Enlightenment 10
She slid the top drawer closed just as the door opened behind her. She could always tell before the bell announced it—the knob made such a lovely old click as it turned. This was a new face. Handsome, nervous, but slightly familiar somehow. Monday mornings were for apologetic husbands and brand new boot-knockers. No ring, so she guessed the latter. He was looking the place over pretty well, must not have noticed her yet.
"Well, good morning. I'm Dora. What can I help you with today?"
He turned to her with a disarming smile. My, but isn't he cute as a button with that smile on his face? He stepped over to her and she held out her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Dora. I'm looking for… something. I'm not exactly sure what. Maybe you can help me figure it out?"
"Well, that's what I'm here for, darlin.' Is this for your wife?"
Well, wasn't that a telling, shy little "I wish" of a shrug.
"No, not married."
"A new lady in your life, then?" His eyes narrowed, like he wasn't quite clear on his answer.
"She's not exactly new; I guess it's sort of complicated."
And suddenly she remembered where she'd heard those same hesitant, slightly bumbling words before. This was the infamous Fresh Start.
Well, Katie-girl, you sure can pick 'em.
"So did you have a thought about what sort of present you'd like to get her? Something in the general direction of, I don't know, some nice bubble bath?" She walked him over to a display of bath products and opened the top of a tester. Always best to start a skittish one with things that do not suggest how much skin he wants her to show.
He sniffed at the bath gel, looked like he might be considering, then turned to look at a rack of corsets and garter belts.
Well, side step strait-laced, and sashay on into lace-up. Things must be going well.
She motioned toward the rack he was eyeing.
"Of course, if you'd like something a little more, personal, I have some beautiful items over here."
His gaze scanned the room and landed on a table covered in boudoir bras and matching undies. Maybe he was just easily distracted. She could probably guess exactly what was distracting him, and it most likely involved at least one of her very own selections for Kate. She wondered whether he'd seen them all yet. She had to assume he'd at least seen one—the one Kate spent so much time deciding on at the end. That girl had first time jitters written all over her face when she'd put on that sweet little nightie. Looked like a bride planning her wedding night. This far-away look Fresh Start had on his face was starting to make her think he was a very recent addition to Katie's bedroom…
"Actually, she has some really pretty things. She got some of them here, just a few weeks ago. She mentioned how great this place was, and I'd read about you in the paper a while back…"
"So you thought you'd come on by. I'm so glad you did. Now, tell me, honey, what's your name?" Otherwise she was going to make a royal mess of things calling him "Fresh Start" to his face…
"I'm Rick Castle."
That's why the face was familiar: book jackets. She'd been collecting his since before she left Texas. Oh good heavens, this meant her little Katie the homicide detective must be Nikki Heat! To think, she picked out Nikki Heat's trousseau… Oh, she had to stop thinking about it or she'd have to find the smelling salts. Professional business women did not get giddy as a schoolgirl just because millionaire novelists and their muses shopped in their stores. She hadn't been this nervous fitting her Texan First Lady for those red fishnet stockings and matching garter belt.
"Well, Rick, maybe if you tell me a bit about your lady-friend you'll jog my memory."
And she could figure out if those stars in his eyes and that dreamy little smile had honorable intentions. She might have only known Kate for two hours, but there was something about her, so pretty and strong but still humble and shy underneath, that made her want to protect her like family.
"She's tall, long brown hair, green sparkly eyes." He seemed so excited just to get to talk about her. "She doesn't always smile, but when she does, it'll stop your heart." Oh, he was a goner—off the cliff, over the moon. There was no other way she could interpret that smile. "And did I mention she's completely gorgeous? Really, like movie star gorgeous."
"Is that what she does for a living?" If she was going to snoop like her aunt Lurlene at the Junior League Ladies Luncheon, she might as well do it right.
"Oh, no. No way. She's a cop, a homicide detective for the NYPD. She's so tough and brilliant and strong." Well, there was no question now, it was her.
He was sort of drifting off into the clouds for a moment, but he caught himself and turned back to her when she laid a hand on his arm and spoke.
"I think I remember this detective of yours. No nonsense on the outside, a kinda tough nut to crack, but sweet as she can be once she gets to know you? She was here maybe about a month ago? Katie was her name, right?"
His eyes softened when she said her name, and he smiled.
"She's not easy to forget."
"No, you're right about that, Dora." He winked at her conspiratorially. Oh, he was just so sweet she could eat him with a spoon!
"I know she liked coming in here to pick out her own things, and I know she's going to come back. I wanted to get her something different. Something pretty, but something she can relax in. Something soft, like a robe, or…" He was scanning the displays again.
That woman had a figure most men would be dying to put into the littlest, teensiest, least comfortable bits of silk and lace she had in her store, but this one want wanted to keep her warm and make her happy.
Good girl, Katie. You found the right one.
"I think I may have just the thing. Follow me."
She led him to a rack on the far side of the room. Not the showiest merchandise, and not typically what her customers came looking for, but these were some of her very favorite pieces.
"Oh, I bet she doesn't have any silk pajamas. This is perfect." His eyes lit up and he reached out a hand to feel the satiny fabric.
"Now, she would probably buy the black ones, but I know she would have tried on the royal blue ones three times before she finally convinced herself to get black. Here's her size. You can get her the long-sleeved now and if she likes them, come back and get the short-sleeved ones when it warms up."
"Perfect." He grabbed the hanger from her.
"Now, what else, Rick?"
"I'm afraid she'll glare at me if I get her something else. She has a thing about not letting me get carried away."
"I think I could see her saying something like that, what with her independent streak and all. Stick with me. We'll ease her into getting spoiled."
"I like you, Dora."
"I like you, too, darlin.' We're gonna get along just fine."
A/N: Hope you like how they met. Short chapter, but it stands alone nicely I think. Thank you for being so sweet with all the reviews. -KC