Disclaimer: I have no ownership of any of these remarkable characters. I just thought it would be fun to mix them together.
Author's Note: In Richard Castle's second Nikki Heat book, Naked Heat, one of the locations in the book is the Dragonfly, a small 'destination hotel' in New York. As far as I'm concerned, that means that Rick is still in touch with Lorelai and remembers his time in Stars Hollow fondly!
Everyone watched as Babette and Morey wrestled the decked-out wagon, filled with books, into the diner. The rusty wheels squeaked in protest but Babette tugged it over the floor until she was face-to-face with her favorite author.
The vivacious blonde, usually a match for Lorelai in the verbal department, came to a silent stop in front of Rick, staring round-eyed at him. Her mouth dropped open and her head of curls quivered as she sucked in air. Apparently being this close to one of her fantasy figures had shut down her speech capabilities.
Lorelai came to the rescue. She jumped up from the table and went to stand next to Babette, putting an arm around the panting woman's shoulder.
"Look who's here, Babette!" she said encouragingly. "Rick Castle! Can you believe it? Rick, this is my neighbor, Babette Dell, and her husband, Morey."
"Hey," Morey said, not sounding impressed.
Rick leaned awkwardly across the table, offering a handshake to the shades-wearing Morey. "Nice to meet you," he said, one of his pleasant smiles plastered to his face. He stood up straighter and patted Babette's hand that was clenched around the wagon's handle. "Babette, it's a pleasure to meet such a dedicated fan of my work."
Rick's touch seemed to release her from her paralysis. She exhaled forcefully and came back to reality.
"It's him! It's really him!" she screeched. "Oh my gawd, and he's even handsomer than his pictures!" She loosened the death-grip she'd been keeping on the wagon's handle and it dropped with a thunk to the floor. She dove down and started piling the books on the table.
"I've got 'em all!" she explained, beginning to create a book fort in front of Rick. She was putting them all face-down so that head-shots of Rick from the dust jackets were staring up at them. "I bought 'em all when they first came out, ya know, and then, when the paperbacks came out, I hadda buy 'em too, because it just seemed wrong not to. And then they came out with the special editions and compilations and the audiobooks, and I just kept buyin' 'em, ya know? I couldn't just leave 'em sittin' there in the store!" She paused for a moment in her efforts to empty the wagon and looked at him earnestly. "I couldn't let your gorgeous mug just stay there in the store all alone, ya know?"
Rory and Alexis had pushed back their chairs, trying to stay out of the blonde whirlwind's way. They grinned at each other now.
"Well, that's … that's very impressive," Rick said, his voice not sounding as sure as it had.
"Babette tends to go a little overboard when she really likes something," Lorelai told him, hoping her smile looked reassuring to him. He caught her eye and inclined his head and she felt again that they had some sort of unspoken bond going on between them. For some reason she just felt like she knew exactly what he was thinking. She smiled wider.
"I just read 'em over and over and over," Babette explained, finally reaching the bottom of her stash. "I finish one and then I just grab the next one. I wouldn't know what to do without my Derrick Storm time everyday."
"That's very flattering," Rick said, becoming more composed. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a black Sharpie, apparently used to being asked for autographs. "Would you like me to sign one or two?"
Once again seeming awestruck, Babette pulled one battered book from the pile. "This one," she requested, her voice even huskier than normal.
Rick's face suddenly looked pained. "This one? Really?" he asked, sounding as though he hoped she'd change her mind.
Babette's head bobbed up and down quickly. "That one's my favorite. I probably know it by heart. It was the first book of yours I read."
Lorelai watched as Rick shook the look of distaste from his face. "It'd be my pleasure," he said, his voice lacking enthusiasm. She moved over to stand by Rory.
"Hell Hath No Fury?" she whispered to Rory. "I don't remember that one."
"Sure you do," Rory whispered back. "The angry Wiccans? It's the one we finished reading just so we could mock it."
"Oh!" Lorelai's face lit up. "Angela!" she recited. "Angela, I'm begging you! Don't make me drink the sanctified goat's blood!"
Rory chortled, but then they both remembered the girl sitting there and looked at her, embarrassed.
"It's OK," Alexis told them. "He knows it sucks. You should hear my grandmother after a few glasses of wine. She loves to do a reading from it. She says it keeps him humble."
The diner's door had been opening and closing on a regular basis as the word of a celebrity being in town spread. More and more tables were filling and a whispered buzz floated through the air as people discussed what was going on.
Luke brought over the drinks and handed them to the girls. He nearly smacked into Andrew as he turned to go back to the counter.
"Geez, Andrew! Watch it!" Luke barked, sidestepping away from the close call.
Andrew found room on the packed table to set down a small carton filled with Derrick Storm books. He wiped his hand on his pants before offering it to Rick.
"Mr. Castle. This is such an honor, sir."
"Please, call me Rick," the author said smoothly.
"Andrew owns the bookstore," Lorelai explained.
"Derrick Storm and Stephanie Plum make my summer for me," Andrew said, his hand over his heart. "You have no idea how much it means to be able to count on your books coming out so regularly. I was wondering if I could get you to autograph some of the ones I have in stock."
"Of course," Rick agreed.
"I don't know how long you're going to be in town, but I was wondering if we could maybe throw some sort of book party for you? People would love to meet you face-to-face, and I know I could bring in some extra stock from Hartford with no problem." Andrew finally paused for a breath, and only then did his nervousness become apparent. He glanced over at Lorelai. "Maybe you and Sookie could help with it?"
"Well …" Lorelai kept smiling, but she looked sideways at Rick, trying to gauge his opinion. "Rick is going to be staying at the Inn, so maybe we can discuss it more later."
Andrew sagged with relief. "That'd be great. Thanks."
The door opened again and a purple chiffon cloud descended on them.
"Ricky?" Miss Patty gushed. "This is little Ricky?"
"Uh, wrong show, Patty!" Lorelai said quickly. "You're thinking about I Love Lucy!"
"I know exactly who this is!" Patty came around the table and put her hand under Rick's chin, tipping his face from side to side. "My, oh my, didn't you turn out to be one handsome man! Of course, having Martha Rodgers as your mother, how could you help it?"
