Chapter Seven:
The next morning after the whole fiasco at Luke's, that ended with everyone finding out about Luke and Lorelai, Rory and her mom headed home to do some cleaning. But first they stopped at the store to get the food for tomorrow and cleaning supplies. When they reached the porch Lorelai noticed some flowers on the porch swing. When she walked over she saw a card labeled Rory on it.
" Rory! Come here." Lorelai called.
" What is it mom?"
" Just come here."
Rory walked over to her mom and when she saw the flowers she started to smile. She picked up the card and read what he had written.
" Well, what does the card say?"
" It says: Rory, I had a great time last night. I kind of have a problem though. I need to see you tonight, this afternoon, whatever to fix this problem. Call me. Love Tristan."
" Go!"
" Okay."
Rory walked into the house with the flowers and card in hand. She picked up the phone and dialed the number he had written. The phone rang three times before he picked it up.
" Rory?"
" Yeah. Thanks for the flowers. What's your problem?"
" You'll have to find out."
" Where do you want to meet?"
" How about the ice cream shop near the restaurant we went to?"
" Okay. I'll bring my mom to the mall and then I can meet her there."
" Is that okay with her?"
" Hold on."
Rory looked at her mom and her mom nodded. Lorelai left to get ready to go to the mall.
" It is. I'll see you there in say an hour?"
" Okay. I can't wait."
Rory hung up and ran to her room to get ready. As Rory was concentrating on getting to the ice cream shop while thinking about what Tristan's problem was, her mom was talking to Luke. It seemed as if they had plans to get together later that night.
' Good. Maybe Tristan can come over for awhile.' She thought.
When Rory pulled into the Hartford mall parking lot her mom made no move to get out of the car. She looked at her mom and realized she was happy really happy.
" Mom?"
" Hold on Luke. Yeah?"
" You're here."
" Oh my! Let me get out and you go see lover-boy."
" Okay. See you soon. Oh and mom if it's okay can he come over later to keep me company since you're going out with a certain coffee provider?"
" Yeah. Be back soon. I want to hear what his problem was."
" Okay. Get out and talk to Luke while you shop."
" I will."
Rory watched her mom get out and begin to talk to Luke again as she walked into the mall. She restarted the car and pulled back out into the traffic. Fifteen minutes had passed by the time she got to the shop. She saw Tristan's blue BMW sitting in a parking spot. She pulled in next to him and got out of her car. As she walked to the door she looked in and saw Tristan with a cup of coffee sitting across from him. She noticed he seemed to saying something and she looked for a waiter. When she saw none she realized he was saying something to himself. She had reached the door by now and when she pulled it open he looked up and smiled.
Rory walked over to the table and sat down. Tristan reached over and took her hand.
" Hey." He said.
" Hey yourself. What were you saying to yourself?"
" Oh nothing."
" Really?"
" Yeah. That coffee is for you."
" I figured." She said before she took a sip.
" What's up?"
" My mom has a boyfriend and she's acting like a teenager. But nothing much. So?"
" You're wondering what my problem might be."
" Correct. So what is it."
" I have a problem that bugged me all night."
" What?"
" It had to do with our date."
Rory seemed to stop breathing at that comment. 'He's just going to tell me he likes me but not in that way. He'll ask if we can be friends and he'll leave and I'll be alone to wallow tonight since I can't ruin my mom's date with Luke. God! How could I have been so stupid to think he liked me?' She thought.
Forcing a smile, Rory asked, "Really?"
" Yeah. I didn't like something about it."
" And what would that be?"
" The fact I didn't kiss you goodnight."
" But you did."
" That wasn't a goodnight kiss. It was a kiss on your cheek."
" I call that a goodnight kiss."
" I don't. So all-night I thought about how I should have just kissed you. I wanted to. I really did. I came so close too. Then I remembered Dean."
" I know Luke told you. I'm not sure if I was ever going to tell you. It isn't really good first date topic. I just wanted to forget it happened."
" I would too. But since I liked you I didn't want to ruin what we might have by kissing you on the first date, when all I really wanted to do was kiss you."
" Really?"
" Yeah. So I wanted you to come here today so I could tell you that and to se if I can redo last night's end."
" How do you plan on doing that?"
" Come with me."
Tristan gently took her hand and led her out of the shop. When they were standing in front of their cars, Tristan turned him towards him and pulled her to him.
" This is what I should have done last night." He said as he leaned in to kiss her.
Rory thought she was going to die when he finally kissed her. She was in heaven just kissing him. Neither noticed that they had drawn a small crowd. When they finally pulled away from each other, they heard clapping. Rory looked over at the people around them and blushed. Tristan smiled and looked down at her.
" You are so cute."
" Ugh. You make me sound like a kitten or a stuffed animal."
" Fine you're beautiful. I wish I could see you tonight."
" That reminds me I have to get back to the mall. My mom is probably waiting. She said you can come over tonight and keep me company."
" Why? Where is she going?"
" Out with Luke."
" The coffee guy?"
" Yeah. So, do you want to?"
" Of course."
Rory's cell rang and smiling at Tristan she answered it.
" Hello?"
" Rory? It's Lissa!"
" Hey Lissa. Tristan says hi too."
" Are you with him?"
" Yeah."
" So are you a couple?"
" I think so. You were right I owe you."
" Now you can find me a boyfriend."
" I think I will."
" Good. Anyways, I want to know if you want to come over next Saturday."
" Yeah. I'll bring movies, coffee and candy. And clothes, and of course myself."
" Good! Well have fun with Tristan. Do everything I'd do, okay?"
" What wouldn't you do?"
" Nothing. Look I've got to go. Family dinner. Yippee! When rich people get together it's a circus."
" Bye! Have fun."
When she hung up and looked at Tristan she saw him smiling.
" What are you smiling at?"
" You."
" Why?"
" What you were saying to Lissa. I knew what you were talking about."
" Oh? What were we talking about smarty pants?"
" Me."
" True."
" Look lets get to the mall. You give your mom the jeep and you can ride with me. Unless you'd rather drive home yourself."
" I'll go with choice 'A'"
" Good."
They got into their separate cars and drove to the mall. When they pulled up Rory saw her mom still talking on the phone but with twenty bags at her feet. After explaining the situation to her mom and loading the bags with her mom's stuff into the jeep and the bags with Rory's stuff into Tristan's BMW, Rory handed her mom the keys. They hugged and said they would see each other late since Lorelai was going straight to Luke's. Rory got back into Tristan's car and followed her mom's car back to Stars Hollow.
