten in your Megaman protein drink. Clueless to all romance.”

“Pftt. That wasn’t your superhero name for me last night when I made you, you know, three times,” Luke retorted smugly, his hand sliding up the side of her sweatpants-covered thigh. 

Lorelai grinned. “Oh, yeah. That’s definitely a better superpower than being completely oblivious to adolescent dating rituals. Although the coffee-pouring comes in a very close second.”

“So, who was your first crush?” Luke continued gently caressing her thigh, relieved for the change of focus. 

“That’s easy. Shaun Cassidy. The feathered hair was so hot. What about you?”

“Hmm. I think it was Marianne from Gilligan’s Island.”

“Huh? Interesting. Not Ginger?”

“Nah, I’ve always preferred brunettes. And you know, the plaid shirt.” 

“It was gingham.”

“Close enough.”

Lorelai leaned closer to him, placing her hand over top of his on her thigh. “I think I have that outfit. How about I dress up for you? Put my hair in pigtails. You can pretend you're the Professor and have your way with me,” she whispered teasingly, then flashed him an awkward wink. 

A loud giggle from Rory’s room disrupted their playful banter, snapping Luke back into the present as the pleasant visions of Lorelai role-playing were interrupted. With a worried frown, he stood up and moved closer to Rory’s door before quickly pivoting back towards the couch. 

Lorelai shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “What? Too much? Or do you think the big belly would ruin the fantasy for you?”  

“He better just keep his hands or any other part of his anatomy away from Rory, or I’ll kick his scrawny ass back to New York,” Luke snarled, seeming not to have heard Lorelai’s last comment.  

“I’m assuming we’re talking about Jess and not Peewee.” Lorelai tilted her head, puzzled. “Wait. What do you mean ‘back to New York’? Is he visiting soon?”

Luke’s eyes widened. “Oh, well, uh, Liz and Jess are moving back to Stars Hollow,” he relayed with a slight stammer as he took his previously abandoned seat next to her.

  “Oh. Wow! That’s… big news. How long have you known and why didn’t you tell me?”

“She just told me a couple of days ago and I was trying to figure out if she was serious about it. She thinks it will be good for Jess. She’s worried about him falling in with the wrong group of friends.” Luke exhaled sharply then rubbed the stubble on his chin, focused and pensive. “She’s been clean for a while now and there’s no dirtbag boyfriend in the picture anymore. She asked if she could work at the diner, waitressing. Because, believe me, you don’t want that woman anywhere near an open flame. Anyway, I was thinking she and Jess could live in my old apartment until she can save up for a place of her own. She eventually wants to have her own jewelry business — the stuff she makes. Open up a shop. She’s family, so I can’t turn her down. Right?” Luke asked, raising his eyebrows as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Wow. Those were a lot of words strung together for a Luke non-rant. You okay, babe?”

Luke lowered his head, wringing his hands together. “Thinking about Liz stresses me out.”

Lorelai reached over and began stroking his back. “Of course you can’t turn her down. But really, Luke, I think this is great.”

“Yeah?” Luke straightened his spine. He turned to face Lorelai again, noticing the sincerity in her smile, spurring his confidence.“I was thinking, with Liz helping at the diner and Caesar handling more responsibilities, I can take some time off when the baby comes.”

“You? Take time off? You don’t need to do that.”

Luke blinked in surprise, a wounded expression clouding his features. “What? You don’t want me to?” 

“No, of course I’d want you to.” Lorelai stiffened, then let out a long sigh. “I just hadn’t really thought it through. This pregnancy… My situation now compared to then — it’s so different from how things were with Rory. But, yes, you taking some time off would be… amazing!”

“Good. Good,” Luke nodded absently, his voice tinged with doubt. “Because… you already know how to do all this. Being a mom. And you’re great at it. I’m… I just… I want to be a good dad. And, you know, do my part,” he said earnestly.

“Luke,” she said, his name barely a whisper. Her fingertips traced the sharp edges of his jaw, then she motioned towards Rory’s room with a flick of her head. “You already are a great dad.”

A small smile twitched at the corner of his lips. “Thanks,” he muttered appreciatively, feeling lighter, his mind at ease. “Plus, I’m not gonna let you have all the… fun.” Luke affectionately smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ear, his lips curling in a lopsided grin. 

“Fun? Ha! Oh, yeah. Sleepless nights. Changing diapers. Breastfeeding until my nipples are raw. It’s going to be a blast.”

“I can help with all of that, except the breastfeeding part, for obvious reasons. But, I promise to take very good care of these,” Luke whispered, then he bent down, placing a soft kiss on each hardened peak of her breasts. He glanced up at Lorelai with a wolfish grin.