Rick's smile was strained. He casually pushed with his toes, scooting his chair a few inches back from Patty's grasp. Lorelai watched as Alexis jumped to her feet, her cherubic face reflecting a worry that was much too adult for her.
Lorelai rushed around to Patty's side, and pulled the pushy woman back, disguising it as a warm hug. "Rick, this is Patty LaCosta, Stars Hollow's dance diva. Her dance studio doubles as our town hall. If you want to know the dirt on anybody, just check with Miss Patty! She knows it all!"
Rick's mouth was still set in a grim smile. He looked like he was ready to bolt for the door, but suddenly his head tilted thoughtfully. "Wait. You're Patricia LaCosta?" he asked, pointing at Patty.
"I certainly am," Patty purred, with a certain amount of pride.
"You know my mother," Rick said, stunned.
"Yes I do," Patty agreed, nodding vigorously. "The last show we did together was Anything Goes. And let me tell you, sweetheart, did it ever!" She laughed and poked Lorelai with her elbow.
"Right. That's right." Rick looked serious, his thoughts far away. "That's the last show she did before she had me."
Patty's face suddenly lost the naughty leer she'd come in with. "Yes. Yes, that's right," she said, her smile now much more subdued.
Rick leaned forward. "I'd really like to talk with you before I leave town, if I could."
"Of course, dear. Anytime."
"You know Grandma?" Alexis asked, trading her reserve for interest.
Patty ambled over to the young girl. "Oh Sweetheart, look at you! You are the spitting image of your grandmother!"
"Actually, I look just like my mother," Alexis informed her, "but thank you for the compliment."
"So tell me, is the theater in your blood too?" Patty asked, her eyes quickly appraising all of Alexis' attributes and stopping at her already-long legs. "Do you dance?"
The door was thrown open at that moment and Kirk Gleason dove into the room. He was dressed in a brown suit and carried a bulging briefcase. He tripped over his own feet but caught himself and then broke into his own peculiar gait until he was pressed against Rick's table.
"I am here to offer my services," he informed Rick, his face locked into his serious job-seeking countenance.
"Your … services?" Rick asked, shooting a grin over at Lorelai.
"Yes sir." As usual, Kirk missed the fact that he was being teased. He pulled out a handful of folders from the briefcase and opened them all in front of Rick, laying them over the stacks of Babette's books. "As you can see, I've had experience in a variety of jobs that a successful man such as yourself might need to avail himself. From my high school transcript, you can see that my keyboarding skills are noted as satisfactory. I can also act as your chauffeur. I can direct you to the hot clubs and run interference with the paparazzi. I can also find you girls." He nodded seriously at Rick's look of disbelief. "I walk dogs," he added. Alexis giggled and he glanced over at her. "I'm also certified as a nanny."
"Well, I don't think I need a nanny," Rick stated. "Alexis is definitely past the nanny stage."
Before Kirk could launch into his second tier of services, Lorelai broke in. "Kirk, why don't you give Rick one of your cards, and if he finds himself in need of a ― a dog walker, for example, he can give you a call." She nodded vigorously and gave Kirk one of the plastic smiles she usually reserved for Michel when he was being extra-Michel-like.
"Make sure you call the number on left, not the one on the right," Kirk advised, as he handed Rick a card. "Mother doesn't like it when she has to answer my work calls."
"Right," Rick said slowly, staring at Kirk.
"No, left!" Kirk said, nervously.
"No, I meant …" Rick smiled, nodded, and pocketed the card.
"Why don't you follow us over to the Inn and we'll get you settled?" Lorelai suggested, hoping to save Rick from any other crazy townspeople.
"Whatever you say." Rick rose to his feet, hurriedly taking one more sip of coffee.
"You want to come, too?" Lorelai asked Rory as she grabbed up her purse.
"Oh, please do!" Alexis pleaded, pulling on Rory's arm.
"Of course I'm coming. You're not getting rid of me like you do other people," Rory told her, indicating Kirk, much to Alexis's delight.
Lorelai rushed for the door, hoping to run inference for Rick. She stopped short when she found Luke blocking her way.
"You didn't eat," he complained.
"That's OK," she said airily, anxious to get to the door.
"But you came in here to eat," Luke continued to protest. "You should have something to eat!"
She laughed at him, thinking he was joking with her. "It's OK, Luke. Sookie'll feed me. I doubt that I go hungry for long."
"Oh. Oh, yeah," he said, sounding like he'd forgotten all about Sookie and her kitchen at the Independence Inn. "Look," he said then, and stepped to her side, using his body as a shield against the curious author and lowered his voice. "Are you sure you'll be OK with this guy? You don't know him at all. If you want, Jess could go with you."
A laugh burst out of her again. "Of course I'll be fine! Why wouldn't I be?"
He threw a sneer of distrust back towards the revered Mr. Castle. "He's a stranger, Lorelai. It doesn't hurt to be careful."
"Luke!" She was convinced more than ever that he was pulling her leg. "Need I remind you that probably 97% of the people I deal with on a daily basis are strangers? Which is a good thing, since that's how my place of employment stays in business. Yours too, for that matter." She tugged fondly at his sleeve. "Silly!"
"Not so silly," Luke muttered.
With one last chuckle she broke away from Luke and held open the door for Rick and their two daughters to exit. She watched them get into the slick sports car and then she scooted into her own battered Jeep, waving her arm out the window gaily.
She grabbed her phone and pushed some keys at the same time she accelerated down the street.
"Don't lose them!" Rory fretted, twisting in the passenger seat to try and make sure Rick was following them.
Lorelai pushed the phone against her ear, waiting for her call to be answered. "Rory, the man navigates New York City. I sincerely doubt that he's going to get lost in the few blocks that make up Stars Hollow."
"But still, you're driving like we just robbed the bank! Slow down!"
"I'm not ― Michel!" She cried, as her call was answered. "Michel, it's me. Lorelai. You know damn well 'Lorelai who' Michel, stop it! Listen. I'm bringing some very important clients over to the Inn and we'll be there in just minutes. I need a valet out front to meet us. I need somebody to hustle upstairs and make sure that Room 12 is spotless. Just do it!" Lorelai snapped the phone shut and tossed it to Rory to put back in her purse. "I swear he gets more impossible to work with everyday," she complained.
"Ah, you wouldn't want him any other way," Rory pacified.
