"Mystery Woman – part 7"

* * *

Lorelai glanced down at the floor and nibbled on her bottom lip. Luke watched her for a few seconds, then rubbed her knee. "You sure you're okay with this?"

Lorelai looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Because I only suggested it so you wouldn't feel weird," Luke said. "So if you feel uncomfortable doing it or . . ."

"No, Luke, it's fine," she interrupted.

"You look like you're having second thoughts about it," he commented.

"No, I'm not, I'm just. . .letting it all sink in," Lorelai said. "I mean, twenty minutes ago I wanted to smack you for talking about Leslie, and now. . .here we are. . ."

"I know," Luke nodded understandably.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Lorelai took a deep breath and stood up. "I should get to work."

"Right. I should get downstairs." Luke stood up and followed her to the door, where she picked up her things.

She put on her coat, then turned to him and asked, "You don't think it'll be weird for us to be walking down from your apartment together, right?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't think so. You've been up here before."

"Yeah, but maybe I should slip out the back door, just in case," Lorelai said. "Better not get people wondering."

"If you think so," Luke said.

Lorelai nodded. "I do." There was an uncomfortable silence, then she cleared her throat. "So. . .uh. . ." She took a step toward him and placed her hand on his chest. They stared at each other for a moment before Luke cupped a hand around the back of her neck and gently pulled her face toward his, their lips meeting in a soft kiss.

Lorelai broke the kiss by smiling through it. "Personal question?"

"What?"

She smirked. "Better kisser – Lorelai or the Lorelai substitute?"

A smile appeared on his lips, and he glanced shyly toward the ground. "Well, nothing's as good as the real thing."

"Except Diet Dr. Pepper," Lorelai said. "Which I've heard tastes just like regular Dr. Pepper."

"Probably because they just pour the regular stuff into the diet can," Luke said.

"You think?"

"Yup."

"Interesting." Lorelai kissed him once more on the cheek. "Let's go."

Luke followed her into the hallway and pulled the apartment door closed. They walked down the stairs, and when they reached the bottom, he asked, "Uh, are you gonna. . .come by for dinner later?"

Lorelai turned around. "Well, I have to go to my parents' house tonight."

"Oh, right. Friday, I forgot."

Lorelai nodded. "But maybe we'll stop by afterwards for coffee or something."

Luke nodded. "Okay. . .so, maybe I'll see ya later."

Lorelai smiled and nodded. "Yeah, maybe." She wrinkled her nose for a second, thinking about something.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." She pulled off her scarf from around her neck and handed it to him. "Put this in the storage room."

Luke glanced at it, then narrowed his eyes at her. "What? Why?"

"A lady always plans ahead," she said. "Trust me. Just take it to the storage room and hide it somewhere, okay?"

Luke was obviously confused, but he nodded.

"Good. I gotta go," Lorelai said.

"See ya."

"Bye." He watched her walk down the hallway toward the back door, and when she had disappeared from his view, he turned to go to the storage room.

* * *

As Lorelai walked through the back alley, she tried to digest what had just happened.

I'm with Luke. Albeit, in a very strange way – but still, I'm - with - Luke.

She shook her head in disbelief. It was almost too unreal a situation for it to be happening.

She had to admit to herself that she was a little wary of the secretiveness, a little nervous about having to hide it from people, especially Rory. She wasn't known for keeping secrets very well, and she certainly wasn't known for lying to her daughter.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was a good idea. It'd be stupid for them to make a big deal about getting together if it ended up not working out. And they wouldn't be hiding it for that long. . .just long enough to see if the chemistry she knows they have translates well into a relationship.

Which, hopefully, it would.

* * *

The next afternoon, Lorelai and Rory walked into the diner and sat down at a table. Lorelai distractedly scanned the diner for Luke, and Rory asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Lorelai turned to her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, uh. . . just . . .you know, no one in particular."

"Leslie?" Rory suggested with a smirk.

It was the first time in a few weeks that the name didn't make her want to scream. Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Uh, no."

Rory eyed her curiously as she took her coat off, but she said no more about it. "So you think the article sounds good?"

"No, it sounds excellent," Lorelai corrected her. "It was perfect. I never knew a story about the economy could be so moving. Really, the exquisite writing and supportive facts almost brought me to tears."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Okay, you're overdoing it."

