I am loving all your reviews of this story. Thanks so much for reading!
Lorelai bit on her thumbnail as she stared at Luke. He was holding her hand tightly as he led her down the dock towards his boat, and he'd seemed like his normal self since the moment he'd picked her up at the Dragonfly an hour ago. After her request that he go home, she'd assumed that he would have seen her engagement ring and immediately gone to put it back where it belonged, on her finger.
Instead, when he'd arrived at the inn, he'd simply kissed her hello, made sure she had a healthy supply of coffee, and herded her out to his truck, telling her they were spending the afternoon on the boat.
He'd barely let go of her hand as he'd driven, only releasing it to maneuver on and off of the highway and around difficult turns before he'd pick it up again. But he'd been almost silent, and she wasn't entirely sure how to read his mood.
Maybe she'd been too presumptive in leaving the ring for him when he was upset about April leaving. Maybe he hadn't even seen it. Maybe he'd changed his mind and he wasn't ready to propose.
She watched quietly as he released her hand to climb aboard his boat and then turned to her, offering his hands. She gave him a hollow smile as he helped her aboard, then gestured to the ropes tying the boat to the dock. "Want help?" she asked, knowing her role when they were leaving the marina.
"No, I was thinking we could just stay here, enjoy the sun without actually going out," Luke said.
"Oh," Lorelai nodded. "Okay."
"You hungry?" he asked, setting the cooler he'd brought on the outdoor dining table.
"A little," she lied. The knots in her stomach would probably prevent her from eating much.
"I brought sandwiches and potato salad," Luke explained. "And potato chips, because I know you like to put them on your sandwiches even though I still think that's insane. But I also know better than to question your food habits at this point in the game."
She couldn't help but stare at him. Now she was beginning to question her own sanity. Maybe she'd only thought she'd put the ring and horoscope out for him this morning. There was no way he'd be acting this normal if he was planning on proposing today.
A feeling of disappointment and sadness washed over her as she slid into a seat, holding her hands in her lap as she silently watched Luke place a spread of food out in front of her. He offered her a happy smile as he did so, and she tried to match it, but she found herself growing more confused by the moment. Rarely was he so cheerful, and she found it difficult to process his good mood when she was quickly developing the urge to yell at him.
After he'd settled down beside her and they'd filled their plates, Lorelai picked at her food while Luke ate generous samplings of each food. He tried to carry on conversations, but she found it difficult to focus and responded only with one or two word answers. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought they'd fallen into some weird Twilight Zone personality switch warp.
"You didn't eat much," he observed as she began repackaging the containers of food twenty minutes later.
She shrugged, not meeting his eyes for fear of bursting into tears. "Not that hungry," she murmured.
"You feeling okay?" he asked. "You're quiet."
"Just tired," she turned to stack the items neatly into the cooler, adjusting them until they were perfect. She wanted to take her time to control her emotions so she could talk to Luke calmly and without sounding needy or accusatory. That hadn't worked too well for her in the past.
When she turned back to him, he met her gaze evenly and silently slid a small item across the table to her. She held his gaze as she reached for it, then turned to open the box. She smiled fondly when she saw her engagement ring sparkling in the afternoon sun, then turned back to Luke expectantly.
"I wanted to do it here," he explained. "Because we only have good memories here, on the boat. We've been through a lot, Lorelai, but I meant what I said that morning. Without you, my life isn't the same. It's not complete. I want you, forever."
Tears again filled her eyes, but this time she didn't fight them. "I want that too," she whispered.
Luke cleared his throat and scooted towards her, taking the ring from her and examining it closely. "I want you to know that it's you I want, Lorelai," he said. "I know you, all of you, better than anyone. I want you, not the image of you I carried around for years. We've fought and made up more times than I can count, and I know all your flaws and all your perfections. I know it all, and I still want you."
"Luke," she whispered, feeling her heart begin to race.
"You've fought so hard for this, Lorelai," he said gently. "We've both fought so hard. Let's not waste any more time. Marry me."
She nodded as she reached out to him. "Yes," she said as she hugged him tightly. "Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times, yes."
He kissed her then, resting a hand on her cheek as he poured all of his emotion, all of his love for her, into that one kiss. "I love you," he whispered, reaching to wipe her tears away when she pulled back.
"I love you too," she told him, sliding into his lap. "I never stopped."
"Neither did I," he promised.
She smiled as she wiped her tears away, then looked down at the box that was clutched in the hand resting on her thigh. "So are you actually going to hand it over?" she asked.
He smiled and handed the box to her, taking the ring out and then slipping it onto her finger, squeezing her hand tightly.
Lorelai smiled as she held her hand out in front of her. "It's beautiful," she sighed happily.
Luke followed her gaze, resting his chin on her shoulder as she tilted her head towards his. His hand rubbed gently over her back, and he murmured, "You're sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," she murmured. "You better keep that horoscope. It'll give us good luck."
"Already in my wallet," he promised. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, then asked, "You want some Zima?"
Lorelai laughed in delight as she turned to look at him. "You didn't!" she exclaimed.
"Of course I did, we made a deal," he laughed.
"To drink Zima and have sex every night?" Lorelai asked, a sparkle in her eyes.
Luke shrugged. "I brought the Zima," he said.
"And you, my fiancé, are going to get very lucky tonight," she promised. "Multiple times."
"God, that sounds good," he murmured.
"Getting lucky?" Lorelai asked. "I'll make it extra good tonight."
"No, that's always good," he laughed. "Fiancé."
"It's a great word, isn't it?" Lorelai smiled as she leaned down to kiss him again.
He returned the kiss eagerly, and she shifted to face him, returning the kiss as her passion and desire rose to the surface. "Luke?" she murmured in between kisses.
"Hmm?" he murmured against her lips.
"How do you feel about skipping the Zima?" she asked.
"Very good," he promised.
Lorelai kissed him one last time before she stood and took his hand, dragging him towards the cabin. She glanced around the marina, then offered him a saucy smile as she led him down the stairs. As soon as she was concealed from the outside world she pulled her dress over her head and dropped it on the floor, her heels quickly following as she walked the short distance to the small bedroom. Luke quickly followed suit, and by the time he'd dropped his flannel on the floor she was already waiting for him on the bed, completely naked.
"You need to start wearing less clothes," she said, watching as he toed out of his boots.
He swallowed hard as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. "You're so beautiful," he said as he took in the image before him.
"And you're taking too long," she said with a pout, making her just about irresistible. "Let me help."