"Try me," Lorelai fumed. She glanced into the rearview, happy to see that Rick was keeping up.
She pulled underneath the Inn's covered entryway and was gratified that Josh, one of the younger valets on staff, was hurrying into position with a brass luggage cart. She got out just as Rick parked behind her.
Alexis got out and instantly bounded over to Rory. "Wow, your mom drives fast!" she heard her say.
"Too fast for you?" she asked Rick, arching her eyebrows.
"No, not for me," Rick said with a smooth-as-silk wink. "I like fast women."
"Good," she said smugly, and led the way into the Inn.
"Michel, I'd like to you to meet Rick Castle," she said proudly to her concierge.
"How nice for you," Michel said languidly. He continued to page through an antiques magazine.
Lorelai sighed but grabbed the register herself, turning it for Rick to sign.
"Michel? The key?" she prodded.
He turned on the stool, reaching for the key. "Room 12," he said flatly, holding the key out to her.
"Thank you so much!" she said, dripping sarcasm.
She tried to be extra-perky as she led them upstairs, hoping to distract them from her sullen employee. She made up facts about George Washington and his relationship with Stars Hollow until they reached the door of Room 12.
"Ta-da!" she said, opening it for them.
"Pretty!" Alexis exclaimed, turning around in a circle in the middle of the room. "But there's no room for me in here."
"I'll show you." Rory went over to the connecting door and opened it. Alexis grabbed her bag and followed Rory into the adjoining room. Their excited chatter echoed back to the adults.
"This is lovely." Rick slowly came to stand beside Lorelai. He looked at her, a sly, warm smile only adding to the sexy look in his eyes. "Just lovely," he said, drawing out the words as he looked only at her.
She felt her cheeks flush as the sparks from his flirting ignited the perpetual craving inside her. She loved this part. She loved the first acknowledgement of attraction. She loved the game of words and the teetering around the edge of propriety.
"I'm glad it meets with your approval," she said primly. "I hope you'll let me know if there's anything I can do, personally, to make your stay more enjoyable." She gave her eyes permission to add some extra meaning to her words.
Rick rocked back on his heels, regarding her. "Do you possibly have a list of … services … that I could refer to? I'm never quite sure what my needs might be."
"No, but you do have Kirk's card," Lorelai pointed out. "Just make sure you call the number on the left."
Rick frowned thoughtfully as he pretended to consider that. "I'm pretty sure Kirk would not be my first choice of a dinner companion."
"Why, Mr. Castle. Are you asking me to dinner?"
"Dinner, lunch, drinks, high tea … I'll ask you to anything that'll keep you close by."
For a moment Lorelai was unnerved by those blue eyes that were just a shade off from being perfect. They were too dark, too blue … And she didn't know where that thought had even come from. She smiled and shook it off, centering her attention back on Rick.
"I can probably take you up on high tea. We've got a very small wedding scheduled here for this evening and I'll be tied up with all of the details surrounding that." She gave him of her smiles that she knew dazzled. "But I'll definitely make time for tea."
Alexis came sprinting out of the other room. "Rory says there's a swimming pool! Can I go swimming?"
Rick smiled adoringly at his daughter, and that did more to win over Lorelai's heart than the flirting. "How about later? I'd really like to go back into town and look around first," he said, pulling on her braid as she pouted.
"If you'd like a tour guide, I'd be happy to show you around," Rory offered. "I promise I'm not as creepy as Kirk."
"I thought you and Dean had plans," Lorelai reminded her.
"I can reschedule with Dean," Rory said carelessly. "I'd really like to help you with your book research," she said earnestly, facing Rick. "And if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition, I'd really like to observe the steps you take when you're writing."
"I think we can arrange a trade of information," Rick agreed, and Rory practically glowed with pleasure.
"We'll let you get freshened up. Rory can meet you downstairs. I, unfortunately, have to go to work." She put her arm around Rory's shoulders and they headed for the door.
"I'll see you at tea!" Rick called out.
"Very good, old chap!" Lorelai replied, in her best British accent, which wasn't very good at all.
"Tea?" Rory questioned, as they walked down the hall.
"Tea!" she confirmed happily, and gave Rory's shoulders a squeeze.
Hours later Lorelai was crossing the lobby, having checked the bridal party's table yet again, when she saw the three of them straggle through the door.
"Hey, you're back! How was it?"
"Hot," Rory complained.
"Interesting," Rick added.
"Fun!" Alexis chirped.
"That's because everybody likes you," her father sniffed.
"Aw, somebody doesn't like you?" Lorelai found that hard to believe.
"Uh, we stopped by the diner," Rory said.
"That man really does not like me," Rick griped.
"Who? Luke?"
Rory and Rick both nodded.
"Now honey, don't feel bad," Lorelai said, patting Rick's arm. "Luke doesn't like anybody. Come on, now. I know what you all need. Tea!"
Rick looked pleased and intrigued. "Really?"
"Yep." Lorelai started to lead the way to the kitchen. "I just mentioned it to Sookie and by now I have a feeling we have enough crumpets and jam to please Queen Bess herself."
Lorelai pushed open the kitchen door. "Sookie! Here's Rick and ―"
A bamboo skewer zinged by them. Rick grabbed Alexis and ducked.
"Sorry!" Sookie looked horrified. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I was just threading some kabobs, and I heard you, and I turned, and then the thing just ―" She swished her hand through the air. "Anyway, I am so sorry!" She wiped her hand on her apron and came to meet them.
"This is Sookie," Lorelai stated, her friend's kitchen catastrophes no longer fazing her.
"I'm so happy to meet you!" Sookie trilled.
"That skewer sling is totally going in a book someday," Rick told her solemnly, shaking her hand.
"Oh, that would be such an honor! And I've done worse things than that, if you'd want to hear …" she trailed off, seeing Lorelai's slashing gesture across her throat.
"Is tea ready?" Lorelai asked.
"Almost. Scones are still in the oven, but everything else is done. Go on! I'll send it all out!" she shooed them.
Lorelai looked back as she held open the door, and Sookie mouthed 'He's cute!' to her, both thumbs raised up high.
