Welcome to Stonebrook

Twenty Two

~Lor~

"Wait. You made mystery guy a cake for his birthday?" I nod, closing the fridge door, kind of hoping some fairies will come along and fix it for me. It looks horrendous. Like not even a little bad. I honestly could have had the kids make one and it would have looked better. 

Libby had planned something with her dad last night that meant he had been away all night with her after keeping her off school yesterday. Apparently she was a little upset his new girlfriend was getting to spend his birthday weekend with him and she didn't. So I'd told Clay if he didn't spend most of it with her then I'd simply lock him out of the house. His jaw had clenched so hard at the prospect of not seeing me that I ended up crawling over into his lap and kissing along it until he settled down again. 

"I spent all night on it. Followed the instructions so well. I think it worked out okay." 

"You think?" 

"Well I - I had to like cut off the top bits that went like a hill and I tried that and it- it wasn't bad?" 

"Wasn't bad." 

"God, this is so fucking stupid. I shouldn't have bothered. He's going to think I'm dumb or something." 

"Lor, chill out. I don't think he will. This is the guy that knows you can't cook and has been teaching you for 2 months without a single judgement. Why would he care?" I stared at my phone on the counter, swiping the incoming call from my mother away. Again. "I'm sure he'll love it." 

"I should have just bought him one from the store." 

"You think so badly of yourself Lor. If you're constantly telling yourself you're going to fail, then you're going to fail. You need to be more positive." 

"Hm." 

"LOR? BABE?" 

"Gotta go Wells." 

"Okay. Happy birthday to Mystery guy. Go get laid Lorelai." 

"It's off the table." 

"Eh, it's his birthday, at least give the guy-" 

"OKAY BYE WELLS." I punched my finger on the end call button right as Clay came into the room. 2 months of having him as mine and I still doubt I'll ever get used to him standing in my kitchen doorway looking at me like that. "Hi Birthday boy." 

"Hi Baby." I rounded the table, wrapping my arms around his waist and reaching up to kiss him. "Was that Wells?" 

"Sure was. Calling to ask me to go out next weekend to celebrate Logan's new promotion. You're invited too." 

"I am?" 

"Mhm." 

"Want me to come?" 

"We still have a few weeks left before the end of the school year." Clay nods understandingly. I really wish I didn't have to hide him like this. I'd love nothing more than asking him to come out with me. To drink and dance and laugh with him. I know for a fact he'd get along so well with all of my friends and I know Wells is a huge fan of the fact he doesn't throw plates at me. I just can't risk someone seeing us together and taking it back to the school. I know Frankie wouldn't have an issue with it. So long as it doesn't affect my job or I don't treat Olivia any different to everyone else because of it, which I wouldn't ever dream of. It's more how it'd go down with the rest of the town and staff. 

Clay hasn't been quiet about the fact he's in a relationship again. It's been the talk of the town since he skipped work to look after me when I got the flu a few months ago. The staff room is filled with whispers about who it could be in town and they pin down his relationship with every single woman. When my name's been mentioned, there has always been a perfectly timed distraction. Thankfully.