Page 92 of Pity Play

“It’s how I knew I wanted my restaurant to be on the river. You can see Capon from my place.”

Walking into the building, he leads me to the elevator and pushes the button for the twenty-fourth floor. We kiss again whenthe doors close and I start to think I wouldn’t mind at least a PG surprise. When the elevator stops, Luke takes me by the hand. We stop at the third door on the right and he takes his key out. Before he can put it into the lock, I hear a dog bark.

“You got a dog?” I demand. “You said that you couldn’t get a dog because you weren’t home enough.”

“I never leave her for more than three hours,” he tells me. Then he says, “But she’s not mine. I’m keeping her for a friend.”

A wave of jealousy washes over me so intensely it catches me off guard. “What kind of friend?” I ask cautiously.

“She’s a really good friend.”

“She?” Now I am simmering. “What are you doing asking me out if you have afriendlike that?”

“Don’t get mad yet,” he says. Then he opens the door and we’re both assaulted by his charge.

“Penelope?” I practically burst into tears as the doodle does her happy dance around me. Then I turn to Luke. “What are you doing with Penelope?”

“I picked her up when I was in Elk Lake last week.”

“For who? Who’s your friend?”

A slow smile overtakes him. “You are my friend, Lorelai. I knew you were going to have to leave your parents’ house, and I know you wanted Penelope. I didn’t want someone else to get to her first. My parents said you could drop her off with them whenever you want.”

Honest to goodness tears start to stream down my face. “You got her for me?”

“I did.”

“My parents aren’t selling the house until next year,” I tell him.

“Doodles are hypoallergenic,” he responds.

I’m so full of emotion I swear I’m going to burst. “Noah is staying at my parents’ house now, too.”

He looks shocked. “Why?

“It’s a bit of a story,” I tell him. “But the long and short of it is that he’s the new basketball coach of the Elk Lake Crappies.”

Luke laughs. “I keep hoping someone will change that name.”

“It is pretty bad,” I agree. “But crappies are delicious fish, so you just have to keep reminding yourself of that.”

“I cannot see your brother in Elk Lake to save my life.”

“You couldn’t see yourself there, either,” I remind him. “But now you’ve bought a restaurant there.”

He nudges into my side. “You’re there. That’s the real draw.”

That’s when I get the best idea ever. “Luke, my best friend from high school

was Allison Scott. Do you remember her?”

“Maybe? I mean, I knew you had one friend around more than any other.”

“That was Allie,” I tell him. “And Allie is back home.”

“And?” He’s clearly not putting this together.

“Allie had as big of a crush on Noah as I had on you.”

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