They settled at a table on the terrace, mercifully in the shade, with a refreshing breeze blowing by. In no time every bit of table space was covered with platters of tiny, elegant sandwiches, petite cakes, and mouthwatering scones fresh from the oven. In deference to the heat they had pitchers of iced tea and lemonade. They all dove into the food.
"So tell me," Lorelai asked, helping herself to another one of Sookie's little sandwiches, "did you find a good murder suspect in town?"
"Suspects and victims," Rick confirmed. He wiped his fingers and then pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. He rifled through the pages. "To start with, that Kirk is a really strange fellow."
"He followed us all around," Rory told her mother, "until he had to be at the Laundromat to start his shift. He kept trying to sell Rick a map showing where prominent Stars Hollow residents had died. Then he changed tactics and tried to get people to pay him to tell them where Rick was."
"Did he cash in on that?" Lorelai asked, grinning.
"No. It pretty much backfired on him, since we were in plain sight most of the time," Rory said.
"Is there something wrong with him?" Rick asked sincerely. "He's just so odd. I could see his oddness finally prompting someone over the edge."
Rory and Lorelai glanced at each other, delighted. "Just one too many requests for star-shaped sandwiches," Lorelai murmured to her daughter.
"It was bound to happen some day," Rory agreed.
"And then there's the bizarre woman mechanic," Rick continued, reading his notes from another page.
"Gypsy," Rory reminded him.
"What's wrong with Gypsy?" Lorelai protested.
"There's just something about that unflinching way she looks at you," Rick tried to explain. "It's as though she already knows your deepest, darkest secrets. Blackmail's written all over her face. There's some real ruthlessness there."
Both Lorelai and Rory hooted at that, and Alexis chuckled along with them.
"Gypsy's only ruthless if she smells a crack in your oil pan," Lorelai said, setting him straight. "She might hold your car hostage until you pay her bill, but that's the extent of her evilness."
Rick's shoulders twitched. "I still say she has the tools to cut up bodies and probably knows all sorts of junkyards to hide them in."
The girls all chuckled again. "Who else?" Lorelai asked, grabbing for a strawberry tart before Alexis could eat them all.
"The pompous guy." Rick's finger flicked over the page. "Taylor. Taylor Doose."
Lorelai frowned at Rory. "You took him to meet Taylor?"
Rory scoffed. "As if I had a choice. He cornered us at the library and tried to tell Rick that he'd have to pay a tax if he used Stars Hollow for research. Supposedly there's some sort of ordinance that prohibits unauthorized examinations into the town's past by non-residents."
"Oh, he's making that up!" Lorelai huffed.
"Really, really an annoying man," Rick pointed out. "I can't believe no one's gotten rid of him."
Again, Rory and Lorelai grinned at each other. "We know who'd do it, don't we?" Lorelai said.
"Just a scrap of flannel clutched in his dead hand," Rory added.
Rick's eyes went quickly between Lorelai and Rory. "Actually, he would be my prime suspect."
Both of them stopped their teasing comments to each other and went still, staring at Rick.
"Who?" Lorelai asked warily.
"Luke." Rick's shoulders shrugged slightly. "That's who you meant, right? That he could kill Taylor and Kirk?"
Both Gilmore mouths dropped open. They both started protesting at the same time.
"Luke is the most ―"
"Caring and compassionate ―"
"I mean, he yells a lot, but ―"
"Not that he wants anyone to know that, but ―"
"His rants are actual some of the best entertainment around ―"
"Inside he's just squeezeably soft ―"
"Of course, there was the thing with Dean ―"
"And he did push Jess in the lake ―"
"But Luke would never hurt anybody," Lorelai said fiercely. "Unless they deserved it," she added, a little more meekly.
"He takes care of us," Rory summed up. "All the time."
Rick held up his hands against their onslaught. "Sorry, sorry," he capitulated. "Didn't mean to tick off the Gilmore girls."
"No, no, you didn't," Lorelai said quickly, drawing a breath and looking at Rory. "We just know Luke and you don't."
"Well, I liked everybody," Alexis stated, licking the glaze from the last tart off of her fingers. "I think this is a really fun town, and I think you're lucky to live here," she nodded to Rory.
"Most of the time I do, too," Rory said, "But I'm envious of you, getting to live in New York and see plays and museums and live among landmarks that the rest of us only see on TV."
"Most of that's because of Dad," Alexis said, "or Grandma. But yeah, sometimes it's really cool."
"Are you ready to go swimming?" Rory asked.
"Yes!" Alexis jumped up.
"Swimming?" Lorelai asked.
Rory pushed in her chair. "We got hot, walking around town. We went by the house so I could grab my bathing suit. Alexis and I have plans to cool off in the pool."
"Be careful," Rick warned his daughter as she rushed after Rory. Lorelai recognized the look on his face. She knew all about the pride that went with watching a daughter grow up and also the fear and worry that came along with it.
"She'll be fine," she reassured Rick, leaning towards him. "We hire a lifeguard during the summer."
Rick looked somewhat abashed but he played it off. "And this lifeguard, he knows CPR?"
"She. But yes. Completely trained, I promise you."
Rick's eyebrows lifted. "And she'll be watching the swimmers? Not ogling the hunky boy?"
"She's good at multi-tasking," Lorelai teased. "She can ogle and do rescue breathing at the same time. We tested her."
Rick sighed and looked at his hands. "Sorry, it's just ―"
"It's OK." Lorelai put her hand over his. "I completely understand."
He smiled back at her and put his hand on top of hers for a moment. "And I'm sorry about the other thing, too."
"What other thing?" Lorelai settled back in her chair, taking her glass of lemonade with her.
"About Luke."
"That's OK," Lorelai grinned. "He does have a lot of Unabomber tendencies. I can see why you'd peg him as a murderer." She took a sip of Sookie's perfectly tart lemonade.
Rick inclined his head towards her, his face looking like they were going to be trading secrets. "But I shouldn't have said it, since he's her dad."
She inhaled sharply and the lemonade went the wrong way. She sat up straight and grabbed a napkin, choking and hacking until tears squeezed from her eyes.
"If you need the Heimlich maneuver or something, give me a sign," Rick implored, his body tensed with concern.
Lorelai held up a hand, weakly, indicating she was going to be OK. She coughed a few more times into the napkin, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Why would you think that?" she finally managed to wheeze out.
