For a while Lorelai occupied her attention with the road, and where she would turn, and when she would stop for gas. But after a while her thoughts turned back to Luke. After all, she had taken this trip to think about him, and their relationship, which, for the moment, was 'just friends'. The more Lorelai thought about him, the more she thought that she would enjoy being more than just friends with him. Then it came to her, just like that; she liked Luke, liked him as more than a friend that is. Abruptly Lorelai made a U-turn right there on the highway. Luckily there was no one else on the road at that moment.
Rory jerked her head up, "What was that?" She cried.
"We're going back home," Lorelai said simply, with her attention on the road.
"Yes, but why the sudden change of heart?"
Lorelai took a deep breath, and then said it all in one breath, "IlikeLuke."
"What?"
Lorelai slowed down her words more this time, "I…Like…Luke." Lorelai turned slowly to look at Rory, and saw the clear expression of shock on her face.
"What!"
"Do I really need to say it again?"
"Wait…you like Luke? But…how?"
"What do you mean how?"
"Well how'd you figure this out?"
"Uhh…I don't know…I guess I was just thinking about it…and uh, I realized that I like him…"
"Okay…but what happens if you two actually do get together, and then you break up? How will we get good coffee?" Rory demanded.
"What little faith you have in me!"
"Well, you've broken up with every other guy you've dated," Rory mumbled.
"Hey, that's not very nice! And if me and Luke do get together, which might not even happen, because who knows if he likes me, we won't break up!" Lorelai said, keeping her focus on the road.
"So, you're already thinking about marriage?" Rory smirked.
"No, I was just saying…" Lorelai felt slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, okay," Rory said, her voice giving away the fact that she wasn't completely convinced.
"Hey, what happened to reading?"
"Oh, I'm not exactly interested in that anymore," Rory said, smirking again, and putting away her book.
"So," Rory continued, "now that you've realized your eternal love for Luke, how do you plan to woo him?"
"Hey this is not funny…"
"Seriously though, are you just going to walk into the diner and yell 'Luke Danes I really like you!'?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm planning on doing Rory," Lorelai said, sarcasm filling her voice, even though she was thinking that that might not be such a bad idea after all.
"Well, as long as you have a solid plan," Rory said shrugging.
"Exactly."
Just then Lorelai saw the exit for Stars Hollow and turned off. She was now driving along the street that led to Luke's.
"So…" Rory nudged her, as they drove up beside the diner.
"I'll go in, don't worry," Lorelai said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
Lorelai took a deep breath, and opened the door.
"Hey! Aren't you coming with?" Lorelai asked, when she saw that Rory wasn't moving from her seat.
"You need me to help you tell Luke you like him?" Rory questioned.
"Well, no… but come with me!"
"Fine, but only because I desperately need coffee," Rory said, unbuckling and following Lorelai into the diner. It was very crowded, and the only open spots were at the counter. Lorelai and Rory went over to the counter and sat down. Luke came out of the kitchen just then, and noticed them sitting there.
"Hey, aren't you two supposed to be on a road trip?"
"Well, we were, but we had to come back, because mom has to tell you something very important," Rory said, smirking.
"Hey!" Lorelai said, pinching Rory.
"Well, it's true," Rory said.
"Well, whatever it is, can it wait a sec, I have hot plates here," Luke said, motioning to the plates he was holding.
"Actually, Luke, it can't wait," Lorelai said.
"I'm sure it can," Luke replied, going over to a table and setting the plates down.
"Now what is it, did you come back so quickly from your trip, because you needed some coffee?" Luke asked, coming back behind the counter.
"Well…that and…umm…maybe we should go up to the apartment…"
"I'm sure whatever it is you can tell me down here, plus Jess and what's-her-face are up there."
"Okay…Luke…"
"Yes?"
"Don't interrupt!"
"Okay."
"Luke…I…umm…I like you."
"What?"
"I like you…"
"I like you too, Lorelai."
"I mean as more than a friend…"
"Me too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Luke and Lorelai began smiling at each other, and then they realized that just about everyone in the diner had stopped talking, and was staring at them.
"Okay everyone shows over; go back to your lives!" Luke said.
But everyone continued to stare, until Miss Patty finally said, "Oh this is so great! I always knew you two would stop being so stubborn and get together!" Just about everyone in the diner nodded their heads in agreement, but then went back to talking amongst themselves.
Both Luke and Lorelai began blushing, and Lorelai smiled at Luke, and said, "Well, I guess I'll just go now…you know get unpacked, and you need to get back to work…"
"Okay, well, I guess I'll see you later then…" Luke said.
"Yeah, we'll be here for dinner…" Lorelai said, backing out of the diner, and then bumping into one of the tables. Lorelai mumbled apologizes to the people at the table, and then turned walking out of the diner with a smirking Rory.
"Smooth move," Rory laughed, once they were getting into the jeep.
"Oh shut up," Lorelai said, turning the car on, and pulling out.
"You two were just like Jennifer and Oliver in Love Story," Rory cooed, "Well, except for the fact that you don't have a terminal illness…"
"So, now what?" Lorelai asked.
"What do you mean, now what?"
"Well, now that Luke and I have established that we both like each other, what do we do?"
"You're asking me for relationship advice?"
"Well, I mean, do I just skip in to the diner tonight and act completely normal, or do I ask him about when we should have our first date? What?"
"Well, how 'bout you start by going behind the counter tonight, and giving him a passionate kiss," Rory grinned.
"Oh yeah, sounds like the perfect plan," Lorelai replied, sarcastically, just as they pulled into the driveway.
Rory smiled, and she and Lorelai began unpacking the car in silence.
"You know it was such a waste of time to pack all this crap," Rory said, after they had finished bringing in the last suitcase.
"Hey, missy, this is not crap! These are our prized possessions!" Lorelai said, motioning to the pile of suitcases sitting in the living room.
"Why did you bring three suitcases anyway? How long did you really expect us to be gone?" Rory questioned.
"It never hurts to be prepared, miss 'I'm a minimalist and only packed one suitcase'!"
"Just what will you do when we backpack across Europe and we'll be gone for over a month?"
"I'll just have to bring a lot of backpacks! Now start getting unpacked, and we'll go have dinner."
"Hah, we'll be having dinner with your boyfriend!" Rory laughed.
"Hey no mocking of the mama!" Lorelai called, while dragging one of her suitcases up the stairs.
