Disclaimer: I worship the ground Amy walks on; I would never steal from her ;)
A/N: Well, I had intended this to be just a really short (like under 1000 words) chapter, because I couldn't get the scene out of my head, and it was cute (such a Logan thing to do), and it had a little set up for a future chapter, but….it kinda started to write itself (I love when that happens!). Also some of you were asking about Jess, and why he wasn't even considered as Luke's best man, so I thought I'd clear that up in here as well.
My utmost respect goes to SolarisBurning for recognizing that the quote "scathingly brilliant idea" in the A/N from last chapter was from the movie The Trouble With Angels, a highly amusing Haley Mills movie. My Mother-in-law and I will often chime in with that line together when we feel like making our husbands nervous :) Anyway, IF I ever get my hands on Luke, Solaris, half of him is yours ;)
Luke's POV…thoughts in italics
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Luke could feel a rant coming on.
Unbelievable!
He held it in when he walked around the side of Lorelai's house to see a Limo waiting.
He had held it in when, no matter what he threatened, Logan wouldn't tell him where they were going.
He even held it in through the past 2 hours of Jackson talking about nothing but the zucchini crop and how he may be forced to sing to them again this year; and whether pumpkins responded better to a polka or a waltz.
But when the limo finally stopped, and he got out, only to find himself, not at some obscure strip mall, but at an airstrip—an airstrip on which rested, fueled and ready to go, a private jet, he knew he was going to lose it.
Ok, just—be calm.
"Logan, can I talk to you for a minute?" Luke asked in the most even tone he could manage.
Just then, another limo pulled up, and Richard emerged.
"Luke!" he exclaimed, catching sight of his future son-in-law, "Wonderful to see you again! Lovely day for flying, isn't it?"
Any day that doesn't include crashing and burning is a good day…
"Ah, well, Richard…I wouldn't know," he said, shaking Richard's hand.
Then he turned to Logan, but Logan was already shaking hands with Richard and turning to board the plane, shouting, "C'mon men! We have a schedule to keep!"
Luke sighed and boarded the plane, shaking his head.
Wasting fuel…polluting the atmosphere…just to take four men to—wherever the Hell it is we're going.
The other three were already seated and belted in when Luke arrived in the cabin.
He was seated on the opposite side of the plane from Logan, and as soon as the captain gave the 'all clear', Logan disappeared. Jackson appeared to be taking a nap, and Richard was pulling a seemingly endless supply of papers from a briefcase.
After 30 minutes of searching for Logan, Luke was reaching the end of his rope.
Ok, I get that he's avoiding me, but we're 30,000 feet in the air on a plane made for a dozen people…where the Hell could he have gone?
He stood in the bathroom which was, by the way, bigger than his bedroom, and dialed his cell phone.
They better be there…
"Hello?"
"Lorelai," he growled.
"Luke, Honey, Hi! Are you coming soon to rescue me from the evilness of my mother's flowers?"
"Lorelai," he said with more force.
"No, seriously, Luke! It's been two hours of Emily saying--" She pitched her voice to be overly sweet and vapid. "'Oh I just don't know, lilies or orchids, what do you think Lorelai. There are roses, but roses are so cliché. Don't you think roses are cliché, Rory?'--" Her voice returned to normal. "--until I swear I'm wishing I could make her a bouquet of that devil's snare stuff from the Harry Potter Movie and--"
"Lorelai!" Luke shouted barely holding on to his temper.
"What? Luke is everything ok? Will you be home soon?"
"No. Everything is not okay. Everything is far from okay. I have no idea when I will be home as I'm currently not on the ground. I need to talk to Rory." He spit out.
"Not on the ground? Are you suspended from something? Oooh! Did you get caught in one of those rope-around-the-foot traps, like in the movies?" she giggled.
"I am on a plane, Lorelai. A plane flying to god knows where. I have no idea when I'll get there, wherever there is, and I have no idea when I'll get back! Now, if you truly love me, you will let me talk to your daughter. Now." He ground out through clenched teeth.