"Seriously, honey, it was great," Lorelai said.

Rory smiled. "Thank you."

"Coffee?" a voice asked.

Surprised, Lorelai looked up to see Luke standing over their table. "Oh, hey." God, why do I suddenly feel nervous around him?

"Hey Luke," Rory said.

"Hi." As he set two mugs of coffee down on the table, he smiled at Lorelai, who returned a shy smile before she glanced down.

"You guys ready to order?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Lorelai replied. "Um, chicken fingers and onion rings for me."

"The biggest plate of chili fries in the world for me," Rory said.

"And pie and ice cream for dessert," Lorelai added.

Luke exhaled loudly as he wrote down the order. "Do you need me to explain how unhealthy that stuff is, and how it will inevitably be the cause of both of your deaths?"

"Nope," Rory replied.

"Hey, you should be the last person complaining about what we eat," Lorelai pointed out.

"And why is that?" he questioned.

Lorelai scoffed. "Because we are the main reason your little business here is so profitable. In fact, you should get on your knees and thank us every time we come in here and order junk since the proceeds of our meals are the main funding of the Luke Danes plaid shirt collection." She looked at Rory, who nodded in agreement.

Luke rolled his eyes and muttered, "Uh huh. Be right back." He walked back to the counter and disappeared into the kitchen.

Lorelai smiled at Rory. "I bet he'll think twice about lecturing us now." Rory cocked her head with doubt, and Lorelai shrugged. "Okay, probably not. So, plans for the rest of the day?"

"More homework," Rory replied with a sigh.

"And then tonight we can rent some really stupid movies and mock them endlessly to relieve all the stress from the day-long homework binge?" Lorelai suggested.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

On Monday morning, Lorelai pulled Rory by her arm into the diner. "Mom, I don't have time for a Danish today," Rory complained.

"There's always time for Danishes," Lorelai replied.

"No, the phrase is 'there's always room for Jell-o'," Rory corrected her. She looked out the window toward the bus stop. "It's gonna be here any minute."

"Don't worry, you'll make it," Lorelai assured her. She walked to the counter, calling out, "Luke, we're in a hurry, come out here!"

A few seconds later, Luke walked out of the kitchen. "Hey."

"Hey," Lorelai replied. "Rory needs a Danish to go – as fast as humanly possible."

"And if you can do it faster than that, it would be appreciated," Rory added.

"Coming up," Luke replied. He pulled out a paper bag from under the counter, used tongs to retrieve a Danish from the display plate, dropped it in the bag, then held it out toward Rory. "Fast enough?"

"Yes, thank you," Rory replied, grabbing the bag. She kissed Lorelai on the cheek. "Gotta go. Bye."

"Bye hon," Lorelai replied.

Rory rushed out the diner door and ran toward the bus stop. Lorelai watched her out the window and commented, "My daughter runs like such a girl."

"I can't imagine why," Luke said. "You want a Danish, too?"

"Yes, please," Lorelai replied, slipping onto a stool. She watched him as he set one on a plate and placed it in front of her. "Thanks."

"Yup." He watched her break off a piece and eat it. "So. . . you good?"

Lorelai swallowed her food, then smiled and nodded. "I'm good. I'd be better with some coffee."

"Right," Luke said. He turned and poured her a cup, then set it in front of her.

"Thanks." She took a sip, then asked, "And you. . .are you good?"

"Yup, I'm good," he confirmed.

"Good," she replied with a nod. She paused a moment, then asked, "Was that the lamest conversation ever?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"I think we should set a goal to improve upon it next time," Lorelai suggested.

"Sounds good," he replied. He picked up the coffeepot. "Be right back." As he walked around the room refilling coffee, Lorelai continued eating.

When he returned to her at the counter, she glanced around to make sure no one could hear her, then asked quietly, "Hey, do you have my cell phone number?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so," he replied. "I don't know where, but it's somewhere."

She brushed off her hands, then reached into her purse and pulled out a pen. "Here." She grabbed his hand and wrote the number on his palm. "If you feel weird calling me at home or something because Rory might answer, you can just call that number."

He glanced down at his hand. "Thanks. I'll call if I don't die from ink poisoning."

"Good." She took a sip of her coffee, then shooed him away. "Now get away before people get suspicious."

