"Good evening," a young blonde approached their table. "How are we doing tonight?"
"Fine, thanks," Lorelai answered.
"Wonderful! My name is Ashley and I'll be taking care of you. Can I start the two of you off with something to drink?"
He turned his head to Lorelai, signaling her to go first.
"I'll have an ice water, please," she said.
"And for you?" Ashley turned her attention to Luke.
"I'll have an ice water as well. And we'll also have a bottle of champagne, please."
"Sounds good! I'll be right back with your beverages," she smiled before walking away.
Lorelai turned in her seat to face Luke.
"She's not too annoying."
He chuckled in response, then leaving a brief silence between them.
"So...champagne, huh?" she broke the quiet.
"I drink it every now and then," he replied.
"Oh yeah? When?" She giggled at the expression on his face as she waited for him to scramble for an answer. He looked back up at her and knew he was caught.
"Okay, you got me," he confessed. "I hate champagne. But it's a special occasion. I'll choke it down."
"You're crazy," she laughed.
"For you."
Lorelai blushed at his response, feeling the redness burn her cheeks.
"Woah. That's good."
"Yeah well I can be smooth when I want to."
"I can tell. I mean look," she said, moving her hand to rub his cheek. "You even shaved for this."
He smiled at her, wanting to keep the conversation flowing, but completely unable to take his eyes off her. The way she looked into his eyes when she spoke, the smile that stretched across her face when they bantered back and forth, the sparkle in her eyes that outshined the stars every time she laughed. He was completely mesmerized by her.
"Luke?" She waved her hand in front of his face, bringing him back to reality.
"Yeah?"
"You okay?" she asked.
"Oh, yes. I'm fine. I just spaced out for a minute there."
"Well damn, I didn't know I was that boring."
He panicked at the dejection in her voice and his hands sprung out of his lap to grab hers.
"No! No, you're not boring me at all. It's just kind of hard to pay attention to anything you're saying when you're sitting there looking so…beautiful. I'm sorry, carry on."
"You're so sweet, you know that?" she cocked her head, gazing at him in wonder.
"I just call 'em like I see 'em," he winked.
"Can I just throw something out there real quick?" she asked.
"Anything."
"I haven't been on a first date in," she stopped to count on her fingers for a dramatic effect, giving up and returning her attention to him. "…a very long time. And the ones I have been on…well they were pretty casual. No strings attached. And, with you, I don't know, Luke. There are a lot of strings. And if I'm being completely honest, I'm nervous as hell right now. I really like you. And I have a history of screwing up everything good in my life. I don't want to screw this up. I really don't want to screw this up."
He was awed by the vulnerability she let him see in her. She'd just completely let her guard down in front of him. And all he could do was think of how much more beautiful she'd just become to him.
"I won't let you screw it up," he said, giving her hands a squeeze.
"That's a lot easier said than do-"
She was interrupted when Ashley returned with their champagne and glasses of water. She set the champagne bucket down in the middle of the table and placed coasters in front of each of them, then setting down their water glasses.
"Have the two of you decided on your dinners yet or do you need a few more minutes?" she asked them.
Luke looked at Lorelai, whose head was down and eyes were filled with worry. He turned his head back to the waitress. "I think we need a few more minutes, please."
"Of course!" she replied. "I'll be back in a bit," she informed him before turning on her heels to go tend to another table.
"Hey," he said, moving his face down to level with hers. He took his left hand and moved it to her chin, raising her face up to look at him. "What is it? Talk to me."
"I'm scared," she whispered, her voice shaking and her eyes beginning to moisten.
"Of what?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.
"Forget it," she shook her head and wiped her eyes. "I think I just want to go home." She picked up her purse and pulled out a $50 bill, laying it on the table. "That should cover it, right?" she asked looking at him.
"I-"
Before he could say anything, she was walking away and headed toward the door. Slipping her into her jacket, she wrapped it around her body and hugged herself, trying to ward off the chill of the night breeze.
He picked up the $50 from the table and shoved it in his back pocket, finding Ashley and handing her $65, apologizing for the inconvenience.
"Sir, this is far too much," she said as he held it out in front of her.
"Take it, please." Ashley did as he requested.
"Was there something wrong with your table or your drinks?"
"No! Not at all," he assured her. "Everything was wonderful. You've been a great server. She's just having a rough night. We'll be back in the future, I'm sure. We'll ask for you."
He watched her shoulders relaxed at his reassurance. "Okay," she smiled. "I hope your night gets better!"
"Thank you. Have a good one," he waved, making his way toward the exit.
Once he was out the doors, he scanned the parking lot but she was nowhere to be seen. He ran the perimeter of the building before finally finding her leaning against his truck.
