AN: Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews: LexiLoLo200, ProFfeSser, Janetmeca, Seuss, screaming truth, x.kromediva.x and ocdwithlhg . It makes writing so much better when people tell you what they think about it.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB.
Rating: still PG-13
OK, here we go:
Chapter 9 – The Grand Opening
It was still early the next morning, when Luke woke up. Well, early for Lorelai, but not too early for him. He had asked Ceasar to open the diner, so he could be with Lorelai on the big day of the grand opening at the Dragonfly Inn. It was about six thirty and Lorelai had told him that she wanted to be at the Inn by nine in order to do a last check up on the rooms before the first guests would arrive at ten o'clock. He tried to untangle himself from the still sleeping Lorelai who was sprawled across his body.
"Where are you going?" she mumbled still asleep.
"Shh, go back to sleep, it's still early."
Lorelai pulled the cover back around her shoulders and had fallen asleep again as soon as he had left the room.
Luke walked downstairs and got himself a glass of orange juice. Then he made pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast and fresh coffee, put it on a tray along with some fruits and yogurt and walked back upstairs into Lorelai's bedroom.
He put the tray on the nightstand and slipped into bed, next to the sleeping Lorelai. A strand of hair had fallen over her face. He gently pushed it behind her ear and then kissed her softly on the forehead.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty, it's time to wake up," he gently whispered into her ear.
Lorelai slightly stirred.
"Mhmm, what time is it?" she said half asleep.
"It's almost seven o'clock."
"Ugh, why are you waking me at such an ungodly hour."
Luke had to smile about that comment. He knew how hard it was to get Lorelai out of bed. "First of all many people are awake at this time of the morning…"
"Ughh!"
"And second, just in case you forgot, today's the big day, the grand opening of the Dragonfly Inn. The Inn that you and Sookie had dreamed about for so many years and has finally come true."
"Right the Inn. Nope, didn't forget about that," she said a little more awake. "Is that coffee, I smell."
Luke smiled and held the freshly brewed coffee under her nose. "Yes it is. My specialty as you like to call it, but you have to open those beautiful eyes of yours if you want some."
Lorelai grabbed for the cup, but Luke held it out of her reach.
"God, you're mean, you know that?" she said squinting into the bright sunlight the shone through the curtains in her bedroom.
"Yeah, I know."
Lorelai punched him slightly on the arm. He caught her hand and pulled her into a long kiss.
"Morning," he whispered after they broke apart.
"Morning," she said smiling at him, "can I have some coffee now, please?"
"Sure here you go, and I also made some pancakes and scrambled eggs," he said setting the tray in front of them on the bed.
"Huh, I didn't know I had all that stuff in my fridge."
"Well, you didn't. I bought some stuff at the supermarket and stocked up your fridge."
"Ahh. Uh Luke, there's healthy stuff on that tray, you know I don't eat healthy stuff", she said with an unpleasant expression on her face.
"I know, I know, that stuff's for me. You know, some people actually eat that stuff that you despise so much."
"Freaks."
"One of them is sitting right in front of you…"
"Sorry hon. Thanks so much for all this stuff. You're such a sweetie you know that?" she softly kissed him.
"Your welcome. I just thought that you deserve a nice and calm breakfast on such an important day. And you probably won't have much time to eat till tonight so you gotta have a good breakfast."
"Aww, thanks, sweetie. Not just for this, for everything. You've been so patient with me over the last couple of weeks, I'm sure it wasn't always easy to be around me."
"That's ok, don't worry. Those last couple of weeks were really crazy and you've done really well dealing with all this stuff."
Lorelai leaned over to him and kissed him softly. "I love you, Luke."
"I love you, too."
"OK," Luke said, "let's have breakfast."
"Yeah, I'm starving."
"When aren't you?"
Lorelai nudged him softly in the side.
After they had finished eating Lorelai got out of bed and picked something to wear out of her closet. "Allright, sweetie, I really need to get ready for work now."
Lorelai walked back to the bed and kissed him softly. "Thanks for all this."
"You're welcome. I'll go clean up while you get ready."
"OK, thanks." She walked into the bathroom and took a shower while Luke cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen.
About forty-five minutes later Lorelai came back downstairs, dressed in black pants and a red blouse. Luke came out of the kitchen while Lorelai was checking her make-up in the hallway mirror.
"How do I look?" she asked, placing her arms around his waist, while Luke gently caressed her back.
"Beautiful, as always," he said smiling down at her. "So, when do you want me to get to the Dragonfly?"
"Mhmm, how about seven thirty? Most of the guest will be having dinner at that time and then Michel is gonna take over for me at the front desk."
"You still won't tell me what you planned for tonight, will you?"
Lorelai grinned at him. "Nope, just that I will be wearing something other than this. You'll just have to wait and see." Lorelai knew that Luke was curious about what she had planned for the evening but she also knew that he didn't want to show it.
"Allright, I guess I'll just have to wait till tonight."