"I thought it was obvious," Rick said, still poised to spring to the rescue if needed. "You three seemed to have this routine. Plus, she's got his eyes."
"She has my eyes!" Her voice sounded aghast, even if she was still squeaking out the words.
Rick studied her eyes. "OK," he conceded.
She laid back against the chair, trying to recover. She chanced another sip of the lemonade, hoping to soothe her throat.
"So he's just an ex, then?" Rick questioned.
Lorelai fought against the impulse to gasp again and forced herself to swallow, avoiding another choking incident.
"He's not an ex," she said, surprising herself by the unexpected sharpness in her voice. "He's a friend. We've always been friends. We're always going to be friends. That's all there is. There's no drama, no unresolved issues. Just friends."
Rick quirked up an eyebrow. "Hit a nerve there, did I?"
"No, I just …" She took a moment and shut her eyes, hating the fact that she felt flustered. She took a calming breath and looked at him steadily. "I just don't want you to think something that's not true."
Rick watched her. "He is very protective of you, though. Very protective of both of you. And you're the same way about him," he pointed out.
"That's the way friends are," Lorelai insisted.
His eyes swept over her and landed on her mouth. "OK," he said, pulling back and giving her a completely disarming smile. "So is Rory's dad in the picture at all?"
"From time to time. He flits in and out. It's hard to help someone grow up when you haven't grown up yourself."
"Ah. Peter Pan, is he?"
"He's doing better," Lorelai had to concede. "With someone else."
"Ouch."
"No, I'm OK with it," she said. "I think," she muttered, with a rueful grin. "I just wish Rory could depend on him more."
"Alexis's mom ―" Rick started, and then abruptly stopped himself. He gave a brief chuckle. "Let's just say I can relate."
"Is her mom in New York?"
"Yes. No. Maybe," Rick sighed. "She flings herself between the coasts like a ping-pong ball, always looking for that 'perfect' role. She's gorgeous, she's aggravating, she's exhilarating, she's self-absorbed, she's loving … You just never know exactly what you're going to get when she's around." He drummed his fingers against the tabletop for a moment, searching for words. "She's a deep-fried Twinkie," he decided.
"Oh, my God, I love those!" Lorelai said with much enthusiasm.
"I do, too," Rick agreed. "Maybe about twice a year. If you try to have 'em more often, though, you end up regretting your decision. For every Twinkie binge you have to eat salads for a month. And when there's someone impressionable around, you realize you need to limit your diet. For their sake, as well as your own."
Lorelai could feel her heart swelling up in admiration. "It looks to me like Alexis's diet has been just fine."
"I've done pretty well so far, I think. At least, not too bad for someone who has Peter Pan tendencies himself."
"That's not altogether a bad thing," Lorelai argued. "Rory and I are pals, too. We're really close and we enjoy a lot of the same things, but that doesn't mean I'm not the mom. I can lay down the law when I have to."
"Alexis is often my chosen partner in crime," Rick confided. "I hate to think about her growing up and not wanting to hang out with her dad anymore."
"Not going to happen," she predicted.
They both sipped at their drinks, enjoying the company as well as the food and the scenery.
"Have you always lived here?" Rick asked.
"No. I moved here when Rory was a year old." She looked at Rick levelly. "And since you've been nice enough not to ask, I'll just tell you. Rory's 17 and I'm 33."
Rick put a finger in the air and pretended to do the math. He looked at her with compassion. "That must have been rough. You moved here to get away from the gossip?"
"No, I moved here to get away from my parents."
He sat up straighter. "You took care of yourself and a baby at 17?"
"I had help. I stumbled into this place and into the arms of the nicest woman I've ever met. She made room for me here, helped me grow up, and loved Rory like she was really her grandmother." She looked around at the beautiful grounds that she knew as well as her bedroom at home, and then looked back at Rick. "I realize now that both Rory and I probably had guardian angels watching over us."
"I'm glad," Rick said, softly. He reached out again and touched her hand.
After a pause he asked, "Since Rory's practically the same age as when you had her, do you ever look at her and think ―"
"All the time."
"Do you worry?" Rick pressed.
"No," Lorelai said. "Rory's really smart, and we've talked about everything, and she has her future all mapped out. But then I remember that I was really smart, and I had my future all planned, and I did it anyway. So yes, I worry. I worry a lot."
"You are, at times, a very confusing woman," Rick informed her, smiling delightedly.
"Thank you," Lorelai beamed. "I try."
They heard footsteps and turned to see Michel approaching them, carrying sunglasses, several books, and a bottle of the expensive sunscreen he used on himself.
"Excuse me, Mr. Castle," he said with as much humbleness as he had at his disposal. "I thought I should bring you these things. The sun is very hot today, and I would not wish to see you burned to a crisp. This lotion, it is very, very good. It blocks the harmful rays and also leaves your skin with a youthful glow."
Rick sat back in the chair, studying Michel in amusement, but Lorelai was blunt.
"What gives, Michel? This morning you didn't even care if I introduced you to Rick."
He spared a quick glare at her before turning back to fawn over Rick. "I did not know this morning that your mother was the incomparable Martha Rodgers."
"Upstaged by my mother once again," Rick said in mock sadness.
"You have a thing for older women, Michel?"
Michel ignored Lorelai and directed his comments to Rick. "When I first came to this country, the first Broadway show I saw was Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Martha, she was spectacular in it. I waited backstage and finally she came out. She told me I was a charming boy and that I should never lose my accent."
"So that explains it," Lorelai muttered.
"I have seen every play she has been in since," Michel continued. "She is a goddess."
"Well, she certainly thinks so," Rick agreed. "I'll tell her I met you, shall I?"
"Oh! If you would." Michel's hand pressed over his heart. "Tell her I still have the picture I took of her that day. It is framed and sits on my mantel."
"Hey. Michel." Lorelai leaned forward. "How about I take a picture of you and frame it and sit it on the check-in counter? That way we'll all remember you after you get fired for not being where you're supposed to be."
Michel looked at her coldly. "Fine," he sniffed. "If Mr. Castle does not require anything else, then I will return to the desk."
"I'll always remember what a charming boy you were!" Lorelai called after him. "Don't drop that accent, no matter how many years you've lived in the States!"
"Strange town," Rick commented.
"But I wouldn't live anywhere else," Lorelai replied.
