Evening Blues Chapter Twenty Eight

Beckett smiled as they stepped onto the elevator. "Fine, what do you wanna know?"

Lanie sighed as she crossed her arms "Um duh, everything!"

"Fine, well we have been dating for a week so far."

"And you didn't think to inform your best friend?"

"Well I uh, I just wanted to wait a few days first."

The elevator chimed, the doors slid open and the women stepped out. As they got to the street a young man in a tailored black suit and a driver's hat approached them.

"Miss Beckett?"

Beckett gave Lanie a confused look, and then looked back at the young man. "Yes, that's me."

"My name is Zane; Mr. Castle arranged a car service for you today."

Lanie felt a huge smiled wash across her face and she looped her arm through Beckett's and walked over to the limo that was waiting for them. As Zane held the door open for both women, they quickly slid in and Lanie gasped at the sight of the Limo, it was flashy outside of course, but inside was even better.

"Wow, your boy just earned brownie points!"

Beckett laughed at her best friend and she quickly dialed Castle's number. She smiled as she heard him answer.

"Hi Kate, do you like the surprise?"

"How…..when did you arrange the car service?"

"When you were getting ready."

"Thanks Rick, that was sweet, and Zane is nice."

"He has been working for me for a few years so he knows the streets pretty well, he will take you girls anywhere you want to go."

"But what about payment?"

Castle laughed "Kate, I already took care of all that, you girls just go and have fun."

"Thanks Rick, see you later."

Beckett ended the call and placed her phone back into her pocket. She leaned back in her seat and faced Lanie. "So where too first?"

Lanie didn't have to be asked twice, she quickly told Zane her favorite clothing store as she grabbed two champagne glasses and a champagne bottle that was being chilled in a bucket with ice. She poured Kate a glass, then herself one. Beckett took a sip, she started worrying what Zane thought about her if Castle had did this for all the other women he had dated, he did have the playboy image when she first met him.

"Uh, Zane, how long have you been working for Rick?"

Without looking form the road Zane answered "Five years."

"And how many women has he offered car services too?"

Zane smiled as he continued to drive "just two"

Beckett gave him a confused look "Oh"

Zane laughed "The first woman is his daughter Alexis, and the other is you Miss Beckett."

Beckett smiled as Lanie squealed. "Oh, and please call me Kate"

"Yes ma'am"

Lanie was in her own little world as she admired the limo, she had only been in one and that was for senior prom. She had already approved of Castle for Kate, but now seeing he knew how to use his money for simple things for her, and not big and flashy stuff that she wouldn't like, she officially wanted them to hurry up and get married.

"So tell me the details!"

Beckett rolled her eyes and she sat her glass down. "What would you like to know first?"

Lanie smiled, she finally got her friend to open up, and she was going to ask everything she could before she closed up again. "When did he ask?"

"Last week, hence the whole dating for a week thing."

"Imma smack you, ok how did he ask?"

"We went to the park on a date, we danced, then we walked, then he asked."

Lanie squealed as she hugged her friend. "Do the boys know?"

Beckett felt a mischievous smile creep across her face. "Well when I got shot Rick had to lie and tell the nurses he was my fiancé, and they boys overheard, and joked about us being engaged and Ryan asked how long we had been dating so he could congratulate us, and I walked to the break room and yelled "since last night!" and so I'm sure they know, but they haven't said anything, plus I took a few days off cause my arm."

"Uh huh, well are ya'll gonna tell them?"

"Actually we haven't even talked about how to tell them."

"Well I have an idea."

As the limo pulled up to the curb, Zane turned off the limo and opened the door closest to the curb. "Were here Kate."

"Thank you Zane."

"My pleasure and I'll be here when you come out."

The two women climbed out and headed into the first store on their list. Lanie headed towards the dresses of course; when she wasn't working she liked to get dressed up. Kate headed towards the shoes. After about an hour of shopping the two came out with three bags each. Zane helped them with their bags and then held the door open for them as they slid in.

"Where too next?"

Lanie piped up first. "Victoria Secret!"

"Lanie!"

Zane could see the look on Beckett's face "Is that ok with you Kate?"

Lanie crossed her arms, "What, earlier my first choice was fine, now it's not?"

Zane smiled as he turned towards the women "I have strict orders to drive you two wherever you would like to go, as long as Kate is fine with each destination."

Beckett smiled as she watched her friend lean back into her seat with a pouty face plastered across her face. "It's fine Zane."

"Yes ma'am"

Kate turned towards Lanie as she handed her, her champagne glass again. "Happy?"

Lanie smiled as she took a sip, "Yes, thank you"

Kate began to tell Lanie a little bit more about her relationship with Rick, Zane would look up every so often as Kate spoke about Rick; he never said anything as he continued to drive. Once he pulled up to the store, he stepped out and held the door once more.

"Zane, you don't have to hold the door open every time."

"Yes ma'am I do, those were Mr. Castle's orders."

"What else did Mr. Castle tell you to do?"

Zane smiled as helped Lanie out of the car, then quickly shut the door, "I cannot say"

Beckett rolled her eyes and her friend dragged her into the store, she dreaded every time she walked in.

Lanie went straight to the bra section. "Alright, what is Rick's favorite color?"

Beckett blushed as she ripped the bra from her friends hand and put it back onto the rack. "Lanie!"

Lanie laughed as she began to pick out different colors and matching underwear for her best friend. Beckett absolutely hated shopping at this store with Lanie, she hated it! She quickly retreated to the pajama section to compose herself and try to hide from Lanie as she picked out sets for herself, then crazy ones for Kate. Kate found some cute pajama sets; she walked up to the counter and saw Lanie walking toward her holding two bags.

"This bag is mine, and this bag is yours."

Beckett blushed as she looked inside the bag "Lanie, what did you buy!"

"Go pay for your pajamas, you can look later"

After Beckett paid, the two walked back outside, Lanie handed Beckett the bag of goodie she had bought and Kate took it reluctantly. Zane placed the bags in the trunk, but he kept them separate so the women could tell which ones are which at the end of the shopping day. Lanie quickly climbed into the limo and Kate followed, Zane settled in the driver's seat.

"Where too next?"

Kate gave Zane the name of her favorite store and quickly settled back into her seat.

Lanie gave Beckett a questioning look. "Where are we going?"

"My favorite store."

Lanie sighed "Oh great, I know exactly what that is."