Luke didn't argue as she crawled towards him, making quick work of his belt and shoving his jeans down his legs. His boxers quickly followed, and as he kicked the clothing aside he saw Lorelai's eyes focus hungrily on one thing. "Lorelai," he whispered, gently pushing her back onto the bed and crawling on top of her.
She sighed contentedly as they shifted together, his lips meeting hers in a deep kiss. "Please," she whispered into his ear. "Please, Luke, I need you."
He pulled back to meet her gaze, her eyes dark with want as they met his. He gently shifted her hips beneath him and slowly eased himself into her, committing every move, feeling, and sound to memory. She let out a pleasured gasp as her body stretched to accommodate him, and he reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Lorelai," he groaned softly.
Her free hand moved to his back and he felt a spark of electricity shoot through him at the feeling of her ring resting against his skin. Encouraged by the knowledge that she was his, really his, forever, he pulled his hips back and began to thrust into her.
"Oh my god," Lorelai moaned, her back arching as her hips met his, thrust for thrust. "Oh, Luke…"
She ran her hand over his back and her ring shifted slightly, the diamond now resting against his back. The presence of the ring that had been gone for too long made him feel suddenly territorial, and he increased his pace, moaning in approval as Lorelai cried out in response. A moment later he felt her body tighten around him, and he slowed, watching her closely as her eyes fell shut and she gripped his hand tightly.
When her eyes opened, she saw the raw desire in his eyes and she gently pushed at his chest, slipping him onto his back and straddling his waist. Her hands balanced herself on his chest as she slowly began to rock her hips, watching as his expression turned from determined to pleasured. His hands found her hips and he gently guided her motions as she moved over him.
"Lorelai," he gasped. "God, you're amazing."
She smiled as she leaned over him, letting her hands trail over his chest. "Tell me," she breathed. "Tell me how you want me."
He groaned and arched his hips up to hers. "Please," he moaned. "Lorelai, please."
She loved that she could do this to him, make him lose himself to the point where he could only beg. Their sex had always been good and he'd never left her wanting or needing more. But she found it just as pleasurable to know that she could completely unravel him.
With a sly smile she increased the movement of her hips, watching Luke carefully as his head reared back in pleasure. She could feel his body starting to tighten, and she slowed, wanting the moment to last forever.
"Lorelai," he gasped, his eyes opening to meet hers.
She smiled down at him, her own eyes losing focus as she felt his fingers gently trace her thighs. "Oh, yes," she gasped.
With a small smirk, Luke gripped her hips and gently shifted her angle so that he was pressed against the most sensitive part of her. She gasped and then leaned back, the tightening of her body around his sending Luke over the edge with her. Their moans mixed together as she collapsed on top of him, both of them breathing heavily.
"We are so good at that," Lorelai gasped when she'd caught her breath.
Luke pressed a kiss to her forehead and shifted her to his side. "You're amazing," he murmured.
"Back at you," she said, brushing her hair out of her face.
Luke reached for her hand and twirled her ring gently around her finger. "It looks perfect," he murmured.
She smiled as she followed his gaze. "Yeah, it does," she agreed. She was quiet for a moment before she asked, "Will you wear a ring?"
Luke shrugged. "I honestly never thought about it," he replied honestly.
"You don't have to," Lorelai said, reaching for his left hand. "It's not like the vows will mean less if you don't."
"I know," he sighed. "I'll think about it."
"I don't want a big wedding," Lorelai said softly.
"You can have whatever wedding you want," Luke assured her.
"We," Lorelai said. "We can have whatever wedding we want. You're going to get a say this time, Luke, I promise."
"I want the girls there."
"Well, duh."
He sighed into her hair. "They've never even met, not really," he pointed out.
Lorelai frowned. "Is it irresponsible of us?" she asked. "To force them into being sisters without even knowing each other?"
"I think they'll be fine," Luke said, his fingers running through her hair. "They're a lot alike. And they won't ever live together full time."
"I guess," Lorelai sighed. "Do you want to call them?"
"Not now," he murmured. "Let's just enjoy it ourselves for a little bit more."
Lorelai snuggled closer into his embrace. "Sounds good to me," she sighed happily. "I don't want to wait to marry you."
"Me neither," he sighed. "We've waited long enough."
"I want to go off the pill."
Luke's hand froze in her hair, and then he asked, "Really?"
"Really," she said. "I want a baby. Your baby. And I want her now."
Luke smirked as he ran a hand tenderly over her stomach. "Well, maybe we just made her," he murmured.
She smiled, but reached to still his hand. "I'm serious, Luke," she said. "It takes a couple cycles to leave my system. I want a baby before it's too late."
"We'll get a baby," he promised. "Toss the pills."
Her eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked.
"Really," he promised. "I want a baby too. The thought of seeing you pregnant and then getting to hold a baby that we created…you have no idea how happy that would make me."
She smiled as she climbed on top of him again. "You do realize that this whole baby making thing could take awhile," she said.
"We've got time."
"And it will be a lot of work," she whispered, running her hands up and down his chest.
"I'm always up for a challenge."
"And it means that you're going to have to give me sex anytime, anywhere I want it," she breathed, leaning up to kiss him deeply.
Luke smiled and flipped her onto her back. "I'm more than okay with that," he said.
She leaned up to kiss him, then said, "For now let's just go with no pills, okay?" she asked. "After we're married, then we can amp up the baby making."
"Deal," Luke said, leaning down to kiss her deeply.
XXXXX
"I don't want to go home," Lorelai sighed as Luke tossed her bra towards her two hours later.
"Why not?" he asked, fastening his belt and then reaching for his t-shirt.
"Because people will be there, asking questions," Lorelai sighed. "I like that it's just you and me who know. It's romantic."
"We can't keep it a secret forever," Luke said, watching in appreciation as she walked across the cabin in her underwear to retrieve her dress.
"Why not?" she asked, her voice muffled as she pulled the dress over her head.
"Well, our daughters would never speak to us again," Luke pointed out.
Lorelai shrugged. "They can know," she said. "Speaking of…" She looked down at her phone and frowned. "What time was April supposed to land?"
Luke looked down at his watch. "Just about now," he said. "It might take her a few minutes to find Anna."
Lorelai nodded and flipped her phone open. "Let's call Rory," she requested. She put the phone on speaker as she speed dialed Rory, frowning when she heard the voicemail pick up. "Lorelai Gilmore, this is Lorelai Gilmore. Call me back, soon!" She snapped the phone closed and turned to Luke. "I hate that she's grown up."
"I know you do," he said as he led her back to the deck.
