Five days and five dead couples later it was the night of the book launch. After a lot of arguing Beckett, Esposito and Ryan had decided that going to the book launch and relaxing might just be what they needed. They'd been tunnel vision type focused on the case for a week now, perhaps a few hours of not thinking about it would help. So here Beckett was, arriving in a town car Castle had arranged for her. When the driver helped her out of the car and the media outside saw who it was the flash bulbs went off in a frenzy. She'd worn a navy blue dress that was sexy yet classy, her hair in a partial updo with some of the hair still down. She put on her press conference smile and made her way up the red carpet, not responding to the questions being asked just as Castle had suggested. She was far from comfortable with the attention, but she believed attending was the least she could do given how much help he'd been at the precinct, not that she'd ever tell him that.
Two hours into it Castle finally finished his rounds and made his way over to his friends
"Everyone having a good time?"
Esposito grinned
"We're having a great time Castle, we just met Julia Roberts!"
Castle chuckled at that
"Yeah her and her husband are fans but they don't make it to the launches too often with work and family"
Ryan chimed in
"It's amazing the people you know Castle"
Castle shrugged a little
"it has it's upsides but it's not like we hang out on Saturday night or anything"
Ryan is about to say something when the group hears a couple of women talking nearby.
"These parties are amazing for getting modeling jobs, there's so many photographers here"
the tall blonde said enthusiastically, a shorter blonde laughed softly
"yeah it is, so much better than the publicity date I went on with him. I swear for a millionaire playboy I was sorely disapointed"
The other woman snorted
"Tell me about it, all he did was talk about his kid and he didn't even put out"
The shorter woman laughed
"yeah me either, I found out all those stories in the ledger are bull. I haven't met someone who went on those publicity dates with that he's slept with yet and I've talked to a lot of women. But I suppose it's okay, I mean he's so old and he's not that great looking. He's only really good for getting your picture in the Ledger"
The other woman agreed whole heartedly then they wandered off. The group of friends looked like they were a cross of feeling sympathy for Castle and angry that the women had said such things. Castle just cleared his throat, set down his empty champagne glass and stood up
"Excuse me"
he said quietly, then walked off normal as can be getting lost in the crowd.
Beckett watched him go with a frown and a concerned gaze, listening to Esposito as he talked
"I can't believe those women, even if what they said is true this is his launch party. How could they stand there and be such ungrateful bitches?"
Montgomery looked down at his glass since the jig is up
"Because that's what they are, all of them. They walk in on his arm then once they're past the cameras they're gone. It's a part of his life that he really doesn't want people knowing"
Esposito looked shocked
"You mean they weren't just talking shit?"
Montgomery shook his head
"Nope, his reputation is as fake as their breasts but it gets his face in the ledger and that sells books. Or so says his publisher"
Esposito and Ryan shake their heads and sigh, none of them noticing that Lanie's been missing since the conversation started. Beckett set her glass down and stood up, she didn't even excuse herself she just walked into the crowd in search of her partner.
She found him a half hour later on a balcony, a half drank glass of champagne in his hands and a very vulnerable hurt look on his face. Without a word she sat next to him and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before she spoke
"I like it when you talk about Alexis, she's a great kid"
He smiled a little bit and looked over at her
"thanks"
he managed to reply, then he took a sip of champagne
"they're wrong you know. You're not old and you're quite attractive when you want to be"
he smirked a bit, surprised that Beckett of all people was saying that
"I guess that's in the eye of the beholder, I'm glad you think so"
He pulled his wrist from her grasp then gently took her hand
"Why didn't you tell us it was all fake Castle?"
He looked over at her, his eyes deeply sad
"Because you wouldn't have believed me, and don't deny it Kate... not after what you just heard"
She felt a wave a great guilt fill her as she looked down, she knew he was right
"you're right, we wouldn't have and I'm sorry that we all saw you that way when you've shown us that you're not that puffed up jackass the papers show"
He nodded a little
"It's okay Kate, you may be a detective but you're still human. You have nothing to be sorry for"
He quickly finishes his champagne and set the glass on the table
"So now you know the truth. I'm a boring, sex deprived author that would probably be unknown if his publisher didn't pimp him out on dates to make money"
She turned in her chair and rested her hand on his cheek turning his face towards her
"Rick you're more than that and you know it. You're an amazing father, a devoted son, an excellent author and a loyal friend. That's just the short list Rick. You're a good man, don't let those fake woman wannabes get to you"
He sincerely smiled at that, caught her hand that was on his cheek with his free hand and kissed it's top
"I'll try, thanks Kate"
She smiled at the kiss and blushed turning her face downward
"There's nothing to thank me for, just telling the truth"
He squeezed her hand gently and just nodded wordlessly. After a few minutes of silence Beckett leaned over and planted a tender kiss on his lips that surprised him, but he'd managed to return the chaste affection. He chose not to ask, he just went with it. Moments later she'd shifted her chair closer and was resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled wrapping his arm across her shoulders, this far beyond anything he expected with Kate Beckett but he wasn't going to jinx it. So they just sat enjoying each other's company for the rest of the night.
Inside the boys and Montgomery watched in amusement when the crowd parted revealing Dr. Lanie Parish ripping the two blondes a new ass. None of them moved a muscle while the feisty African American medical examiner unloaded an arsenal of insults and smack downs on the unsuspecting models. The only time anyone moved was when Montgomery got his jacket on, right about the same time a cat fight broke out between the three women. He checked his watch, then waited a minute. At the end of the minute security arrived dragging all three women out of the party. Montgomery nodded to the men
"I have a medical examiner to retrieve from holding once she's been processed. You boys enjoy your night"