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Chapter 4
"Hi..." Lorelai said still glancing between them as she walked up to the counter. "I thought you left?" She said to Jess.
"Mom!" Gemma exclaimed.
"Everyone seems to be saying that to me." Jess said dryly.
"Yeah well, I guess you have a reputation for leaving, don't you?" Lorelai said.
"Mom please!" Gemma said.
"It's fine." Jess said. "I guess I kind of deserved that."
"Oh you deserve much more than that!" Lorelai retorted.
"Mom..." Gemma groaned.
"What? Well you can't expect me to..." She started saying but stopped when Luke appeared from the kitchen. "Hi..." She said suddenly awkward.
"Hey..." He said just as awkwardly.
"Uh...can we talk?" She said quietly.
"Sure." Luke nodded. "Upstairs?"
"Yeah ok." Lorelai said.
"Wow suddenly you don't seem so confident." Jess said dryly.
Lorelai glared at him. "Stay away from my daughter." She warned before following Luke upstairs.
"Quite hard when she works here!" He called after her. He turned to see Gemma giving him a look. "What?"
"Do you really have to provoke her?" She said.
"She started it." He shrugged.
"Can you blame her?" Gemma raised her eyebrows. She sighed as Jess just shrugged. "Right, I don't know how long they will be so I guess we're down a cook." She said.
"Looks like it." Jess said.
"I'm happy to do it but you need to promise to be nice to everyone who comes in." She said.
"You cook?" He smirked.
"You don't believe me?"
"Well, last time I was here..." He started saying.
"Was a long time ago and I'd rather not think about that time." Gemma cut him off.
Jess glanced at her. "Right." He said. "Sorry."
She sighed. "I'm happy to do whatever. Can you cook?" She asked.
"I can hold my own in there, yeah." He said.
"Really? You cook?" She said with a slight smirk.
Jess chuckled. "Yeah alright!"
Gemma smiled slightly. "Ok fine. Well you cook then and I'll stay out here. Is that ok?"
"Fine by me." He nodded.
"Good. Now go!" She said pointing to the kitchen.
"Yes ma'am!" He said giving her a mock salute.
Gemma rolled her eyes. "And make me a burger and fries when you're in there, will you?"
"Your wish is my command." He said.
Meanwhile, Luke led Lorelai back into the apartment.
"So..." Lorelai said.
"So..." Luke said.
"Jess is back I see?" She commented.
"Uh..yeah." He nodded. "Last night."
"Oh." She said. "For good?" She asked.
"I don't know. I think he wants to stay for a bit, yeah." Luke nodded.
"Right." Lorelai said. "And you're just letting him? Just like that?"
Luke looked at her. "Did you really come here to discuss Jess?" He said gruffly.
She sighed. "No." She said.
"Thought not."
"What happened...yesterday evening..." Lorelai said hesitantly.
"I'm sorry." Luke said quickly.
"What?" She said confused, looking up at him.
"You were upset and I took advantage and I'm sorry. It was out of order and it's not who I am." He said gruffly.
"Luke, no..." Lorelai said softly. "I know you would never do that. I kissed you, Luke..."
"But I didn't pull away and I should have." He exclaimed.
"Did you want to pull away?" She asked quietly.
"What?" He said looking up at her.
"Do you regret it happening?"
"What? No! I mean...damn it, Lorelai, I can't answer that! You're dating that guy! I don't want to be involved in this! That's not who I am." Luke ranted.
"Luke..." Lorelai said softly.
"I can't talk about this because it shouldn't have happened. I don't go round kissing other guys' women. That's not me!" He exclaimed, before groaning and sitting down on the couch, rubbing his hand through his hair.
Lorelai watched him for a moment before going to sit down next to him. "I know." She said quietly. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "I shouldn't have put you in that position. You're right. I really am sorry." She said sincerely.
Luke glanced at her and nodded, sighing. "Thanks." He said gruffly.
"But..." She said hesitantly. "I can't regret it happening..." She admitted.
"What?" Luke said surprised.
"I can't regret it happening because that kiss...it felt amazing." Lorelai admitted, giving him a small smile, blushing slightly.
Luke glanced at her and then ducked his head. "Yeah..." He conceded.
"I haven't been able to stop thinking about it." She admitted. "And that terrifies me." She said honestly. "I know I shouldn't be kissing other guys when I'm dating someone. I mean, Jason, he's good. He's a good guy. And I feel awful that I did this to him. I just...I don't know what this means because I don't think I can forget what happened."
Luke looked at her and sighed. "Lorelai, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been waiting for this since the day we met. But...I can't be a part of this until you decide what you're going to do. You need to talk to Jason."
"I know." She said quietly. She glanced at him. "And what if I decide to tell him it's over?" She said hesitantly.
He took a deep breath. "Well...if that's what you decide...then maybe we can talk. But you need to be sure, Lorelai. This can't be decided on a whim because this...this would be big..."
Lorelai nodded. "I know." She said. She sighed and got up. "Thanks for hearing me out." She said. "I...I guess I need to go and think. And talk to Jason."
Luke nodded. "Ok." He said watching her head towards the door. "Lorelai?"
"Yeah?"
"The kiss was pretty amazing." He said smiling softly.
Lorelai smiled. "Yeah it was." She said. "See you Luke." She said softly.
"See ya." He said. He sat there for a moment before letting out a big breath and getting up and heading back downstairs.
Gemma looked up as she saw her mom appear from upstairs. "Mom?"
"Hey..." Lorelai said.
"Well...how was it?" Gemma asked.
"I've got a lot of thinking to do." She admitted.
"Right..."
Lorelai glanced around. "Where's Jess?"