"Why couldn't she have stayed twelve forever?" Lorelai asked. "Things were so much easier when the biggest issue was whether we were going to order Chinese or pizza for dinner."
"Kids grow up," he shrugged as he picked up the cooler.
"I'm going to remind you about that comment next time you rant about April wearing make up," Lorelai said.
"She's too young."
"She's fourteen," Lorelai corrected.
He gripped her hand and helped her back onto the dock. "She doesn't need make up," he said.
"No, but it's a rite of passage," Lorelai said. "Be grateful that's the only one she's gone through yet. By the time I was fourteen I'd hit about all of them."
Luke shook his head slightly. "I can imagine," he commented.
"But I turned out okay," Lorelai looked up at him. "Right?"
"You turned out perfectly," he assured her.
She smiled as she wrapped her arm through his. "You know you don't have to keep sweet talking me," she informed him. "The ring's not coming off. Ever."
"I know," he said. "Doesn't mean I can't compliment you sometimes."
"You're a good guy, Luke Danes," she said, pausing as she opened the door to the truck. "I think I want to marry you."
Before he could respond his cell phone rang loudly and he reached for it. "Hey, April! How was your flight? Good. Yeah, she's right here. Hang on." He held the phone in front of Lorelai and asked, "How do you put this damn thing on speaker?"
Lorelai pressed a single button and leaned towards the phone. "Hi, sweetie, how was your flight?" she asked.
"Hi, Lorelai," April sounded tired. "It was good. I'm glad to be home."
Lorelai rubbed a hand over Luke's arm as she watched a slightly hurt expression cross his features. "Well, we were glad to have you at our home," she said. She met Luke's expression and gestured to the phone expectantly.
"Hey, April, we have some news," he said, not breaking eye contact with Lorelai. "Lorelai and I decided to officially become engaged again."
April's squeal of delight was overwhelming even over the speakerphone, and her muffled voice came a moment later. "Sorry, Mom…hang on….Dad, that's amazing!" she returned her attention to the phone. "Lorelai, did you get your ring back?"
Lorelai smiled as she admired the ring all over again. "Sure did, and it's prettier than ever," she confirmed.
"I want to see a picture!" April cried. "Will you e-mail me some?"
"Sure," Lorelai said with a smile.
"I can't wait, this is going to be the best wedding ever!" April exclaimed. "Sorry, hang on…." Her voice became muffled again and she said, "Dad and Lorelai are engaged again…I don't know. You can ask him…Dad? Mom wants to talk to you," her voice returned a moment later.
Luke's body immediately tensed and he leaned against the side of the truck. "Sure, put her on," he sighed.
"I'll wait in the truck," Lorelai said, but he grabbed her hand and shook his head.
"No, you're part of this," he said. "You don't need to hide from her."
"Luke?" Anna's voice came over the line.
"Hey, Anna," he said wearily.
"I guess congratulations are in order," she said hesitantly.
"Thanks," Luke said.
"When's the wedding?" Anna asked.
"We don't know yet, but soon," Luke said.
"Okay, well, let me know and we can change the visitation schedule," April said formally.
"Thanks," Luke said. "Tell April I'll talk to her tomorrow."
"Sure," Anna said. "Thanks for taking care of her."
"Of course," Luke said. "Bye, Anna."
"Bye," she said shortly.
Lorelai frowned. "No offense, but I really don't get how you ever dated that woman," she said.
"She was different back then," Luke sighed. "At least she's being civil now."
"I guess," Lorelai said. "We'll make sure April's there for our wedding, Luke. I'm going to insist on it."
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "That," he murmured. "Is why I love you."
She smiled and climbed into the car. Once he had the truck on the way to Stars Hollow, she said, "Hey, we have to figure out who won the pool!"
He glared at her. "No, we don't," he said.
"Yes we do, because if it's Kirk, we're totally not telling anyone until it's someone we like who will win."
"We don't like anyone."
"We like Rory," Lorelai argued.
"We did until she bet on our relationship," Luke grumbled.
"Oh, please, she's always been your favorite," Lorelai sighed. "Come on, we'll announce it when she predicted and then make her give us the money!"
Luke tilted his head to the side. "Huh, taking money from those lunatics does sound tempting," he nodded.
"See, she knew you'd come around," Lorelai said. "I wish she'd call me back."
"She's got a job," Luke said sympathetically.
"Who cares about a stupid presidential election, her mother just got engaged!"
"She'll call you back when she can."
"I know," Lorelai sighed. She reached across the seat and rested her hand on his thigh, gently running her thumb over the seam in his jeans. "Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"I have to tell my parents."
His grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he nodded. "You do," he agreed.
She was quiet as she stared out the windshield. "I know you hate them," she whispered.
"I'm glad things are getting better," he said. "For your sake."
"They're trying," she said. "I really think they are. I know what they've done and said when it comes to you is horrible. But…they're trying."
"And you want me to try too," he deduced.
"Not if you don't want to," Lorelai said. "I won't blame you, really, I won't. But the reality is, when we do have a baby, they're going to be the kids' grandparents."
"I can't avoid them forever," he said knowingly.
"I'm not asking you to come to dinner every week," Lorelai said quickly. "Maybe we can have them over to our house. You know, home field advantage? It's important to me."
He glanced at her and nodded. "Yeah, we can do that," he said.
"Really?" she asked.
"I'd do anything for you, Lorelai, you have to know that by now," he said.
She smiled widely. "I do," she said.
"Hey, what are you doing?" he frowned as she unbuckled her seatbelt and slid across the seat to kiss his cheek. "Buckle up!"
"Sorry," she said with an eye roll. "I just can't stop myself when it comes to you."
He offered her an affectionate smile. "Back at you."
XXXXX
"I have a problem."
Luke glanced up from tying his shoes when Lorelai appeared in front of him dressed in her bathrobe. "Is this another fashion crisis?" he asked. "Because if you ask me, you should wear the bra with the easiest clasp to undo and the flippy skirt."
She rolled her eyes. "No, caveman, that's not my problem," she said. "I have to go to work."
"And?"
"And," Lorelai waved her left hand in his face. "Sookie's going to see this."
"Don't you want Sookie to know?" he asked.
"Yes, but not before Rory," Lorelai replied. "And since we played phone tag all night last night, she still doesn't know. She made me promise I'd tell her this time."
Luke cringed, remembering how he'd been the one to spill the beans after their first engagement. "Just take the ring off until you tell Rory," he shrugged.
Lorelai gasped as if he'd just asked her to chop her finger off. "No way!" she cried, holding her left hand tightly to her chest. "It's never coming off, mister. You can't get out of this that easily."
