A/N – Dear Readers,
I'm kind of sad. This is the penultimate chapter of Courtship. I've enjoyed writing every word and more, have been blessed by the world's best readers and reviewers. It's kind of strange because I've been writing this, on and off, for about three years. I've fallen in love with adventure dates and hope you have as well.
I know most everyone knows where these few chapters have been heading and I beg your patience as I finish this the way the characters and I want: much like canon Castle and Beckett with a slow burn.
I appreciate all of your comments and reviews. I love reading your own giddy expectations right along with writing Kate's. I'll answer everyone as soon as I've posted the last chapter. I can't thank you enough.
Please enjoy,
~GeekMom
The Courtship of Katherine Beckett
Combustion
Chapter 29
Kate leaned forward in her seat as he parked the Mercedes. "Bastion Vineyard and Winery," she read aloud as she slid her eyes away from the picturesque view in front of her to his. "Is this yours?"
Throughout their relationship, she had learned that he had many diverse interests in several properties and projects. This particular place brought to mind a previous adventure date to his horse ranch, Citadel Equestrian Reservation. She grinned and wondered if all his holdings were named some synonym or variation of Castle. 'Probably,' she decided. Something like that would appeal to his sense of humor and the delight he took in clever word play.
"I may have had something to do with the name," he winked. Beckett raised an eyebrow. "Derrick, the owner, is a friend from school."
She leaned back and hummed. "Hmm, you don't talk about school often. High school or college?
"College. We met at a 'Save the Whales' rally."
Kate frowned. "I didn't know you were interested in helping to preserve wildlife.
Castle chuckled. "The only wild life I was interested in was my own. We were both there to pick up girls," he admitted, suddenly very interested in the grips of his steering wheel. Kate grinned. She found that slightly embarrassed Castle was endearing.
She let him off his own hook. "You said Derrick? Like Storm?"
"Yeah," he lifted his eyes to her again. "Only not Storm. The owner's name is Derrick Masterson, but I did appropriate his first name." Grinning, but with a faraway look in his eyes, he gave her the impression that he was reliving another memory.
"Where did Storm come from then?"
Castle shrugged. "It was."
"Was? Was what?"
"Storming, it was storming on the day I created Derrick and Derrick Tempest was too Shakespearean, Derrick Hurricane, Tornado, or Blizzard was ridiculous and Derrick Thunder sounds like a porn star, not a spy."
Kate looked thoughtful. "So…is Jameson Rook...?"
Castle tilted his head and eyed her out of his periphery. "Rook's not hard to figure out, is it?"
"No, not the Rook part. Is Jameson for the whiskey?"
"It's certainly possible that was my refreshment of choice when Jamie came into being, but no."
"No?"
He grinned. "As in no, nyet, nope, un-uh, negative Ghost Rider –"
"Castle," she sighed, rolling her eyes as she reined him back in. He appeared to be ridiculously pleased that he elicited that particular reaction. Kate covered her grin with a fake cough and turned toward her window. He didn't know it, but with what she'd discovered, he really could do no wrong that day.
"Jameson may or may not have been inspired by a relative I only met once, but who made an impression on me."
"Who?"
"My grandfather…um, my mother's father. He taught me how to shoot, sleight of hand, and magic, and how to ride a horse. We visited while Mother was on tour. I was…" He screwed up his face and scowled. "Ten, maybe?"
"You've never spoken about him before."
"He died when I was sixteen I think?"
"Did you know your grandmother?"
"Yeah, but like Grandpa Jim, I only met her the one time. They moved to Nevada when I was about two. She passed away a year before my grandfather did. I was at boarding school when they passed away." He was quiet for a few minutes, lost in the memories. "We've never really talked about it, but I think it's a period in our lives that Mother would have liked to have played out differently."
Kate contemplated his words while he seemed oblivious to the here and now. The interior of the car was quiet and when he spoke again, Kate startled.
"Anyway…oh, sorry," he soothed, taking her hand. "Jameson Rodgers made an impression on me and eventually became the eponym for Rook."
"Does Martha know?"
"Yeah…" he grinned devilishly. "She denies it, nonetheless I saw her mist up when she read the synopsis," he said fondly.
"Not the book?"
Then he raised an amused eyebrow. "I don't think she's actually read any of my books completely, she only reads the blurbs and scours for the bad reviews in order to console me." His gaze travelled outside the window. "Okay, here we go."
