To Each Her Own
By Steph
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
Summary: Bad dates, makeovers, town meetings and advice from Lorelai…there's just something oddly endearing about a (third-string) townie with a crush.
Part 2
The next morning she looked at the red dress hung up in her closet.
It really was beautiful. But it wasn't cheap. Between the dress, the shoes and the earrings, she had paid a pretty penny for last night's outfit.
And it had been wasted on a jerk off like Will.
She reached out and touched the soft fabric. She thought, as she had repeatedly since last night, about Andrew's reaction.
Maybe, she thought, uncharacteristically optimistic, the dress, maybe last night had been worth it.
Maybe it hadn't been wasted.
She had been going back and forth in her head about what his reaction had meant. Wondering if she should ignore the whole thing or do something spontaneous.
Like ask him out.
But another problem was, even if he was interested in her (and she didn't know that for a fact), would it be worth the whole town knowing their private life? She liked to think of herself as a fairly private person; no one had known much about her previous boyfriends.
But everyone knew Andrew. Miss Patty and Babette knew Andrew.
She thought briefly of Lorelai, who had recently begun a relationship with Luke. They had a whole town meeting debating the merits of the relationship.
Gypsy could think of nothing more embarrassing, although she had to admit that the whole thing was amusing to her at the time.
She wouldn't be amused if she was suddenly the center of attention.
But Lorelai was still seeing Luke. Even after the town meeting. So it must be worth it.
Maybe Lorelai would have advice. Not that she was thinking that far ahead. She wasn't even sure if Andrew had any feelings for her whatsoever.
But still it might be good to talk to Lorelai. For advice.
Yes, that's what she would do.
"Hey," Lorelai said later that morning. "What's up?"
"I wanted to return some lipstick that you left at my house," Gypsy told her.
"Oh, thanks," she said. She looked at Gypsy.
Gypsy looked…conflicted.
"You okay?"
Gypsy muttered something that sounded like "I know I'm going to regret this" before saying, "If you aren't too busy, I was wondering if I could get your advice on something."
"Sure," Lorelai said. She loved it when people asked her for advice. "Makeup? Hair? Fashion?"
"Men," Gypsy said plainly.
"Oh," she said. "Okay. Want some coffee?"
"Sure," Gypsy said gratefully.
Lorelai poured her a cup and watched Gypsy across from her. "Is it about Will?"
"Will?" Gypsy asked, snorting. "Definitely not Will."
"Okay."
"It's about….well I guess I wanted to ask you…when you started dating Luke, was it bad? Having everyone knowing everything about you? Was it embarrassing?"
"It was," Lorelai admitted. "When I walked out of his apartment into the diner in just his shirt? Why am I telling you? You were there. Laughing at me."
"Yeah, that was pretty funny," Gypsy said. Then she imagined herself in Lorelai's place. What if she was caught half dressed walking out of the bookstore?
That didn't even make sense.
Andrew didn't live in the bookstore. They wouldn't be having sex there.
They'd be having sex somewhere else.
Sex with Andrew. She let herself ponder that for a second.
"I guess what I'm trying to ask you," Gypsy said after her mind had cleared, "is is it worth it? Having everyone know? Is dating Luke worth dealing with Taylor and Patty and them being involved?"
"Definitely," Lorelai said. "And something more interesting eventually will happen taking the attention off the hot couple du jour."
"Okay," Gypsy said. "Thanks. I definitely have a lot to think about."
"Where do you think you're going?" Lorelai asked.
"Um…back home?"
"I don't think so. Not without telling me who you're interested in."
"I'm not interested in anyone."
"I think you're lying. No, scratch that, I know you're lying. You asked my advice and I gave it to you. And if I know who in the town you're crushing on, I can better tailor my advice. Tailor. It's not Taylor, is it?"
Gypsy rolled her eyes. "No. Definitely not."
"Tell me."
"Nothing to tell."
"Tell me or I'll tell everyone that you do have a crush on Taylor and you're ready to make your move."
"Fine," Gypsy said. "I was thinking of asking Andrew out." Now it was out in the open. It made the possibility seem more real.
