"Luke, oh Luke, I'm here for dinner!" Lorelai called as she entered the diner.
"So are a lot of people, sit down and wait your turn," he called from the kitchen.
The townsfolk laughed at the exchange.
"See Patty," Lorelai said as she grabbed a table with Rory, "I sleep with him and still don't get preferential treatment here."
Patty smirked, "I would think sleeping with him IS the preferential treatment! He doesn't let just anyone see what's under that flannel Honey."
"You tell her, Patty!" Luke placed Patty's dinner in front of her and then turned to Lorelai and Rory. "What can I get you?"
"Cheeseburger and fries please," Rory smiled at him.
Luke nodded and asked, "And for you?"
Lorelai gave him the doe eyes, "You haven't kissed me yet."
Luke rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. He leaned down and planted a soft but lingering kiss on her sweet lips.
"I'll have what she's having," Patty hooted.
"This is why I don't like to kiss you out here," he said against her lips.
"Back off Patty," Lorelai growled. "If he stops kissing me because of you I'm going to buy him baggy jeans."
Patty pretended to zip her lips.
Luke headed to the kitchen but Lorelai called, "You didn't take my order!"
"I'm making you the same thing as Rory. If you get something different you'll just envy her plate and bug her till she trades with you."
Lorelai gasped and looked at Rory with shocked horror. "He's not letting me order!"
"He knows you too well," Rory shrugged. "He's totally right about you wanting whatever I order. It's happened the last four meals we've had together."
"So you're teaming up on me?" Lorelai sulked.
"Oh hey guess what?" Rory tried to distract her Mom. "I found a really cute dress for you to wear to Grandma's tomorrow. I know she was bugging you about wearing the same maternity dress more than once."
"Thanks, Sweets!"
Luke slid their plates in front of each of them and one with a turkey sandwich for himself.
"You're joining us?" Lorelai asked happily.
"You want me to come to the meeting with you. So I gotta eat now. Unless you still need alone time."
"No way," Rory shook her head. "I love when you eat at Luke's."
Luke snorted and motioned to their food, "Okay well then let's eat so we're not late."
XoXoXoXoXo
A little while later Luke was sitting between Lorelai and Rory at the Town Meeting. Taylor was droning on about people picking up after their dogs and trying to get the crowd excited about the end of Summer festival.
"People, people, people," Taylor sighed while banging his gavel. "We're almost done here. Now I'm thrilled to announce that the Dragonfly is reporting numbers of eighty-five percent capacity or higher through Thanksgiving, meaning tourist season is still in full swing! Gypsy's lemonade stand had record high sales at our Fourth of July festival, so I'd like to expand that booth.
"Great!" Gypsy beamed, "Andrew said he's willing to help."
"What about Morey's nuts?" Babette hollered.
"That booth will be right beside Gypsy's," Taylor smiled. "It seems to be a winning combination so why mess with a good thing? I've also procured the required permits to have a fireworks display on the first night of the festival to start things out right. Kirk will be running the kiddie area so if you have high school students in your family that would like to put in some volunteer hours speak to Lulu about the sign up sheet. I'm still waiting to hear back from Luke about a coffee booth."
"Keep waiting," Luke yelled in response.
"Oh Honey, but how will I get my favourite coffee?" Lorelai pouted.
"Walk the five steps from the Town Square to my diner and get your coffee."
"Seems reasonable," Rory nodded.
"We're trying to encourage people to buy their food and beverages AT the festival," Taylor sneered.
"I prefer not to gouge my customers for the same items they can buy in my store just because it's at a booth a few steps away. I would imagine that's why I have such loyal customers."
"I have some mini marshmallows in my purse," Lorelai whispered. "Do you want to throw some at him?"
Luke smiled at her, "Nah, he'll cry."
She laughed and popped a marshmallow in her mouth.
"Mom, you're still wincing" Rory noticed. "Are you still in pain?"
"Pain? What pain," Luke asked in a panic.
"It's nothing," Lorelai waved off. " I think these pants are too tight."
Luke nodded, pretending to believe her but he made sure to start paying extreme close attention to her.
Kirk made a presentation about his next money making endeavor, Taylor confirmed the list of volunteers for the next swap meet and Miss Patty announced the new Fall schedule of her classes. Luke had managed to keep an eye on Lorelai the whole time, and by the time Taylor was about to ask if there's anything someone wants to bring to the floor, he whispered to Lorelai, "Get up, we're heading to the hospital now."
"What? Why?" Rory whispered harshly.
Lorelai grimaced, "Luke is making a big deal about my stomach pains. Honey, maybe it's time I came clean, I had tacos today. I know you said I shouldn't, that it's just crappy food with no nutrients and they give me heartburn lately. That's all it is. Hush now, I wanna hear the rest of the meeting."
Luke took a calming breath and sighed, "Lorelai, you can't time heartburn attacks. You've been shifting with discomfort every ten minutes for the last hour. Now grab your bag or I will pick you up and carry you out of here."
"Okay, okay." Lorelai grumbled as she collected her stuff.
"Hey there," Taylor called from his podium. "The meeting is not over yet."
"Well my pregnant wife is uncomfortable and I want to take her home to lay down," Luke barked as he glared at Taylor. "Are you going to try to stop me?"
"Alright, just leave quickly and as quietly as possible," Taylor instructed. "The meeting is still going."
"BYE EVERYONE!" Lorelai yelled.
"BYE!" The crowd called back and then laughed.
"I'll call you when I get home. I can bring more of that ice cream you like!" Babette called.
"If she's feeling any pain, you should see if you can time it. It could be labour pains," Jackson called out.
"She's still a week till her due date," Patty informed him.
"A week is nothing," Jackson responded. "Daisy came two weeks early!"
"That's right. And it's a full moon tonight. My sister always delivered on a full moon," Gypsy added.
"Look what you started," Lorelai scolded Luke. "It would have been faster to just wait till Taylor was done talking."
"People, PEOPLE PLEASE!" Taylor yelled, desperately trying to get the meeting back in order.
"Yeah but then Taylor wouldn't turn six shades of red," Luke grinned.