"I kind of work here, you know," he pointed out. "And people do know that you're my friend. It's not suspicious for me to be standing at the counter talking to you."

She leaned forward and whispered, "Yes, but you have that 'I'm standing near the person I'm secretly dating' look on your face."

"Oh yeah?" he asked. "You've seen that look before?"

"Yup," she replied. "And if someone like Miss Patty comes in here, she'll know what that look means, and then she'll assume that you're giving the look because of me or that guy." She jerked her thumb toward the burly man at the other end of the counter. "And by process of elimination, she'll have discovered our secret."

He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. "How's this?"

Lorelai smiled. "Much better. If you're gonna stand here, keep your face like that."

* * *

That night, Rory was in her bedroom studying while Lorelai sat at the kitchen table flipping through a magazine. A faint ringing sound caught her attention, and it took her a minute to identify it. After figuring out it was her cell phone, she ran to the front hallway and pulled it out of her jacket pocket.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hey," Luke's voice replied. "Is this a bad time?"

Lorelai smiled. "No, not at all. I see the ink poisoning didn't kill you."

"No, it did confine me to a hospital bed, though," Luke replied.

"Aw, sorry to hear that," Lorelai playfully sympathized.

"Yeah, well. . .I think I'll live."

Lorelai smiled to herself, then glanced toward Rory's bedroom. "Uh, hold on a sec, let me take the phone upstairs."

"Okay."

Lorelai walked up the stairs and into her bedroom, and she safely locked the door behind her. She collapsed on the bed and leaned against the headboard. "So, what's up?"

"Uh, nothing much," he replied. "I thought we could just. . .talk."

"Well, it's a little early in the relationship for phone sex, but if you think you're up for it. . . "

Luke's face reddened and he uncomfortably cleared his throat. "Uh, no, I mean, just regular talking."

"Aw, spoilsport. So. . . where are you?"

"Upstairs," he replied.

"Alone?"

"Yeah. Jess is out somewhere."

"Ah. So. . .what'd you do today? Anything exciting happen?"

"Ordered a new bread shipment," Luke replied.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. Got into an argument with Taylor."

"About the bread shipment?"

"Nah, apparently his chicken salad sandwich didn't have enough mayo," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "But I couldn't just slap some more mayo on it, no sir. He wanted a completely new sandwich so that the mayo would be thoroughly mixed in." Luke sighed and muttered, "Moron."

"Hm, and I thought the customer was always right," Lorelai pondered aloud.

"Except when it's Taylor," Luke replied.

Lorelai smiled. "Right."

"Nothing much else happened," Luke concluded. "You?"

"Nah, boring day all around," Lorelai replied. "I don't even have a good Michel story to tell."

"Well, maybe he'll annoy you to death tomorrow and then you'll have something good."

"I hope so."

There was a brief pause in the conversation before Luke exhaled loudly into the receiver. "Look, I wanted to. . .say a couple things before this situation got a little. . .well, deeper."

Lorelai narrowed her eyes with curiosity. "I'm listening."

"The other day, you were talking about how you suck at relationships and all that," he started.

"And I wasn't exaggerating, it's the truth," she interjected.

"Yeah, well. . . I'm not exactly an authority on the subject either," Luke hesitantly admitted.

"No?"

"I mean. . ." He swallowed hard before he released a soft sigh. "You do realize. . .that I'm not Mr. Romance, right? I'm not the guy who'll get all dressed up in a tux and bring you flowers and take you out for a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant. I don't even know of any fancy restaurants. That's just. . .it's not me."

"I know that," Lorelai said. "That's why I have another guy on the side to do that stuff with."

"Well, good, then," Luke said. "But. . .I know you."

Lorelai wrinkled her nose. "What's that supposed to mean? It doesn't sound good."

"It just means that. . .you think you're gonna be able to turn me into something I'm not."

"I do not," Lorelai scoffed.

"Uh huh," Luke said with disbelief. "Well, I think it needs to be said up front that. . .you're not gonna be able to mold me into your ideal guy. What you see is what you get."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I like what I see, then," Lorelai replied, twirling her hair around her finger.

Luke smiled to himself. "And. . . ya know, that goes both ways. I mean, I'm not gonna try to change you and what not."

Lorelai gasped. "Why would you wanna change me? I'm perfect."

