AN: I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (that's right, Merry Christmas!) and let you know I want Rick for Christmas... Anyone?
Oh, well. Please forgive my including Ashley in this. I began this story a week or so before the breakup episode! :S I won't be including him much anyway!
"But... but Christmas is when we get the weird ones!" Kate burst, staring at Rick as if he was sick. He shrugged and continued to type on his phone's QWERTY board. She sat down with a thud and tossed her head. Kevin and Javier chose that moment to walk into the bullpen.
"So, Castle," Javier said, pulling out a folder from his desk, "when are you leaving for the Hamptons?"
"The 23rd. I'll be back in the new year."
"Wait a sec…" Kate murmured, "am I the last to know?"
"The wife always is…" Kevin mumbled to his partner and received a chuckle from his two male cohorts, but his boss's glare had him slinking away to the break room seconds later, Javier following.
They sat in silence in the bullpen, Rick typing away on his phone, oblivious to Kate's inner disappointment. She stared at her keyboard and tried to force herself to concentrate, but failed. Although she would never admit it out loud, she was hurt by Rick's lack of consideration and tried to find a discreet way to ask after his exact plans. She failed there, too.
"So, who's going?" she heard herself say, still not believing she'd actually said it.
"Well, Ashley's parents have a place nearby, so Alexis and he managed to talk his parents into coming away with us. If not, I'd probably have been going alone. As it is, I'll barely see her with Ashley there."
Normally, she'd have managed to sympathize that he'd not be seeing much of his daughter throughout the holidays, but she was too mad at herself for being so disappointed over his going away for the holidays.
"Sounds quiet…" she mumbled, turning back to her work, but Rick pumped his fist in the air and grinned like a cat.
"Not anymore!" he burst before standing on his chair and clearing his throat. "Your attention, please!" he boomed. Kevin and Javier came back in and several cops approached him to listen. "This year, the Castle New Year's party will be held at my house in the Hamptons!" People exchanged glances and looked like they were about to decline, but he continued.
"Anyone who's interested is invited to drive up on the 30th or 31st. Arrangements have been made for any accommodations you may require. There's even babysitting for the night of the party if you want to bring your kids."
The precinct began to whoop and holler in glee, but a door opening calmed the officers. The clicking heels killed it entirely.
"And how could we celebrate without our fearless leader?" he burst, turning to Victoria Gates with a smile. She crossed her arms.
"The mayor just asked if I was attending your annual party. Who don't you invite, Mr. Castle?" she asked, but continued before he could reply. "My RSVP, however, is no. I already promised to visit family back home." With that, she was gone.
When her door closed, everyone – Rick included – seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. There was a light applause and several cries of 'I'll be there!' as Rick hopped off the chair and took a bow, then sat down. Kate snorted and began typing once again. Rick's perpetual stare proved to be too disconcerting to focus.
"What?"
"I'm waiting for your RSVP, detective."
"I'm not sure," she sighed. "I usually spend it with my dad," she told him, hoping it would give her time to decide, but his frown told her otherwise.
"I'm inviting your dad."
"You're what?" she burst before she remembered where she was and dropping back to a whisper. "You're inviting my dad?"
"Of course. You, um… you don't know this, but your dad is the one who asked me to talk to you about leaving your mom's case alone." Kate's eyes widened. "He thought you might listen to me," he explained, lowering his gaze from hers for a moment. "Guess father doesn't always know best…"
Every ounce of her energy went into resisting her desire to chuckle. Biting her lip, she tried to ignore him, but his stare never let up.
"You know, it's creepy when you stare like that," she told him, not lifting her eyes from her paperwork.
"Then answer and I'll stop staring," he said as if the solution were obvious. She spun towards him and opened her mouth to tell him she'd consider it, but if her father was invited, she really didn't have an out.
"Fine," she huffed. "If I can get time off work and my father accepts the invitation, I'll be there, but I can't promise anything." He grinned and began to work on his phone's keyboard. That was the last they discussed of it. After all, he didn't have to know how disappointed she'd been. Or, how happy she was now…
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Days whizzed by and, as each one began, Kate braced herself for a new barrage of questions, but it never came. As she walked in this morning, she settled into her work, waiting for a paper cup of her favorite coffee to appear in front of her, but she was through a serious pile of paper when she noticed there was still no coffee on her desk.
