17

At three-fifteen that afternoon, Rory was parked on the main highway heading into Stars Hollow about ten miles from the City Limit sign.

Ten minutes later, Luke's truck pulled into view. And as she waved him down, he pulled onto the shoulder of the road.

Luke got out and walked over to her car where she was waiting.

"Wow!" Rory said. "You sure look scruffy. That fishing must really agree with you."

"When you called me this morning, you said you needed to talk. Well, here I am. So, what's on your mind?"

"Oh, things – like the diner, and you moving away from Stars Hollow, and Mom."

"So she told you?"

"What? You thought she wouldn't?"

"No, I guess not."

Rory took a deep breath and started –

"What the Hell's the matter with you?"

"Huh?"

"Don't 'Huh?' me! You know exactly what I'm talking about! Do you know just how much all this talk about selling the diner and moving away has upset Mom? And me?"

"Rory, this has nothing to do with you. This is about me and MY decision whether or not I want to sell the diner. And whatever happens between your mom and me is our business, not yours."

"Oh, no! No, no, no, no! I am SO tired of being told to butt out. I've never said a whole lot to Mom about her love life, but this time things are different! You're not some guy she just happened to fall for over last night's dinner. You've been in her life, in OUR lives, for too many years now. And I'm NOT going to stand by and let all that go away!"

"Does Lorelai know you're here?"

"No! We've got a good life here, Mom and me, but we're Gilmores, and sometimes we can be very, very selfish. And when we find something, or someone, that we fancy and makes us happy, we WON'T be denied! Now, I KNOW you love Mom, and I KNOW you love me. And YOU know that we love YOU! And I am so, so sorry you lost all your dad's things in the fire, and I know how traumatic that was, but it doesn't mean that you can just chuck everything and walk away feeling sorry for yourself. There are too many people who want you around and need you in their lives. Luke, you've been more like a dad to me than my own father ever was, and I don't want to lose you. And you're the only guy who can make Mom happy, and I never want to see her unhappy, not even a little bit."

Luke could only stand a listen, bewildered at Rory's uncharacteristic tirade.

Rory looked at her watch.

"Now, Mom will be getting home in just a few minutes, and I told her I'd bring some take out for supper. So, I'd appreciate it if you'd go by the diner and look it over to give me time to get the food and to get home, because I don't want her know we've been talking. And while you're there, I want you to think long and hard about what you're talking about throwing away. Is that okay with you?"

"S-sure." Luke didn't know what else to say. "I'll be there about four-thirty."

"Good!"

Rory started to get into her car, then went back and put her arms around Luke's waist and squeezed him as hard as she could, and he gently returned the embrace.

'……………..

Lorelai and Rory were in the kitchen about halfway finished eating when they heard Luke's truck pull into the driveway.

Lorelai froze, and her breath caught in her throat.

"I think Luke's home," Rory said unnecessarily.

"Yeah," Lorelai managed to say.

When Luke got to the front door he wasn't sure if he should knock or not, then he heard Rory yell out "Kitchen!" and he went inside.

When Luke walked into the kitchen Lorelai tried to read his expression but there was nothing on his face that told her anything.

"How was the fishing?" Rory asked.

"Not bad. Caught a few big ones, but mostly small ones. Threw 'em all back, didn't feel like cleaning 'em."

"Have you -- seen the diner?" Lorelai asked.

"Yep. Just came from there. And I have to admit, Tom and his guys did a bang-up job. It looks really good."

Lorelai felt a glimmer of hope.

Luke started to get a beer out of the refrigerator, then stopped and turned back to face them.

"I was just wondering if you think you two might be free next Saturday morning."

"I -- guess so," Lorelai answered a little hesitantly. "Why?'

"Because I think Lane, Caesar and I are going to need some serious help with the grand re-opening. Now, I can only pay minimum wage, and you'll both have to fill out a W-2 form. And of course, there are the time cards . . . ."

Before he could say anything else, Lorelai and Rory were out of their chairs and had their arms wrapped around him, both squealing with laughter -- which probably wasn't doing his hearing a lot of good.

But he didn't seem to notice.

18

Lorelai looked up at the clock when she heard Rory's key in the door; it was 10:45. She laid her head back down on Luke's shoulder and closed her eyes. She wanted to doze back off, but thoughts started running around in her head.

After their joyous outburst at Luke's decision to re-open the diner, they had finished eating, and then Rory told them that she was going to visit Lane for a while. But just before she left, she mentioned to Lorelai that Luke could use a good scrubbing, and she knew her mother was up to the task.

Lorelai knew Rory just wanted to give them time together, but she took her up on the scrubbing part, and they stayed in the shower until the hot water ran out..