Lorelai looked at her for a second in surprise before giggling. "I'm sorry," she said, still giggling. "I'm really sorry."
"What's so funny?"
"Andrew Andrew. Andrew in the bookstore."
"That's the one."
"But he's so…" Lorelai continued laughing. "He just seems so boring."
"I don't think so."
"I mean, sure, he's a nice enough guy, but you really find him attractive?"
This was bad. "Yes," Gypsy said defensively.
"He's just so blah. Nothing interesting about him."
"I disagree," she said in an even voice.
Lorelai continued laughing. "I'm sorry for laughing. I just don't see you two together at all. I mean…come on. You and Andrew?"
Gypsy gave Lorelai a tight smile and said, "You know Lorelai, I've hit people for less."
Lorelai stopped laughing. "Sorry. I'll be good."
"I mean," Gypsy said, "I personally think that dating Luke would be like watching paint dry in all its excitement. But to each her own."
"Point taken," she said. "But I think you should go for it."
"Like hell you do."
"No, that was wrong of me to laugh. I apologize. When will you see him next?"
"This afternoon. I'm going to look at his car."
"Okay," Lorelai said. "Good. Ask him out. Here's my advice. Ask him out in a very casual way and see how he responds. That way you can sort of get out of it if you don't think he's responding the way you hope."
"That makes sense," she said reluctantly.
"Well, keep me updated," Lorelai said.
"Yeah," Gypsy said sarcastically. "Definitely."
"It's bad, isn't it?" he asked her.
Well he asked her legs. The rest of her was under his car, poking and prodding at things. He knew absolutely nothing about cars.
"It's not good," she replied. At least that's what he thought she said. Her voice was muffled. "But I'll keep working at it."
"Thanks," he said.
When she had gotten to his place, she had been acting a little strangely. Not really looking at him when she was talking. Not really listening when he was talking.
She knew, he thought. She had figured out why he had been acting so oddly jealous last night.
Which was quite a feat, because he hadn't quite figured out why.
Still under the car, she said, "Hey, let me ask you something."
"Sure."
She said nothing and he heard only the rhythmic sound of something against something (again -- he knew nothing about cars).
Finally she said, "Are you doing anything Saturday night?"
He was. What was going on Saturday though? Oh right. "Taylor's having an emergency meeting. That's right. You were late for the last one and you missed his big announcement. There's some kind of new zoning codes and he says if you're a business owner, it's mandatory. You should probably go too."
"Oh," she said. "Okay."
A few seconds later, she said, "I have another question for you."
"Shoot."
"I was wondering…maybe after the meeting…we could go get something to eat or something."
He didn't say anything. Did she just ask him out? Or did she mean just like a post-meeting, anti-Taylor rant session?
She continued to work on the car. He continued mulling this over.
Maybe he should figure out what she meant exactly.
"Did you just ask me out?"
Nothing but silence. Apparently, she had put down her tools.
"No," she said after a second.
"No," he repeated.
"Yes," she said.
Now he was confused. And tired of talking to legs. "Will you get out from under the car for a second?"
She did. "Your car needs to be put to sleep," she reported to him as she stood up. "I can keep trying to tinker with it, but it will cost you. It might be cheaper to just get a new car."
None of that registered with him. "You just asked me out."
She brushed some hair out her face. "Kind of. Was that bad?"
"I don't think so," he said.
"Well look," she said, "I have to get back and do some paperwork. Saturday's awhile away so just give me a call either way. I can sell you a used car, but if you want a new one I know some people who could get you a good deal."
"We can go out," he said. "After the meeting."
"Are you sure?"
"I think so," he said.
"You're sure?"
"Yes," he said. And he was. Sort of.
"Wow," Lorelai said hanging up her cell phone. "That was Gypsy."
"What did she want?" Sookie asked. She handed the empty jar of baby food to her husband.
"You'll never guess who she has a date with this weekend."
"Will?"
"Nope."
"Andrew?" Jackson guessed.
Lorelai stared at him in surprise. "How did you ever guess that?"
"He's right?" Sookie asked. "You're right?"
"He's right," Lorelai confirmed.
