A/N: Thanks for sticking with this story. I hope you enjoyed the proposal scene. There'll be more mushy stuff and then some turbulence.

Disclaimer: I still don't own the Gilmore Girls. Although, I wish I owned Luke and Jess.

Chapter 7

Rory ran to pick up the ringing phone. "Hello?" she answered.

"Luke listens to country," Lorelai instantly stated.

"What? How did you come to that conclusion?"

"He has a Gary Allen CD. I was looking for one of his shirts to put on and I couldn't find any…"

"Why were you looking for one of Luke's shirts to wear?"

"If we have guests, I can't be running the house around naked."

"Ew. Continue."

"So I was looking for a shirt and I couldn't find any just lying around. So I had to go through his boxes. And there, underneath his socks, was a Gary Allen CD."

"Well, that explains the flannel shirts."

"I'm going to repeat this one more time. Luke listens to country."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Does Luke know you're going through his stuff?"

"If he did, I wouldn't be whispering."

"Where is he?"

"Downstairs making breakfast."

"Please tell me he's wearing pants."

"But I don't like lying to you."

"Mom! Naked Luke in our kitchen isn't something I want to think about!"

"Naked Luke is always fun."

"Oh gross. Please tell me you called other than to tell me that Luke listens to country and makes breakfast naked."

"Wanted to check what time you and Grandpa are coming over for dinner."

"Usual Friday night dinner time fine with you?"

"Seven it is."

"Ok Mom, I'll see you and Luke later."

"Can we be naked?"

"No mother. We gave up the nudist idea a long time ago remember?"

"Fine, but Luke's not going to be happy about this."

"Goodbye Mom. Tell the honky-tonk man I say hi and put some pants on."

"I will. Bye sweetie."

Lorelai hung up the phone and went to the kitchen. She watched as Luke cooked them breakfast. They decided to stay home and keep the masses waiting to hear the announcement they already knew. Luke felt a pair of eyes on him and looked over his shoulder.

"I thought you were going to call Rory," he remarked.

"I did. Oh, she says hi and put some pants on," Lorelai said.

"Ah geez, you told her I was naked again didn't you? Lorelai, why do you do that? She's going to think I'm weird."

"And naked."

"Please stop with the naked jokes. I want Rory to take me seriously."

"She does. She respects you more than any other man in her life, past and present. Besides, she knows I was kidding."

"Fine." Luke went back to the food on the stove. "So what time should I have dinner ready?"

"Well, she and Dad will be here at seven. We usually have drinks first, so eightish?"

"Eight sounds great." Lorelai stood beside Luke and watched him as he cooked. "So I was thinking, maybe I should swing by my old apartment and grab my various liquor bottles I stashed away for your dad. He seems to have a different drink in his hand every time…"

Before Luke could finish his sentence, Lorelai grabbed his face and kissed him lightly. She pulled back and smiled at him. "I love you Coffee Man," she said in a whisper.

"I love you too Crazy Lady." Luke put his arm around Lorelai and finished cooking.

"Luke they're here!" Lorelai yelled as she ran to answer the door. She and Rory squealed the second they saw each other. Sometime between the cheerfulness, Lorelai and Rory said hi to each other.

"Hello Lorelai," Richard greeted.

"Hey Dad," Lorelai replied. She noticed he wasn't wearing a tie. "Hey, where's your tie?"

"I didn't feel like wearing one today. How do I look?"

"Dashing."

"Ok, enough stalling lady. Where is it? I wanna see the ring," Rory said.

"Oh you mean this ring?" Lorelai teased, holding her hand out to Rory.

"Wow wee! It's gorgeous. Very classy."

"And antique. It belonged to Luke's great grandmother."

"I didn't think they had diamonds that big back in the day."

"Great Grandpa spent every last dime he had on that thing. That's why our family could only run a hardware store and a diner after that," Luke joked as he entered the room. "Hey Rory."

"Hey Luke," Rory smiled as she gave Luke a big hug. "Or would you rather be called Daddy?"

"Luke's fine. Mr. Gilmore."

"Now, now Luke, call me Richard or Dad if you'd like," Richard joked as he shook Luke's hand.

"By God, the man has humor!" Lorelai teased.

"You honestly didn't think you got it from your mother did you?"

"Guess wittiness is in the Gilmore blood," Rory joked.

"I'm going to check on the food and grab some drinks. What does everyone want?" Luke asked.

"Beer please," Lorelai replied. "It's so nice not having to drink those hard liquors."

"I'll have what she's having," Rory said, pointing to Lorelai.

"Richard, what do you want? I think we have a bottle of brandy somewhere here," Luke said.

"I think I'm going to take a walk on the wild side tonight. I'll have a beer also," Richard said.

"Wow, wit and a taste for nitwit juice. We've won him over!" Lorelai joked.

"Nitwit juice?" Richard said confused.

"Beers all around. I'll be right back," Luke laughed. As he passed by Lorelai, he leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Behave yourself."

"Luke, not now. We have guests!" Lorelai joked.

"Ah geez!" Luke hurried to the kitchen, feeling embarrassed even though he did nothing.

"So, Mom, have you made any decisions about the wedding?" Rory asked.

