CHAPTER EIGHT
Lorelai popped into the diner late Friday afternoon. Luke was deep in conversation with Caesar. He noticed her walk in, smiled warmly and gave her a nod. She took a table by the window and killed time watching Taylor pass out flyers. She over heard a couple of Luke's instructions to Caesar about closing that night and opening in the morning. Then Luke came over with a mug of coffee and lightly brushed against her, reminding her of their last encounter.
"So, Caesar's closing tonight and opening tomorrow? Planning a big night in New York?" Lorelai, questioned, hoping he hadn't changed his mind about his mission.
Luke looked down at her, "Actually, I was planning a very short time in New York. But maybe a little longer time back here in Stars Hollow. I heard the local spinster needs a little company. She's going to dump her most recent conquest........at least that's what I heard." It was his turn to feel unsure.
Lorelai smiled up at him. "Yea, I heard she'd be free later tonight also.......lonely, vulnerable.."
"Poor thing, alone on a Friday night."
"Yea, well, old spinster, needy, desperate. Who knows what she might do......" She continued the banter.
Luke laughed and added in a whisper, "I'll be sure to watch out for that, if I run into her."
He sighed, " Right now, I have to change and get on the road. I think it's going to be a long evening."
"I'm sorry, Luke. I hope it's not too bad."
"Hey, it's my own fault. I got myself into this. Now I have to get myself out." He turned and taking two steps at a time, ran up to his apartment.
Lorelai sipped her coffee and soon Luke was back down stairs, dressed in a dark shirt and pants with a jacket thrown over his shoulder. Lorelai gave him a quiet wolf whistle and he bowed slightly to her. She got up to leave, and turned and whispered "good luck."
"Thanks. If you see the old spinster-- tell her I'll be available later too."
Lorelai winked and left thinking about her own long night ahead.
Back in her room, she slowly dressed for dinner at the Gilmore's. She was looking forward to seeing Rory. It would be her only chance this weekend, since Rory was in serious 'study mode' for exams. The 'Jason part', that was the killer. She didn't know what to say to him. She had really enjoyed his company. He was fun to be with, and the sexual attraction was certainly there for both of them. He had been nothing but sweet and loving towards her. Sighing, she thought she would just have to explain that someone else had already won her heart. Try to let him down easily and as painlessly as possible. She didn't want to hurt him but she had to be free to be with Luke. And Luke, his night was going to be so much harder. Lorelai hopped in her car and headed for Hartford, thinking how quickly her whole life had changed.
At the same time, Luke was driving to New York. He was trying to think of the best way to ask Nicole to let the divorce move forward. He knew she expected just the opposite......she thought they should be trying to make the marriage work. But he kept thinking of Lorelai's words and knew she was right. They really didn't have a marriage and it was time to face facts. He loved only Lorelai and nothing was going to stop that now......now that he knew she felt the same way.
The usual long drive to the city seemed to take no time at all. Much too soon, the moment he dreaded was upon him. As he turned the key in Nicole's apartment door, he inhaled deeply and with determination pushed the door open. She was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, looking small and sweet. He hated that he was about to hurt her, but it was better to do it now. They both needed to get on with their lives.......
Nicole had been enjoying the fire, thinking about having a wonderful night with her husband. She was happy that things seemed to be working out after such a rough start. It was their private joke that she was a 'suit' and not at all his type. So when they were alone, she always dressed just for him. Tonight it was a sexy red top with nothing underneath, white silky pants and bare feet. It didn't matter what she had on, they would be naked and in her bed in fifteen minutes anyway. The first time was for him, hard and fast, releasing his tension from the week. The second time was all for her-- slow, sensual with cuddling after. She heard the door open and saw the look on Luke's face. She got the instant feeling that this night was not going to turn out the way she had hoped. She got up from the sofa and gave him a hug, noticing a certain uncertainty in his body. She braced herself for his words.
"Nicole, I don't know how to begin......."
Immediately feeling how this was going, "Luke, don't........not yet........give us some more time......"
"I can't, Nicole. It's just not going to work. It took me a while but now I know...........for sure.....I just don't feel......"
"It's someone else, isn't it?", her lawyer instincts kicking in. "Someone you've known for a long time..........had feelings for .........and she for you."
Luke looked at her, remembering the times she had reacted to anything to do with Lorelai. God, did everyone know........why had he and Lorelai been in denial for so long?
"I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize, we didn't realize, until now..... Nothing's happened but......"
"But you want to be free.....free in case something happens......because that 's what you really want?"
Luke looked her right in the eyes. "Yeah, it's what I really want, always have, I guess."
Nicole hated it, but sadly she understood, because that's how she felt about him. That's why she had been so willing to 'date' her own husband-she wanted him that badly. But now she knew it was time to give in, release him from his vows.
"You lucked out. I brought the divorce papers home, thinking we could tear them up and throw them in the fire. Instead, I guess you can sign them and ......"
"Nicole, I'm sorry. I really didn't think it would happen this way. I guess I really didn't think at all. This summer on the ship....we were so far from home and having such a good time....."
"I know Luke. Me too. It wasn't your fault or mine. We just got caught up and didn't think it through."
Luke pulled her into one last hug. He felt her pull away, and knew it was time to leave. No use dragging it out. What had to be said, was finally out in the open. Luke walked to the desk and signed his name to the papers. He gave her one last look and opened the door.
"Goodbye, Luke. I hope you and Lorelai have a wonderful life."
He could tell she didn't mean it, but she had said the right thing. And on that note, he said goodbye and closed the door --to her apartment, and to their relationship. He got in his truck, rested his head on the steering wheel for a moment while he caught his breath. Then he headed out of town.......back to Stars Hollow.......back to Lorelai.....and the rest of his life.