He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out as Kate released hers. He opened her door and held her hand as she stood. It never failed to strike Kate how surprised she was to discover just how much of a gentleman Castle had turned out to be, despite the skirt chasing, ill-mannered playboy guise he'd presented when they'd first met, nor having any consistent male role model to teach him those niceties, except now, maybe Jameson Rodgers.
"Rick!" A man called, she assumed to be Derrick, from the loading dock to their left.
"Um," Castle urgently whispered, "Derrick's a bit…enthusiastic."
Apart from a few interested uh-huhs, affirmative mm-hms, and non-committal reallys, Castle couldn't get a word in edgewise after he had introduced Kate to Derrick. He nodded and occasionally squeezed her hand, which he held tightly, but otherwise suffered silently through the forced taciturnity, a state she hadn't witnessed in Castle apart from when he was asleep.
Derrick smiled as he opened a huge, heavy wooden door. He yanked on the string attached to the bare bulb in the middle of the room and with a wave and a flourish a diva such as Martha would have been proud to pull off, he bowed them into the low ceilinged room. The room reminded Kate of every wine cellar that she had ever seen in a movie: a grotto of rough stonewalls carved out of the earth centuries before, an uneven floor, and floor to ceiling wooden racks holding dusty wine bottles tilted at just the right angles. She rubbed her upper arms at the chill and dampness and before she knew it, Castle had somehow removed his jacket, the soft brown leather one, and draped it over her shoulders. It smelled like him and she smiled her thanks, warmed, but not only because of the jacket.
Derrick had been nattering about an exceptionally rainy year they'd had sometime in the previous decade and how certain minerals had washed down into the valley's water table, bestowing that particular year's grapes with a robust body. He had digressed into a soapbox worthy rant about a local fracking operation that had been closed down due to environmental concerns years before.
"Uh, Derrick?" Castle redirected.
"Huh?" He seemed to realize where they were. "Right," he said and continued his original discourse, as if he hadn't taken any garrulous side journey. "The mineral laden runoff had made an exceptional wine; one I'm quite proud of." He selected a bottle and opened an ornately carved wooden cabinet, retrieving a corkscrew and paper cups.
Castle had that look of amusement on his face as he leaned over to Kate and whispered, "Always be prepared." His face brightened and she recognized his quick wit at work in his eyes. "Do you think the Boy Scouts have a wine tasting or an enology or vinification merit badge?"
"Here we go," Derrick said cheerfully as he pulled the cork on the burgundy. The pop echoed in the smallish room. Kate immediately wrinkled her nose. She never would have associated an awful smell with wine, especially not any associated with the exceptional wine she'd sampled only a few minutes' prior.
Castle stopped walking as if he'd hit a brick wall and frowned. An odor, not unlike a moldy newspaper, damp cloth, or damp basement swathed them. "Good God, Derrick, what in the hell is that?" He covered his nose with his palm as the pong surrounded and seemed to attach itself to them. He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to Kate.
"Oh…oh no. No, no, no," Derrick chanted.
"Derrick!"
"Cork taint!" he yelled as he cupped his hand over his mouth and nose as if a canister of poisonous gas had been dispersed. "Everybody out!" Both Castle and Beckett had seen previous urgent displays but only when a flash grenade had been involved.
Kate held the handkerchief over her nose and mouth and practically trampled the men on her way out of the grotto. Her stomach balked at the stench which was not unlike wet dog or damp cloth and brought back painful queasiness to her battered system.
Castle noted his girlfriend's decidedly green pallor, his own not dissimilar, and hurried after her.
"What…is…" she managed between cleansing breaths. "Cork taint?"
"Disgusting," Castle observed.
"Mmh: agreed."
Derrick fell over himself apologizing. "I am so sorry, Rick. I'm so sorry. It's only happened one other time. Sometimes bacteria invade the cork and the cork loses the battle." Derrick sighed forlornly. "That was a really good batch, too."
Castle, who was busy deeply breathing the outside air, held up his hand and shook his head. There was an awkward silence while he figured out that he had been waiting for Derrick to continue talking before he said anything.
Smiling sheepishly and spotting a humorous glint from the look Kate threw him, he said, "I don't think I've ever smelled something so wonderful followed so quickly by something so horrible since Alexis was a baby." He chuckled, "Don't worry about it. It happens." Clapping Derrick on the shoulder he unobtrusively steered the stricken man back to the shop where he insisted on buying, after thoroughly sniffing corks, two bottles of a deep, mellow red she rather enjoyed earlier. Really enjoyed, it seemed as she couldn't keep her hands off of him. Yeah, he'd definitely get a couple of those bottles.
