Lorelai waltzed into the Independence Inn's kitchen with a smile on her face and a spring in her step.
"Good Morning, Sookie!" she happily sang.
Sookie turned around and gave her best friend a puzzling smile before asking, "Hey, what's got you in such a great mood this morning?"
Lorelai sighed and then reflectively began, "It's just that everything is FINALLY falling into place. Mia gave me the new job...which means more money. I was finally able to save up the down payment for the Crap Shack...which means no more potter's shed. And...well...even though I don't have a dime to my name...things are just REALLY good at the moment."
Sookie smiled and replied sincerely, "I'm really happy for you."
Laughing, Lorelai added, "Oh...and I ran into the most gorgeous guy last night - so that gave me something nice to dream about."
Sookie smiled and asked enthusiastically, "So, are you saying that you're finally ready to start dating again?"
She had been trying SO hard, for the past two years, to get Lorelai to agree to let her fix her up on one measly blind date. But she had been refused and blocked at every attempt.
"No, Sookie!" she said adamantly with a chuckle. "I have way too much baggage to start dating again. This just means that for the first time, in a long time, I felt something spark inside of me when I met this guy."
"Well, who is HE?" Sookie asked curiously.
Lorelai scrunched up her nose and said "I have no idea. Like I told you, I literally ran into him. We didn't even talk."
Sookie wondered, "Well, where were you when you ran into Mr. Wonderful?"
Lorelai questioned, "Remember, last night, I told you that I had to stop at Doose's for whipped cream because Rory and I were watching Willy Wonka and we needed it to top off our Hershey bars because we were going to pretend that they were really Wonka Bars and we were looking for the golden tickets?"
Sookie nodded knowingly and replied, "Yeah."
"Well it was in Doose's." she continued. "While I was pulling my whipped cream out of the cooler, HE was pulling out his skim milk and our dairy products did the nasty with each other - which of course made his skim milk fall to the floor - and then the milk splattered everywhere - and then Taylor came over and started screaming. But before Taylor got there, there was this moment, when we...we just locked eyes - and even though I think his eyes were both angry and incredibly annoyed with me - they were some of the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. This guy had steel blue eyes with the longest eyelashes I've ever seen on a man - simply breath taking...and completely wasted on a guy. I'd kill for lashes like those!"
Sookie laughed. The eyelash description peaked her curiosity though.
She asked, "Huh. Anything else you remember about him?"
Lorelai reflected and then gleefully answered, "Yeah, he was scruffy...but not in a homeless way...it was more like in a really sexy way. Kinda like a lumber jack. Oh, and he was wearing flannel so REALLY like a lumber jack!"
A knowing look came over Sookie's face that Lorelai completely missed.
Sookie summarized, "So...gorgeous, steel blue eyes, long eyelashes, scruffy, flannel...and skim milk, huh?"
Sookie knew there was just one key feature being left out.
As if on cue, Lorelai added, "Oh yeah, and he was wearing a backwards baseball cap. Strange outfit, I know...but it really worked for him. Well...at least it was working for me."
She punctuated the end of her sentence with a quick giggle.
Sookie just smiled at her. Thinking quickly, she asked, "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"
Lorelai answered, "I just told you that I'm flat broke. So, my Friday night is going to consist of me sitting on my couch, watching Olympic gymnastics and trying to guess how many of the girls ate over 100 calories today despite their Russian coaches' objections."
Sookie ignored her friend's plan and asked, "What about Rory?"
Lorelai answered, "Oh, she's spending the night at Lane's. I know Mrs. Kim hates me but she tolerates the girls' friendship pretty well."
Enthusiastically, Sookie asked "Hey, why don't you come out for a drink with me? We'll go to KC's."
Lorelai shook her head and said "Sookie, I just told you I'm flat broke. I can't afford to go out drinking."
Sookie wasn't taking no for an answer. "Look it's my treat. I could really use a night out and I need my best friend with me. We'll just have one drink. Come on. What do you say?"
Truth be told, Lorelai was dying for a fun adult night out.
"Yeah, I guess you don't have to twist my arm too hard." Lorelai joked. She added, "And, if I scrounge all the loose change out of my couch, I might even be able to buy us a second round of drinks."
"Sounds good!" Sookie replied happily.
Lorelai poured herself a large cup of coffee and then stated, "Well, I guess I better start my day. I'm really looking forward to tonight. Thanks for asking me, Sookie."
Sookie just replied "Yeah, sure" and waited anxiously for Lorelai to vacate the kitchen.
It took her just a minute to look up and dial the number.
"Hey, Ed. It's Sookie" she said quietly into the receiver.
With surprise, Ed answered, "Hey Sookie. What's up?"
Sookie was never one to beat around the bush.
She questioned directly, "Hey, do you know if Luke is seeing anyone right now?"
Ed thought it was a strange question coming from Sookie - but also knew that most of the single women in town had a thing for the ex track star of Stars Hollow High.
Hesitantly he replied, "Well, I'm not sure he's your type but.."
Sookie immediately cut him off.
She insisted, "I'm not asking for ME, Ed. I'm asking for a friend."
Ed thought that made more sense. He had never seen anything before between Luke and Sookie.
"Well, you know Rachel just left for the millionth time, so I don't think he's seeing anyone - or even contemplating seeing anyone for a long time." he said truthfully.
Sookie said schemingly, "Well, that's okay. I really don't want him to know that I'm trying to fix him up. I was just thinking that maybe you guys could just meet me and my friend at KC's tonight for a drink. You know...like just a spontaneous run in kind of thing."
"Yeah, Luke would never go for a fix up." Ed agreed. "I'll ask him but you know Luke, he's pretty unpredictable."
Sookie encouraged, "Well, just try and get him to come out tonight. I think it'll be fun. Maybe around 8 pm?"
"Maybe we'll see you there." Ed concluded.
Ed walked into the diner and took a seat at the old formica counter.
Luke noticed him right away.
"Hey, what can I get you?" Luke asked.
"Ah, coffee and I have a question for you." Ed replied.
"Shoot." Luke said as he poured a generous cup of java for his friend.
Directly, Ed asked, "What are you doing tonight?"
Luke grumbled "Working, cleaning up, sleeping - the usual."
"Let's grab a drink." his friend casually offered.
Luke immediately dismissed the idea. Bar hopping was the last thing he felt like doing now that Rachel was gone.
He shook his head and replied "Naw. Not tonight, Man."
Ed knew this meant something to Sookie so he gave it one more try.
"Hey, I really need to talk to you. Just one drink at KC's. I promise it won't take up your whole night." Ed rambled.
"Is everything OK?" Luke asked with concern.
Ed decided to play up that angle. He knew Luke wasn't one to turn away someone in need.
With evasiveness, Ed answered, "Yeah, I just want to run something by you...you know...get your opinion. How 'bout I come by around 8 pm and we'll go over to KC's?"
Luke didn't want to blow off his good friend so he hesitantly agreed. After all, it was just one quick drink, what's the harm?