"I know, but this time her boss needs her to work a little longer, so she asked me to do it. Want to walk with me back to the hardware store?"
"Mommy says I'm not supposed to go with strangers."
"I'm not a stranger, I'm your moms friend."
"Promise?"
Luke smiles nervously. "I promise, come on."
Rory holds Luke's hand and goes with him. Luke has no idea what he's going to do, he's never had to watch a kid in his life and can barely stand to be around any kids, other than Rory.
"Is your dad at the store too?"
"He is."
"Yes!"
"You can help him count things."
"I love to count."
"I know."
"It's fun."
Luke laughs.
"You're strange."
"I know. "She agrees.
Once they get there, Rory says hi to Will and runs over to the screw driver and nails section.
"Hey shorty!" Will shouts back and looks at his son. "Aren't you going to tell her to take her backpack and jacket off?"
"Huh?"
"You're in charge of her till her mother gets here."
"I brought her here, that's what I was supposed to do."
"Luke."
"What?"
"You're in charge."
"Uh...ok. Rory, here, let me have your jacket and bag pack."
She takes it off and hands it to him.
"Thanks."
"Welcome."
What seems like the longest 40 minutes of his life, finally ends when Lorelai comes in.
"Hi sweetheart."
"Mommy!"
She scoops her up, swinging her around, giving her a big hug and kiss and putting her back down.
"Mwahhh, I am sorry that I couldn't pick you up."
"That's okay, I counted lots of things!"
"Great, how was school?"
"Good."
"Were you good for Luke and Mr. Danes?"
"Uh huh."
Lorelai looks at Luke.
"She was fine."
"Thank you again."
"You're welcome."
"I was in a jam."
"It's okay."
"I..."
'Lorelai, it's fine."
She smiles.
"Well, okay, thanks."
"Again, no problem."
She starts digging around in her purse.
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for some cash to pay you."
"Stop it."
"It's the least I can do."
"Have dinner with me tonight." He say boldly.
"What?"
"A third date."
"But-"
"I am not taking no for an answer."
"But, Rory..."
"We can figure it out."
"I just..."
"Dinner, tonight. I'll pick you up at 7:00."
She smiles.
"Okay."
She then leaves, calling Mia, who agrees to watch her.
It's not 7:00, Rory is at Mia's house and Luke picks Lorelai up.
'Hi." She says when she answers the door.
"Hello back." He says, kissing her, sweetly, greeting her.
"Let me just grab my purse and we can go."
"Alright, great."
"Come on in."
Luke follows her inside and watches as she looks for her purse.
"So how's your dad been feeling?" She asks to not make it totally silent as she searches.
"He's uh, good I guess. Says he wants to talk to me about something tomorrow, no idea what that's about."
"Oh well I'm sure it'll be fine."
He smiles and nods. "I'm sure you're right."
Lorelai finds it. "Ah, got it! Ready?"
"Ready."
"Let's go."
Luke holds the door for her and they leave, getting in his car.
"Where to tonight?"Lorelai asks.
"Not a chance I am telling you."
"Aw man."
"I am sure you will like it."
"Okay. Good. I'm starved."
"Me too."
They start driving along..
"So Luke, thanks again for picking up Rory."
"No problem."
"It will never happen again."
"Okay..."
"I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me, I don't just pawn my kid off on anyone, I was stuck and-"
"Lorelai, really, it's cool, I didn't mind helping out."
"Okay, but it will never happen again, I promise, you won't have to worry about her."
"It's fine. She comes with you."
"What?"
"I am dating you. She is your kid."
"Yeah, but..."
"She is a good kid. I don't mind."
"Yeah but I'm sure you didn't sign on for this when you started dating me."
"Nah but it's all good, seriously."
"Okay but..."She keeps trying to get another word in about it.
"Don't worry about it."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Rory was excited to go to Mias."
"Yeah?"
"Uh huh. Mia insisted she stay the night."
"That's cool."
"Yup. So, I'm home alone."
"Oh?"
"Yes so if you wanted to come over after dinner..."
"Or you know , this restaurant Isn't that good." He hints.
"No?"
"How hungry are you?"
"I'd be good with anything that makes us get back to my house faster." She hints again.
"You want McDonalds?" He teases.
"Mmm...no."
"Really?"
"I am not all that hungry for food anymore."
He laughs.
"When you haven't had sex in over two years..."
"I get it."
"And I like you."
"I like you too."
Luke turns around and heads back to her house.
"Good boy."
They get to her house and go straight up to her room.
"I'll be right back."
She grabs something from her dresser and goes to the bathroom, coming out minutes later.
"I haven't worn this in awhile, so..."
She comes out in a skimpy, but promiscuous outfit.
"Wow..."
"You like?"