They drove with the windows open, still craving fresh air. Beckett wedged her cold left hand under his thigh as he drove. Her right was under her own leg. For the most part, Richard Castle drove on autopilot; his girlfriend's chilly digits eliciting a warmth that almost had him pull over to disappear together on one of the random hiking trails that sprinkled the valley.
"Where are we going now?"
He crumpled his nose and asked, "We're still on our adventure date, right?"
She huffed and turned once more to the scenery outside the window. A few moments later they pulled back under the awning at the hotel. Trini hurried to Kate's door and held her hand as she got out. An older black woman stood to the right of the front doors. She appeared tall, in a stately, proud way, even though she barely cleared the valet's podium. Her stern visage gave her an intimidating air. Her mounds of silvery hair balanced precariously atop her head, but despite the breeze, not a hair dared stray from where she had styled it. The woman was someone Kate would never want to find herself opposing.
Kate waited for Castle, who was speaking with the valet, at the back of his car. He smiled and patted the teen on the back while slipping him a tip with his keys.
He smiled and reached for her hand, which she grasped eagerly, their fingers lacing of their own accord. Leaning in he whispered, "Sorry about…"
"Richard Castle!"
Kate swung around searching for the voice whose tone made her want to apologize for every transgression she'd ever committed as a teenager. It should have come from a formidable woman and normally would have intimidated Castle, but when her gaze landed on her boyfriend, she frowned. He was smiling broadly. He dropped her hand and rushed to the striking woman, whom he gathered in his arms, lifted her, and spun her around, like a schoolgirl. Suddenly she seemed tiny.
Castle held out her hand wordlessly and Kate joined them. She felt the warmth in his palm and relaxed. She realized the woman must have been a full foot shorter than Castle, but she emanated majesty.
"Kate…"
"Oh so, this is your Kate," she cut in over his words. The woman narrowed her eyes and Kate felt utterly exposed under her scrutiny. Finally, she nodded. "Ricky, you have finally found her. My joy knows no bounds."
For his part, Castle stood there beaming before taking up the introductions again. "Yes, Élodie, this is Kate Beckett. Kate this is Élodie Jolly…come to think of it, I don't think you've actually met Trini either." He clapped the man on the shoulder. "Trinidad Jolly, this is Kate. She was kind of green last night."
"I am so happy you are feeling better Miss Kate. A pleasure, to be sure."
"We knew that Ricky's Kate had to be special. He talks of you as he has talked of no other." Kate felt her cheeks warming. She couldn't decide if it was the unreserved approval from this woman or hearing that Castle spoke of her. "Can you see it husband?"
He gazed at Rick and then Kate before shifting his gaze back to Rick, stroking the tight curly white whiskers on his jaw. He smiled broadly. "To eternity, my love."
"And back," Élodie finished.
Kate blushed furiously as Castle squeezed her hand even more tightly. He leaned down and kissed Élodie on the cheek and when he did, she grabbed both his ears, turned his head, and whispered urgently. It was his turn to blush. "Yes, ma'am," he promised Élodie. He smiled again and swallowed, letting his gaze find Kate's again. "C'mon: we have to get changed or we'll be late." He nodded at Trini and turned toward the lobby doors.
"Oh, there is a package at the desk for you, Rick."
"Late?" After bidding the Jollys a good evening, she caught up with his long strides halfway through the lobby toward the desk. "I thought we were settling in back here."
Bob handed him a package, which Castle inspected. "Yes!" He grabbed the package and then lifted her and spun her around.
"New phone," he offered as he set her down. "And nope, we're here just to change," he conceded and pushed the elevator button. The hotel lobby was appreciatively quieter since the end of the convention that afternoon.
He smugly leaned against the back wall of the elevator, watching the numbers rise, albeit he only had to wait until five illuminated.
"We could just stay here. Mr. Jolly said –"
"Trini. He likes to be called Trini. I don't think it's his real name."
"Castle."
"I beg your pardon." He raised an eyebrow. "What were you saying?"
"We could stay here, avail ourselves of the hotel's room service, and…" she bit her bottom lip. No one could ever mistake Beckett for not having a libido. Sometimes he wondered if he was up, so to speak, for the challenge, but then he'd look into her eyes. He'd do anything for her at any time.