Lorelai popped into the diner late Friday afternoon. Luke was deep in conversation with Caesar. He noticed her walk in, smiled warmly and gave her a nod. She took a table by the window and killed time watching Taylor pass out flyers. She over heard a couple of Luke's instructions to Caesar about closing that night and opening in the morning. Then Luke came over with a mug of coffee and lightly brushed against her, reminding her of their last encounter.
"So, Caesar's closing tonight and opening tomorrow? Planning a big night in New York?" Lorelai, questioned, hoping he hadn't changed his mind about his mission.
Luke looked down at her, "Actually, I was planning a very short time in New York. But maybe a little longer time back here in Stars Hollow. I heard the local spinster needs a little company. She's going to dump her most recent conquest........at least that's what I heard." It was his turn to feel unsure.
Lorelai smiled up at him. "Yea, I heard she'd be free later tonight also.......lonely, vulnerable.."
"Poor thing, alone on a Friday night."
"Yea, well, old spinster, needy, desperate. Who knows what she might do......" She continued the banter.
Luke laughed and added in a whisper, "I'll be sure to watch out for that, if I run into her."
He sighed, " Right now, I have to change and get on the road. I think it's going to be a long evening."
"I'm sorry, Luke. I hope it's not too bad."
"Hey, it's my own fault. I got myself into this. Now I have to get myself out." He turned and taking two steps at a time, ran up to his apartment.
Lorelai sipped her coffee and soon Luke was back down stairs, dressed in a dark shirt and pants with a jacket thrown over his shoulder. Lorelai gave him a quiet wolf whistle and he bowed slightly to her. She got up to leave, and turned and whispered "good luck."
"Thanks. If you see the old spinster-- tell her I'll be available later too."
Lorelai winked and left thinking about her own long night ahead.
Back in her room, she slowly dressed for dinner at the Gilmore's. She was looking forward to seeing Rory. It would be her only chance this weekend, since Rory was in serious 'study mode' for exams. The 'Jason part', that was the killer. She didn't know what to say to him. She had really enjoyed his company. He was fun to be with, and the sexual attraction was certainly there for both of them. He had been nothing but sweet and loving towards her. Sighing, she thought she would just have to explain that someone else had already won her heart. Try to let him down easily and as painlessly as possible. She didn't want to hurt him but she had to be free to be with Luke. And Luke, his night was going to be so much harder. Lorelai hopped in her car and headed for Hartford, thinking how quickly her whole life had changed.
At the same time, Luke was driving to New York. He was trying to think of the best way to ask Nicole to let the divorce move forward. He knew she expected just the opposite......she thought they should be trying to make the marriage work. But he kept thinking of Lorelai's words and knew she was right. They really didn't have a marriage and it was time to face facts. He loved only Lorelai and nothing was going to stop that now......now that he knew she felt the same way.
The usual long drive to the city seemed to take no time at all. Much too soon, the moment he dreaded was upon him. As he turned the key in Nicole's apartment door, he inhaled deeply and with determination pushed the door open. She was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, looking small and sweet. He hated that he was about to hurt her, but it was better to do it now. They both needed to get on with their lives.......
Nicole had been enjoying the fire, thinking about having a wonderful night with her husband. She was happy that things seemed to be working out after such a rough start. It was their private joke that she was a 'suit' and not at all his type. So when they were alone, she always dressed just for him. Tonight it was a sexy red top with nothing underneath, white silky pants and bare feet. It didn't matter what she had on, they would be naked and in her bed in fifteen minutes anyway. The first time was for him, hard and fast, releasing his tension from the week. The second time was all for her-- slow, sensual with cuddling after. She heard the door open and saw the look on Luke's face. She got the instant feeling that this night was not going to turn out the way she had hoped. She got up from the sofa and gave him a hug, noticing a certain uncertainty in his body. She braced herself for his words.
"Nicole, I don't know how to begin......."
Immediately feeling how this was going, "Luke, don't........not yet........give us some more time......"
"I can't, Nicole. It's just not going to work. It took me a while but now I know...........for sure.....I just don't feel......"
"It's someone else, isn't it?", her lawyer instincts kicking in. "Someone you've known for a long time..........had feelings for .........and she for you."
Luke looked at her, remembering the times she had reacted to anything to do with Lorelai. God, did everyone know........why had he and Lorelai been in denial for so long?
"I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize, we didn't realize, until now..... Nothing's happened but......"
"But you want to be free.....free in case something happens......because that 's what you really want?"
Luke looked her right in the eyes. "Yeah, it's what I really want, always have, I guess."
Nicole hated it, but sadly she understood, because that's how she felt about him. That's why she had been so willing to 'date' her own husband-she wanted him that badly. But now she knew it was time to give in, release him from his vows.
"You lucked out. I brought the divorce papers home, thinking we could tear them up and throw them in the fire. Instead, I guess you can sign them and ......"
"Nicole, I'm sorry. I really didn't think it would happen this way. I guess I really didn't think at all. This summer on the ship....we were so far from home and having such a good time....."
"I know Luke. Me too. It wasn't your fault or mine. We just got caught up and didn't think it through."
Luke pulled her into one last hug. He felt her pull away, and knew it was time to leave. No use dragging it out. What had to be said, was finally out in the open. Luke walked to the desk and signed his name to the papers. He gave her one last look and opened the door.
"Goodbye, Luke. I hope you and Lorelai have a wonderful life."
He could tell she didn't mean it, but she had said the right thing. And on that note, he said goodbye and closed the door --to her apartment, and to their relationship. He got in his truck, rested his head on the steering wheel for a moment while he caught his breath. Then he headed out of town.......back to Stars Hollow.......back to Lorelai.....and the rest of his life.