Luke rolled his eyes as he reached for the ringing phone. "Hello? Oh, hey Rory. Yeah, she's right here."
Lorelai snatched the phone out of his hands. "Guess what!" she cried.
"You're engaged?" Rory's voice exclaimed over the phone, loud enough for Luke to hear it.
Lorelai's jaw dropped. "How could you possibly know that?" she asked.
"Kirk told me."
"Kirk told you?" Lorelai asked, watching as Luke's face began to redden. "How does Kirk know?"
"Bootsy told him."
"Okay, how the hell does anyone know?" Lorelai asked. "We were very careful not to tell anyone until we told you and April!"
"Well, apparently Babette's cousin's son works at the marina," Rory reported. "He gave Babette the exclusive over East Side Tillie. There are pictures on Kirk's blog."
"Wow, we're being chased by the paparazzi," Lorelai mused. "I feel important."
"Mom!" Rory exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried," Lorelai said. "You're the one who never picks up your phone!"
Rory huffed. "Did you get your ring back?" she asked.
Lorelai smiled, remembering how April had asked the exact same question the day before. "Yep, it's back where it belongs," she confirmed.
"I'm really happy for you, Mom," Rory said sincerely. "I know how much you love Luke."
"I really do," Lorelai smiled. "Hey, can you send me your travel schedule? We obviously need to make sure the maid of honor isn't cruising with politicians when we choose a wedding date."
"Sure, I'll e-mail it to you," Rory said. "I have to go. Call me tonight?"
"You got it," Lorelai promised.
"Oh, and send me a picture of the ring!" Rory requested. "The pictures on the blog are way too blurry."
"I'm hanging up now," Lorelai informed her. "Babette has spies at the marina," she said to Luke, who rolled his eyes.
"So much for privacy," he muttered.
"At least we got to celebrate in private," Lorelai said, turning to the closet. "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't know what to wear."
XXXXX
"Okay, the table's set, the scotch is opened, and your dirty magazines are hidden," Lorelai announced as she walked into the kitchen where Luke was leaning towards the oven. "Hmm, nice view."
"Knock it off," he said, closing the oven door and turning to look at her. "Lamb's in the oven."
"Good, they like lamb," Lorelai nodded. She looked at him closely and then smiled. "You look nice. I like that shirt."
"Thanks," he said, giving her a once over. "You look beautiful."
"Is the dress too tight?" she asked, looking down at it.
Luke's eyes were drawn to her hips. "Not at all," he licked his lips.
She giggled. "Not too tight for your fantasies, too tight for my mother's approval," she clarified.
"It's perfect," he promised. "Tonight's going to be fine. You've said it yourself, they've been better lately."
"I know, but this is the first time they've been here in a long time," Lorelai sighed, then rubbed his arm. "This is the first time you're seeing them in a long time."
"I'll be fine," he promised.
"Good, because there's no backing out now," Lorelai said with a nod.
"I'm aware."
"Okay, so we can spend a good hour talking about Rory," Lorelai said. "And our news should take a good twenty minutes at least, especially when I tell my mom I'm not going to wear a traditional dress."
He frowned. "You're not?" he asked.
Lorelai shrugged. "It just seems silly," she said. "I'll wear white, I know that's important to you, but we want a small wedding. Wearing a fancy dress seems unnecessary."
"What about the dress you already have?" he asked. "You looked beautiful in it."
"No way," Lorelai shook her head. "I loved that dress, but that was the old us. Plus, you've seen me in it."
"You're okay wearing your ring," he said, reaching to play with the diamond.
Lorelai smiled as she watched him. "Yeah, I don't know, it's different," she said. "You're asking me to explain my thought process?"
"My mistake," he said, leaning in to kiss her.
"And don't think you're going to see the dress this time," she said. "That totally backfired."
Luke nodded and squeezed her hand. "The dress is your call," he nodded.
Lorelai smiled, and then tensed when there was a knock at the door. "Ready?" she asked.
"As I'll ever be," he shrugged.
"Thank you for doing this," she said sincerely.
"Go let them in," he said, nodding to the door.
Lorelai smiled as she opened the door and allowed her parents to step inside. "Hi, Mom, Hi Dad," she said. "Here, let me take your stuff."
"Hello, Lorelai," Richard said, rubbing his hands together as he looked around.
"The house looks lovely," Emily complimented.
"Oh, thanks," Lorelai said, leading them into the living room. "It's amazing what you can do five minutes before guests arrive. Scotch, Dad?"
"Actually, I think I'll change it up a bit and have a beer, if you have some," Richard requested.
"Really?" Lorelai asked in surprise.
"Oh, that sounds good," Emily nodded at her husband. "I'll have one as well."
"A beer?" Lorelai asked.
"Yes, is that a problem?" Emily asked.
"No, I'm just going to have to get photographic proof for Rory," Lorelai said. "I'll be right back." She retreated into the kitchen and tapped Luke on the shoulder as she walked towards the fridge. "So they both want a beer," she reported.
"What?" he asked.
"Yeah, make sure you bring the camera in to prove that it actually happened," she requested as she poured the beers.
"I'll help you," he said, taking two glasses and following her into the living room.
"Alright, nitwit juice is served," Lorelai announced, handing a glass to her mother.
"Thank you, Lorelai," she said as she settled onto the couch. "Hello, Luke."
"Mrs. Gilmore," he nodded. "Mr. Gilmore."
"Oh, Luke, you can call us by our first names," Richard said. "No sense in backtracking."
"Okay, Richard, thanks," Luke nodded nervously as he sat down beside Lorelai, who rested a comforting hand on his knee.
"So, Luke, is that your daughter's picture on the mantel beside Rory's?" Emily asked.
Luke glanced to the spot where Lorelai had thoughtfully placed April's most recent school portrait. "Yeah, that's April," he nodded. "That was almost a year ago, she's grown a lot since then."
"And she's in New Mexico?" Emily inquired.
"Yeah, her grandmother isn't doing so well, so she and her mom are out there helping her out," Luke said.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Emily sounded sincere. "It must be difficult to have her so far away."
Luke nodded. "I miss her," he nodded. "But she was just here for a couple weeks, I think she had fun."
"She totally shattered Rory's Scrabble record," Lorelai reported.
"Really?" Richard was intrigued. "Another reader in the family?"
"She likes to read, but she's mostly interested in science," Lorelai replied. "I practically had to bribe her to get her out of the summer science fair."