He looked at his watch and hummed. Still early enough to have some fun, no need for room service, because he was still taking her out, still going to wine her and dine her, and still going to sweep her off her feet, and he'd do it all intimately. He felt his heart rate kick it up a notch as the possibility that at the end of the evening, they could be engaged. He didn't have doubts about her answer, he and Beckett had spoken many times about the possibilities and dreams for their entwined future. They'd even broached the subject, although not really seriously, of children. It took everything he had not to retrieve the little blue box after they'd made love that afternoon. While they still inhabited that bubble that only lovers knew, but he stuck with his plan. He retrieved the box and slipped it inside his suit coat while Beckett dressed. It was time: he'd never been as sure about anything in his life.
They parked their bubble in front of a small stone building a short distance from the hotel a little less than three hours later. The restaurant had a red tile roof and ivy growing on the walls. Kate thought that it could have been transplanted from any number of small villages she had visited during her time abroad.
Castle opened her door and held her hand. "You're going to love this place," he assured and she could feel that he was right. Despite the newness of spring, the evening air was temperate and instead of chills and goosebumps on the bare skin exposed by the cut of her dress as she expected, she felt warmth; a tingly effervescence each time Castle took her hand or looked at her. Maybe she read into the evening, maybe she was a little excited and at the same time she berated herself for snooping, but what was done, was done. She could still let him have his moment, which she had no doubt would be wonderful, awesome, and, borrowing one of his favorite words, epic.
He held her seat, trailing his fingers over her shoulder and then sat himself. The restaurant was lovely. A fire danced within the stone hewn hearth; the floor to nearly ceiling centerpiece of the stonewall that might have dominated the space, but instead accented the warm décor of reds and beiges. The entire room was alight with lively flames either flickering from the candles in sconces, warm assurances from the fireplace or the tabletop candles illuminating the guests and the heavenly meals.
There didn't seem to be a ceiling, at least as far as Kate could tell. After her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she noticed it was painted in a dark, earth-tone barely illuminated by the soft white twinkle lights interwoven with the greenery adorning the walls. There were a few ornately sculpted fountains softly trickling water on the walls as well, adding to the sparkling effect. The room's whole ambience had been designed to give the patrons the illusion of being outside, maybe in an Italian piazza or garden.
Additional to the warmth of the room, the air was filled with enticing aromas of garlic, basil, freshly baked breads, and tomatoes. Kate's stomach rumbled in anticipation.
They were seated in a sort of half alcove, which afforded them some privacy, but also gave them a spectacular view of the rest of the restaurant. Beckett finally looked at Castle, who had a glint in his eye. Maybe those infinite pools merely reflected the shimmering of the room, but then he smiled tenderly and that unique inner light shone through. Kate dipped her head and smiled back shyly.
"I knew you'd like this place," he said, keeping his tone low, almost reverent.
"It's beautiful, Castle," she said, just as respectfully while she dipped her eyes to the work of smoothing her napkin. It occurred to Kate that it wouldn't matter how long they were together, that look, the one he had when she caught him gazing at her, would always make her blush. She chanced another glance and he wore a full smile. Castle reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
The sommelier approached the table cautiously, apparently practiced in giving his guests all the privacy possible. Castle waved him forward.
"Good evening, sir."
"Good evening," Castle returned. "We'll have a bottle of the Bastion Red, please."
"Very good, sir," he bowed.
"Also, will you let Rosalie know that Rick Castle is here? We're old friends."
Kate raised her eyebrows and then lowered them again. Of course he would be old friends with Rosalie, whom she assumed owned the restaurant.
A few moments later, a diminutive, grandmotherly woman approached them, wiping her hands on a red-checkered towel, before slinging it over her shoulder. It belonged there, looked at home, like she had been wearing it as a part of her ensemble for most of her life.
"Oh my goodness, Riccardo!" she exclaimed as she bustled her way across the dining room. She held her hands out and when she reached the table, placed one on either side of Castle's head. She held him steadily as she studied his face. "Devistantemente bello!"
Castle chuckled. "Grazie, bella." Which earned him a chuckle from Rosalie in return.
Standing, he indicated Kate with an upturned palm. "Rosalie De Luca, this is Katherine Beckett. Kate, Rosalie."
Rosalie unabashedly considered Kate. "Molto, molto bella, Riccardo."
Kate smiled, "Grazie, Rosalie."
The woman's face lit. "Ah! Parli Italiano?"
Kate smiled again. "Not very well, I'm afraid; it's been a long time."
"Ah well, not everyone can be perfezionare, huh?"
She elbowed Castle, who responded, "she's damn close."
