Author's Notes: Keep reading please!

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, except the story.

In the morning, Lorelai realized that she hadn't slept very well. She found that it took three cups of coffee to really get her moving. She was just about ready to start getting ready for work when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"It's so good to hear your voice, Mom!"

Lorelai smiled instantly. "Rory! Oh, it's good to hear your voice too. What are you doing?"

"Just had a few minutes before we head out for our tour of the White House."

"Fun. Get some of those presidential seal coasters from the gift shop."

"Will do. So, how bored are you?"

"Argh. So bored. I've taken to tossing pencils up at the ceiling trying to make them stick."

"Only three more weeks."

"I am counting the days!" Lorelai paused. "Hey, I did do something last night, actually."

"What?"

"I went on a date."

"With who?" Rory asked with excitement.

"This guy I met. He was just traveling through town and Sookie hit his car and he needed a hotel and then he asked me to dinner and I had a really nice time."

"Mystery man from out of town? Interesting. How was it?"

"It was the best date I've had in a long time," Lorelai admitted. "He's a really great guy. Funny. Charming. Intelligent."

"Cute?"

"I can see what turns little Miss Lorelai's eyes."

"Well?"

Lorelai giggled. "He is cute. In a seventh grade science partner kind of way."

"Are you going to go out again?"

She sighed lightly. "I think that ball is in my court."

When Lorelai arrived at the inn, she saw a bouquet of roses on the front desk. She walked over cheerily.

"These are beautiful," she noted, as she smelled one. "Gardener feeling generous this morning?" she asked Michel.

"They're for you," Michel said without looking up from the register.

"What?"

"There is a card," he said as he held it up. Lorelai took it and opened the small envelope.

'Dear Lorelai, I wanted to thank you again for having dinner with me last night. It was an unforgettable experience. And I'm still not scared. Ed.'

"So, how was dinner?" Michel asked with a bemused smirk, and Lorelai glared at him from over her shoulder.

"None of your business, Michel," she said as she put the card back in the envelope. Lorelai went to work, but couldn't help smiling a little.

Ed was taking a walk around town again around noon. His car would be ready at two, and he would probably head out of town. He hadn't seen Lorelai at the inn or the diner yet, figuring she was avoiding him. He wasn't about to go stalking around her house. But, that was all right with Ed. He'd sent her the flowers as a diplomatic gesture. And as much as he would have liked to see her again, he was content with the one date.

"Ed, hey."

He looked up from the sidewalk and saw Lorelai walking towards him holding two cups of coffee.

"Hey, Lorelai, it's you," he said, trying to downplay his happiness.

"I thought maybe you'd like some coffee."

"Thanks." She handed him a cup and they began walking. "So…"

"The flowers were beautiful," Lorelai said, smiling.

"Oh, you liked them?"

"Of course, what woman doesn't like getting flowers?"

"I didn't know if you'd think roses were too serious or mean something, I just wanted to let you know that…I had a nice time."

"So did I. Let's sit down," she said, indicating a bench.

"Oh, sure." They sat and paused.

"Listen," Lorelai began. "I'm sorry I kind of freaked out last night and ruined our evening."

"Lorelai, no-" Ed shook his head.

"I just have a problem getting close to men. And I thought, 'Why should you let this man, who even if he is great, into your hectic and insane life if he is just going to walk out?'"

"I wouldn't do that, I just wanted us to be friends."

Lorelai paused. "I know. But I was scared…that I didn't."

Ed sat back, a little surprised. "You mean-"

"I have just had way too many experiences where I've let my guard down like that and been burned, or hurt some amazing guys in the process of my freak out. And I didn't want to do that to you, you're better than that."

He watched her speak, and smiled a little. "Finished?"

"For now."

"Okay, then. Lorelai, we all have our baggage and our hang-ups and everything else that prevents us from acting like civilized adults and ruining some of the most worthwhile relationships in our lives. Granted, you may have a little more than most," he acknowledged, glad to see her smile, "but that doesn't mean you're not deserving of whatever this could be."

Lorelai smiled again. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?" she asked.

"I'd like that a lot," Ed replied.

"My place at six?"

"I'll be there." He watched Lorelai stand up and walk away before folding his arms in triumph.

"This was not what I expected," Ed chuckled. He was sitting on the floor in Lorelai's living room eating pizza and other junk food regulars watching the second film in Lorelai's 'Salute to Hitchcock' film fest.

"What did you expect? A candle-lit, homemade dinner at a table?" Lorelai asked with her mouthful. "You obviously don't know very much about me."