"Ok, I'll get her," said Lorelai, sounding confused.
In the few seconds that Luke waited for Rory to come to the phone, he tried to calm himself down.
Calm down. Rory will have answers. You aren't mad at Rory. Don't yell at Rory.
Unfortunately all that went right out the window the minute he heard her voice.
"Luke?"
"What the hell do you see in this kid? Does he always just take over people's lives like this and then disappear without explanation? Has he ever been charged with kidnapping? Because honestly, Rory, I really think you should check into that before you go anywhere else with him. I'm not kidding! Before you go anywhere else, I want a full background check, fingerprints, aliases, genealogy, school records, last known address, and social security number!" he finished and then stood there, breath coming in short pants.
Way to stay calm, Danes.
Rory was silent for a few seconds. "Are you done now?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Feel better?" Luke could hear the barely suppressed mirth in her voice.
"A little, thanks."
"Good. Now, why don't you tell me what the problem is?"
He sighed. "We are supposed to be getting fitted for our tuxes. We drove for two hours in that damn limo, only to board a plane. I have no idea where we're going or why, and your pretty boy has vanished."
"Aw, you think Logan's pretty?" Rory joked.
"Rory--" he warned.
"Right, sorry Luke." Luke could tell by the badly repressed giggle that she wasn't. "Ok, I can absolutely guarantee you that Logan did not parachute off the plane. He is there--somewhere. And if he said you're going for tuxes, you're going for tuxes—you're just going…a little farther than you planned, is all. Now, just sit down, relax, get yourself a beer, and I will take care of Logan." With that, she hung up.
Luke stared at his phone in shock.
I think I just got him in trouble. He smirked
He made his way back to the cabin and seated himself on the couch that was along the back wall. Less than five minutes later, Logan appeared carrying two bottles of beer. He plopped down on the couch next to Luke and sighed explosively, looking harried and a bit sheepish. He handed Luke a beer, took a swig of his own, and rested his forearms on his legs, rolling the bottle between his palms.
"Hell hath no fury like a Gilmore." Logan said, glancing sideways at Luke, and then down at the beer in his hands.
Luke chuckled and took a drink. I almost feel sorry for him...almost.
"Look, Luke, I'm sorry I made you feel hijacked. Lorelai and Rory are always talking about how…resistant--" he glanced at Luke again.
Resistant…polite-speak for damn stubborn.
"--you can be to some things, and I just—I wanted to do this for you and Lorelai, and I was afraid if I told you about it, you would veto the idea outright."
I probably would have…
"I know how important and special your wedding is to everyone—especially Rory—and I was just trying to do my part to make it as perfect as possible. I like to surprise people…I just didn't stop to think that you might not exactly—enjoy it."
Okay, so he was trying to do something nice...give him a break...
Luke sighed and clapped his hand on Logan's shoulder, startling him. "So where the hell are we going, anyway?" he asked as pleasantly as possible.
"Beverly Hills," Logan told his beer bottle.
"Bev--" Luke started to shout before taking several deep breaths and a swig of beer.
Apparently 'Go Big or Go Home' is another of his favorite phrases…
"Okay." He said in a soft but forceful tone, "Care to tell me why we have to fly to Beverly Hills, California to rent tuxedos for my wedding, which is taking place several thousand miles away in Stars Hollow, Connecticut?"
"Well," Logan began hesitantly, "We aren't exactly renting them."
Luke gave him a look that told him he better continue.
"There's a place on Rodeo Drive that does a really nice job with custom fitted tuxedos."
I don't believe this!
"Custom fitted—Logan I don't need to buy a tuxedo!" Luke sputtered.
"You aren't. Don't worry, I have everything covered." Logan said
"I don't want you to buy me a tux either!" Luke hissed.
How is that going to look in front of the father-in-law who already can't stand me?
"Luke, I own the place." Logan whispered.
"You what?" Luke whispered back.