"Oh, right, I forgot," Luke replied, rolling his eyes.

Lorelai giggled. "Seriously, though, Luke. . .I get it," she told him. "I compromise a little for you, you compromise a little for me. . .that's what relationships are about. Not about changing, just about compromising."

"Right, compromising," he repeated.

"Yup."

"Okay."

"Feel better now that you got all that out?"

"Yeah, actually, I do."

"Good." Lorelai paused and added, "This conversation is much better than the one earlier."

"Yeah, I think we achieved our goal."

"I don't want it to be over," she said. "Are you near the television?"

"Yup."

She picked up her remote from her nightstand and turned on her tv. "Okay, let's watch something together."

"Over the phone?"

"Yeah. We gotta spend time together somehow. It'll be like a little date."

"Hang on a second," he said. He walked over to the television and turned it on. "Okay, what do you wanna watch?"

* * *

A few days later, Lorelai and Sookie walked into the diner for lunch. They sat down at the table, and after a few minutes, Luke walked over to take their order. "Hey."

Lorelai smiled. "Hi."

"Hey Luke," Sookie replied.

"I don't usually see you guys in here during the day," he observed.

"Oh, well, I thought it'd be nice to try something a little different," Lorelai explained.

"Different? You eat here everyday," Luke pointed out.

"But not for lunch," Lorelai replied. "So we get to eat with a different crowd."

"Uh huh. So, what'll it be?"

"Burger, fries, and a coke," Lorelai replied.

"Chicken sandwich," Sookie replied. "And iced tea."

Luke scribbled the order on his pad. "Coming up."

As he started to walk away, Lorelai said, "Hey, wait a second, Luke. Uh, I think I might've left my scarf in here a few days ago. Did anyone turn it in?"

Luke froze momentarily, then slowly turned around and saw Lorelai giving him a sly smile. He glanced quickly at Sookie before he nodded toward Lorelai. "Uh, yeah, actually. . .I found one the other night and tossed it in the storage room," he replied. "You wanna come help me look for it, see if it's yours?"

Lorelai stood up. "Yeah. Be right back, Sookie."

"Okay," Sookie replied.

Luke led Lorelai to the storage room. Once they were inside, Lorelai closed the door and smiled at him. She rubbed her palms together and asked, "How's that for planning ahead, huh?"

"You're a genius," Luke replied.

She leaned against the door, then grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him up against her. "Hi," she said, her breath tickling his lips.

"Hey," he replied.

She slid her hands up to his collar, and with a soft tug, pulled his lips to hers and kissed him hungrily. The desire he'd been repressing for days all came out as he eagerly returned the kiss. He slipped one arm around her waist and pressed his other hand against the door. Her lips parted, and a soft moan escaped her throat as he began stroking her tongue with his.

When they finally pulled apart, Lorelai leaned her head against his shoulder. "Oh my God," she panted. "New rule – we cannot go that long between kissing ever again."

"Five days is definitely too long," Luke nodded in agreement.

She kissed him deeply again, then pulled back and said, "Listen, I was thinking that we should try to go out somewhere."

Luke narrowed his eyes skeptically. "What do you mean by go out?"

"I mean, like go out on a real date. Maybe tomorrow night, we can meet somewhere, like in another town, and just hang out, do something fun."

"I don't know. . . "

Lorelai pouted. "Come on, Luke. We wanna see if this dating thing will work, right?"

"Yeah. . . "

"Well, we should at least have one actual date to base it on," Lorelai said. "Come on, please? Just a movie or something, nothing big."

Luke stared at her for a moment, then shrugged and sighed. "Fine, nothing big."

Lorelai smiled. "Thank you. Call my cell tonight and we'll talk about it." She leaned forward and kissed him.

After a few seconds, he reluctantly pulled back from her. "We should get back out there before Sookie starts wondering about us."

"Right, yeah," she agreed. "Got the scarf?"

Luke walked over to a desk and pulled open a drawer. He pulled out the scarf and walked back over to her. "Have I mentioned you're a genius?"

"Yes, you have," Lorelai replied, taking it from him. She kissed him one last time before she pulled the door open, and they walked back into the diner.

* * *

To be continued . . .

Thanks so much for the feedback! And Miss.Pebbles, don't worry, I didn't throw that inn stuff into the last chapter for no reason. ;)