Jackson shrugged. "She's been into him for the longest time."
"How do you know that?" Sookie asked.
"I've been friendly with both of them for twenty plus years. You pick up on things."
"Well then," Lorelai said. "Good for her."
"Yeah," Sookie agreed. "Good for her."
Saturday night arrived and he hadn't called to cancel. Which she took as a positive sign.
She looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't as dressed up as she had been for her date with Will, but she wasn't wearing jeans either.
Long denim skirt, white sweater, sandals with a heel and jewelry. A little bit of makeup. She had borrowed Lorelai's curling iron again.
Not bad.
Nothing to do now but wait.
He walked over to her house. He was in the process of buying a new car, but hadn't finalized any decision yet.
He had dressed up slightly. Black pants, gray sweater.
He wondered if doing this was a mistake. He still wasn't 100 sure if he was interested in her as anything more than a friend. He thought of tonight as sort of a trial date.
If they decided they wanted to pursue something, they might attempt a real date.
A trial date. He kind of liked the sound of that.
The town meeting was a bore.
Taylor was a bore. And a fascist.
On and on he went about all these new papers that had to be filled out. I's needed to be dotted, T's needed to be crossed. Everything needed to be triple checked.
He was half asleep listening to Taylor. People all around him were murmuring their dissent. He should say something.
Gypsy stood up. Andrew looked over at her. Finally this was going to get good.
Her rant wasn't long and it certainly wasn't eloquent, but it was blunt and to-the-point and by the time she sat down, Taylor looked shaken. Her rant set the stage for Luke's even longer, more insult-filled rant.
"That was nice," Andrew whispered his voice full of admiration.
She looked at Luke who was still yelling. "Luke has more of a personal vendetta against Taylor. His tirade will be the one remembered."
He hoped she wasn't feeling down on herself, because she had definitely left Taylor quaking. He suddenly, oddly enough, felt very close to her, a good thing he supposed, because they still had a trial date to go on.
"I'll remember your tirade," he reassured her. "And you look much better in a skirt than Luke does."
"I'm really hoping you're not speaking from personal experience," she said. But she smiled at him softly.
And then, just like that, he was looking forward to the trial date.
The problem was deciding where to go to dinner. They would either have to walk somewhere or walk back to her house to get her car and then drive somewhere.
He really needed a car.
"I'm starving," she told him. "I vote for walking."
"Where do you want to go that's in a one-mile radius?" He suddenly wished that Stars Hollow had nicer restaurants.
"We can just go to the diner," she said. "We're standing right in front of it."
"Is that okay?" he asked.
"Fine with me," she said. "Okay with you?"
"Fine with me," he said.
The diner, cheap, informal, full of people they knew, the perfect place for a trial date. For their real first date, he would take her to a nicer place.
And that sort of freaked him out. When had he decided that they would have another date?
It was weird being on a date in the diner.
She came here several times a week. So did he. Everything was so familiar, from Luke and Lane taking orders, to the menu, to the people.
Fortunately, the diner wasn't that crowded and Miss Patty and Babette weren't there so they would be able to eat in peace.
And then the door to the diner opened.
Taylor.
"Oh, good good," he said placing himself in the booth next to a surprised looking Andrew. "I've been looking for you," he said to her.
Crap, she thought to herself. "This isn't the best time," she said.
"I know you weren't too happy about the new zoning laws, but I want you to know that it really is in the best interest of the town. And," he said to Andrew, "this will really help that bookstore of yours. I mean especially where your place is located."
Taylor continued to talk. He would not leave. He kept talking. Andrew looked pained.
She, on the other hand, was beyond pained.
"Although," Taylor said, "I do have some suggestions for your bookstore. I've received some complaints."
She groaned. Now Andrew looked outraged. "Complaints? What are you talking about?"
And as they began to argue, she became invisible. Was this how the date was going to end? She couldn't let her first date with Andrew end before it began.
Andrew wasn't even looking at her.
It was time to do something drastic.
She slipped her foot out of her sandal. And then, while neither of them were looking, she did something drastic. She quickly touched her foot against Andrew's before gently placing her foot inside his pant leg, letting it lightly touch his bare leg, letting it linger somewhere near his ankle.