"But maybe you could be enticed to visit?" Rick suggested.
Lorelai looked at him sharply, a slow smile spreading over her face as she absorbed the innocence he was trying to portray.
"Maybe," she agreed. She reached over and turned his wrist to look at his watch. "I'm going to have to get inside," she said, standing up. "I need to make sure that everyone's on schedule in there."
Rick stood up too. "I think I'll go over by the pool and help that completely capable lifeguard watch the girls." He picked up the items Michel had brought over. "Especially since I now have new sunglasses, lotion that will make me smell like a mango, and, oh, nice touch! Copies of my own books to read!" He showed the titles to Lorelai.
She grinned as they started to part ways. "By the way, let me ask you. Would you mind if we did throw you a party tomorrow night? Andrew called me about it again."
Rick ran a hand through his perfect head of hair, and Lorelai watched enviously as it settled back onto his forehead, looking even better than it had. "I guess that would be OK. I wouldn't want you to go to too much trouble, though."
"This town? Go overboard on something? Nah, not us," she said, heading inside. "You should have seen the Great Twinkle-Lights Celebration of '98. Now that one was way over the top!"
It was a little past 7 the next evening when Lorelai rushed into the dining room at the Independence Inn. She tried to catch her breath as she looked around the large room, mentally checking off each item from her 'to-do' list. She was pleased at how well the room had been transformed into an event space for tonight.
At first she and Andrew had imagined the meet and greet for Rick out in the square, as so many of the town's events were, but the humid summer weather clouded the planning with a threatening chance of a thunderstorm. Since Sunday nights at the Inn were generally a quiet, settling down time after the bustle of weekend weddings and anniversary celebrations, it was decided to move the party there. Lorelai had a crew go through the dining room after lunch and reset the tables into a different configuration with more empty space in the center. She nodded to herself, looking it over. It looked great, with white cloths on every table and twinkle lights twining over every possible surface.
Andrew and a bookstore owner from Hartford had brought in plenty of Rick's books to display. They had a table set up for Rick to greet guests and sign books. Rick had also agreed to do a reading from his latest Derrick Storm.
A bar was set up in one corner. Two long buffet tables were in the process of being loaded with goodies from Sookie's kitchen. Lane was getting comfortable in another corner, ready to play tunes from her eclectic collection. Mrs. Kim had actually given her permission to attend tonight ― although of course, she didn't know about the music. Mrs. Kim despised popular fiction, but the allure of Stars Hollow hosting a New York Times Best-Selling author even worked on her.
Lorelai nodded again, completing her inspection of the room. Everything was ready, including her.
She hadn't planned on changing out of her normal pair of work trousers and short-sleeved summer blouse. But then she'd imagined Rick coming down the stairs, dressed in an immaculate suit, his hair tousled perfectly, and she'd flown home to get fancied up. She smoothed her hand over the skirt of the red halter dress she'd skimmed into. With the gold strappy heels matching the gold hoops in her ears, it looked like she'd actually planned out her outfit. She took a quick look at herself as she passed a mirror, hoping that her curls would behave for the night.
"There's no need to primp," she heard, and guiltily jumped away from the mirror. "You look just as lovely as ever."
Rick and Alexis were descending the stairs, and just as she had imagined, Rick looked every bit as debonair as she expected. His dark suit was sporting a pinstripe, and his deep purple shirt was open at the collar. Alexis had on an evergreen dress that complemented her spectacular color of hair.
"You look so pretty," Lorelai told the girl. "Rory and Lane are in there, trying to decide which music to start with."
"Lane knows everything about music," Alexis said with awe in her voice, and hurried in to join her two new friends.
"But her mother is very, very scary," Rick whispered to her. "I was petrified to touch anything in her shop this afternoon."
"At least she didn't offer you the hard sprouted-wheat biscuits you have to soften up in tea before eating." Lorelai nodded seriously. "Those are scary."
Rick smiled, but then turned serious. "You know, Lorelai, the first time I saw you, I said you were exquisite." Rick took her hands and spread her arms out, shaking his head as he looked her over. "This confirms my initial impression. You are simply exquisite."
She was pleased but blushed a little at his praise. "I'm just trying to keep up with you and your big-city expectations."
"You far exceed my expectations," he said, moving his head so that his voice was a murmur next to her ear, making her shiver.
The door had opened and closed several times, making her realize that people were beginning to arrive. "You'd better get in there," she warned him. He released her hands reluctantly and took a step away.
"You'll save me a dance?"
"As many as you want," she promised. "That is, if Lane plays anything you can actually dance to."
Rick disappeared into the dining room and Lorelai went to the door to great people and direct them into the room. She was surprised by how many guests were coming from Hartford and the surrounding communities. Even some of Rory's Chilton classmates were there. She panicked for a moment, hoping that her parents hadn't gotten wind of it, but then she remembered they were at the Vineyard with friends.
The first hour or so saw her running from the front door to the kitchen, outside to confer with the valets, and back inside again to check on bar supplies. From what she could tell, everything was going smoothly. She could hear Rick's laugh often. The mayor made a little speech of welcome. Andrew gave a nice summary of Rick's works and their popularity among the American people. Rick did a reading from "Storm Front," and the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
To her surprise, Lane used the 'mystery' genre as her inspiration and was playing lots of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett as homage to private eyes from back in the day. People were dancing, the lighting was making romance magic, and everyone was having a wonderful time.
"I haven't had my dance yet."
She turned to him, already smiling. "You've been in demand."
"And you have been just a blur." He held out his arms and she stepped into them. "You work too hard," he complained, beginning to move them over the dance space.
"Not all of us can sit in front of a computer screen and type words all day."
"Watch it," he warned. "Or you won't end up in my novel."
"Ooh. There's a threat," she mocked.
He held her a little closer. "Maybe you'll just end up in my life."
She was still debating how to respond to that when Miss Patty interrupted them before they reached the dance floor. "Lorelai, would you mind if I stole this dance with Ricky? I've been trying to get him alone all night."
Rick exchanged a resigned glance with her. "Sure, Patty," Lorelai said, too brightly.
"Later," Rick whispered to her. He held out his arm to Patty. "Shall we?"
"Oh, we shall," Patty said, gleefully. "Let's see what your mother taught you!"
