Lorelai woke up uncharacteristically early the next morning; well she hadn't had coffee yet so she wasn't quite alert. Just aware enough to snuggle under the warm arm around her belly. Arm?
Lorelai glanced over her shoulder to see Luke cuddled up to her. One well defined arm around her middle, the other under his head. Very hard chest pressed against her back. No lower body contact. Well better to be surprised there. Not that I intend to experience that. Right. Seeing Luke with his pants off is not 'friends activity'…though it's sure friendly…
Lorelai's internal ramblings were cut off by the twitching of Luke's arm and a low groan. Lorelai could identify the exact moment he become aware of his position: the gentle breath against her neck retreated in a sharp gasp, the tendons in his arms pulled so tight she was afraid he'd maim himself.
"Uh…" his arm slid away from her body, "sorry Lorelai, umm I didn't…sleeping…didn't realize..I…"
Lorelai rolled over and smiled "It's okay Luke. It was nice," her pulse beat heavily, "you were keeping me warm," she covered quickly.
"Oh. We should get up, I'll make breakfast. Pancakes okay?"
"Sure."
"Mama?" They heard a tiny sleepy voice say.
Lorelai reached over and picked up her daughter laying her down on her chest. "Morning sweets. What did you think of camping?" Rory nodded her head repeatedly against her mother's chest. "Really? Hmm I wonder where you got that from? Apparently it is more nurture than nature."
Luke watched Lorelai and Rory have their morning chat. As much time as he spent with them this was the first time he'd felt apart of their very small, very warm world. Rory was pulling her mother's hair and puckering her lips to give sloppy baby kisses. Lorelai was tickling her daughter's feet and pretending to chew her fingers. She looked so natural with her daughter. An 18 year old with a child should look like a babysitter, but he'd never seen someone look so…maternal.
"Mama, eat? Mama, Yum"
Luke snapped upright, "Pancakes right, umm can she eat pancakes?"
"Yeah. She doesn't have many teeth but she can eat soft stuff."
"Okay I'll go do that and you two can get changed."
They sat in the flatbed of his truck eating pancakes. Luke and Lorelai ate quietly with Rory sitting between them, inspecting each piece of pancake between her fingers before putting it in her mouth. Rory watched Luke eat before crawling over to him with some breakfast clutched in her fingers. She presented it to him proudly, "Yum".
Luke looked to Lorelai helplessly while she giggled. "She's sharing Luke. If you don't eat it she'll drop it on you. So..." Luke, though wary, opened his mouth for the bite of sticky pancake. Rory grinned proudly and wiggled her fingers at him. "Luke, bend down."
He shot her a questioning glance but did as he was told, receiving a sticky Rory kiss on the mouth for his troubles.
Luke sat back, stunned and obviously touched. Lorelai smiled, "and here I thought she only saved those kisses for mommy."
Luke blushed deeply. "Well I'm going to wash up in the lake and pack up camp." He hopped off the truck his ears still tinged pink.
Lorelai picked up her sticky daughter and sat her in her lap. "Well my dear you seem to like the man in flannel. I like him too. We didn't have people like him in Hartford, I'm glad he's the type of person you'll grow up around." Lorelai wondered if she should be counting on Luke being around that long, they'd only been friends a few months. But she had a feeling that when Luke Danes was in your life, he was in your life for good. Just how I want it. And for once she chose not to qualify the thought.
Luke worked quickly to break camp. As much as he loved spending time with Lorelai this was a little too close for comfort. He'd avoided putting a label on his thoughts for this long. It seemed too early in their acquaintance to be this…interested. No, interested was for cute girls in bars. He was mesmerized. He'd always had family. His mom was gone and Liz had run off, but he still had his dad. But Lorelai and Rory were different, it felt different. They were bonded together more closely than he'd ever seen…even for parent and child. He assumed it was because they were alone. But he found himself wishing he could be bonded with them.
They were heading home in his truck chatting while Luke wondered what his father would be thinking about his overnight excursion. "Hey, Lorelai?"
"Yeah?"
"What's your father like?"
"My Dad?"
"Yeah, you talk about your mom sometimes, but never him."
"Dad had a traveling job. Dinner conversation often consisted of phrases like 'I'll be in Düsseldorf on Friday.' We're not really close, he always thought that I was…frivolous I guess. But when I was a kid I really wanted to grow up to say things like 'I'll be in Düsseldorf on Friday.' My dad hates nonsense. And teenage girls are a lot of nonsense."
Lorelai couldn't remember ever talking about her dad this much but she had to admit, she missed him.
"My dad and I always agreed that all mom's society BS was nonsense. He went to the parties because he had to and it made her happy. But he rarely cared about the 'club news' and he'd absolutely prefer to sit in his study and read. My dad has an unbelievable library. He's crazy about books like I am about music. He was so disappointed in me. I was supposed to be the next Gilmore at Yale. He really stopped dealing with me after that. But after…he started reading in Rory's nursery instead of his study."