He only nods.
"You're quiet when you're turned on."
"I'm a 22 year old guy." He reminds her.
She giggles and crawls onto the bed. "Ah yes, I can see that."
He flips her over and laughs and they enjoy a lot of each other all night...
After a while...
"Okay, now I actually am hungry for food."
"I can make us something , what do you have?"
"You can cook?"
"I have many talents."
"Oooh."
"Yeah."
"Well, I don't have much food."
"I can go get something."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds good."
"How about burgers?"
"And fries too?"
"Sure , I'll be back."
Lorelai starts to figure he's just using this to get out.
"Okay..."
"I am coming back."
"It's okay, I'll be okay if you don't I'd understand. Who wants to be with someone my age with a kid right?"
He kisses her. "I am coming back. Relax."
"Okay."
He leaves and Lorelai lays there in bed.
"this guy is too good to be true." She says to herself.
About 20 minutes later she hears her door open.
"I am back!" He shouts.
She throws on a rob and then goes downstairs.
"Look at that and you brought food."
"I told you I was."
"If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that I'd be rich."
"Hm.."
She rolls her eyes. "It's not like I sleep with guys all of the time, I just mean-"
Luke laughs and nods. "I know what you meant, here, dig in."
They grab paper plates and water bottles and sit at Lorelai's kitchen table to eat the burgers and fries.
"Thanks for picking this up, it's great."
"No problem."
It's quiet for a few minutes, Luke plays with the napkin and looks at her.
"Lorelai?"
"Yeah?"
"I just want you to know, this thing we're doing, you and me, I just want you to know it's not a one time thing. I really like you, and I like spending time with you."
She smiles. "Thats good to know. Guys I have dated have clearly tried to get one thing from me, with all intentions of that being the only thing the wanted."
"I want more than just sex."Luke says sincerely.
"Thanks."
"You're beautiful. I like your company. The sex is a huge bonus."He teases.
"I've been out if practice."
"Could have fooled me."
She smirks.
"I'm not exactly climbing in bed with every woman I see either."He tells her.
"Good to know."
"So uh, you mind if I ask you something personal?"
"You can ask, I might not answer." She says honestly.
"What happened between you and your parents?"
"Oh..."
"You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious because you seem like a good person, and Rory is a great kid, I don't know her that well but she seems great..you don't talk to them at all?"
"No I don't."
"For how long?"
"About 4 years, I lived with my parents for the first year I had Rory but then after that, I just couldn't take it anymore, so I left."
"So you ran away when you were only 17?"
She nods. "Guess you could say that."
"That must have been hard, out on your own that young with a baby?"
"It was but I've been managing so far."
"Do you ever miss anything?"
"All of the time, I missed my prom, my high school graduation, I missed going to college, hanging out with my friends, who all I ditched me after I got pregnant...but I love Rory, she's changed my life and how I look at life."
"That's uh..."He kisses her.
"You're a strong woman."
"I have to be. I have to for my girl and me."
"You shouldn't have to do this alone."
"I do though. I just...Chris is more worried about him. He loves Rory, but I just sometimes think school and girls are more important."
"No way."
"He is immature. That's why we didn't work out."
"For Rory's sake, I hope he grows up soon." Luke says.
She smiles. "Me too, he's in college, I mean...I don't know, I know he loves Rory so much, he really does and Chris isn't a bad person. There are worse people in the world than him, I don't want you to get the wrong idea."
"I don't know, to me he seems like a jerk."
"He's just...Christopher...there's a lot you don't know about him." She finds herself getting a little defensive and Luke backs off a bit.
"I'm sorry, you're right."
"It's okay."
"For what it's worth, it seems to me like Rory couldn't ask for a better mother than you."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"I don't have a choice though."
Luke nods.
"You're doing great."
She nods.
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"You want kids?"
He shrugs. "Never thought of myself as much of a kid person."
"Believe me, I didn't think that of myself either."
"Yeah just, don't know ya know."
"I get that, you're still young, you don't need to have it all figured out yet."
"Maybe, someday, but not yet." He comes up with a clearer answer.
"That's usually the standard answer. Do you know what you want to do once you graduate?"
"Not sure yet, I'm pretty good at building stuff...I don't know...sounds lame.."
"It doesn't sound lame at all. It's a good idea."
"I guess we will see."
"Yeah."
They sit there in silence and then Lorelai speaks up
"So, if you want, you can stay the night."
"What?"
"You know, you and me, in my bed."
"Overnight?"
"That is usually what stay the night means, yes."
""Oh..."
"Unless you don't want to?"
"I want to, I really want to."
Lorelai smiles. "Okay, great."
"Yeah."
"I have a comfy bed."
"I know."
"So you can sleep well."
"I plan on it."