"Well, we've decided to get married," Lorelai joked. "Oh! And we know you're going to be my maid of honor."

"I'm not even going to be asked? I'm hurt."

"Do you want the job or not?"

"Glad to be aboard."

"We're getting married at the inn, under the chuppah…"

"The chuppah? Aren't those used in Jewish weddings?" Richard asked.

"Yes Dad, they are."

"I didn't know Luke was Jewish."

"I'm not Jewish," Luke said as he reentered the room with four beers in his hand. He handed them out and took a seat next to Lorelai. "Who said I'm Jewish?"

"No one said you're Jewish. He's not Jewish Dad," Lorelai said.

"Then why the chuppah?" Richard asked.

"Ah, the chuppah," Luke said.

"Luke built it for me when…" Lorelai stopped herself before she mentioned Max. "Luke built me a chuppah Dad."

"Luke built a chuppah?" Richard said in surprise.

"It's really nice Grandpa. Do you want to see it?" Rory asked.

"It's here?"

"Yup. In the backyard."

"Now this I have to see."

Richard stood up and followed Rory outside. Luke and Lorelai eventually stood and followed the other two outside. After a few minutes of Richard's complements about the chuppah, Luke announced dinner and suggested they retreat into the house.

"You've got a real talent Luke," Richard said.

"Ok Dad, we get it," Lorelai said.

"The boy deserves to be praised for his work. The craftsmanship of that chuppah was stupendous. I applaud you my boy."

"If you think building a chuppah is his main talent, you are so wrong mister!"

"Dirty!" Rory laughed.

"Ah geez," Luke groaned in embarrassment.

"I don't get it. Am I missing something?" Richard asked.

"Better you be left out of this one Grandpa. You're so young and innocent," Rory joked.

Richard threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Who am I to argue with a young, fiery Gilmore?"

"What's on the menu tonight Luke?" Lorelai asked. "Oh! Is it that thing I stirred the first night you cooked for me? Rory, did I tell you I stirred something and it didn't mess up?"

"Yes Mom, you told me," Rory laughed.

"She was great at it too. A real pro. You should be proud," Luke teased as he set a plate in front of Lorelai and Rory.

"Hey it's the pasta thingy!" Lorelai squealed. "I love the pasta thingy."

"Lorelai, it has a name," Richard remarked.

"She's renamed it 'pasta thingy'," Luke laughed when he returned to the table with his and Richard's food. "She said the real name is too complicated. You tell it to her and she'll get confused and won't eat."

"Sad, weird, but all true," Lorelai said.

"I'll alert the Italians," Richard joked. He put some food in his mouth. "My God!" he exclaimed.

"What? What's wrong?" Luke asked.

"This is terrific!"

"Grandpa, you scared us," Rory remarked.

"I'm sorry. This is just so great. I'm definitely going to have seconds!"

"Yeah, he definitely likes you," Lorelai joked.

"I hope there'll be this 'pasta thingy' at the wedding."

Luke looked up when he heard Lorelai enter the room. "How's he doing down there?" he asked.

"Are you talking about the drunk on our couch that has a remarkable resemblance to my father?" Lorelai joked.

"Yeah, him."

"He's fine for now, but he'll regret it in the morning." Lorelai climbed into bed with Luke. "So, I was thinking about something Rory said when she was working on her fifth beer."

"Honey, she was talking about a lot of things. She even suggested we dress up like superheroes at the wedding instead of wearing tuxes and dresses." He put his arm around her and pulled her body close to his.

"You know, I thought that was a great idea. It'd be different."

"I have never nor will I ever wear spandex. Especially not at my wedding."

"Aw come on. You can be Superman and wear the cape!"

"Lorelai, what were you saying before you lost your mind?"

"I think we should set a date for the wedding."

"Right now?"

"It would knock one more thing off our list. What season are we thinking? Spring? Summer?"

"How about winter?"

Lorelai sat up stared down at Luke. "You want to wait an entire year to get married?"

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Luke said as he sat up too. "I can't survive a year long engagement. I'll lose my mind."

"Winter starts next month and I highly doubt you're suggesting we get married this winter."

"What if I am?"

"What?"

"Lorelai, you know neither of us is going to be able to survive a long engagement. Our families will drive us insane."

"I can't plan a wedding for this winter by myself!"

"You won't be doing it by yourself. I'm going to be making some decisions. There's also Rory, Sookie, and I'm sure your mother has a whole book of ideas for the wedding. She'll probably be the one that drives us crazy."

"Well you won't have to worry about my mother. She's not going to the wedding. In fact, she's not even going to be invited."

"You have to invite your mother."

"Why?"

"Because she's your mother."

"Exactly why we shouldn't invite her."

"I'm not up to fighting about this right now. Let's get back on track and we'll argue about your mother tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me. Is there a specific day we're looking at?"

"I'm thinking February. But not too early in the month."

"So late February."

"No, not late February. It'll be too close to spring. How about smack dab in the middle?"

A/N: Ok, bad cliff hanger, I know. Still a cliff hanger though. Next chapter is more about confrontations than anything else. Logan decides to step into the picture even though he doesn't even know Lorelai and Luke, which leads to a fight with Rory. Lorelai and Emily exchange words, which Luke walks in on and tries to fan out.