Lorelai watched them for a minute, grinning at the way Rick was able to adapt to anything. Patty looked like she was in heaven.
She turned to scan the room, searching for empty platters or any sign of a problem. She noticed a tall man standing by the door, his body language screaming out his discomfort better than words ever could. She dodged a tipsy couple while trying to get a better look. The black slacks and rolled-up sleeves of a white dress shirt weren't giving her any clues, although her interest was certainly caught by how well he wore them. She circled behind the table holding Rick's books, finally coming close enough to see his face.
"Luke?" The words tumbled out of her mouth as she walked the rest of the way over to him. "What in the world are you doing here?"
He barely glanced at her. He already looked annoyed. "Is there a reason I shouldn't be here?"
"No, no, I didn't mean …" She took a breath and started over. "I'm just surprised to see you. This isn't your usual thing."
He shrugged. "This is something you're doing. I figured I could come and show support."
"OK," she said, unsurely.
"Looks like a success," he observed.
She smiled as she looked around the room again. "Yeah, everybody seems to be having a really good time."
He cast another sideways glance in her direction. "So."
She raised her eyebrows. "So?"
He uncrossed his arms from his chest and put them on his hips. He pushed away from the wall he'd been supporting. "Did you want to dance?"
She turned back to the dance floor, picking out Rick and Patty easily, as they seemed to be doing a tango. "Oh, sure. I will. You know, sometime."
"I meant …" He rubbed a hand over his face. "I meant now. With me."
"You?" She felt the shocked look spreading over her face and she made it worse with the laugh of disbelief that barked out of her. "You want to dance with me?"
"If you want," he said, trying to sound uncaring, but she spotted the muscle tensing in his jaw.
It took a moment for it all to sink in. "Well, sure," she drawled out, grinning like a fool. "Let's go dance."
She followed him out to the dance floor, both of them carefully not touching the other.
Luke turned to her when they reached a spot. She put up her arms, still grinning like a maniac. "So, how are we going to do this? All prim and proper? A drunken shuffle? Line dancing, maybe?"
He gave her that look he'd been giving her for years. He sighed. "I thought we'd just be us," he said. His eyes met hers, just for a moment, and she thought she caught something there. Something that bounced off a barricade inside of her that she hadn't even been aware was in place.
"I think that's an excellent idea," she said softly. She put her hands up on his shoulders.
His went to her waist and they began to shuffle around to Tony crooning about his heart and San Francisco.
"Have you ever been there? San Francisco?" she asked.
"No," he said, and then totally surprised her again by asking, "Have you?"
"No." She shook her head. "I took Rory to California a couple of times, to see Christopher. But he lived outside of L.A."
He nodded and they danced in silence for a few more beats. Lorelai's brain, as usual, was anything but quiet.
She pulled herself a little bit closer to him, to make sure he'd hear her. She felt the freshly-ironed shirt under her hands.
"You got all dressed up to come over here. You hate getting dressed up."
He shrugged. "Not that big of deal."
She persisted. "You got dressed up and left the diner and came over here to attend an event for a guy you don't like."
"He's OK," he said, sounding like it was killing him to admit that.
She needed to get this all out. She needed to make sure she understood. "You did this just because it was something I was doing?"
"Well, yeah," he said, and his forehead creased like he wasn't sure why she was questioning it.
"OK," she said, nodding. "Thank you," she added, a few moments later.
"Like I said, no big deal."
She let the music fill in for their conversation for a little pause. "How do you like my dress?" she asked.
He glanced down at her again, frowning. "It's pretty," he muttered. "But you don't look like you tonight."
"I don't?" she laughed. "Who do I look like, then?"
"You look like someone you'd see in a magazine. Like someone at one of those red carpet things."
She looked sideways, trying to spot Rick. When she turned back, she caught the worried frown on Luke's face before he looked away.
"Luke," she said, and he looked at her again. "Sometimes I just like to get dressed up, that's all," she said, hoping she sounded reassuring. "Doesn't mean a thing," she added, just as the last note faded away.
Almost immediately Rick was at her side. "Luke, I hardly recognized you without the cap," he said, holding out his hand in greeting.
"Nice turnout," Luke said, sticking his hand back in his pocket as soon as he could after the cordial handshake.
"Derrick Storm always packs 'em in," Rick chuckled.
"I should go," Luke said, looking at Lorelai. "I promised Caesar I wouldn't be too long."
"Do you want a drink first?" Lorelai asked, suddenly wanting him to stay longer. "Did you get some food? You know you like Sookie's stuff!"
He looked at her then and smiled, a quick smile, but it was sincere and it was just for her. "Nah. I'd better get going."
She watched him leave, trying to ignore the disappointment she felt rising up from her toes.
"Nice of him to come," Rick said beside her.
"Yeah, it was," she said. Rick was smiling again. She contrasted his easy smile with the hard-won smile from Luke.
"Do you think we can get that dance now?" Rick asked conspiratorially, his public smile sliding into a more intimate one for her.
"Of course," she agreed, and he put an arm around her waist and led her back to the dance floor.
He danced smoothly, she found, making it seem effortless. They fit together and did some twirls and spins and dips. They looked like they'd always been dance partners. They laughed and smiled and enjoyed their time together. She felt dazzling and extraordinary.
But dancing with Luke, she couldn't help but reflect, had made her feel like her.
"Are there any more of the little parfait shot things?" she asked one of the servers.
The evening was starting to wind down, but Sookie had made the pink creamy stuff that she laced with Amaretto in the tiny little glasses, and they were good, and even though she'd had one or two or possibly six of them, she wanted another.
"I think in the walk-in there's still another tray," Karen told her, straightening up the other buffet items. "Do you want me to go get them?"
"I'll do it," Lorelai said, smiling at the hard-working woman. "You just stay here."
Lorelai ducked out of the back of the dining room and into the kitchen. "Hi, Chad!" she called out to one of the waiters loading up his tray with the last of the stuffed mushrooms. She braced her feet and opened up the heavy door to the walk-in refrigerator.
She nosed around but couldn't find the parfait shots. "Hey, Chad, are those Amaretto parfaits in here?"
"Bill just took those out," he called back to her.
