When Shane stepped off the elevator outside the SoHo loft just before eight, he was a maelstrom of emotions - thrilled that he'd see his girlfriend on New Year's Eve, terrified that her father would beat him silly if he cottoned onto the situation, guilty that he felt like they were sneaking around, even though Alexis had texted him that Beckett knew the situation now and was surprisingly supportive of it, and frustrated by the fact that he would neither get to kiss her at midnight nor would he be able to stay the night with her. All of this was compounded by the fact that a strong percentage of the party goers were detectives, who were more than likely to figure it out and then they'd really be facing the firing squad.
Or maybe, luck would be on his side and they'd be too far in the bag to really notice that anything was even up.
He knocked on the door and faced his first test of the night when Dave Robbins opened the door. He and Dave had been friends since Dave had first moved to the city and there was nearly nothing they didn't share. As Lanie hadn't guessed who Shane's mystery girlfriend was that day at the morgue and she wouldn't have seen him out with Alexis, there was no way he'd be able to guess it for himself.
'Hey Shane, what's happening bro.'
'Not much, just glad to be off work for a few days. Happy anniversary, too. A whole year of being a married man.'
Dave grinned, glancing down at his wedding ring. 'Come on in, we'll get you set up with a drink.'
Shane had barely gotten his boots off when he caught Beckett's eye as she approached him and for a moment he sincerely thought he was sunk. But when she wrapped her arms around him in a friendly welcoming hug, he breathed a little easier.
'Shane hi!' she greeted the handsome ME. For a moment, Beckett let herself look at him and could definitely understand the appeal of Shane Weaver - square jaw, broad shoulders and the deepest, darkest blue eyes she'd seen on a man, so dark they looked black. She went over and greeted him warmly, helped him with his coat. 'Can I get you a drink?'
'Sure, what have you got?'
'Right this way.'
They went into the kitchen where the bar was set up and because the others were wrapped up in their own conversation, Beckett didn't hesitate to speak her mind. 'Alexis told me about you two,' she murmured as she poured him a scotch and soda, 'and I'm the only one who knows, but I've sweet-talked my husband so that if you want to kiss her at midnight, he'll be fine with it.'
'Okay,' was all Shane could manage. This was not what he'd been prepared to hear from Alexis' stepmother, but he went with it nonetheless. After all, he knew that when the cat was out of the bag he would need all the support he could get. He took a sip of the drink she passed him, scratched the back of his neck. 'Kate, you have to know, I..it's not a fling. I haven't felt this way about a woman in a long time,' told her earnestly and honestly.
'I know. I won't say anything.' Beckett poured herself a soft cocktail of cranberry juice and ginger-ale. 'And trust me, those guys in there will be too partyed-out to remember their own names in a couple of hours.'
The sound of footsteps on the stairs had them both glancing up, and Beckett's heart spawned a fresh crack when she saw the nanosecond flash of absolute joy in her friend's eyes at the sight of Alexis. Then it was gone as he tried to keep his cool and he smiled at her with a warmth that would easily be mistaken for friendliness amongst casual acquaintances. Only if you knew, Beckett mused, could you hear it in the subtext and word choice.
'Hey Shane, nice to see you.'
'Nice to see you again, too.'
'Again?' Dave said with a wrinkle in his brow as he came over to refill his vodka-and-Sprite.
Shane rubbed his hand over the back of his head. 'Yeah, Alexis and I met a few weeks ago to talk about going to Princeton, since she'll be going there in a couple of semesters and that's where I graduated from.'
'Ah, gotcha.'
Dave wandered back out again, joining Lanie and Honey-Milk on one of the spacious sofas, leaving Alexis and Shane to both share a quick, panicked look at each other. It was going to be a long night.
An hour or so later, Castle decided it was time to break out the Scene It Shout; as they paired off with their spouses, it meant that since Alexis and Shane didn't appear to have a date they were grouped together by default. Alexis prayed that her poker face stayed on as she sat down on the end of the crowded couch beside him.
'Don't worry, Lex,' Esposito assured her, his arm slung around Meredeth, 'he doesn't bite and he's had his shots.'