Lorelai gently shoved him away. “Hey. Don’t you dare start what you can’t finish. You know how horny I’ve been lately. Damn hormones. I mean, all you need to do is put a little coffee behind your ears and I’ll go all Sharon Stone Basic Instinct on your ass — without the ice pick, of course.” Lorelai sighed, “God, I miss coffee.”

“Huh. Coffee behind my ears. Why didn’t I think of that?” Luke chuckled, his fingertips skimming the length of her neck before dropping down to give her nipple a provocative tweak.

“Jesus, Luke,” Lorelai moaned, her head lolling backward as heat spread like fire from her chest to her crotch as he continued to fondle her. “You’re not playing fair.”

“I can’t help it,” he breathed, his voice husky as his hand traveled to the elastic of her sweatpants. “You. Carrying my kid. So damn sexy. Have I told you that?” He slipped it inside, finding her warm and wet.

“Yes. Multiple times.” Lorelai bit down on her lower lip then let out a low groan. 

He moved two fingers in and out of her slowly. “You make me feel like I’m sixteen again.” 

“Well, considering… my current… delicate … condition…,” she stammered between breathless pants. “…being… knocked up…” 

“Uh-huh,” Luke murmured, his thumb stimulating her clit. 

“Bun in my oven…” She steadied herself by holding onto his shoulders, moaning softly as her eyelids fluttered shut. 

“Shh.” 

“I… mmm… feel… sixteen again… oooh….oh god…,” she gasped, rocking her pelvis, matching his rhythm. “… too!” 

“Quit talking. Just relax,” he insisted, quickening his pace.

“Luke…  Stop,” she muttered in a feigned attempt at getting him to retreat, her movements contradicting her words as she arched backward, allowing him better access. “Kid… in the… other room.”

“It’ll be fine. You’ll be fast,” he whispered as he continued to stroke her. “I just want to watch you.”

“But… but…,” Lorelai sputtered as she completely surrendered, writhing against him, her hands clutching fistfuls of Luke’s flannel.

It didn’t take long. Within mere seconds, her body seized as she came with a quiet whimper. 

“God, you’re easy,” Luke quipped, a proud smile reaching his eyes. He retrieved his hand and adjusted her pants back to their pre-rollicking position.

“Easy?” Lorelai choked out, her heart racing, her chest heaving as she let her head fall forward onto Luke’s shoulder. “I bet you never thought you’d say that about me?” 

He looped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. “So true,” he laughed, nuzzling the side of her neck.

Lorelai sighed contentedly, her breathing beginning to slow. “So, back to Liz and Jess…,”  

Luke frowned and backed away, raising his arms in mock defeat. “Well, that sentence was definitely… deflating.”

Lorelai stood, stretching out her back once again as she began to pace the floor behind the couch, her hand rubbing circles on her stomach like Aladdin rubbing the magic lamp. Luke shifted in his seat, pivoting to watch her, visualizing the wheels spinning in her head. 

“What if…,” she inhaled deeply, continuing her frenetic motion. “What if Liz and Jess moved in here?” 

Luke’s eyes darted back and forth as his wife paced the creaky floors. “Here? Like, they’d live in this house?”

“Yes,” she nodded, finally coming to rest, perching herself on the opposite arm of the couch. “Your old apartment — it’s too small for the two of them. And the idea of selling this place once we move… I don’t know. I just… I’m not ready to let it go just yet. But renting it out to someone in the family — that would be perfect.”

Luke studied her intently, his brows raised, his expression contemplative. 

Lorelai continued enthusiastically, “With my parents insisting on kicking in a boatload of money for the new house, I think we can afford not making a profit here. That is if Liz could cover the cost of the mortgage payments.” 

“That’s a big if. But, there is some money saved in a trust for her. Dad was smart enough to put me in charge of her inheritance. And who knows, maybe Liz’s jewelry will sell. I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow.”

“That’s the spirit,” Lorelai grinned triumphantly, then, adding some unnecessary theatrics, waddled over to sit on her husband’s lap, her arms winding around his sturdy shoulders. 

Luke shook his head. “You know I can’t say no to you, right?”

“Oh, yeah. I know,” she smirked, then placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

Luke caressed her cheek and smiled. “Hey. I was going to wait until after midnight, but…” Luke shimmied, lifting up his right hip, pulling a small black velvet box from the front pocket of his jeans. “Happy Anniversary.” 

Lorelai’s eyes welled with tears, her voice overcome with emotion. “And here I thought that lump in your pocket was just a perpetual hard-on for me.”