He suddenly coughed, his cheeks coloring at the intimate contact. She removed her foot immediately and slipped her shoe back on. He looked at her, his eyes dark and interested. She smiled at him sweetly.
"Where is Luke with our water?" Taylor asked, apparently not having any intention of leaving.
But that did give her an idea.
She needed an ally. Someone who hated Taylor as much as she did at the moment.
She needed Luke.
"Hey, Luke," she said.
"Hey," he said. "Nice speech at the meeting."
"Back at you. Hey, if I give you twenty bucks will you make Taylor go away?"
He looked intrigued. "You mean forever? I don't think I can do that. But I'm sure you could find a good hitman."
"Not forever," she said. Although that did sound appealing at the moment. "Just now. Get him away from my table. There's a cool twenty in it for you."
"He bugging you?"
"You have no idea," she said.
"I hate that," Luke said, sounding angry. "He comes in here, my place of business and starts harassing my customers…"
"Ruining their dates…" she said.
"You're on a date," he said.
"Yes."
"Okay," he said nodding. "Tell you what. I'll do it for free."
"Thanks a lot."
"I'll even do you one better than that."
"Yeah?"
"I'll give you a two-for-one deal. Not only will I get rid of Taylor, I'll get rid of Andrew for you too."
She laughed. "Don't go crazy there. Just Taylor."
"But I thought you said you were on a date."
"Yes," she said speaking slowly. "On a date."
"And you want to be alone with your date," he said to her, just as slowly. "So I will get rid of Andrew for you."
"I don't want you to get rid of him, Luke. Think about it."
"You're on a date with Andrew?" he asked looking surprised.
"Yes," she said. "Doesn't your girlfriend tell you anything? Or have you already started tuning her out?"
"You still want Taylor gone, don't you?"
She grinned at him.
A few seconds later, Luke came over to their table. "Hey, Taylor," he said. "Someone said something about some kids doing some graffiti near your store. Maybe some vandalism too. I'd get over there as soon as possible."
Taylor stood up angrily, throwing down his napkin in disgust. "This is ridiculous. We just repainted. I will not stand for this." He stormed off.
"He may spend the rest of the night standing guard over the store," Luke advised them. "Or he may see nothing and come back here. So I'd recommend that you two go sit at a table with only two chairs."
"Thanks," she said.
"Thanks, Luke," Andrew said.
She was happy that he sounded as relieved with Taylor leaving as she did.
Now the fun would begin.
The date went fairly well, she had to admit.
They spent a lot of it bashing Taylor and some of his ideas mentioned at the town meeting. They wondered if anyone had actually complained about Andrew's bookstore.
They debated going over to Taylor's market and vandalizing it themselves.
They eventually decided against it.
She was definitely enjoying herself and didn't even get mad when Lorelai came in and gave them a big unsubtle thumbs-up sign.
And that was saying something.
The date went fairly well, he had to admit as he walked her home.
They were talking about dreams. She was telling him one about being attacked by fierce-looking angry donuts and he was laughing so hard that he didn't even realize that they were standing in front of her house.
"Well," she said.
"Well," he repeated.
"That was fun," she said.
He agreed. Neither of them moved. He had a sudden sense of déjà vu. It had only been a week since he stood outside her door after her date with Will. And he had walked her home then too.
And she had watched him then too just like she was watching him now.
He had wondered last week why she had looked at him like that. Now he knew.
He thought of how much fun he had on the date. He thought of how he responded when she was doing her footsie routine.
He made a decision, closed the small distance between them and kissed her.
He was a good kisser, she realized instantly.
Unfortunately he stepped away from her too soon.
Way too soon.
That wouldn't do at all.
She kissed him this time. Kissed him and sighed as he pulled her closer to him. He smelled really good. They broke away from each other before he leaned in to kiss her again.
Oh yeah, she thought. That was much better.
"I have to go car shopping tomorrow," he said after the fourth kiss. "Want to come?"
"Sure," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. "We'll get you a good one."
He smiled at her, a nice, content smile.
She watched him leave and then went inside.
The end