"Ah, amore," she sighed.
Kate blushed, grateful for the low lighting.
"Give me a hug," Rosalie ordered and Castle complied before taking his seat again. "Non lasciare che questo si allontani, Riccardo."
Castle smiled sweetly and gazed at Kate as he answered. "Non lo farò, Rosalie." He smiled at her who sighed again while clasping her hands over her heart.
"Give me the menus," she ordered. Kate hadn't even opened her menu yet and looked to Castle for her cue. He folded his and handed it over to the woman without question, so Kate did the same. "I got something for you molto speciale."
"I trust you Rosalie," Castle answered, but then looked to Kate. "You can still order something if you'd rather not be surprised."
Kate smiled broadly. "I wouldn't want to miss a special surprise." She winked at him and handed over her menu.
"Nicolo' will be right out with the first course," she assured and with a kiss to both of their cheeks, she bustled back to the kitchen, seemingly disappearing into the shimmer of their surroundings.
The sommelier returned as soon as the coast was clear and poured a tasting sample for Castle, who approved, as Kate knew he would.
Kate waited until he had poured, left the bottle, and left them alone, but then she smiled at him.
"What?" He sipped his wine.
"Don't let this one get away?"
Castle coughed. "Yeah, well…these people have known me a long time." He sighed. "They know my history: the good, bad, and ridiculous." He took another sip of wine. "And Meredith." Shaking his head, he added, "everyone up here warned me about her."
"You seem to know all the best places, all the most interesting people. You have a diverse and staggering number of interests and you never cease to amaze me."
"Wow," he choked, taken aback. "Well, I've had an interesting life; a blessed and fortunate life, despite my less than conventional beginnings. Mother has always been friendly, not in the way in which I tease her…" he pursed his lips as he thought, "Well not only that way. She has always been friendly to everyone we have met; she always finds something to compliment everyone with whom she comes in contact, even her arch nemesis, Oona Marconi." His eyes danced for a few seconds. "I love that my mother has an arch nemesis."
"I'll bet you do."
"Anyway, I guess I've always tried to emulate her behavior with everyone I meet. The trick is to be sincere and not force candor, like I can with Gina or Meredith." He winced. "If there's nothing complimentary to be found, then I walk away."
"I can think of a few people we've run across who would fit into that category."
His features darkened for a moment. "Me too." He stared at her as they both recollected the truly despicable people they had the displeasure of acquainting through their work. He blinked and breathed deeply. "But I don't want to talk about them tonight."
"I'd rather not, either."
"Good," he breathed. Picking up his wine glass he held it aloft to her. "Here's to tonight, the future, and to more pleasant pursuits."
Smiling, a thrill of anticipation running up her spine as she contemplated 'the future,' Kate touched her glass against his and hoped he didn't catch the shakiness of her grasp. "To tonight," she agreed.
"Are you okay?" Of course he caught it. "Feeling all right? We can go if you still need to rest." His eyes searched her face.
"No Castle, I'm fine. I don't want to go." She grinned. "I wouldn't walk out on Rosalie for anything, anyway."
"Yeah, she might get her brother to put a contract out on us," he said behind his hand.
Kate chuckled and Rick raised his eyebrows, staring deadpan at her. "Really?" she asked.
"How do you think I found Rosalie?"
"Who is her brother?"
"It's better that you don't know. Just suffice to say that I know…"
"A guy," she finished, her expression soft and full of happiness in the soft lights.
Nicolo' arrived with their antipasto and they enjoyed prepared bruschetta of chopped olives, vegetables, and herbs; and others with fresh tomatoes and basil. They nibbled and talked about everything and nothing, and enjoyed the wine and ambience.
Kate told a story about how she once had accompanied her parents to Take Your Kid to Work Day, and only the one time because she had managed somehow, like the Bermuda Triangle; interfere with the electronic devices in the office, from the copier to the refrigerator. It seemed to her ten-year-old self's memory that she was a walking electro-magnetic gun. She took another bite of her bread and raised her eyes to Castle's.
His head was tilted slightly and his face aglow with warmth and humor. No one had ever looked at her the same way before. She cleared her throat and that broke him out of his enthralled gazing.
"How about you?"
He scowled and she was sure he'd been a million miles away. "What?"
"Did you ever go with Martha to work?"
His eyes alit with a devilish glee. "I practically lived there…until…"
"Until what?"