"Hey, Esposito, you seen…" As her gaze lifted from signing her name, she glanced at the calendar and finally realized what day it was, despite having written it two dozen times in an hour and a half. It was Friday. He was gone already. "Nevermind."
"Something wrong, Beckett?" Javier asked, barely managing to suppress a grin. She glared at him and he shut up.
"I'm not used to it being so quiet," she muttered through clenched teeth and shoved herself away from her desk, heading to the break room. Her cell hummed by her hip.
"Beckett."
"Hey, sweetheart."
"Dad," she squeaked, glancing at his watch on her wrist to double check the time. "Is something wrong? It's only a quarter after nine. You never call this early. Is—"
"Katie, slow down. Everything's fine. I'm just calling to ask if you might be able to get some time off."
"Time off?" she parroted, more than a little confused. "Are we going somewhere this Christmas?"
"Well," he mumbled, a clear tell that he was more than likely fidgeting. "I'm, um… I was invited to a party… an intimate party and they said they'd love for you to come."
"Uh hun… who's?"
"Pardon me?" he asked, but she knew he'd heard her.
"Who's party is it?" she clarified.
"Oh, just a friend."
"Dad…"
"A close friend."
"Dad!"
"Richard."
The name didn't register for the first several seconds, going through her mental rolodex until she looked up at the deluxe espresso machine. Not 'Richard'… Rick!
"Castle?" she breathed out, not realizing her father had been calling her name for nearly a minute into the phone.
"How many other people named 'Richard' do we know?" he questioned, chuckling. "We got to talking when he called to invite me to his new year's party and he told me it was going to be only Alexis and him. I told him how much I love out father/daughter Christmases and he said that, if you could get the time off, he'd love to have us. So, go talk to your boss so I can give the man an answer."
"What, right now?" she asked, but he just sighed.
"Immediately! I want to call the man back before the new year. Call me back in ten," was the last thing he said before the line went dead. She stared at her phone for a while before making her way to the captain's office.
"Sir?" she asked, knocking as she opened the door.
"Yes, detective?"
Kate stepped inside and stood before the desk. "Sir, I have about two weeks of vacation time saved up. I'd like to cash it in," she blabbered in one long breath. Victoria never batted a lash.
"Beginning?"
"Effective immediately."
The captain's hands froze mid-word on her report. She set down her pen and looked up at Kate.
"This is a touch last minute, detective."
"I know."
Victoria sighed and leaned back.
"Any particular reason?"
"With all due respect, I don't feel it's relevant, but, in this instance, I've got nothing to hide."
"Everything's my business and you shouldn't be hiding anything from me."
Kate stiffened and met the captain's gaze directly. "Sir, while on a case or during work in general, I agree; everything should come through you. However, my private life is exactly that and I don't believe I should have to answer to anyone. Not you, the mayor, the president… not even my father!"
The captain's eyes narrowed for a brief time before she smiled. "As your boss, that's insubordination," she said as coolly as could be. Kate took a deep breath. "As a family person myself, I respect your determination to protect your personal life."
"Thank you, sir. That being said, my father had been offered a chance to get away for the holidays. He's asked me to come with him to spend some time together." She lowered her gaze, but she heard the smile in her boss's voice.
"I think I understand now."
Kate nodded as Victoria pulled a folder from her bottom drawer. She thumbed through it for a few moments before looking back up at Kate.
"It says here that you have almost a month. How about you get back to me on the 2nd of the new year and we'll figure it out."
Kate smiled and felt tears spring to her eyes. Somewhere in the middle of stretching the truth, she'd realized it was the truth. She needed some time with her dad.
"Thank you, sir," she breathed out. "Merry Christmas, sir."
"Merry Christmas, detective."
Kate ducked into the breakroom and smiled as she pulled her phone from her pocket, dialing.
"Hey, dad… guess what?"
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As the nose of the car turned into the entrance of the beach side property, she wondered if accepting might have been a mistake. Then, she looked up and saw Rick, Alexis and Ashley skating on the lawn and realized the hardest part of being here would probably be leaving.
The car came to a stop and Rick stilled, looking up through a gentle snowfall as she stepped out. With a smile that melted her heart, he glided towards the edge of the rink closest to them and greeted her father.
"Welcome, Mr. Beckett," Rick said as he reached for the man's hand, but he stilled the shake at Jim's pointed glare.
"There's nothing you can do or say, Richard, that makes me feel older than calling me 'Mr. Beckett'," the man said and restarted the handshake. " 'Jim' is fine."