'I should hope so,' she replied with a laugh, 'or being so close to him might give me a rash.'
'Hey!' Shane spread his hands defensively in a what-gives gesture, then poked her in the ribs. 'Let's just hope you're that quick about the game.'
Beckett hid her smile by taking a drink, and watched them as the game started. There was no denying the natural chemistry between them, and yet it was so subtle that the others who were drinking would definitely mistake it as friendly banter and harmless flirtation. She also didn't miss it when Shane stood up to get a refill on his scotch-and-soda and asked Alexis if she wanted another glass of merlot, or when Shane asked Ryan to take a picture of the Scene It Shout runners-up - no one held a candle to Meredeth on the subject of movie knowledge. Again, subtle and yet if you were in the know, so damn cute.
Ryan had just snapped the photo, then shook it a little in confusion. 'I took the picture, Lex, then it just went black.'
'Oh damn, the battery must have died,' Alexis pouted; the look on her face made Shane want to nibble at her full lower lip and poke at her until she smiled.
'No worries, sweetheart, there's extra batteries in my office,' Castle said. 'You want us to wait for you?'
'No, it's okay, Shane can play for both of us.'
Alexis braced her hand on his knee to lever herself out, and went into her father's office not so much for the camera batteries as to take a breather. Shane had worn the same cologne as the night of their first date, when he'd taken her to Spice Island, and it was truly a demonstration of her self-discipline that she hadn't found a dark corner to shove him into so she could pounce on him.
Since she knew she'd be facing a little tribunal if she didn't return with the batteries, she set to opening drawers and actually did find them. When she straightened up, she saw Shane was in the doorway with a grin on his face and putting a finger to his lips.
'What are you doing in here,' she whispered. 'You don't think they'll suspect something?'
'No, because I'm going to be very quick about this. Knowing they were in a corner of the office blind to the kitchen and the living room where the majority of the party-goers had gathered, he quickly took her chin in his hand and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. The sensation of it had Alexis fight a shudder. She rested her forehead against his chin, and murmured, 'Wish we had some time and privacy for more than that kiss.'
'Me too, Lex.' Shane swiped the back of his hand over his mouth to ensure any trace of her lipstick was gone. 'Tomorrow?'
'Sure. I want to tell my dad, soon though, like in a day or two. I really want you to be there when I fly back to London and not have it be weird.'
'Of course.'
'And then I'll actually be able to stay the night with you,' she added, making Shane groan lightly in frustration.
'Such a tease. I do need to charge my phone, though.' He held up his Blackberry and the cord he'd fished from his bag. 'I've had it so long it barely holds any juice for more than a day.'
'Shane?'
'Yeah?'
'Thank you,' Alexis said honestly, 'for being so patient.'
Shane flicked his fingertip over her cheek. 'You're worth it, Alexis.'
'Come on everyone! Two minutes until midnight!'
Castle hollered for everyone, and they all gathered around the television to watch the ball above Times Square while their host passed out champagne for toasting, and as Beckett accepted her glass, she kept a watchful eye on Alexis and Shane. She had to commend them for their ability to play it cool all night, though there was no denying the chemistry between them; Beckett had nearly gagged on her mouthful of bruschetta when Lanie commented she wondered if Shane's new mystery-lady would be jealous when she learned that Shane had spent New Years Eve in the company of a lovely and very single young woman like Alexis.
She walked past Alexis and patted her shoulder as she went to join Castle, a move most would have taken as maternal but Alexis knew to be reassurance that to kiss her boyfriend at midnight would not bring about the apocalypse.
'You're sure about this?' Shane asked her in a low voice, protected by the privacy of a chattering crowd.
'Just trust me.'
'Ten seconds!'
As they counted down to the new year, Shane felt his anticipation ratchet up with each number until finally they all yelled 'Happy New Year' and as the other couples around them embraced he leaned in with a little wink, then gently touched his lips to hers.
When he drew back, he gave her a genuinely happy grin. 'Happy New Year's, Alexis.'
'Happy New Year's, Shane.'
R&R&Enjoy
