I'm in. I am all in.

Okay, so I definitely think that these two would meet through Jess and Lorelai, yeah? And like, on one hand I really see them getting along b/c they both can be pretty grumpy and perfect foils to their goofy/optimistic counterparts, but at the same time I also see Luke like wanting to throttle Nick? Like have you seen the episode where Nick has a box where he puts all of his bills/things he doesn’t want to deal with? Like Nick’s inability to face his responsibilities would probably get Luke pretty upset? 

Michael had put a hold on their bank account — well the company’s account — which the Bluths had been using for as long as Lucille could remember. Without that, there was no money. And if they didn’t have money — dear god, what did they have? 

He wasn’t answering his phone and when he wasn’t at the office, Lucille went on a mad dash from place to place, asking anyone who might have come into contact with him. Finally, she wondered if he might be with Lorelai and drove out (for the first time) to Lorelai’s home. 

She was immediately appalled (and distracted) by the personal touches - such as the lawn chairs and the pumpkins on the stairs. And while she didn’t always agree with her daughter Lindsay, she was at least thankful that she had better taste than Lorelai. She mentally tucked this away to bring up the next time she saw Emily. 

Between having her eyes off the road and the fact that all she’s had had today was several vodka martinis, Lucille drove her car right into the tree in front of Lorelai’s house. 

It was this stove he'd come to fix.  Luke wasn't sure he'd counted it such a blessing, previously, that his father had been in the hardware business, but it had certainly proven a blessing to Lorelai.

Luke hadn't thought much of it when a cadillac had veered out in front of him on his drive to the house.  The erratic behavior up ahead had given him more pause.

"Hey!" Luke shouted from inside his car.  "Pull off the road!  Don't you know you're gonna get someone hurt!"  Shaking his head, he'd determinedly turned up the radio, as if this could somehow save him from the headache this driver was even now giving him.  "Drunk drivers," he muttered.  "Stupid, irresponsible..." he frowned.  "Hey, didn't I see that car on World's Worst Drivers?"

It was around this time that Lucille suddenly veered right into Lorelai's driveway.  "Oh no," muttered Luke.

"Uh, yeah can I get the hot dog with a side of fries? With a chocolate shake. And, can I get a large onion ring and a coke put in for my friend? He’ll be here in like two seconds."

Luke's eyes found Jesse's with (irritated) surprise when he voiced his question.  "What's with the no cell phones thing," repeated Luke, his brows arching.  "You're here to eat, to enjoy your stay, what could possibly be so urgent that you need the constant irritating buzzing of a phone?  My customers don't want to hear your irritating ringtone or you prattling along to someone who doesn't care enough to actually show up and I sure as hell don't."  

Charlie sat in his corner table at Luke’s. He was a semi-regular and half the time he came in, he ordered a glass milk, which he’d mix with flour and vitamins from Dosey’s to  make into little energy balls. Luke tended to get upset when he did this — because he made a mess, for one thing — but he tended to do it from behind his fort of menus, so Luke didn’t always notice until it was too late. 

Today, he had some more cash on him, so he looked through the menu for something more substantial. 

Besides, it was Saturday, which meant that Jess might be much later if she came in at all. Usually, he’d come and wait for her during the mornings, since she’d come in sometimes before school and he didn’t have to be at the bar until late in the afternoon.

"If you order a milk, so help me, Charlie, I will toss you out on your ass."  To Luke's surprise, however, he was leafing through one of the menus.  Holding his note pad out in front of him, Luke's eyes followed Charlie's motions.  

"Dude, where are you? I’ve been standing outside for like twenty minutes, yo. Are you coming or not?  …. Yeah, I’d get a table, except that the asshole behind the counter doesn’t let you use cellphones … yes, I’ve got it. You better show, Badger, because I’m on a tight schedule."

Jesse shut his cellphone, turned around, and walked into Luke’s. The small dinner was in the middle of the lunch rush, so the only place Jesse had to sit was up at the counter - which wasn’t ideal for a deal, but the place was crowded enough that he might be able to pull it off. 

But that wasn’t the problem. The problem was Badger who wasn’t always the most subtle person.

Drumming his hands on the counter, a little impatiently (Mr. White was anxious that he move more product and he didn’t have too much time to waste if he was going to sell an entire pound — which was setting his sights really high). But as long as he was here, he might as well eat. 

It was for this reason that he pinned a look of annoyance on the new comer with the beanie on his head and pointed behind him to a chalkboard labelled TODAY'S SPECIAL.  Luke was the furthest thing from a people person.  

"Yeah, we got one.  Here, take a menu," he added, slapping it down in front of the man who'd been loitering outside his shop for a ridiculous amount of time, now.  Luke did not trust youths and he certainly did not trust youths with time on their hands.  Ironically, however, what Jesse was actually up to was a great deal worse than the motives Luke's imagination was currently assigning for him.  Still, even Luke knew that commerce was the wheel that turned American industry.  If he could pay and was above board, Luke would serve him.

Marshall could almost taste the warm, juicy burger as he stepped into Luke’s. He had been thinking about the heavenly meal throughout his classes today and had actually been caught looking into space, drooling, by one of his classmates. He selected a seat up at the counter and waited, somewhat impatiently, for someone to come around and take his order. Unfortunately, it was the end of the lunch rush and that meant patience. 

As usual at this hour, Luke's Diner was packed and Luke was bellowing orders in the kitchen while organizing all the customers and the rounds were taking some time.  The instant he caught Marshall Eriksen walking in - with the same expression as a kid in a candy shop - even from the corner of his eye, Luke had to smirk to himself.  Fortunately, as usual, Marshall was willing to wait until Luke got a chance to get to him.