"Well, Jim, 'Rick' is fine." Then he turned to Kate. "Hey."
She took a deep breath. "Merry Christmas, Rick." The smile that lit up his face could have illuminated the whole city.
"Merry Christmas, Kate," he replied before looking over his shoulder. "Sweetheart, could you come here?"
Kate smiled as she thought back to her phone call from her father and how he'd used the same term of endearment.
"Yeah, dad." Alexis pulled up alongside her father with her young man in tow.
"Alexis, Ashley, you both know Kate… this is her father, Jim Beckett."
"How do you do, sir?" Alexis said brightly, reaching out a mittened hand.
"Charmed. And you can both call me 'Jim'."
"Jim," Rick continued, "this is my daughter, Alexis, and her boyfriend, Ashley." The younger and older man shook hands. "Ashley's parents have a property three drive ways down."
"I see. Nice to meet you, Ashley."
With all the formalities out of the way, Ashley and Alexis slid back onto the ice and left the adults to their small talk. Rick skated away for a moment and returned seconds later with a change of footwear. Removing his skates, he nearly toppled over twice, but he managed to slip his boots on with little bodily harm.
"Need a hand with the bags, Jim?"
That comment jerked Kate's attention back to the two men before her. Her gaze followed them as they moved to the trunk.
"Hang on!" she squeaked out and both men stopped to look at her. "I thought there was a hotel!"
"Kate!" Rick said in outrage. "I would never invite someone only to send them to a hotel!" he explained, taking two of her bags. "Besides, there are half a dozen rooms in this place."
"But—"
"No 'buts'. I've got rooms for each of us and there'll still be several free if mother does show up."
Obviously unable to sway Rick and, with her father halfway up the drive, she decided she'd offered enough protest. In fact, it was getting difficult to hide her glee.
"Lead the way," she conceded, grabbing the last two bags and closing the trunk, following her father and Rick inside.
The cozy area had gleaming hardwood floors and large area rugs with cream colored walls and chocolate brown trims. She had thought it would be some monstrosity of a mansion, but she'd been wrong. It was large, but all elegance and understated simplicity.
"This is beautiful," she said as they passed through the library where walls disappeared behind panoramic shelves.
"I thought you might like it. The best is yet to come."
They made their way upstairs to a hallway that ran across the house with three to four doors on either side of the hall. He led them to the two at the end.
"Jim, this is your room," Rick said, opening a door onto a navy blue room with maritime accents. A dark four-post king bed sat in the middle and furniture stained the same shade dotted the rest of the area.
"This is perfect," Jim said and dropped his bags just inside before Rick turned to the facing door.
"Milady," Rick grinned and opened the door onto a room with chocolate brown furniture and walls the color of café au lait with ivory bedding on the kind sized sleigh bed. She stepped and ran her fingers over the wooden footboard.
"How beautiful," she murmured to herself.
"Yeah, it is," Rick said softly, but turned to leave before she could comment. "On to la pièce de resistance!" he announced as they all moved back into the hall. "By the way," he said, pausing two doors down from Kate's. "The bathroom. There are only two rooms with en suite bathrooms and I leave them for mother and Alexis." He winked at Jim. "Women…"
"Tell me about it," Jim laughed.
The bathroom was massive with a whirlpool tub, glass walk-in shower, toilet and side-by-side sinks. Near the shower was the linen cabinet.
"This place is fabulous, Rick," Jim offered, carefully descending the rounding lobby staircase they had passed when they entered.
"Thank you. This is the kitchen," he said as they passed through another door. Crisp white countertops and appliances gleamed before them. A smile spread across Kate's face and Rick caught sight of it. "Everything's in working order and the groceries are in, Kate."
"Oh, I'm going to have fun here!"
"Speaking of which, feel free to help yourself to anything you want. Food, drink, the library, the Jacuzzi. And everything's well insulated, so you won't disturb anyone."
"Great!" Jim said. "I think I'll check out your collection in there."
"Later. There's one last stop… if we can pull Kate out of here."
At her name, she looked up from the inspection of the smooth-top stove and convection oven. She felt a guilty flush stain her cheeks.
"Sorry," she mumbled, but Jim just smiled.
"Her love of cooking is obvious," he said as he wrapped an arm around his daughter. "And she's good, too."
