Luke leaned back in his chair and heaved a sigh of annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Okay, so how many are we talking here?” Luke eyed the little girl suspiciously.
Nothing but the small diner table stood between man and child. She sat across from him, arms folded in a position that exactly mirrored his own. Her blue eyes glittered mischievously and Luke could not stop himself from thinking that she looked just like her mother.
“Five,” she replied, eyeing him with equal intensity. Luke’s cool faltered.
“Five?!” he asked incredulously. He leaned forward, putting his hands on the table and narrowing his eyes. ”You expect me to fill the back of my truck with hay, and cart you and five of your little friends around town for an hour?” He breathed deeply through his nose, putting his rant to an immediate stop for sake of the child sitting before him.
Without missing a beat, the girl nodded.
”Yes,” she said simply.
They both turned their heads at the sound of the door swinging open. A tall, dark haired woman entered and approached the table with a smile, arms laden with bags full of a variety of junk food and sweets.
Luke suspected that the M&Ms in the bag in the woman’s left hand were among the only green things the woman had purchased that evening.
“Hey kid,” she said, stroking the child’s hair. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah, just about,” the girl said smiling up at her mother. “I’m just making a deal with our Luke, here.” She then turned to face him, an expecting look on her features.
Luke’s head dropped in defeat.
”What time?” he growled.
”Seven’s good,” the girl giggled, standing up.
She took her mother’s hand and together they headed towards the door. At the last moment, Luke lifted his head.
“Happy Birthday, Rory,” he called in their direction.
“Thanks.” She waved in acknowledgement and continued out the door. The mother, however, lingered.
“Thanks, Luke,” she said, her teary eyes shining with sincerity.
“Anytime, Lorelai,” he said to the swinging door. “Anytime.”
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