"Great," she griped. Just as she reached for the chain on the light, she heard the door shut ominously behind her. Panic rushed over her, but before it could turn into actual fear she heard Rick's voice.
"This would make an excellent spot for a murder."
She turned to him, smiling, even though her heart was beating fast. "Is that always the first thing you think of?"
"Sometimes…not the first thing," he said, stepping closer to her. He carefully pushed one of her curls back behind her ear. "When I'm with you, murder's the last thing I think about."
"Well, that's good," Lorelai said. "Goodness knows there's probably plenty of people who would like to murder me. My mother, for one," she joked, but it was Luke's face that flashed through her mind.
"I don't know why anyone would want to murder such a beautiful, perfect girl," Rick said, drawing closer. He put his hand on her shoulder, and then brought it up to her face. "Kissing, though, that's different. I can imagine why men would be lining up, wanting to kiss you." His fingers tilted her face towards his and then he stopped talking about kissing and did it.
Lorelai wasn't surprised, of course. She'd been expecting it. In fact, the only thing that did surprise her was that it had taken this long.
She relaxed into him. The kiss was very nice. Rick knew what he was doing. His kiss was warm, letting her know that he really wanted her, but yet it wasn't like he was trying to rush her into anything else. It was just right, she decided. Like him. Suave and sexy, and sure, and, well, nice ―
She felt herself frowning. Should she actually be analyzing the kiss while she was being kissed? Shouldn't she be just enjoying the kiss instead?
She opened her eyes and jumped back with a startled cry as she saw Rick staring back at her, a frown on his own face.
"That ― that ―" she sputtered.
"Was not what I was expecting," Rick finished the thought for her, looking perplexed.
"I thought there'd be ―" she began, waving her arms over head.
"Fireworks," he supplied. "Or sparks. Something hot and sultry."
"Yes!" she agreed. She shivered and looked around at their surroundings. "Do you think it's the frozen chicken breasts and Brussels sprouts watching us?"
"Possibly," he said, looking around as well. "A change of venue, you think?"
"Yes!" she agreed, seizing the idea. She grabbed his hand and led him through a different hallway, across the lobby, and into her office.
"There," she said, shutting the door behind them. "Alone, and warm, and nobody frozen watching us." She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her mouth once again against his.
It didn't take long for them to break apart.
"I…I don't understand," Lorelai said fretfully.
"I don't either," Rick said, very unhappily. "What are we doing wrong?"
"I've wanted you to kiss me!"
Rick nodded, still trying to figure it out. "And believe me, I've wanted to kiss you. Lorelai, you are my dream girl. You're funny, you're smart, you're incredibly sexy and beautiful. I don't understand …"
Lorelai was nodding emphatically. "But instead, it's like I'm kissing my brother. If I had a brother," she amended.
"Sister," he muttered. Suddenly his eyes opened wide and he clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh, my God, that's it! Like a sister!"
"What?" she demanded, not following.
"Sister!" he yelled again. "See, I thought that since his name really is Luke, then that made me Han. But no, he's the scoundrel and I'm the brother!"
"What are you talking about?" she snapped.
"Star Wars! Luke, kissing Leia when she's really his sister! There's no sparks between us because we're so much alike it's like kissing a sister." He looked at her, disappointed. "You need to be with Han," he said with sorrow.
She scoffed at that. "And you think that Luke is Han?" In a temper she plopped down on the couch, her arms crossed angrily over her chest.
Rick cautiously sat down beside her. "Don't you?"
"No!" she snapped. "If he was, then why hasn't he made a move in all these years? It's obvious that he doesn't see me like that!"
"Are you sure? You're sure that there hasn't been something he's done that's shown his feelings?"
Santaburgers and missing chicks and years of home repairs and discounted breakfasts raced through her mind. Along with putting on a dress shirt and coming to a hated town party. But she was determined not to give in. She opened her mouth to dispute it all, but her lips were quivering and she had to concentrate too hard on blinking back sudden tears.
"Forget his side, then. Just think about you, and how you feel. What do you really think about Luke?"
Lorelai blinked some more and took a deep breath. "I think he's a nice guy," she began, grudgingly. "Maybe…Maybe the nicest guy I've ever known. He's kind, and he's funny, and he's fiercely protective. He took in his nephew and he's trying so hard with him. He always tries to do the right thing. He's smart, but he doesn't necessarily want people to know that. He's got this dry sense of humor that not everyone gets..." She trailed off, suddenly realizing that she'd perhaps said too much.
"And…he cleans up pretty good," Rick added ruefully.
Lorelai felt her lips twitch. "Yeah, he does. Although I actually don't mind the flannel and the baseball cap."
"Really?"
She raised her shoulders. "I gave him the cap."
Even in defeat, Rick smiled. "That explains that, then."
She sighed. "You're a guy. Tell me what's stopping him?"
Rick took her hand. "I already told you, Lorelai, you're exquisite. You really could be a princess up amongst the stars."
That made her laugh. "Trust me, he's seen me looking pretty ratty."
Rick shook his head. "I doubt that he thinks he's worthy of a princess. Han had enough ego to step over that barrier. Luke doesn't strike me as being very full of himself. You're probably going to need to take the first step."
"That's scary," Lorelai protested.
"Yeah, it is. But I saw you two on the dance floor tonight. By the way you looked together, I was pretty sure I didn't have a chance even then."
"How did we look?" Lorelai asked, curious.
Rick spread his hands as he tried to find the right words. "Like you belonged together," he finally said, lacing his fingers together. "Like you were already part of each other."
Lorelai smiled, remembering how she'd felt dancing with him, but then she shook her head. "I don't know that I'm brave enough to take the chance," she said, hesitantly.
Rick looked off into the distance, thoughtfully. "Maybe I can help you come up with something."
She put her hand on Rick's knee. "I'm so sorry, Rick. I never meant to lead you on."
He patted her hand. "I understand. The flirting, it's just something that we do, isn't it?"
She nodded, and they sat in silence for a minute or two.
"You know," Rick started, "I've had two wives and lots of girlfriends and I expect I'll have many more. But I've never had a sister."
"I've never had a brother," Lorelai chimed in.
"This might not be a bad thing after all," Rick observed.
"No," Lorelai agreed. "It might not be bad at all."
And they sat together for a while longer in familial comfort, both of them pondering what the future would bring.