Chapter Seventeen

Lorelai opened her eyes and looked around the room. She remembered where she was and who she was with and reached over to touch him. His side of the bed was empty but she could smell the sweet aroma of fresh coffee and hear a faint clamor coming from the kitchen. She got out of bed and pulled on Luke's flannel shirt and headed downstairs. The closer she got to the kitchen the stronger the wonderful smells of breakfast became. Luke didn't hear her coming until she wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Morning, handsome."

"Good morning yourself, sleepy head."

"Luke, its vacation, v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n. You're supposed to sleep late and do things you don't normally do."

"So, I shouldn't be cooking right now. I should be..."

"No, I wouldn't go that far. Cooking is good, we like it, we need it. And the coffee, well, we can't live without the coffee."

"Speak for yourself. And breakfast is ready." He handed her a plate and went to grab the coffee pot.

"You're spoiling me. You really shouldn't do that you know. Things like this, started early in a relationship, have to be continued forever."

Luke laughed, "Hey, it's what I do. I get up early, make the coffee and cook."

They two of them sat down at the huge table. Lorelai had a Richard and Emily flashback. She picked up her plate and moved closer to Luke.

"Umm, breakfast tastes better also."

"Also?"

"Yeah, last night's dinner, last night period." She winked at him. "And breakfast too. Everything is better up here. Although last night, well that just gets better no matter where we are."

Luke grinned in a dirty manner. "I like it when you do all the work."

"I think the work load was pretty equal."

"Yeah, eventually."

Lorelai poured the juice. "So what have you got planned for us today?"

"Nothing really, we could go back down to the lake. There's the hot tub, the hiking trails, fishing or we could go for a drive. This is a beautiful area. Not a big tourist spot but a few city people do summer here."

"I vote for the drive."

"I thought you would. Although I thought maybe you might like to go fishing. I know you know how."

"I do know how. I had a very good teacher."

"So did you ever actually use your new skill?"

"Yep, I actually caught a beautiful little girl fish. That's why I can't do it again. I like my bath tub too much to share."

"Lorelai...."

"She was pretty and I took her home and she swam in my bath tub for weeks."

"Why am I'm not surprised. So what finally happened to her?"

"Well, Sookie finally had to take her back to the lake. Although now that I think about it, she did fix us a wonderful fish dinner that night. Oh gross, I think I ate my fishy friend."

"Ok, a drive it is. There are a couple little restaurants on the pier. You can sit outside by the water and watch the fishing boats come in. It's nice to sit out in the sun with a beer and some great food. Watching the men work on their boats, makes you appreciate how easy your own life is."

"I'm sold." Lorelai jumped up and put their dishes in the sink.

"Last one to the shower has to do all the dishes." She took off running.

"Not fair. You got a head start." Luke chased her and quickly caught up.

He nabbed her at the top of the stairs. He pulled her close and kissed her.

"Nope, no time for this, we have a plan - an agenda."

"Lorelai, its vacation remember?"

"Yep, and we have to get out there and do vacation stuff. You know play like tourists, throw some cash into the local economy."

"I'm not going to win this one am I?"

"Nope, sorry, but I think we can make the shower very interesting. If you're willing."

"Oh, I'm willing and able and ....."

Lorelai pulled him into the hot running water.

An hour later they were finally dressed and ready to go. The drive was beautiful and the little fishing village where they finally stopped was quaint and picturesque. They walked hand in hand down the main street ducking in and out of some little shops. Luke led her to the pier and they stopped for lunch at a little place on the very end. The view was like a step back in time. The old boats out in the water would have looked the same thirty years ago.

It was hot and they had a couple beers. They ate huge fish sandwiches with cole slaw and fries. Lorelai was stuffed and needed to do some more walking so they headed back to the main street. They wandered down to the big general store that was right in the middle of town. Luke ran into a friend there and introduced Lorelai. The men starting talking about fishing and other guy stuff so Lorelai wandered around the store. She noticed a couple small shops across the street.

"Hey Luke, I'm going across the street to those two little shops. You two have fun catching up."

"It's ok Lorelai. I'll come with you."

"Luke, they are ladies shops, full of ladies things. Stay here, in fact, go have a beer. I could be a while. I'll meet you back at the pier in an hour or so."

The men laughed. As they walked away, Lorelai heard the friend telling Luke his wife was doing the same thing. It was interesting to watch Luke interact with an old friend. There really were a few things she didn't know about him. She shook her head and walked across the street. The first was a typical small town shop. Tee shirts decorated with sea motifs by local women, some interesting jewelry and some cute sandals. Lorelai bought a couple tees, a cute necklace and a pair of outrageous sandals.