"I know. She stayed with my daughter and me during…" he trailed as Kate's eyes widened. "…well, there was this case with some security scares. She spent the night. The smell that morning was incredible!" The flush deepened. "If you ever left the precinct, you could cater."
"I've told her that a thousand times," Jim said with an expression that screamed 'told you so'.
"Can we… just… finish the tour? Please?" she begged, but she began to rethink her suggestion when he offered his arm. "Um…"
"Humor me," he said gently and, realizing she couldn't deny him when he looked so cute and gentlemanly, she hooked her arm in his to be led through a door.
"Oh!" she breathed.
The round sun room was clear of all furniture and rugs to reveal shiny, dark wooden floors. Floor to ceiling picture windows looked out over the snowy beach and chandeliers caught the winter sun, reflecting it around the room.
"This… is our party room," Rick announced with pride.
"This is gorgeous," she said as she admired the silver decoration in the window and along the mantle of the fireplace. Just as she tried to step out of Rick's grasp, he twirled her out and spun her back to dance to silent music. "Uh, Rick?" she whispered, pointing to her father.
"Sorry… anxious for the party," he said and released his partner who moved to inspect the décor. Out of his arms, she could breathe… and think! Two abilities she held in high regard and the feel of his hands on her back could switch them both off. She took a deep breath as a thought occurred to her.
"This shindig is formal, isn't it?" she asked.
"Well… it's not black tie per se… but it's not jeans and t-shirts either."
"Hm… well, that changes things. Looks like I'll be going shopping."
"After Christmas, there'll be sales everywhere."
"True…"
Jim's head turned from side to side as he followed the conversation between his daughter and her partner, doing his best to conceal his smile. They sounded like him and Johanna and didn't even realize it.
"So… I guess it's tree time," Rick announced, stunning both Becketts. It was Kate who recovered first.
"You waited for us?" she questioned, voicing what was on her and her father's minds. Jim stood silent.
"Absolutely," he told them. "Tradition stipulates that those who wish to enjoy the tree must help decorate it."
"Good tradition," Jim smiled.
"By the way," Rick's brow furrowed as he glanced back and forth. "Didn't you two bring coats?"
"They're in the car. I'll get them," Jim said and disappeared before Rick or Kate could object, leaving them alone in the converted ballroom. She smiled and moved back into the hallway.
"So, Gates let you take off? This last minute?"
"Well, I said my dad got an invitation and asked me along."
"I get it…" he said, somehow understanding the entire situation without exchanging a word. "Anyway, it's the holiday season. Only happy thoughts."
This earned him a smile.
Rick showed Kate into the living room to the large tree in the corner. Boxes were strewn about the room and a large pile of tinsel and lights sat by the space. Kate set to work on testing the peanut bulbs while Rick helped Jim to hang up the coats and called Alexis inside. Ashley saw her to the door, then said he was heading home to do likewise.
In the living room, Alexis began untangling the tinsel while Jim and Rick continued to bring decorations out of the basement. Once they left again, Alexis turned to Kate.
"Detective Beckett," Alexis said as quickly as possible.
"Kate," she offered, but Alexis remained silent and her stare fixed. "I see…" Kate murmured and set the bulbs down.
"My dad's not a cop. What happened scared me. I know you don't remember everything about that day, but…"
At Alexis' words, Kate tried to conceal her guilt, but the narrowing of Alexis' eyes told her she'd failed. Kate felt tears spring to her eyes, but she forced them back.
"You do remember?" Alexis accused. "You remember and you're letting my dad think you don't?" she said, her voice raising. Kate shushed her. "Don't shush me…" she commanded, but did lower her voice. "Why? Why not tell him?"
"Do you know… everything that happened?" Kate croaked.
"The shot rang out as dad dove for you and he held you. Then, Dr. Parish started CPR until—"
"Alexis…" Kate mumbled. "I… I don't remember Lanie working on me. I blacked out after… your dad… he said something to me. Something personal…" Kate lowered her gaze. "Something you can't take back."
Alexis gasped and her eyes widened as understanding fluttered across her features. Kate swallowed.
"What happened," she underlined, obviously referring to every event of the day, "scared me, too!" she admitted.
When Alexis finally softened, Kate sighed and her eyes tried to blink away tears. She took a deep breath and swiped at a stray tear when Alexis squeezed her shoulder sympathetically. The last thing she'd expected from this young girl was her understanding and compassion.