Then there was the sweet, delicious, passionate love making they had both missed so much. And after that, they both drifted off to sleep.

But now Lorelai was wide awake and decided she couldn't wait for morning, she wanted Luke to move in with her, with them, and now was the time to tell him -- ask him.

"Luke?" she whispered as she shook him a little.

"What?" he asked.

"You're awake? I thought you were asleep."

"I woke up when I heard Rory come in. We should have shut the bedroom door."

"Well, I think we were otherwise preoccupied. Umm, Luke, there's something I wanted to ask you, something kind of important."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"You were? What about?" Lorelai decided she would wait to see what he was going to say before asking him to move in.

Luke was silent for a while, trying to find the right words.

"Well?" Lorelai finally said. "What is it?"

She was beginning to get worried; when Luke had trouble finding the words to say, it was usually very serious.

"Lorelai, I don't know any other way to put this, so I'll just come right out and say it."

Lorelai felt her stomach begin to tighten up.

"When I moved in here after the fire, even though we never really talked about it, I think we both knew it was only until the diner and my apartment were rebuilt."

"I know." Lorelai's stomach tightened up even more.

"Well, before I got here I went by the diner and walked through the apartment, and it looks good, great, even. But the thing is, I . . . I don't want to move back in there. I want to live here, with you and Rory. Now, if that's going to be a problem, or if I'm overstaying my welcome, just say so, and I'll move out, no questions asked."

Lorelai was temporarily at a loss for words. That was the last thing she expected him to say.

"No, that won't be a problem. But –"

"But what?"

"Luke, if you move in here permanently, and that IS what we're talking about, isn't it?"

"It's what I'M talking about."

"Okay," Lorelai's mouth was cotton-dry, but she had to get it said. "If you move in here permanently, then that implies a certain level of commitment."

"Yes, it does."

"But after a while, it's more or less expected that, sooner or later, the 'M' word will come up."

"I'm aware of that."

"And after the 'M' word, it's inevitable that the 'Ch' word, the 'K' word, whatever, will come up."

"I'm aware of that also."

Lorelai's heart was racing.

"But, usually before the 'M' word, that 'E' word pops up. You know, the one that comes with the shiny, gold band with the bright, sparkly diamonds?"

"I know that, too."

"So . . . you're saying – you're okay with all of this?"

"Perfectly."

"Okay. Okay then. I just wanted to . . . clear the air."

Lorelai laid her head back down on him. She was having a hard time catching her breath.

But as her heartbeat slowly returned to normal, she began to daydream. She could see just how it was going to happen -- tomorrow morning she would ask Rory if she wanted to go shopping with her and Luke. And Rory would ask what they would be shopping for, and she would casually say 'for an engagement ring.' And she knew, word for word, how that would go:

"No."

"Yes."

"NO!"

"YES!"

"YES?"

"YES !"

"YES !"

And their joyous screams of laughter would be heard as far as the town square.

But even as she happily anticipated the telling Rory, other, less wonderful thoughts began to surface.

'Is this what Luke REALLY wants? I know he said he was okay with everything, but I'M the one who pushed it. And I'M the one who brought up all the ramifications of him living here. I never thought I'D be the one to do the asking. I always thought when it happened it would be, well . . . more romantic. But I should have known, even though he has his moments, Luke really isn't a very romantic guy. Well, it isn't perfect, and it isn't at all the way I had imagined it, but I guess I should be happy it's happening at all . . . Oh, my god! What am I thinking? Of course I'm happy! Luke and I are getting married! We're going to have kids together! And tomorrow, Luke, Rory and I are going shopping for my engagement ring!'

"Lorelai?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something I need to say."

"What is it?"

"Will you sit up and look at me, this is important."

Lorelai's stomach started knotting up again. She propped herself up on one arm.

"Well, what is it?"

Luke moved a strand of hair from her face and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Will you marry me?"

Again, it was not what she expected to hear!

"Excuse me, but isn't this what we've been talking about for the past ten minutes?"

"Yes, it is. But all this 'M' word and 'Ch' word and 'E' word – it sounds like we're talking about somebody's dirty little secret. And that's NOT the way it's supposed to be. Now, I know I'm not the world's most romantic guy, but this is the best I can do. So, I'm going to try this again. Lorelai, WILL you marry me?"

"Oh God, Luke, yes! A thousand, a million times YES!"

"Okay, that's all I needed to hear."

Lorelai laid her head down again, her tears making a small puddle on his chest.

'Now," she thought. "NOW it's perfect!'

The End

For this story only

A/N – I want to say thanks for all the really great reviews I've received during the slow process of getting this story written and posted. And I want to say thanks to everyone who stuck with it. I hope it's been worth your time.

daviderl