"Well, it's never too soon to start thinking about college," Richard announced. "I'd be happy to discuss Yale with her. If she's interested, of course."
Luke shifted and Lorelai shook her head slightly. "I think Rory would have that covered, but thanks, Dad," she dismissed the topic. "So, um, we have some news." Her parents looked at her expectantly and she felt Luke take her hand in support. "We decided to get engaged again. It's sticking this time."
Emily and Richard exchanged a glance before Emily offered them a smile. "Congratulations," she said sincerely. "I'm very happy for you."
"As am I," Richard sighed. "Although I do wish you'd taken another week to decide this. I now must host a DAR fundraiser at the house next month."
Lorelai's jaw dropped. "You made a bet?" she asked.
"Well, we knew it would happen eventually," Emily said. "It was simply a matter of when. I knew it would be sooner rather than later. Didn't I tell you that, Richard?"
"Yes, my dear, I should know by now that you're always right," Richard placated.
Lorelai turned to Luke. "We should start making major life choices after consulting everyone in our lives," she said. "Maybe we can find a way to make money off of it."
He shook his head slightly. "Or we could just start betting on everyone else," he commented.
"I like that idea," Lorelai said with a nod.
"Have you decided when the ceremony will be?" Emily asked.
"Nope, no decisions made yet," Lorelai sighed. "We need to figure out when April and Rory will both be here and go from there."
"That makes sense," Emily nodded. "I can have my dress maker send some wedding dresses over."
"We should have bet on that," Luke muttered into Lorelai's ear and she elbowed him in the stomach.
"Thanks, Mom, but I'll take care of the dress," she said. "Maybe I'll even make it."
"Lorelai!" Emily's impatient voice now sounded more familiar. "You can't make your wedding dress!"
"Why not, someone's got to," Lorelai shrugged.
"Yes, a designer," Emily insisted. "This is the biggest day of your life, it needs to be done right."
Lorelai sighed. "Look, Mom, the wedding is more of a formality for us at this point," she said. "It's not going to be more important than the day Luke and I actually decided to start a life together. Or the day that Rory was born. Or the day our kids are born. We're not going to make a big deal about it."
"Your children?" Emily zeroed in on Lorelai's comment as her eyes traveled to her midsection.
"I'm not pregnant, Mom," Lorelai began to feel the familiar sense of frustration creep over her.
"Are you sure?" Emily asked.
Lorelai responded by taking Luke's beer out of his hand and drinking the remaining half in one gulp. "Proof enough for you?" she asked.
"Lorelai, there's no need to be vulgar," Emily admonished.
"I'm going to go check on dinner," Luke announced, squeezing Lorelai's knee. "Give me a hand?"
She followed him into the kitchen, whispering in his ear, "You're so getting lucky tonight."
"Just figured you could use a breather," he shrugged, peering into the oven. "I think you're right, she's trying."
"She was okay at first," Lorelai conceded. "Sorry about the baby thing. She doesn't need to know that."
He shrugged. "She probably would have found out eventually," he commented. "I'm sure Kirk's writing about it on that ridiculous website of his."
Lorelai smiled as she wrapped her arm around his neck. "Thank you, for doing this," she said.
He smiled as he placed his hands on her waist. "You said that already," he informed her.
"I'm just really grateful," she murmured, running her finger over the collar of his shirt. "I didn't want to do this myself."
"You're welcome," he assured her. "Now let go before they come in here and see you trying to feel me up."
Lorelai gave him a quick kiss before she released him and stepped back. "How much do you think it would freak them out if I told them we're tossing donuts into the crowd instead of having a cake?" she asked.
XXXXX
"All right, the Stars Hollow High marching band will continue to perform the National Anthem at football games, despite the fact that the tune is not recognizable in the manner in which they perform it," Taylor announced at a town meeting the following night.
Lorelai yawned and leaned her head against Luke's shoulder. "Want to go make out?" she whispered.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed his hand over her arm. "I wanted to stay home and make out," he reminded her.
"Okay, fine, you were right," she sighed. "This is the most boring meeting ever."
"Luke, Lorelai, please," Taylor sighed from the podium. "This is a public space."
"So?" Lorelai asked, not moving her head from Luke's shoulder.
Taylor sighed and shuffled some papers around. "Well, this matter was saved for the end of the meeting, but seeing as the opportunity has presented itself, we can discuss it now," he said. "As we have all read on Kirk's blog, Luke and Lorelai are officially engaged. Again."
Luke tensed and his grip on Lorelai's arm began to tighten. "Luke, stay calm," she requested. "I'm comfortable."
"Now, we've all realized that the dynamics of this town are much better when they are together than they are apart," Taylor continued. "However, we now must discuss the possible solution to the wedding problem."
"Wedding problem?" Luke narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, there are several different venues and resources throughout the town to be used while planning your wedding," Taylor explained. "I have taken the liberty of drafting several scenarios in which every business in town receives an equal share of the revenue."
"The revenue?" Lorelai asked. "Taylor, we can plan our wedding however we want to."
"Yeah, we've been waiting for this for years!" Babette chimed in. "Don't them breaking up again!"
Kirk leaned forward in his seat and said, "I would like to offer my services as a photographer," he said. "Lorelai, if you remember in your past engagement to Max you had already hired me. Although the groom has changed, I feel that…" his voice trailed off as he saw Luke glaring at him. "Never mind." He quickly leaned back in his seat.
"Now, in the first scenario, Doose's Market will provide the refreshments for the ceremony," Taylor said, pointing to a chart he had produced seemingly from nowhere.
"How is that fair?" Bootsy called. "That means you'll get all the profits from the alcohol they purchase."
"Yeah, we all know what happens when Lorelai drinks at a wedding," Gypsy added.
"Hey, that was different!" Lorelai frowned.
"Don't be embarrassed, dear, at one of my weddings I took off my dress and played the bongos," Patty assured her.
"Don't give her any ideas," Andrew advised.
Luke let out a frustrated breath. "How much longer do we have to listen to this?" he asked her through gritted teeth.
"They're just trying to help," she shrugged. "We don't have to listen to any of it."
"I have taken the liberty of outlining several wedding scenarios for your review," Taylor continued, producing a basket of folders. "Please take one on your way out and we will be voting next week."
"Voting?" Luke jumped to his feet, effectively shoving Lorelai off his shoulder. She frowned and steadied herself before she looked up at her fiancé. "No one besides me and Lorelai will be voting on this."
"Your opinion will certainly be considered…"
"It will be the only opinion that's considered!" Luke yelled. "I'm tired of this Taylor! Every damn time we make a decision, you turn it into some ridiculous town vote! It's not anyone's business but mine and hers!"