"You miss him."
Lorelai snorted a little at the realization, "Yeah I do. I respect my dad. He never puts on a show. He's disappointed with me, he expresses it. He was stiff and not really very affectionate but he's genuine. You know my mom threw Rory this obnoxious first birthday party. She invited all her DAR friends and gave this toast about the wonders of childhood. And it was all crap, she passes all the 'wonders' off to a nanny. I hate that."
Luke was rounding the corner on the Inn, "Do you talk to them often?'
"I call twice a month, I won't tell them from where. But I guess now that I'm over 18 it doesn't matter, they can't have me dragged home."
Luke nodded. "Maybe you should let your parents in a little, or you could probably call your dad at work."
Lorelai stared in awe, "Dad at work, you're a genius."
Luke laughed at her expression. "No sweat. Well you're home, need some help getting everything in the door?"
Lorelai stared at Luke's face, hoping her affection wasn't too obvious, "No thanks, I'm just going to get changed and head in to see Sookie. Thank you for a wonderful day." She leaned over the seat and kissed his stubbled cheek. She then lifted Rory so she could do the same, "Rory, say thank you." Rory placed a wet kiss on Luke's face, "Tank uuus."
"Anytime Lorelai…anytime."
Sookie and Lorelai were enjoying Sookie's break on the back lawn. Well Sookie was enjoying, Lorelai was stressing. "Sook?"
"What is it hun?"
"…nothing."
"Lorelai?"
"Do you think that I socialize too much?"
"What?"
"I mean for the mom of a toddler."
"Lorelai that's crazy. You don't go out partying, you work, you have lunch with me and you hang out with Luke. OH! This is about Luke!"
Sookie looked practically giddy. "Yeah, I just…love spending time with him. I think I like it way more than I should. I mean I'm a mom I can't date. And Luke shouldn't date a mom he should date a girl who he can go places with, who doesn't need a babysitter to go to the movies."
"Are you stupid?"
"What?"
"Seriously, in all the months you've known Luke does he seem like the party all night type?"
"No."
"Luke is older than me so I don't know him all that well, but he had a reputation. Luke was the star of our track team, star of the entire state practically. But he was shy and serious. He didn't date cheerleaders, though he could have. He's never flit from girl to girl or date casually. Lorelai, Luke is only going to make the effort to date if he's serious about a girl. And what could be more serious than a single mom."
Luke unloaded the gear from his truck and headed inside. William was sitting at the table having coffee, "Well, well, well, look who's back."
"Hey dad. Umm sorry about that. Should I have called or something?"
"Luke you're 21 years old. You can stay out for a night. If you're gonna be gone longer than that then you can check in."
Luke nodded.
"So where did you go?"
"Well I was out with Lorelai and Rory and then I took them camping."
"Lorelai and Rory huh."
"Yeah. Why what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing."
"Come on dad I know you, what's going on?" Luke was getting a little defensive, What's wrong with spending time with them. She's a single mom not a serial killer.
William smiled into his coffee, "I never thought I'd become a grandpa so young."
Luke sat down across from his dad. "What?"
"Son I know you're a little too old…and masculine…to gossip with your old man but that look on your face is doing most of the talking. You're crazy about that girl. And not despite the fact that she's a mom. You care about that little girl too."
"Dad-"
"Look son, all I'm saying is that if it feels right don't worry about the complications. That girl could use someone like you to depend on. And the sound of that girl giggling with her baby could certainly do you some good."
"Dad, don't you think a girl like Lorelai wants more than just some guy who's reliable? Someone with more…color or something?"
"You are more than just reliable son, and I think if given the chance you would sweep those girls off their feet."
Lorelai and Sookie had reunited that evening for dinner after her shift. "Sookie, do you think he likes me?"
"You can't tell?"
"Not really. Sometimes I annoy him. And other times I think he just feels bad for me because I'm alone. Maybe he's just a really nice guy, ya know?"
"Hun, he is a nice guy…he would help an old lady across the street. Or carry a mom's groceries. He wouldn't throw someone a birthday party to be polite. To be polite you send a card."
"So he likes me?"
"Jeez you're stupid."
Lorelai laughed. "Hey Rory's 2nd birthday is next week, we should have a little party."
"That's a great idea. Who would you invite?"
"Well, you, Mia, Luke, the staff here who watch Rory sometimes. And I was thinking maybe…my dad."
"Your parents???"
"No! No! Not parents, just dad. My mom would take my fun party and try to turn it into a Russian tea. But instead we'll get Chernobyl. But I think I'll ask my dad to stop by."
"I'll do the food, get Luke to do the cake and we can have it here on the lawn if Mia says okay."
"Let's do it."