"Lorelai," he heaved, trying to catch his breath.
Her back was turned to him and remained motionless at the call of her name.
"Lorelai," he said again, placing each of his hands on her shoulders, tugging on them and willing her to turn. "Please talk to me."
She turned slowly and he saw her eyes, swollen and wet. His heart dropped at the sight of her and he wished he'd known why she was so upset.
"What is it? Talk to me."
She didn't say anything. She just fell into him, burying her face in his chest, her sobs silent but powerful.
He wrapped his arms around her, not knowing what else to do. He moved his lips to the top of her head and kissed her hair, repeatedly whispering "It's okay. I've gotcha."
When the shaking subsided, she lifted her head and looked up at him. She slowly parted her lips and, after what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.
"I'm not good at this," she whispered.
"You're not good at what?" he asked gently.
"Relationships."
"Well neither am I," he said, trying and failing to make the situation lighter.
She inhaled deeply before continuing.
"I've dated a lot. I'm obviously not a stranger to the opposite sex. But I am a stranger to love. I don't know what love is. Well, I didn't know what it was…until you. And I'm not good at this. I'm not good at this and me not being good at this is going to end with me blowing the only shot I'll ever have at a future with someone I love, someone really do I want a future with."
"I'm not going anywhere, Lorelai."
"I know you aren't. But me? I'm the runner. I'm the girl who bolts at the first sign of trouble. I don't want to run away from you. And I wonder if not trying would hurt less than trying and failing. I'd rather not have you than know what it's like to have you and then lose you."
"I'm not going anywhere, Lorelai," he repeated. "You're not going to lose me."
"How do you know?"
"I just know," he said.
"How, Luke? How do you know? How can you be so sure that it's going to work between us?"
He took several deep breaths, trying to come up with an honest and confident answer, but the only response he could think of was the one that scared him the most. Yet, he found those words escaping his lips with a raw honesty he'd never shown to anyone.
"Because I love you. And I don't let go of the things that I love. Not ever."
Her eyes widened, looking up to meet his. He stood there giving her a small smile, hoping he hadn't scared her too much.
"I love you too," she whispered.
"I know," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his strong, safe embrace. He held her there for a few minutes before pulling back to look at her.
"Why don't you let me take you home and we'll try this again tomorrow?" he asked.
"You are so incredibly sweet."
"Is that a yes?"
"That's a 'you are such a gentleman and I love you for being so patient and understanding but maybe you'd agree to coming home and just holding me tonight?'."
"Lorelai, I don't think that's a g—"
"Rory is already asleep and I have no intentions of doing anything that might wake her up. Plus, my bed is still in the middle of the living room if you recall. Just stay over tonight so I can fall asleep in your arms."
Yeah sure. Let me try refusing that request. Like I have any willpower to say no to her.
"Okay, I'll stay over."
She rose up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek before whispering "thank you" into his ear.
He helped her into the truck and moments later, they were on their way back to Stars Hollow.
When they returned to town, he slowed down outside of the diner and put his truck in park.
"Where are you going?" she asked as he opened the door to get out.
"I just need some sweats to sleep in. I'll be right back."
When he returned five minutes later, he found her fast asleep with her head against the passenger window. He got back into the truck and drove to her house, parking behind her jeep in the driveway. He made his way around to the passenger side and carefully opened the door, reaching around her to unfasten her seatbelt and picking her up to carry her inside. He laid her down on her bed in the living room, making a mental note that he should probably move her furniture back up to her bedroom sometime in the near future. Then he went upstairs to her dresser and retrieved a t-shirt and sweatpants from the bottom drawer.
He made his way back down the stairs and she was still sound asleep, now laying peacefully on her bed. Sitting down beside her, he carefully slipped the black heels off her feet. He moved to her shoulders and removed her shawl. Nervously, he moved his fingers to the hem of her little black dress and pulled it up and over her head, her body limp and cooperative. Grabbing the sweatpants, he slid them up her legs and finally managed to get her upper half into the t-shirt. He stood up and covered her with the comforter before grabbing his sweats and heading into the bathroom.
He emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later and turned off the lights in the kitchen and breezeway. He stopped in his tracks when the absence of light left nothing but the glow of the moon, which shone through the windows onto her peaceful figure. He stood motionless, staring at her innocent face in wonder. He could have stayed in that moment forever.
I can't believe I'm allowed to call this beautiful woman mine.
Eventually, he resumed his walk toward the bed and lifted the covers, settling in behind her. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist, pulling her close.
"I love you, Luke," he heard her softly whisper.
"I love you too, Lorelai," he responded, kissing the hair on the back of her head.