"And our kids!" Lorelai chimed in.
He ignored her and continued his rant. "If we want your opinions, we will ask for it! We're people, Taylor, and we will not become part of this conspiracy to control the town that you've had going for years. I refuse to let this happen this time. There will be no vote, there will be no packets, and there will be no scenarios. Lorelai and I will plan the wedding that Lorelai and I want!"
Clearly bored, Patty turned to Lorelai. "Dear, would you be willing to promise all your wedding plans will come from Stars Hollow businesses?" she asked.
"Done," Lorelai nodded.
"Meeting adjourned!" Patty declared.
Lorelai collected her purse and stood to meet Luke. "See how easy that was for us girls to figure out?" she asked.
"They cannot do this," Luke informed her.
"I know," Lorelai shrugged.
"This is our wedding."
"And you want to plan it, I know," Lorelai said, steering him out of the dance studio. "You better not let that get around, Butch, or you'll ruin your reputation."
"I'm going to kill Taylor."
"I know," she placated.
"And TJ."
"TJ wasn't even there," Lorelai reminded him.
"Yeah, well, two birds, one stone," Luke ranted.
"Oh, hang on," Lorelai said, reaching into her purse for her ringing cell phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Lorelai!"
"Mom?" Lorelai frowned. "You sound…happy."
"What's wrong with being happy?" Emily asked.
"Well, usually you sound disappointed, angry, or frustrated when addressing me, so I'm a little thrown for a loop," Lorelai replied. "What's up?"
"I have excellent news," Emily reported. "I reserved the Rose room at the country club!"
"Okay," Lorelai said without emotion.
"Lorelai!"
"There's the frustration," Lorelai commented.
"You could show a little enthusiasm here," Emily informed her.
"Okay, so you got the Rose room," Lorelai repeated blankly. "Is it for a fundraiser for breeding roses without thorns?"
"Of course not, it's for your wedding."
"What?" Lorelai froze, and Luke turned to look at her.
"Your wedding," Emily repeated. "To Luke."
"Yes, I'm aware of who I'm marrying," Lorelai rolled her eyes.
"All I need from you is a date," Emily stated. "They have every weekend in September open."
"September's a week away, Mom."
"September 2009, Lorelai."
"2009?" Lorelai repeated and Luke's eyes widened. "That's two years away!"
"Well, these things take time," Emily explained.
Lorelai pressed her hand to her forehead. "We're not waiting two years to get married," she said.
"You have to!"
"Uh, no, we don't," Lorelai said.
"Well, you need a decent venue," Emily replied.
"We have a venue," Lorelai replied. "We want to get married at the Dragonfly." That much they had discussed.
"Lorelai, you can't get married at your place of business," Emily sighed.
"We have weddings there almost every weekend, Mom."
"And you can't have your own wedding there," Emily said. "You'll get distracted."
"Well, I think I'll be able to tear myself away from the front desk for long enough to get married," Lorelai said.
She could practically hear her mother roll her eyes. "We will discuss this on Friday," she announced before she hung up.
Lorelai snapped her phone shut and threw it into her purse. "I bet that eloping idea is looking pretty good to you right now," she said as they resumed their walk.
"We could do it, you know," he said, reaching for her hand.
She turned to look at him in surprise. "What, elope?" she asked.
"Yeah," he shrugged. "I mean, obviously we'd wait for the girls, but then we can just…do it."
"You told me you couldn't," Lorelai argued.
"That was different," Luke insisted. "We were different."
"I know." She was quiet for a few minutes before she said, "I don't want a fancy wedding."
"Me neither."
"But I think…I want something," she murmured. "I was so desperate that night, but now that we're better and I'm thinking clearly, I want something. Small. At the Dragonfly. Soon."
"That sounds perfect."
"Thank you," she sighed. "Hey, what do you think would happen if we locked my mom and Taylor alone in a room with his wedding scenarios and see who comes out alive?"
Luke scoffed. "My money would be on your mother," he replied. "Taylor would start yammering about equal revenue and the town economy and she'd kill him before they even got to a single detail."
Lorelai sighed. "Why do we tell these people anything?" she asked.
"You got me." Luke stopped in his tracks suddenly, and she turned to look at him curiously.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, gesturing to a house in front of them. "This, uh…this is the house where I grew up."
"Really?" Lorelai turned to look at the blue house that stood on the corner of the small side street they'd turned onto. "I had no idea."
"It was a long time ago," he shrugged.
"Doesn't matter, I'm sure you have great memories of the place," Lorelai said. She'd walked by the house thousands of times before, but she'd never stopped to look at it.
"Yeah, that's the tree I smashed into when I broke my arm," Luke pointed out.
"Okay, so maybe not all of them are good," she said. "Which room was yours?"
"It was in the back," Luke shrugged. "That window was Liz's."
Lorelai followed the direction in which he was pointing and nodded. "Well, she had the trellis to climb down," she nodded. "Personally I preferred a tree."
Luke shook his head, but she could see something written on his face that she couldn't quite place in the darkness of the evening. She looked at the yard and saw toys littering the grass. "It looks like another family is making good memories here," she said softly.
"I guess," Luke nodded. "Let's go home."
Lorelai nodded and took his hand as they continued down the sidewalk.
"I hate getting sensitive," he said suddenly.
"I know," she said. She took a few steps before she said, "It's just me, Luke. You know you can say anything to me."
"I know," he said as they approached their house. "I wish they were here. To meet April and you and Rory. To see us get married."
"I wish they were too," Lorelai murmured. "I hate that you miss them so much."
"For a long time I didn't let myself think about them," he said, sitting down on the porch steps and pulling her to sit beside him. "But now that I have my own family, I don't know, it's like I can't stop thinking about what they would be doing if they were here."
Lorelai nudged his shoulder with hers. "What would they be doing?" she asked.
"Well, my dad would be following Rory's motions across the country religiously," he said. "For a small town guy, he was pretty interested in politics. And my mom would have been teaching April all the family recipes and swearing her to secrecy."
"What would they be doing for us?" Lorelai asked gently.
Luke shrugged. "Well, my dad would probably be asking you why you're settling for someone like me," he said. "And my mom…she'd be collecting every movie about weddings ever filmed to watch with you and combine all your favorite parts to help you make your dream wedding."