Nicolo' approached with their first course, tri-colored tortellini with a chunky mixed vegetable marinara, sprinkled liberally with fresh basil and parmesan. It smelled like heaven.
Castle thanked Nicolo' with a nod and a smile and waited until he refilled their wine glasses. "Let's just say that my appreciation for the nude female form began at an early age."
"Oh God," Kate exclaimed around her first bite. "How early?"
"I'm pretty sure I was still in grade school. Back stage is not a place known for modesty." He swallowed his bite of pasta. "God, that's good." Kate nodded around her own divine forkful. "My mother did not appreciate it as much as I did and thus began my supplementary education of alcoholic, disinterested nannies."
Kate sat back, studied him as she took another swallow of her wine. "Your childhood wasn't that bad," she deduced wisely despite his hyperbolic accounts.
"God no, no it wasn't bad," he agreed, sipping from his own glass. "I had more freedom as a kid…" he tilted his head back and forth and sipped his wine before he continued, "probably more than I should have. After the nannies would pass out, I was free to do whatever I wanted. I knew Mother wouldn't be home until late, sometimes not until morning."
"It's a wonder you don't have a longer rap sheet."
"My dear Detective, in order for any alleged transgressions to show up on one's rap sheet, one must first be caught." He smiled again. "Of course, library loitering wasn't considered a chargeable offense then. Or maybe it was and I simply charmed the librarians."
She dabbed her mouth with her napkin and fixed him with a stare. "Police horses don't patrol library reading rooms."
He shrugged. "That was later and under extreme mitigating circumstances and a story for another time."
Their main course arrived, grilled fish with asparagus. Kate had just taken her first bite when Castle's phone sounded from somewhere inside his suit, playing 'God Only Knows' by The Beach Boys. She looked at him quizzically, having watched him silence the device before he got out of the car.
"Sorry," he apologized around a tender asparagus shoot. That's Alexis." He pulled out his phone and began a conversation with his daughter. "Hey, Pumpkin. What's up?"
His daughter would always take precedence in his life. Kate knew he had promised that he would answer her calls at any time and still felt a twinge of guilt after he'd missed her calls during their first night together. Alexis had had too much to drink and had called for a ride. Luckily for her, but not so much for Castle, Martha had been able to pick her up.
"Slow down, Alexis. What do you mean on fire?"
That brought Kate out of her musings.
"Are you all right?" He breathed out. "Is anyone else hurt? Where's your grandmother?" He scowled. "Figures. How did…" He listened intently. Kate could hear Alexis' panicked tone, her rambling, string-on sentences. She also heard the deliberate tone of voice Castle employed, even though his eyes betrayed his own sense of panic.
He held the phone between his ear and shoulder as he gathered his napkin from his lap; he dabbed at his mouth and stood. Kate took her cue from him and prepared to leave.
"Shh, Sweetheart. As long as no one is hurt. Alexis, let me take care of things here. We have to stop at the hotel to collect our things, but I'll be there as soon as possible."
Kate heard his daughter's protest through the phone. "It's okay," she assured him, noticing the looks of concern and regret warring each other in his expression.
"Okay, Baby Girl. Call me if you need me before I get home. I love you." He ended the call and signaled Nicolo'.
"I'm so sorry about this, Kate."
"What's happened?"
"Sir?"
"I have an emergency and need to leave. Please apologize to Rosalie for me, and I'll need the check."
"Very good," he said and disappeared.
"Rick?" she asked as he held her wrap for her.
He exhaled. "There was a fire on the roof."
"God," she breathed.
"Riccardo? Everything okay?"
"Sì, Rosalie. It will be. There was a slight mishap at home and Alexis is upset."
"Sì, sì. You go to your bambino." Nicolo' delivered the check and Castle, who already had his wallet out, checked the total, produced some bills, and to Nicolo' said, "Thank you for everything. Keep the change." He enfolded Rosalie in his arms. "I'm so sorry I have to skip out early."
"Senza senso! You take your beautiful girl here and go back to rescue your baby. Maybe things work different, but they always work, huh?" She patted the slight bulge in Castle's side jacket pocket.
Castle's eyes widened and immediately sought Kate's. Relieved to find her speaking with the sommelier, he whispered, "Shh, Mamma. You don't want to out me, do you?" He scowled, playfully at her and then bent to kiss her cheeks.
Rosalie smiled and patted his cheek. "You're such a good man, Riccardo. God bless you, both!"
A/N 2 - I apologize for any mistakes and again beg your tolerance for the Italian translations. Google was my adviser. - GM