"Yep, looks like it," she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. Soon the kiss got more passionate than either of them had intended to. Luke slowly kissed a trail down her neck.
"Luke, this is not a good time for…" Luke silenced her with a kiss and then suddenly let go of her.
"Allright that should keep you thinking till tonight. Don't think you're the only one with the ability to drive people insane."
"Dirty."
"I know," he said grinning at her. "OK ready to go?"
"I guess so."
Luke helped her into her jacket and followed her outside to their cars. He opened the car door for her and kissed her once more before she got in.
"You nervous?"
"Yeah, a little."
"Don't be," Luke said reassuringly and patted her arm through the open window. "You'll do fine. You did great at the test run you'll be doing great tonight."
Lorelai pulled him towards her for a passionate kiss, which was not very easy to manage through the window.
"What was that for?" Luke said slightly out of breath after they broke apart.
"To keep you thinking till tonight," she said grinning at him, "and just for being you. I love you."
"I love you, too."
"So are you going back to the diner?"
"Yeah. I'll see you tonight," he said leaning in for a goodbye kiss.
"Yeah, see you tonight. Bye, sweetie."
"Bye."
Luke watched her drive off, got into his truck and drove to the diner to take a shower and help Ceasar and Lane since he was leaving the diner to them again that night.
Later at the Dragonfly Inn
Lorelai walked into the kitchen after most of the guest were seated at their dinner tables. Sookie and Michel where talking when Lorelai came in.
"Hey, guys, we did it. Everything was… is perfect today."
"I know isn't this great?" Sookie said beaming with happiness. "I knew we would make it!"
One of the waiters walked into the kitchen from the dining room.
"Hey, Derek. Could you please get each of our guests a glass of champagne and tell the staff members to come into the dining room for a sec? Oh and get them a glass, too, will ya?"
Derek nodded. "Sure, no problem Ms. Gilmore."
"Thanks."
Derek poured three glasses and handed them out to Lorelai, Sookie and Michel and then went back into the dining room with the champagne.
"All done," he said walking back into the kitchen after a few minutes.
"Thanks, come on, take your glassed and come with me."
Lorelai walked into the dining room area with Sookie, Michel and the whole kitchen staff following her, each one with a glass of champagne.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have you attention for a few minutes?"
Luke walked into the lobby a little before seven thirty and stopped when he saw Lorelai. She looked radiant. Before dinner she had changed into a black dress that was accentuating her perfect figure in every right spot. He stood in the lobby and watched her talking to the guests, who had stopped eating and gave her their full attention.
"I just wanted to tell you how happy I am to see you here tonight. Uh, almost twenty years ago I moved to this lovely town with my two-year-old daughter and got a job at the Independence Inn, at the same time my now best friend Sookie St. James did." she said pointing at Sookie, "We became friends and soon we had this dream that one day we would run our own Inn." Lorelai brushed a tear out of her face and smiled at Sookie, who had to wipe away a few tears herself. "And now, today, after many months of renovation, and the help of many friends, our dream has finally come true. Thank you for being with us on this memorable day and once again a lovely welcome to the Dragonfly Inn."
Lorelai turned to Sookie and embraced her in a warm hug, while the guests and staff members applauded them.
Luke smiled at the scene, he was really happy for the two of them.
"Come on, guys, let's get back to work," Sookie said and walked into the kitchen, followed by her staff.
Lorelai walked into the lobby but stopped when she saw Luke standing there with flowers, all dressed up, in black pants, black jacket and a burgundy red shirt.
"Hi, handsome," she said getting her voice back.
"Hi, beauty, nice speech you gave there."
"You heard?"
"Yeah, and it was great."
"Thanks," she said stepping up to him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.
Luke handed her the flowers. "Here, these are for you."
Lorelai took the flowers from him and took their sweet scent in. It was a bouquet of white lilies and tulips. Lorelai had to smile at the memory of the first time she got flowers from Luke.
Luke saw her smile, she remembered. "You like them?"
"I love them," Lorelai said with an even bigger smile.
Sookie had watched the two of them and told Derek to set everything up for them. At that moment Lorelai looked over to Sookie who gave her the thumbs-up.
"So what have you planned?" Luke asked her.
Lorelai turned back to him and smiled. "You have to wait a couple more minutes."
Michel walked into the lobby. "You are still here. I told you could leave."
"I know, we're outta here, and Michel, remember what I told you…"
"I know, I know," he interrupted her annoyed. "Just leave already."
Lorelai took Luke's hand a pulled him after her. "Come on let's go."
Lorelai led him out the front door of the Dragonfly and then to the stone pathway that led to the honeymoon bungalow.
"Where are you taking me, Lorelai?"
"You see."
The last fifty feet to the Bungalow were lit up with torchlights, producing a soft light. Lorelai stopped in front of the Bungalow.
AN2: Allright guys. That's it for this chapter. I know I'm mean. You just have to write a lot of wonderful reviews and I will update this weekend. Remember reviews make me write a lot faster. :)
The next chapter is definitely gonna be about Lorelai's surprise for Luke.