This Crazy World

Part 13

"OK, that's it," Jess muttered when he entered the kitchen, hands full of plates from the diner, and once again found Luke avoiding eye contact.

"What're you talking about?" Luke asked, checking the order pads hanging on the wall, for a moment meeting Jess' eyes, but quickly looked away.

"You," Jess said annoyed. "Just tell me whatever it is and get it over with."

Luke turned back to the stove, putting a couple burgers on it. "There's nothing to tell," he said.

"Yeah, right," Jess scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're acting all antsy and have been avoiding me all day," Jess pointed out. "Doesn't take a genius to figure out something's up."

"Antsy?" Luke inquired, avoiding the subject.

Jess glared at him and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Nervous, jumpy, tense, edgy, whatever, pick one. Just spit it out, damnit."

Luke looked over at him. "Lorelai invited us for dinner tonight," he finally got out.

"Huh." Jess' angry expression quickly turned to disbelief, and he stared skeptically at Luke. "As in you and me?" he asked.

"Yeah," Luke confirmed.

"Huh," Jess muttered once again leaning back against the bench, a frown on his face.

"Yeah," Luke repeated, not sure what to say.

"Are you sure she meant both of us?" Jess finally asked.

Luke looked at him strangely. "Of course I'm sure."

"Just checking," Jess said and shrugged. "She's not exactly my biggest fan."

"Things change," Luke said simply.

"Apparently," Jess nodded, spotting a customer coming up to the counter and sighed, pushing himself off the bench and walked out in the diner.

Luke watched him leave, but didn't say anything and turned back to the burgers.

The customer paid and Jess went out to get his empty plate and glass, returning both to the kitchen. "So, what did you tell her?" he asked after disposing of them in the sink.

"Tell who?" Luke asked distractedly, assembling the burgers.

"Lorelai," Jess clarified, "about tonight."

"Oh, right," Luke muttered. "I said I'd ask you and get back to her," he said and finished the burgers.

Jess relaxed a little. "Ok," he nodded and waited while Luke poured fries on the side of the plates before picking them up and carrying them out in the diner.

"So…?" Luke asked, looking up from rinsing the dishes when he returned again, after a round of filling coffees.

Jess sighed. "I can think of a lot of reasons not to go," he said.

Luke narrowed his eyes at him. "So you're coming?"

Jess sighed again and stuffed his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah."

"Ok," Luke nodded, smiling.

The bell announced another customer and Jess nodded briefly before heading back out in the diner. Luke kept smiling after him, chuckling to himself and turned back to the dishes.

"Another burger with chili fries," Jess announced when he returned not long after.

Luke nodded and started up a new load of fries, grabbing a new burger from the fridge.

Jess watched him for a moment and frowned. "She's not cooking, is she?"

"No," Luke chuckled. "The invitation included a request to bring food."

Jess shook his head. "So basically she invited herself to dinner?" he said amused.

"Pretty much, yeah," Luke agreed, smiling.

"Well, at least there'll be eatable food," Jess remarked.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Luke assured him.

Jess scoffed and shook his head. "She's only had two years to think up even more painful ways to kill me."

Luke gave him an annoyed glare. "A lot of things have happened during those years," he said. "I don't think that's been one of her highest priorities."

"Yeah," Jess relented with a sigh. "Old habits are hard to break I guess."

Luke watched him for a moment, turning the burger on the stove. "I think she wants to thank you," he finally said.

"Huh." Jess looked up at him with a frown. "Thank me?" he asked, doubtfully.

"Yeah," Luke nodded.

"For what?"

"For making me talk to her," Luke said a little uncomfortably.

Jess stared at him. "You told her about that?"

Luke nodded again.

"Huh," Jess muttered and shook his head. "This should prove to be an interesting night."

"Yeah," Luke agreed, took out the bread and started preparing the burger while Jess once more went out in the diner when a new customer arrived.

A/N: If you want to know more about what happened between Jess and Rory that night; read my story Still Wondering.