"I… I'm still scared," Alexis admitted, "about my dad's… work," she said, removing her hand from Kate's shoulder. "But I know a little about you and… and I can appreciate that." She leveled a gaze at Kate. "But for the record… I know my dad even better. He doesn't say anything he doesn't mean. Not in this kind of context."
"Um…" Kate whimpered, "tell our dads I got dust in my eye," she muttered, taking off to the bathroom as the tears swamped her.
Kate heard Rick and her father come back upstairs and listened as Alexis told them that she'd dashed to flush her eyes free of some dust. She felt more tears seep out and thanked her lucky stars that the teenage girl on the other side of the door could understand the emotional handicap of a grown woman. With a suppressed sob, she grabbed a hand towel and pressed her face into it as tears wracked her body.
Kate lifted the towel when she felt her breathing evening out and reached for a tissue to wipe up her make-up. She cleaned it all off and ran the cold water tap, flushing her eyes for a moment and taking a small drink.
Her mind swam, wondering how Alexis could possibly understand what she was feeling, but she knew she owed the girl an explanation. With a plan of action, Kate took a deep breath and prepared to venture back into the den.
"That's my girl," Jim mumbled, looking into Kate's eyes as she emerged to double check her eyes. His lids narrowed the tiniest bit, but she ignored it and smiled.
"Yup, all better." She turned to Rick. "When was the last time you used these decorations? They're covered in dust!"
"It's been a few years. Sorry about that," he muttered, stepping closer to her and reaching out to tilt her face to his with his finger hooked beneath her chin. "You okay?" he asked gently.
The feel of his finger delicately handling her face made her insides warm and her head swim with an unexpected hope that he might lean in and kiss her. She didn't even care that her father or Rick's daughter were only a few feet away. Still, she managed a nonchalant shrug and a soft 'yup!' before returning to her task of checking the peanut lights. She never noticed Rick curl his hand into a fist and shove it into the pocket of his jeans.
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Sitting around the living room several hours later, they admired the red-and-gold decorated tree blinking with white lights. With all the lights out and the fireplace crackling, nothing had ever felt quite so cozy. She looked at the three faces around her and couldn't help but think that being like this every Christmas would be perfect.
"I want hot chocolate," Alexis suddenly announced. "Anybody else want some?" Everyone mumbled in accord and she dashed into the kitchen, Kate following soon after.
"Need some help?" Kate asked, standing at the island counter, hoping Alexis would accept silently.
"Sure!" she said, a wide smile stretched from ear to ear. "The mugs are in there," she explained, pointing over her shoulder as she poured milk into a microwave-safe pitcher.
It was all Kate could do not to breathe a sigh of relief. They were talking; it was a great start.
"So…" Kate murmured, taking four cups from the cupboard over the sink, "are we, um… are we alright?" she asked as she came to stand by the young girl. Alexis righted the milk carton before turning to Kate.
"I still don't like him not knowing… but I get it." She picked up a spoon and began to fiddle with it, needing a distraction. "I just have one question."
"No problem… I know I owe you both at least that much."
"I spoke with my dad shortly after he went back to work with you. I asked if he was happy... He said that he was, so I just accepted it. Now that we're taking, I have to know." Alexis opened and closed her mouth several times before managing to find the wording she wanted. "Should my dad wait? Is it worth it?"
Kate took a deep breath. She'd been asking herself that for months, ever since he'd whispered those little words to her as she had laid bleeding out in his arms. The sight of him with the insurance agent had sickened her, but she had kept her mouth shut. And, in all honesty, she had no way of knowing if anything had even happened.
"Yes…"
The answer slipped out suddenly before she could process anything else. And, once out, she knew it to be true. She knew why, too!
"I love him…" she whispered, sighing as the words echoed through her brain. "I'm in love with Richard… Alexander Rodgers." She smiled and looked at the young red head before her. "Yes… it's worth it."
The grin that spread across the girl's face was stretching wider and wider. She came around the island and wrapped her arms around Kate in a traditional Castle bear hug.
"I'm glad," Alexis said gently. "I think you guys are good for each other," she confided before releasing Kate and returning to her task. She seemed to be appeased when she looked back up at Kate. "Just please, Kate… don't make him wait too long."
Kate smiled at first, trying to think of if she could hold her feelings back that long, but Alexis' words rang true. Not only did she have to tell him soon, but she wanted to.