Lorelai laced her fingers through his. "I'd tell your dad that I'm not settling," she said. "And that I'm marrying you because I love you. I'd tell your mom that we'd need plenty of pizza and red vines before we watched any of those movies. And I'd thank both of them for raising you to be the kind of man you are." She watched as Luke ducked his head slightly, embarrassed at her words. "Hey, what would they do for you?" she asked.
"Dad would be telling me not to mess things up," Luke said. "He'd probably have some sort of project he'd want to work on, the boat or a bookshelf or something, and while we worked he'd tell me about how lucky I am to have you and how I need to make sure to make you happy. And my mom…I don't know, she'd probably ask me to help her with a new recipe and while we were cooking she'd have some sort of lecture about making sure I understand how important it is to tell you how happy you make me."
Lorelai smiled softly. "They sound really wise," she commented.
"It's probably just my ideal version of them," Luke shrugged. He rested his hand on her thigh and traced a finger over her knee. "I know it's not real."
"I think it is," Lorelai said. "I think they'd both be really proud of you. How could they not be? You're a great father, even to Rory, who's not yours. You run a successful business and as much as you complain, you'd do anything for this town. You've always been there for Liz, and, in my very unbiased opinion, your best quality is how you'd do anything for the people you love. I know you're going to be an amazing husband."
"I don't deserve you, you know that?" he murmured.
"Well, I disagree," Lorelai countered. "I think you deserve the best. And we all know that I am the best girl in the world."
Luke shook his head as he looked at her. "Thanks," he said.
"Hey, that's what a wife does, right?" Lorelai asked. "Just practicing."
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You kept the chuppah I made you," he observed after a moment.
Lorelai's gaze traveled to the archway that stood beside the garage. Years ago, she and Luke had been sitting in this very spot when they'd discussed the idea of marriage and she'd realized she couldn't marry Max. "I couldn't give it up," she murmured.
"But you could get rid of half your closet?" he asked.
"Clothes can be replaced," Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know, consider it my version of the horoscope. It means too much."
"Does it remind you of him?" Luke asked.
"Who, Max?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah," Luke shrugged. "You were going to marry him under it."
"I know that's what you thought," Lorelai said. "But actually, after our talk when you dropped the chuppah off, I realized I couldn't marry him. The things you said, about marrying someone who didn't want to change you, it really got me thinking. Max was…he wasn't a bad guy, but he tried to hard, I guess. Rory was still living here and he kept tossing all these parenting scenarios on me."
"I'm glad you didn't marry him," Luke murmured.
"Hmm," Lorelai sighed. "You know, he proposed in the middle of a fight about you."
Luke pulled back to look at her. "What?" he asked, his eyes wide.
Lorelai smiled softly and shook her head. How had she been so clueless as to what Luke felt for her all those years ago? "Yeah, he um, came to pick me up and you were over because you'd left Bert here, do you remember?"
"Kind of," Luke searched into the depths of his memory.
"Well, the two of you kept going back and forth, you telling him that you fix things around the house and him telling you not to expect me at the diner until later than usual," Lorelai said. "And then you left and he asked me if I was over you yet."
"Over me?" Luke repeated.
"Yes, apparently we gave off some sort of sexual tension vibe," Lorelai said. "And he and I were fighting about it, I said nothing had happened, he said there was something between you and me, I said we should break up and he said he wanted to get married."
"Wow," Luke murmured.
"And I just…I don't know, freaked out and rambled something about it not being a good enough proposal, so he sent daises to the inn," Lorelai shrugged. "And it was just convenient, I guess. I liked feeling wanted. But then at my bachelorette party, my mom started rambling about how before she and my dad got married she used to sneak out of bed and try on her wedding dress, imagining his face when he saw her. I realized I'd never thought of that, not once. I tried my dress on at the store, made sure it fit, and then never thought about it again." She left out the part about calling Christopher. In hindsight, she should have been calling Luke that night.
"You tried our dress on," Luke said gently.
Lorelai smiled sadly. "Almost every day," she said. "Even after you saw it, I loved how you looked at me. Like I was…"
"Perfect," Luke recalled. "You were. You are."
"Even after…" Lorelai took a moment to collect herself as she searched for the strength to dust off the horrible memories of that point in her life. "Even after you postponed the wedding and stopped staying over, I still tried it on. I'd put the veil on and just stare at myself in the mirror, hoping that someday you'd look at me that way again."
He sighed deeply. "I was an idiot."
"Well, we're here, and you're looking at me that way again, so I guess I got what I wanted, even if it is two years later."
"Promise to tell me if I ever stop looking at you like that?" he asked.
"Promise you won't let me pull away?" she asked.
"Deal," he held his hand out to her and she shook it.
She leaned into him as she turned to look at the chuppah. "I still can't believe you made it for me," she murmured.
"Well, I didn't want to get you a blender or something stupid like that," he said dismissively.
"Did you know then?" she asked curiously. "I mean, you were carrying that horoscope around. Did you know how you felt about me?"
Luke sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't think I consciously knew," he murmured. "I know that…I didn't think Max fit into your life the way he should have. Maybe I was jealous, I don't know. But I wanted you have something special. You deserved something special."
"I loved it," Lorelai murmured. "The fact that you spent hours making that chuppah for me, I'm sure it was a lot of work. You made every detail so perfect without even thinking twice. And Max…he couldn't even choose a ring without Rory's help. He had to ask about every little thing, and when you brought it over I realized how well you knew me and how little he did. I realized then that I didn't love him, I couldn't marry him, and I dragged Rory out of town."
"That, I remember," he said.
Lorelai giggled. "I made Sookie tell you because I was too chicken to," she said. "She said you gave everyone free coffee that day."
"What can I say, I was glad I wasn't going to have to see him spend an hour reading the menu every morning," Luke rolled his eyes.
She elbowed him slightly, but couldn't help smiling. "He never would have made it with us," she admitted. She was quiet for a moment before she said, "When Anna called last week, and we talked, she said something that kind of bugged me."
"I thought you said she was nice," he said. "Or…nicer."
"She was," Lorelai said. "I don't think she was trying to be manipulative, but we were talking about how you're such a great dad and a good guy, and she said she wished she'd realized it when she got pregnant. She said things might have worked out between the two of you."
Luke didn't say anything, but his fingers continued to stroke her arm.
"You would have married, her wouldn't you?" she asked. "If she'd come to you and told you she was pregnant?"
"I don't know, maybe," he said honestly. "But I was still pretty young, and we'd already broken up. It's hard to say what I would have done."
"But you would have proposed," she said flatly. "I know you, Luke, if she'd come to you with that you would have tried to take responsibility."
