It's nothing, really, he's sure of it.
So she's had a few untimely and odd phone calls lately, her behavior, well, actually it's been rather suspicious; and she's been strangely jumpy. For a detective, she wasn't always the best liar. But it's nothing.
"Hey." He alerts her to his presence as he makes his way into the break room, and tries to ignore the almost imperceptible way she startles at his voice.
"Hey." She's unusually short, as she slides her phone back into its place in her pocket.
"Coffee?" He tosses out the rhetorical question as he moves towards the machine.
"Sure." Another short response, but he doesn't say or do anything about it, he just continues to fix the coffee for her.
After a few minutes in an awkward silence, sipping their coffee gingerly, he questions her. "So, who was on the phone?"
"Oh…no one." She brings the mug to her lips, and he doesn't the slight smile that comes across her face as the warm liquid soothes her throat.
"Hmm," he responds, obviously knowing otherwise.
"I'll be at my desk." She excuses herself and hurries out of the room before he can ask more questions.
'It's nothing.' His inner voice tells him, but there's a part of him that knows this behavior, and…
Kate's not one to…she would never –
No.
He's sure of it.
He's not even going to consider it; because there is no way that she would ever.
Right?
She knew she shouldn't be doing this.
Castle, definitely, would never approve of this.
But honestly, what's the harm, really?
It's only dinner; it doesn't have to mean anything.
Except for the fact that they've had lunch or coffee together four times in the past week.
Speak of the devil. She sees Castle getting off the elevator from across the bullpen and waves in acknowledgment before she ducks into the break room to end her call.
"Yeah, I'm sorry he just walked in; I gotta go." She speaks quietly into the phone.
"We need to tell him, he deserves to know."
"And I will…. Soon." She glances over her shoulder and she sees his stocky figure making his way over, and she knows she's got to stop this conversation. Now.
"Before he finds out on his own, because I think you know how well that will go over."
"Yeah, I know. But he's walking in, I really have to go."
"See you tonight."
She hangs up the phone without another word as Castle walks into the room.
"Hey."
"Hey." She stiffens slightly at his tone. It's almost as if he knows. Well of course he knows something, you idiot! He's not stupid, nor oblivious. It's his job as much as yours to pay attention to details. Every detail.
Coffee?"
"Sure." She knows she's being short, but she's afraid she might give something away if she goes into longer responses.
"So, who was on the phone?"
Shit.
"Oh…no one." Come on Kate, you're a detective and that's the best you can do?
She hears his hum of acquiesce and knows that he doesn't fully believe her. She needs to get out of there, now.
"I'll be at my desk." She manages to get out as she moves swiftly out of the room, and she's finally got a second to breathe, if only it's just that. A short second, because she knows he won't stay away from her forever.
She sinks into the comfort of her chair, letting out a soft breath, pulling the papers out of the manila folder in hopes to accomplish something before the remorse eats her alive.
With a silent sigh she pulls her coat over her shoulders, almost (not almost, exactly, she does) feeling bad. Castle invited her over, asked her if she wanted to order in and maybe watch a movie. With the awkward declining of that offer she knows that he's defiantly suspicious now, and knowing him he's going to start digging and won't stop until he figures out what's going on.
He walks her out to her car, kissing her briefly as they bid their farewells. It's an awkward encounter, that's certain. He doesn't ask where she's going or what she's doing tonight, which gives her much relief because she knows that she can't lie to him to save her life.
Driving to the prearranged meeting place, her mind keeps rushing back to her boyfriend and how she really shouldn't be doing this. The torture that he got last time this happened.. After a sharp intake of breath, Beckett shakes her head she tells herself that she shouldn't worry too much right now. She's got to enjoy herself while she still has the chance; while this still lasts.
Castle waves goodbye to his girlfriend through the back windshield of her car, but he knows that she probably doesn't see him. He waits a minute to turn away and head the direction to his own loft, the question about what she's doing tonight, who she's meeting is nagging at him. Is it the person from the phone call she so quickly ended and wouldn't tell him who it was? Why doesn't she want him to know who she's talking to?
He slowly takes a step backward before swiveling on the heel of his boot and starting the walk back to his loft. Stop worrying, Castle. She would never.
He wonders if he should have followed her, hopped in a cab and figured out where she was going and who he is with. But he didn't, and he isn't sure if he's mad or proud of the fact that he didn't, because if Beckett caught him there that would probably be the end of his life as he knew it.
As he reaches the loft, makes his way up to his door and steps over the threshold into the empty room, he just shakes this off. Because really, it's nothing. And if it was something, she'd tell him. Wouldn't she?