“There’s that, too.” Luke snorted a laugh then cleared his throat, his expression reshaping into one of earnest adoration. “I know it’s not our official anniversary, but two years ago today, you made me the happiest man on earth by telling me you loved me.”

“Oh, Luke,” she pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then gazed down at the unopened gift that was now in her hand. 

“Wait!” Luke exclaimed abruptly, maneuvering Lorelai off of his lap and setting her down next to him. He got up, made his way over to the stereo, then fiddled with the buttons. Suddenly, Frank Sinatra singing “It Had to Be You” played softly from the speaker. 

Her heart fluttered as she tried to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. “I totally take back the earlier comment of you being oblivious to romance.”

“This song was playing in the background that night when you met me in the middle of the street. Remember?” Luke asked, holding out his hand to her.

Lorelai took his hand and nodded mutely, a single tear making its way down her rosy cheek as Luke pulled her up to a standing position to face him. 

“It was snowing and you looked so beautiful. I mean, you’re always beautiful but that night… Anyway…” he said shyly. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Lorelai slowly opened the box. Her bright blue eyes widened as she gasped. “Luke, it’s… stunning. I love it.” She lifted a necklace from the box and let the white gold chain dangle from her fingers. In the middle of the chain was a dainty, intricate snowflake — each groove of the lacy pendant bejeweled with a small yet brilliant diamond. As it twisted and turned in front of her, the light reflected off of it, making it sparkle like a bright star in a black, moonless sky. 

Luke took the necklace from her hands and opened the clasp, his lips curling up at the corners as he closed the delicate piece of jewelry around her neck. “Yeah? I thought, you know, you and your thing with snow. And it reminded me of that night and —”

Her lips covered his mid-sentence, quieting him with a passionate kiss. Their arms circled one another, their bodies melting together in a tight embrace as the song from the stereo played out its final notes. 

“Ahem.” Luke and Lorelai jumped apart as Rory made her presence known — her eyes rolling, her hands set firmly on her hips. “I can’t leave you two lovebirds alone without you getting all smoochie, can I?”

Luke’s face reddened. “We were just… uh, well, you see, I got your mom—”

“Oh my god!” Lorelai said excitedly, her hands flying to her belly. 

“What’s wrong? Is it the baby?” Luke asked, his voice filled with worry.

Lorelai’s face lit up. “He just kicked. I just felt him.”

“Him?!” Rory echoed in surprise as both she and Luke moved closer to Lorelai. “I’m getting a baby brother?” she asked.

“He just did it again. Quick. Hands. Right here,” Lorelai motioned to both of them. 

Rory obeyed, a huge grin taking over her face as she felt her little brother squirm inside of her mother’s belly. “Oh my god! I feel him! Hi, baby. I’m your big sister, Rory,” Rory spoke in a high-pitched voice directly at Lorelai’s stomach. 

“Luke?” Lorelai puzzled, staring up at him. His eyes were wide, moist with tears. Shock, fear, elation, love — the mixture of emotions colliding, overwhelming him as he stood frozen in place. 

“Luke,” Lorelai sighed, getting a sense of her husband’s trepidation. She reached out and took his trembling hand, placing it on the spot where Rory’s hand had just vacated. “Here’s your son.” 

Luke inhaled sharply. “I don’t feel any— Wait. I just felt him. I can feel him. I can feel our son,” Luke beamed in wonderment. He sank down to his knees, both hands resting on her belly. “Hi, there, little guy. I’m your daddy,” he muttered softly, unable to suppress the flow of salty water that sprang from his eyes. 

“Luke, you ole’ softie,” Rory simpered, then plopped down onto the center of the couch, leaving the happy couple to their moment.  

“Damn hormones.” Luke rose to his feet, then wiped his tear-stained cheeks with the sleeve of his flannel. 

“Hey, that’s my excuse, mister! Plus, it’s not like hormones are contagious,” Lorelai teased. 

Lorelai noticed Rory sitting quietly, her eyes unfocused. She motioned to Luke before they both sat down on either side of their stunned daughter. “I’m getting a little brother,” Rory said blankly. 

“How are you doing there, sweets?” Lorelai asked Rory, putting an arm around her shoulder. “I know this is going to be a big adjustment for you. For all of us.”

“I’m just…,” she breathed in deeply, then let out a quick burst of air, her gaze now resting on her mother. Her lips suddenly curled up. “I’m really, really excited. But why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“We wanted to make it a New Year’s surprise for you and tell you after midnight. We just found out this morning at the doctor’s.” Lorelai leaned over the end of the couch and pulled a small yellow envelope out of her purse on the side table. She took a picture from the envelope and handed it to her daughter. “That’s him.”