"Well," Kate grinned, "New Year's is ideal for confessions…"
Alexis smiled before running over to the doorway. "Dad?" Alexis paused a moment, probably waiting for her father to turn. "Peppermint extract or Baileys?"
"Oh, Baileys, sweetheart!" Rick said, the grin on his face audible in his voice. "Jim?"
"Uh, peppermint for me, thanks," he said softly, making Kate's heart warm. She smiled with pride and was about to step back to the mugs until she heard Rick's voice.
"You know what, Jim?" he asked, the cushions shifting. "You're right. Peppermint extract sounds even better than Baileys…"
He was in the doorway before she could compose herself, her eyes shining brightly. Rick offered her a crooked smile and half a shrug, but she refused to let it slide.
"Thank you," she whispered, her lower lip trembling, touched.
"It's nothing," he offered and took a tissue out of the box to dab at her tears for hers. "After years of living with Mother, I guess I've forgotten what it's like to be around someone who doesn't drink!"
Kate chuckled through a couple of sniffles while Rick smiled tenderly at her, sweeping the tissue beneath her eyes once again. This time, the knuckle of his thumb brushed across her lips and she felt her heart give a little flop. As if his touch wasn't effective enough before, realizing she was in love with him only made it worse.
"I, um…" he muttered, taking a step back and handing her a clean tissue. "I only came in to help Alexis find the extract."
"I already found it, dad…" Alexis interjected behind them, startling Kate and Rick apart.
"Well, so you have… I'll go wait in the living room."
With that, Rick dashed out the door and rejoined Jim in the living room. Kate turned back to the mugs to see Alexis staring at her with a far too familiar and smug smirk.
"You know what your problem is?" Kate asked as she reached across the counter and poked Alexis in the side, making her giggle with ticklishness. "You're too much like your father!" she declared, smiling and stirring the cocoa. "And, believe it or not, I mean that as a compliment."
With matching grins, they each took two mugs and stepped out of the kitchen, Alexis making her way to Jim.
"Hey!" Rick groaned with a smile.
"Guests first, dad!" Alexis replied. "Besides, Kate has yours."
"Ah!" he said, taking the offered mug with a hum of approval. Kate had to swallow a murmur of her own at the sound.
"You okay, Katie?" Jim asked and Kate's smile appeared instantly.
"Sure… just waiting for it to cool a little." He smiled.
"You want me to blow on it like when you were a little girl?" he teased, her cheeks turning a lovely rose color.
"Geez, dad… please!"
"I used to for Alexis," Rick said with a wistful smile. "It's a father thing."
"You said it, Rick," Jim laughed before standing and raising his mug, glancing around at the other three people in the living room. "I'd like to make a toast. To daughters," he said, looking at Rick.
"I'll definitely drink to that!" he agreed, chuckling when Kate and Alexis shared a smile. They tapped their mugs and sipped.
"To friends," Alexis offered, lifting her glass towards the two Becketts. They all raised their cocoa together and shared the toast before taking another drink. Then, another toast was offered up, but it took several seconds before they realized two of their party had offered up the same toast at once.
"To family!"
Rick and Kate's eyes turned to one another when they recognized the other's voice. With their gazes locked, they never noticed Alexis and Jim exchange a knowing smile.
Kate lowered her eyes to the mouth of her mug while Rick shifted his weight for several moments, clearing his throat once or twice as he sought something to say to ease the tension. It was Jim who spoke first.
"Here, here. To family… blood or otherwise," he added before lifting his cup, waiting for Rick, Alexis and Kate to join in. Alexis met his mug within seconds, but it seemed to take a moment longer for them to snap out of their stupor and join in, their own mugs tapping together a second before they met Alexis and Jim's.
"T-to family," Kate said, watching Rick's lips as she said it. When he moved to repeat it, she couldn't tear her eyes away. Rick's eyes rested on Jim and Alexis for a moment before they locked with Kate's.
"To family," he murmured, holding her gaze for a wink longer before smiling at his daughter. "Especially my gorgeous Alexis," he gushed. Alexis blushed, making Kate chuckle until Jim turned to her.
"And to my amazing Katie." This time, it was Kate's face that turned a radiant shade of red. "As you said, Rick, she is extraordinary," he gushed, laughing when her flush deepened. When Rick turned to her, however, it deepened for a different reason.
"Yes, she is…" he affirmed before heading to his daughter's side. In that instant, Kate knew that she was in for a long week.
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Stay tuned for the next chapter!