"Cooking." She said.
"Is that wise?"
"What, you think he's going to burn down the diner?" Gemma frowned.
"No, I just...never mind." She sighed. "Look, I was thinking of playing hooky tomorrow. Go window shopping. I've already asked Rory and she's up for it. Please say you're free?"
Gemma nodded. "I should be able to make it work. I've got a morning shift again but no classes so I could come meet you at the inn after I finish?"
"Great! I'll let your sister know." Lorelai smiled. "Thanks hon."
"Sure." She said, glancing at her mom. "Are you sure everything's ok?"
"I just want to spend some time with you two and..uh..maybe talk some things through with you too."
"Ok. Well I'll be there." Gemma smiled.
"Thanks. Bye hon." Lorelai said glancing towards the kitchen before leaving.
Gemma watched her mom leave before smiling at Luke as he reappeared. "Hey!"
"Hey. Where's Jess?" Luke asked.
"Cooking." She said.
"What?" He said.
"Wow, you are mom are so alike." She teased. "Relax, everyone's actually loving his food. He's doing good." She said.
"Oh. Ok. Good. That's good." Luke said.
"And that's the last order." Jess said coming out and placing a plate of burger and fries infront of Gemma.
"Thanks!" She grinned.
"Oh hey." He said noticing Luke.
"Hey. I hear your food's a hit." He said.
"You sound surprised, Uncle Luke." Jess smirked.
"No, not surprised. Just..uh..you know, good job." Luke said.
"Gee thanks. That sounded very convincing."
"Sorry." He sighed. "Thanks for leaving you two in the lurch." He said. "Thanks. Seriously." He said sincerely.
"It's fine." Gemma smiled.
"Yeah it's cool." Jess said.
"You two take a break if you like." He said.
"It's cool. I finish in an hour anyway." Gemma said. "I might eat this first though."
"Sure." He nodded.
She headed to the end of the counter out of the way and tucked into her food. "Wow..." She said taking a bite of the burger.
"What?" Jess said.
"Nothing. Just, it's obvious that you and Luke are definitely related." She joked.
"You like the burger?" He chuckled.
"Like it? Jess, this is nearly as good as Luke's!" She exclaimed.
"Praise indeed." He smirked. "Told you I could cook."
Gemma laughed. "You weren't lying. Why didn't you cook for me before?" She said.
Jess looked at her, surprised she was referring to their relationship before. "Uh...I don't know."
"You were obviously hiding this skill from me!" She commented.
"Guess I was lazy...and a jerk." He shrugged.
Gemma glanced at him. "You weren't a jerk." She said quietly.
"No?" He said glancing at her.
"Well, not all the time." She said but smiled slightly.
Jess smirked. "Huh. Well...that's good to know."
Gemma looked at him for a moment, the two of them locking eyes for a moment, before she slowly looked away and focused on her food again. "Anyway, that's all in the past now." She said.
"Yeah..." Jess said. He glanced at her. "I am sorry though. You do believe that, don't you?"
She looked up at him and sighed. "Yeah I believe you."
He nodded. "Ok. Good."
"And I appreciate the apology." She smiled.
He nodded. "Ok...well...I think I might take that break Luke offered us. Can you tell him I'll be back down in half an hour?"
"Sure." She nodded.
"Thanks." Jess said heading for the stairs.
"Hey Jess?" Gemma said.
"Yeah?"
"This really is an amazing burger." She grinned.
"Well, what can I say? You know the best people." He smirked before disappearing upstairs.
Gemma rolled her eyes but smiled slightly as she finished her food. She then took her plate to the kitchen where Luke was getting ready for the afternoon rush. "Hey!" She smiled.
"Geez, don't do that!" Luke exclaimed, nearly dropping a plate he was drying.
"Sorry." She smirked.
"How was the burger?"
"Nearly as good at yours." She grinned.
"Wow, looks like I've got competition." He chuckled.
"Guess you'll just have to work even harder to keep that claim." She teased.
"Guess I'll have to." Luke smirked.
Gemma grinned and started helping drying the dishes with him. She glanced at him. "Can I ask you something?" She asked.
Luke glanced at her. "Always." He said.
She was quiet for a moment. "Do you believe he's changed?" She asked.
Luke looked at her. "Jess?"
She nodded. "He seems different but then he seems like the old Jess." She said.
"Well...I think he has grown up a bit." Luke said carefully.
Gemma nodded. "I can see that." She admitted. "I just..."
"For what it's worth, I think he really is sorry about what happened between you two." He said hesitantly, stopping drying the dishes. He sighed. "Sorry, it's not my place to say."
"No, I appreciate your opinion. I want your opinion." She said, turning towards him. "I just...don't want to get hurt again." She admitted.
Luke nodded. "I get that."
Gemma sighed. "Sorry. It's just been something that's been on my mind, that's all. I guess I never thought he'd come back."
He nodded. "You and me both."
"Anyway, I should get back out there." She said. "Oh, Jess is taking a break. He said he'd come back down in half an hour."
"Ok." He said.
Gemma headed out before turning back. "It is nice having him back though." She admitted, smiling softly.
Luke smiled. "Yeah. It is."
Gemma smiled at him. "Thanks for the chat. It helped."
He nodded. "Anytime."
"Thanks boss!" She grinned.
Luke rolled his eyes. "Get back to work." He smirked.
"Yes boss!" She grinned, giving him a mock salute.
"So much work." He mumbled but smiled as he heard her laughing as she headed outside to the counter.
So I hope you liked it! :) Please keep the reviews coming as I love reading what you think! :) Thanks again for all your support. I really do appreciate it! :)