Rory stared at the picture, her smile widening. “He’s so cute!” 

“You think? I kinda expected him to have a five o’clock shadow and be wearing a backwards baseball hat.”

“Mom…,” Rory rolled her eyes and shook her head before breaking into a fit of giggles.

“Oh, and don’t you believe that this was Luke’s first crying episode of the day. He balled his eyes out when we saw this little guy on the monitor.” 

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“I had something stuck in my eye.”

“You guys are going to be real mature parents, aren’t you,” Rory sighed. “Does he have a name yet?” 

“He does. Ready?” she asked Rory. 

Rory nodded affirmatively, her big blue eyes brimming with anticipation.

“Meet your brother, William. Gilmore. Danes.”

“Baby Will! I love it!” Rory turned to Luke. “That was your father’s name, right?” 

“Yes,” Luke choked out, his eyes stinging under another threat of impending tears.

Rory hopped up onto Luke’s lap, her arms winding around his neck. “Oh, Luke. I’m going to be the best big sister ever! I promise!” 

Luke pulled Rory closer to him, his chin resting on the crown of her head. “I know you will. I never doubted it for a second,” he said, his voice raw as he whispered into her hair. 

“Okay, enough with the maudlin tears, guys,” Lorelai huffed. “Luke, unmute the TV. It’s almost midnight!” 

“Ten seconds to the New Year!” Dick Clark announced. 

All three of them stood, their hands clasped together making a circle as they counted down along with Dick and the crowd in Times Square.  

  “Happy New Year!” Rory screamed out joyously. Luke and Lorelai echoed her in unison as she pulled them into a tight family embrace. She released them quickly, scampering over to the front window as she watched the sky light up in an array of colors. “Fireworks!” 

Luke watched Rory, her face lit with excitement — still the little girl who stole his heart talking about the effects of caffeine and getting her wiggles out before watching a movie. But also, so different now. Almost a teenager. She was growing up so quickly. 

“Hey, you.” Lorelai touched Luke’s arm, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “She’s going to be okay with this.”

“Yeah. She will.” Luke nodded in agreement. 

God, she loved this man. His sweetness. His passion. His ability to satisfy her in every possible way. “Are you okay?” she asked, concern overriding her happiness.

“Yeah. I’m great. Really great,” he grinned contentedly. “Come here.” Luke wrapped his arms around her back; she propped hers up onto his shoulders. 

They gazed adoringly at each other, love floating in the air, surrounding them, inviting them to come together as their lips met for the first time that year. 

“Happy New Year, Lorelai,” Luke whispered after they parted, placing one hand on her belly while the other remained on the small of her back. 

Lorelai covered his hand with hers, on the new life which was created by their love. Their passion. Their friendship. “Happy New Year, Luke.”

                                                                                        _________________

It would be a great year. 

Even in good marriages, desire can falter (theirs wouldn’t) and happiness can ebb and flow. There can be highs and lows. Joy and pain. (Theirs would be far more flow than ebb, more highs than lows, greater joy, less pain.) But the best marriages, the most enduring love stories, are rooted in friendship. The deep kind that requires trust and patience, mutual respect and understanding, and, of course, can’t-live-without-each-other love. Luke and Lorelai had all of that. They were the best of friends, passionate lovers, equal partners in parenting. And they were wonderfully, blissfully, madly, in love. 

For them, it would be a happy life. 

                                                                                       _________________

Present Day

Luke: I grew up in Stars Hollow. 

Lorelai: I moved there when I was seventeen. 

Luke: I owned the local diner. 

Lorelai: I worked at the local inn. 

Luke: For eight years we lived in the same small, crazy town and never met. 

Lorelai: We never met.

Luke: Well, you were hung up on your ex, Christopher.

Lorelai: And you were pining for Rachel. 

Luke: I wasn’t pining.

Lorelai: You totally were. Or you would have noticed me sooner. 

Luke: Probably.

Lorelai: You know how we met? It was his coffee.

Luke: My coffee. 

Lorelai: He makes the best coffee. 

Luke: She came into my diner. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Lorelai: I think in a past life I was coffee. 

Luke: She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Still is. 

Lorelai: He’s super hot. You should check out his ass.

Luke: We’ve been married now for twenty-five years. 

Lorelai: Twenty-five years of the most amazing coffee. And the most amazing husband. 

Luke: And I still can’t take my eyes off of her. 

Lorelai: Twenty-five years of being married to my best friend and we’re still just as much in love now as we were then. 

Luke: Still in love. 

Lorelai: And have I mentioned his coffee?

THE END