The next store was a little more upscale. Designer tees and shorts in the front of the store and some simple sun dresses on racks along the side walls. As she was going through the dresses she saw a small rack against the back wall. It had several long dresses wrapped in long clear bags. She wandered back there and pulled one particular one out.

"Pretty, huh?'

"Beautiful, simple and elegant." Lorelai new a great find when you saw one.

"One of the summer girls ordered it from one of my catalogues. She's getting married in September and she thought it was perfect."

Lorelai was disappointed. "So it's sold?"

"No, when she brought her mother in to pick it up, her mother didn't approve. She thought it was too simple for her daughter's big wedding. Can you imagine a mother not letting her daughter pick out her own wedding dress?"

Lorelai thought about Emily. "Yeah, well, sometimes it happens. The mother/daughter thing is a very strange relationship when it comes to these things."

"I'd like to try it on." The women showed her to the small dressing room.

Lorelai slipped it on and it fit her perfectly. It was white, trimmed with a little lace, cap sleeves, and a v-neck that accentuated her bustline but didn't expose it. It was simple but when she put it on it took on a whole new look. She fell in love with it immediately.

The saleslady returned and caught her breath at the sight. "It looks beautiful, like it was made just for you."

Lorelai agreed and added it to the others dresses she had found for Rory and herself.

Lorelai finally made it back to the pier with all her shopping treasures. Luke laughed at her approaching him with her arms full of shopping bags and carrying a long dress bag over her shoulder.

"Guess you had a good day."

"Oh, Luke, you can't even imagine."

"Well, I say we head back to the cabin. It's the heat of the day and I think a swim is in order before dinner."

"Sounds perfect." He grabbed several of her bags but she held tightly to the dress bag.

"So what's in the long one?"

"It's a secret. I'll show you the rest of the stuff when we get back. But this one is strictly for my eyes only....no peaking."

"No problem." But he was mildly curious. He put her bags behind his seat but she held onto the long one all the way home.

While he grabbed her shopping bags, Lorelai ran the long one into the cabin and hung it in the big hall closet. She showed him all the things she had bought and tried on the sun dresses for him.

"So I really don't get to see what is in the long one?"

"Nope, a girl needs some secrets you know."

"It's just a dress."

"A special dress I'm saving for a special occasion."

Luke looked at her. "Special occasion in Stars Hollow?"

"There are some you know, every once in a while." She teased knowing Luke didn't have a clue.

"I thought we were going swimming." She dropped the dress she had been modeling to reveal that there was nothing underneath.

Luke forgot his curiosity when the dress hit the floor. She headed down to the lake with Luke close behind, whistling and dropping his clothes along the way.

They met in the cold water and quickly warmed each other up. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

"Hey, watch those hands."

"Watch them do what?"

"Watch them make Lorelai a very happy girl."

Luke thought they should try out the hot tub. She settled in beside him and enjoyed the jets whirling around her body. They both closed their eyes and listened to the sounds of nature and let the warm water relax them.

"Hey, Luke, ever done it in a hot tub?"

"Nope."

"Want to try?"

"Sure, I'm always up for new experiences."

Lorelai laughed as she climbed on his lap.

Luke only had a chance to murmur "ummmm' before all senses left his head.

They took a quick outside shower and headed in to fix dinner. Lorelai pulled on his tee shirt and he pulled on his discarded jeans. Dinner was quickly dispensed with and soon they were walking hand in hand back down to the lake. They sat and watched as the sun disappeared and the moon light took over.

"I don't want to leave tomorrow. Can't we stay here forever?"

"We have to get back to the real world, Lorelai. But we can come back any time."

"Promise?"

"Promise. In fact, I was thinking about asking the guys if I could buy this place outright. Then it could be our little get away place any time we want it."

"Oh Luke, that's a wonderful idea."

"I'll tall to them as soon as we get home."

"Well, I guess that is one nice thing about going home. That and Rory should be home soon. Signing up for that extra class has kept her away too long."

"How's she doing?"

"She's great. I think it did her a world of good to get away."

"I saw Dean the other day. He still seems to be with Lindsay."

"I'm not surprised. And that's the way it should be, if they can work it out."

"Well, sometimes it works and sometimes...."

"I know Luke. I know." She pulled him into an embrace and gently kissed him. "It's our last magical night. Let's go back up to the cabin and build a fire and snuggle and..."

"And?"

"And plan our wedding."

"Second best idea you've had all day."

Lorelai grabbed his hand and started walking. "And what was the first?"

"I'll remind you later."

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Back to the real world...........R&R