"I would have been there for April growing up," Luke admitted. "I don't know, I guess I probably would have at least proposed."
"You would have been married to her this whole time," Lorelai whispered. "We wouldn't be sitting here right now."
"It's a moot point," he murmured. "We are sitting here, isn't that what matters?"
"I guess," Lorelai said. "Maybe I felt threatened, I don't know."
"She has no chance with me anymore," Luke said firmly. "Look at everything she's thrown at me in the past two years. Even if you and I hadn't made it, there's no way I'd be interested in starting things with her again."
Lorelai winced. "Yeah, I seriously don't get what you saw in her," she said honestly.
"Let's not go there," Luke murmured. It was a nice moment and he didn't want to start in on Christopher at the moment.
"Right, okay, can't judge," Lorelai said, clearly understanding.
"I guess at our age it's easy to look back and see where our lives could have gone," Luke said. "I could have married Anna, you could have stayed in Hartford. There are probably thousands of moments where we could have done one thing differently and changed things forever."
"I guess," Lorelai sighed. "My mom thinks we need to wait two years to get married."
"No way in hell," Luke said.
"That's what I told her," Lorelai smiled. "I said it's really just a formality at this point. We've already promised everything to each other."
"We have," he agreed.
"But I do want to see you in tails and a top hat," Lorelai smirked.
"Uh, no," he said. "That's a deal breaker."
"Kidding," she giggled. "Wear whatever you want. Hell, don't wear anything. That is my favorite look for you."
"Again no," Luke said.
"Fine, we can have a real celebration once we're alone," Lorelai said. "We need to figure out April's Christmas schedule."
"I know," he said, by now accustomed to her random thought process. "It will be here before we know it."
"Yes, and she gets to experience a patented Lorelai Gilmore Christmas," Lorelai said. "Last year Christmas was canceled because Rory was in London."
"I remember," he tensed slightly.
"So we'll go all out this year," Lorelai promised. "And hey, I have two of your birthdays to celebrate this year. Technically three, since two years ago I was a mess because of Rory's visit to Hartford."
"You were sad," he stated.
"Not because of you," she replied. "You're the only thing that kept me standing during those months."
"I'm glad," he sighed.
"We should go out on the boat one more time before it gets cold again," Lorelai suggested.
"We can do that," he agreed. "Sail up to the Cape or something."
"That would be so fun!" Lorelai said.
"I'll see about arranging staff for the diner," he promised.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, each basking in the normalcy of the moment. They were finally able to discuss the past without animosity or tension, and it felt good to just sit and talk. Lorelai realized that they'd rarely done this before, and she loved that this newer, better version of them could just enjoy a quiet, normal evening together.
Too soon, Lorelai groaned when she heard the phone ring from inside the house. "Ignore it," she pleaded as Luke pressed a kiss to the top of her head and tried to untangle himself from her embrace.
"It could be one of the girls," he replied.
"But I'm so comfortable," she sighed as he stood.
He was already halfway to the door by the time she'd managed to stand, and she heard him pick up just before the machine clicked on. After he didn't appear she assumed the phone call was for him, and she turned back to look at the chuppah. It had been ages since she'd actually looked at it, and she wandered over, running her hand over the smooth wood. She stood underneath it as she had with Luke years ago, examining his work and the care he'd taken to make it perfect for her.
She hadn't had the heart to tell him that the only reason the chuppah was still there as because she hadn't known how to get rid of it. It had stood in her yard as a painful reminder of what could have been, through the worst year of her life. Christopher had had no idea what a strong reminder of Luke stood in the front yard, and maybe part of her had wanted to keep it that way. If she'd told him it had been made by Luke, he probably would have destroyed it with his bare hands. Now, though, she was glad the chuppah had survived her year without Luke.
"Hey," his voice came into her ear and she turned to look at him.
"Hi," she said, smiling softly. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, April was calling to inform me that her next experiment has to do with a comparison of which flowers will last the longest in a wedding bouquet," he said. "It seems as though everyone knows what's best for this wedding."
Lorelai smiled softly. "That's sweet," she said. "She's allowed to care. And Rory. No one else."
"No one else," he agreed, then ran a hand over one of the legs of the chuppah. "It's held up pretty well."
"You did an amazing job," Lorelai smiled. "We should use it."
"What?" he asked.
"Well, you made it for me to get married under, right?" she asked. "So when I get married I want to be standing under it."
"I made it for you and Max," he said.
"Oh," Lorelai said. She hadn't thought of that. "I guess that would be weird."
"I never imagined," he sighed. "That it would be you and me. I never thought you'd see me that way."
"Well, I do," she said. "It took me awhile, and I got lost for a bit, but I see you now."
"I know," he said, looking over it carefully.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, stepping closer to him.
"I'm trying to find it," he murmured. "There. Look."
She followed his finger and smiled softly. "You carved my name into it," she said softly. "I can't believe I never noticed it."
"It wasn't made to be noticed," he shrugged.
"Did you put Max's name on here too?" she asked.
"No," Luke almost laughed. "He didn't deserve it. I did put Rory's name over here though."
She followed him to the post closer to her and smiled when she saw Rory's name carved beside a rose. "That's so sweet," she murmured. "Hey, there are two unnamed posts."
"So?" Luke asked.
"So," Lorelai said emphatically. "One for Luke and one for April. It'll be like a family chuppah."
He smiled and nodded. "I can do that," he said.
"Here," she took his hand and stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder as they faced the yard. "Practice."
Luke glanced down at her as she stood at his side, her smiling face framed by the golden arches of the chuppah. For a flash, he could see her in a white dress, smiling back at him in the light of day, and he knew without a doubt that it was right. "It's perfect," he said.
"Good," she smiled. "As soon as we can get the girls' schedules coordinated we'll figure out a date."
"I can't wait," he said.
"Me neither," she said. "We're going to be the hottest newlyweds Stars Hollow has ever seen."
"Certainly the most anticipated," Luke sighed as he led her back to the house.
"I suppose so," Lorelai considered. "Hey, do you think they'll give us a trophy?"
"For what, bumpiest and longest road to marriage?" Luke asked.
"Sure," Lorelai said. "Might as well get something shiny and pretty out of it."
"I'll let you present that to Taylor," Luke said. "Make sure I'm far away."
"Okay," Lorelai said as she shut the door behind her. "Hey, Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm really happy."
He smiled as he pulled her into his arms. "Me too, beautiful girl."
Lorelai beamed up at him. "Your sweet talk is a total turn on," she informed him.
With that, he leaned down to kiss her deeply before she dragged him to the stairs.