"Well, I'm learning." They shared a small smile, before looking back at the screen.

"I never could have been a Hitchcock heroine," Lorelai stated as they watched Tippi Hedren run from "The Birds." "I am much too independent and capable, not to mention too brunette."

"Hitchcock girls were overrated."

"Do you like brunettes better than blondes?" Lorelai asked, with a wink. Ed smiled, but faltered for one second as a certain blond popped into his head. "I'll take that as a no," Lorelai said, blushing a little at even bringing it up.

"No, that's not a no. I've had good and bad experiences with both. I think I'm undecided." He smiled. "But at this moment, brunettes are pulling into the lead." He leaned over and touched her lips gently with his, only leaning back as the phone began ringing. "Should you get that?"

"Um, yes, I should." Lorelai stood up and began searching for the phone. She found it on the mantle and answered. "Hello…Rory! Hey! Hang on, one sec," she held the phone on her shoulder. "I have to-"

"Go ahead," he nodded. "Tell her I hope she's enjoying her trip."

Lorelai smiled as she walked upstairs to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. "What's up, offspring?" she asked as she flopped down on her bed.

"Nothing much, parent," Rory giggled. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, the same."

Rory paused. "Is someone at the house?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Well, what took 'one sec?'"

"I was…baking."

Rory laughed. "That's a good one, Mom. Who's there?"

Lorelai grinned sheepishly. "The mystery man."

Rory gasped a little. "You invited him over?"

"We're just eating pizza and watching movies," Lorelai defended.

"Oh, is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Rory chided. "How's it going?"

"Really, really well…I'm terrified."

"Why? Did he make a move?"

"He's from Ohio, sweetie. What am I thinking?"

"That you met a really fun guy who was in town for awhile and you are really lucky to be spending so much time with him while he's here, and maybe it would be fun to have a pen pal in Ohio."

"What am I, twelve?" Lorelai asked.

"Just as long as you're not thinking of relocating to Ohio, because the commute from Stars Hollow to Chilton is long enough."

"No way, babe. But you don't think I'm being a pathetic loser?"

"No. So, tell me more about him?"

"He's a bowling alley lawyer," Lorelai chuckled as she sat up.

Ed didn't realize that Lorelai would take so long on the phone. Of course, she was talking to her daughter, whom she hadn't seen in a while and Ed had gathered that the two of them were closer than most parent and child. Lorelai had explained to him how much she and Rory had grown up together and how important Rory was to her. He was sincerely disappointed that he wouldn't get a chance to meet her.

Ed had never experienced this before: dating a single mom. It wasn't what he had expected. He would have expected toys around the house and problems with a sitter and the regular child occurrences that Ed saw Mike and Nancy had with Sarah.

Except Rory was about fifteen years older than Sarah was, and not in the house at all.

He got up from the floor and began searching the house for a bathroom, wandering towards the kitchen and checking a closed door. He turned on the light and, once inside, saw it was Rory's room. He should have walked out and closed the door, but he noticed it didn't seem like a normal teenager's room. There were posters for far off destinations, a bookcase filled with works Ed had never heard of, and a corkboard completely overrun with Harvard paraphernalia.

"Lost?"

Ed turned quickly and saw Lorelai standing in the doorway. He chuckled lightly, "Um, yes, actually, I was looking for the bathroom."

"The good one is upstairs," she said as she walked in with her arms folded.

"Oh, thanks…I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't be in here."

"No, probably not." Ed walked out quickly, with Lorelai following and shut the door. "But it's okay," she added. "I'm going to make some coffee."

"I'll be right back," Ed said quickly before walking towards the staircase.

When he came back down, Lorelai was sitting on the floor watching the movie. She smiled and handed him a mug as he sat back down. They watched the movie silently for a minute before Ed spoke uncomfortably.

"I'm really sorry," he said again.

"Don't worry about it, Ed."

"But I feel like I was invading your space- Rory's space- and I have no right to do that."

"You didn't do it on purpose, and it's really fine. It's not like Rory's room is on sacred ground or something." Lorelai smiled. "Rory told me not to let you leave Stars Hollow without having take-out from Al's Pancake World."

"Take-out pancakes?" Ed repeated.

"He actually specializes in international cuisine."

"This place just gets better and better," he said, shaking his head. Then glanced at his mug. "You told Rory about me?"

"Of course I did, I tell Rory everything."

"Good things?"

"Very good things." Lorelai leaned over and resumed the kiss that the phone call had interrupted.