"A little investment of mine. My friends and I are often in need of good formal wear--"
"Often?" Luke interrupted.
"Yeah, well—let's just say our attire doesn't always survive our outings intact. So it seemed like a good idea."
What the hell are they doing in eveningwear---never mind, I don't want to know…
"So why do we need to buy tuxes instead of renting them?" Luke asked.
"Well, you were worried about comfort. The only way to be truly comfortable in a tux is if it's made for you. You'll feel as comfortable as if you were wearing jeans and a t-shirt, I swear."
I seriously doubt it…but I guess it couldn't hurt.
Luke took another drink and looked at Logan. "I suppose being assured that my tux will fit right is just one less thing that I have to worry about in the madness that is my wedding …so, thank you Logan."
Logan smiled. "That's my job as Best Man, to make your worries disappear. That's why I'm here."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, occasionally taking drinks.
"Luke?"
"Mmm?
"Why am I here?"
Huh?
Luke gave him half a grin. "Don't tell me rich kids don't get the 'birds and the bees' speech--"
"Ha-Ha" Logan said.
"—Or is it just that after half a beer you wax philosophical?" Luke mocked.
Logan chuckled. "It'd take a hell of a lot more than half a beer for that. But seriously, why am I your best man? Why'd you pick me?"
"You seem like a nice enough guy, and you're comfortable with the tux thing so that's a plus…"
"Luke…" said Logan, not buying it.
"…And you look good standing next to Rory, so that'll make the pictures nice…"
"What about friends? Family?"
Luke finished off his beer and set down the bottle, sighing.
He would have to ask that question…
"You may not realize this, but I'm not the most outgoing person in town," he said in a mock-serious voice.
"No! I must have missed that memo." Logan teased.
Sarcasm…yes, that's what we needed…
Luke ignored him. "Consequently, I have more acquaintances than friends. Lorelai is my best friend, and well she'll be otherwise occupied at the ceremony," he smirked at Logan. "My family consists of my sister, Liz, her husband TJ, who is overly fond of tights--"
"Ew." Logan grimaced.
"—Exactly. And her son," Luke paused.
I wonder if she's told him.
"Jess."
Understanding blossomed across Logan's face. "Ahhhh, Jess," he said knowingly.
Guess that answers that question…
"Yes, Jess. I couldn't do that to Rory. I don't want my wedding to be uncomfortable—well any more uncomfortable than it obviously has to be." He shrugged. "I called Jess and told him about the wedding. He congratulated me--"
For finally having the balls to get the right girl…
"—and, said he wouldn't be coming. Honestly, I was relieved. I didn't want to tell him that I thought he should stay away, but I would have. He said he couldn't handle seeing Rory again."
"So basically I was your last resort." Logan said.
"Basically, yes." Luke nodded.
"How flattering," Logan drawled.
They both chuckled.
After awhile Luke spoke. "So how'd you get those two to come?" he asked, gesturing at Richard and Jackson.
"I told them where we were going."
Luke glared at him.
"What? I told them we were going to fly out to California to get fitted for tuxes for your wedding. They thought it was a great idea."
"So everybody knew, but me." Luke said, irritated.
"Nope, just those two…well and the pilot, although I don't think he knows about the tuxes…probably doesn't care either…it does help that he knows about the destination though…speaking of the pilot, I'm gonna go make sure we're still on schedule."
Luke was shaking his head and chuckling. He does kind of grow on you…
"I still can't believe I'm going to own a tux…It seems like a waste…I'll wear it one day and never touch it again."
Logan smacked Luke's shoulder as he rose to head to the cock pit. "Aw c'mon Luke, you never know when a nice tux is gonna come in handy," he said with a smirk and a wink.
Luke watched him walk away. What? When would I ever need—
He felt all the blood drain out of his face.
Oh God…
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A/N: Chapter 10 is already started, but this is Back to School time, and I have four kids to get ready…I'll do my best…I'll tell you a secret…Reviews make me write faster…