Title: A Wedding Story, Chapter 14 - h'ordurves and an amuse bouche

Author: Gluglug

Spoiler Warning/Timing: Late Fourth Season

Rating: PG-13

Summary: His sister's impending wedding leads Luke to make some decisions about his own life. SPOILER WARNING

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all characters are property of The Dubba Dubba Dubba WB, Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Amy Sherman- Palladino. They don't belong to me, just borrowing.

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Lorelai looked at her watch, it was two-thirty. All the guests had arrived at the Dragonfly for its grand opening party. Everyone who mattered was there – Sookie and Jackson, Rory, Richard and Emily, most of Tom's crew, Dean and Lindsey, Michel, various friends and townies.

Even Taylor showed up, telling anyone who would listen that if he hadn't given Lorelai her permits, the Dragonfly wouldn't be having its party today. Lorelai was not going to let Taylor's priggishness spoil her day and just smiled and thanked him for coming.

But in the back of her mind, there was one person missing who mattered most. Where was he? If he had broken up with his wife, he certainly wasn't celebrating her birthday. He had been gone almost a week and his head should've been cleared by now. Lorelai wasn't sure if she should be worried or pissed off.

Sookie noticed her anxiousness and pulled her aside. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"He's not coming, is he?" Lorelai said what she was dreading aloud.

"I don't think so. He would've been here by now if he were. Luke's not the kind to come fashionably late."

"Or unfashionably late. Although there was Rory's sixteenth birthday party - remember when he was late but he brought ice? Maybe he's getting ice."

"Maybe." Sookie sighed. "Oh honey, don't let this get you down. This is our day, remember? Let's go mingle. Shel's here, why don't you go talk to him?"

"The poultry guy? Oh Sookie...."

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Luke was driving at the speed limit across Route 84, heading back to Stars Hollow. He kept listening to the radio, trying to keep track of the time. It was now almost five and he was sure that the party would be wrapping up by now. Even if he kept at the speed limit he wouldn't make it back until nearly six. He gave up on trying to make the party.

Luke's stomach rumbled and he realized he hadn't eaten since this morning. He decided to pull over at the next rest stop. He had just crossed the state line and decided to stop at a diner in Danbury. He had been at this diner a few times before - it reminded him of his own place.

He sat at a small booth by the window and ordered a grilled chicken salad. He looked out the window and watched an elderly lady selling flowers on the corner. She looked like a kind woman, and reminded him a bit of Fran Weston.

After finishing his dinner and he paid the check, Luke approached the woman.

"How much for a dozen roses?"

The woman looked up at him quizzically. "I'm sorry young man, I'm a bit deaf, can you speak up?"

"I'd like a dozen roses, please. How much?" He almost shouted.

"A dozen roses, I heard you. That'll be six dollars."

The woman carefully wrapped the roses up for Luke and handed them to him. He couldn't resist putting them under his nose.

"Oh, that's my best bunch. I'm assuming those are for someone special?"

Luke nodded and smiled. "Yes, they are. Thank you."

He headed back to his truck and laid the roses on the passenger seat. He turned on the radio and drove another half-hour until he reached the Stars Hollow exit. He drove through the center of town, passed the diner and drove straight to the Dragonfly.

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Sookie, Michel and Lorelai looked around at the post-party mess in the main room of the Dragonfly.

Rory had just grabbed her jacket and was ready to leave. "Mom, you know I'd love to help you clean up but I have finals this week and I'm behind on my reading."

Lorelai hugged her daughter. "That's okay. Your job is to be the brilliant Yale student and ace your finals and it's my job to clean up after our workmen and the town slobs. Call me if you need to take a break from all that studying."

Rory waved goodbye to Sookie and Michel and was out the door.

"Oh, why didn't we hire a caterer for this party? Now I have to ruin my new Helmut Lang suit having to clean up after Tom's sloppy crew who can't tell the difference between h'ordurves and an amuse bouche." Michel whined.

"Michel, you are looking at the caterers. If we had hired a catering crew, we wouldn't have been able to open this week because we would've run out of money. How many times do I have to explain this to you?" Lorelai said, exasperatedly.

"I know that, but I love to complain. You know that, don't you?" Michel teased.

"Sorry, Michel. I didn't mean to snap at you. But if you don't want to ruin your suit, that's fine. Sookie and I will clean up and you can go home."

"No, that's okay. I will stay for a little while."

The three began to gather plates and glasses and brought them into the kitchen. Once that was done, Lorelai picked up a broom and began to sweep the floor.

"Do you need any help?" A familiar voice asked.

Lorelai was startled and turned around to find Luke standing in the doorway, carrying a bouquet of roses.

"Help? No, I'm just about done here." She paused, relieved to see him and hoping that the roses were not for Nicole.

"But I could've used you around here earlier. Remember Shel, the poultry guy? He was at the party and I told him I was still taken but since you weren't around, he wasn't deterred from asking me out."

"Did you accept?" Luke asked.

"No, I turned him down. But it was a close call - he offered to give us a deep discount on some Cornish game hens."

Luke walked into the main room. "Well, I'm glad you turned him down. I would feel pretty foolish giving these to you if you were after someone else." He handed her the roses.

Lorelai inhaled the sweet scent of the roses. "Oh, these are beautiful, Luke. Thank you! Where did you get them?"

"An old lady who reminded me of Fran Weston was selling them in Danbury."

"What were you doing in Danbury? You surely weren't at the mall."

"No malls for me. I stopped there on the way back from my cabin. I went fishing."

"I figured as much. You went away to play mountain man for a few days, huh?"

"Yeah, I needed it. You got my note, right?"

"You mean the cryptic 'I need to clear my head' note that you left with the coffee beans? Oh yeah, I got it all right." Lorelai said, slightly peeved.

"Lorelai, I'm sorry about that. I just couldn't explain it all in a note. I wanted to tell you in person."

Lorelai sighed. "Let me go into the kitchen and put these in water. Why don't you go outside and wait on the porch for me and then we can talk?"

Lorelai went into the kitchen, where Sookie was putting away the leftover food.

"Ooh, pretty roses. Where did you get them?"

"Luke." Lorelai smiled.

"He's here?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah, he just walked in carrying these. He bought them in Danbury."

"What was he doing in Danbury?" Sookie asked.

"Sookie, I don't have time to explain right now. Luke's waiting on the porch for me and we're about to have what I think may be 'the discussion.' Can you put these in water for me, please?"

Sookie got a vase and filled it with water. "I'll take care of it. This is so exciting. Good luck!"

"Thanks." Lorelai took a deep breath and walked back to the front room and out the door.

TBC