Hey guys sorry for the long wait! Anyways here is chapter 51, hope you guys like it, chapter 52 will be up shortly, you guys are great readers!

Evening Blues Chapter Fifty One

Kate and Rick, spent a good two hours, walking along the beach, collecting shells, pushing each other in the water and stealing kisses every now and then. The couple looked perfect together, from the unknown eye they seemed like every other newlyweds on vacation. Once the two dried, they reached the deck; Kate pulled the tank top over her top, and wrapped the towel around her waist.

Rick whined as he wiped the excess water from himself. "You're restricting my view with that tank top and towel"

Kate swatted him on the arm before entering the house. "Everyone does not need to see me walking around the house in just my swimwear"

"I don't mind" he said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Lanie was sitting on the couch watching some infomercial selling high heels as Kate passed the couch towards the bedroom, with Rick not too far from her. "There you two are how was the beach?"

Kate replied. "Nice"

Rick looked at Kate then back at Lanie. "Breathtaking" but they knew he was not referring to the waves and sand.

Lanie wanted to do a happy dance but she restrained herself as she turned her gaze back towards the TV. Kate grabbed a clean pair of clothes and retreated to the shower to wash all the salt water off. Castle grabbed his shorts and a pair of clean boxers and went to one of the empty bathroom to do the same.

Kate finished her shower, slipped on a pair of shorts and a fitted tee. She left her hair down to let it air dry as the curls started to form. She plopped on the couch beside Lanie.

"What are you watching?"

"There selling AMAZING shoes"

Kate rolled her as she watched the infomercial a few minutes. "Lanie, we can buy these shoes in the stores"

"I know, but just look at them!"

Kate grabbed the remote and started flipping through the channels much to Lanie's protest. Kate quickly found a movie and both the girls began to watch it. Rick came out of the shower in his cargo shorts, and passed the couch. Lanie didn't realize she was starring until Kate smacked her knee.

"Lanie!"

"What? I told you your boy have a toned upper body!"

"Yes I remember, now stop starring….that's my job"

Lanie giggled as she turned her eyes back to the TV, only to glance over at Kate whose eyes followed Rick until he went to grab a shirt and she couldn't see him anymore. He came out wearing his green lantern t-shirt and Kate sighed to herself. Now he was restricting her view.

"Where is everybody?" he asked as he grabbed a soda from the fridge.

"Uh, Jenny, Alexis and Martha are out by the pool. Javier and Kevin are in the media room playing video games once again, and Jim is on the hammock. "

"Right" Rick made a b-line for the media room.

Lanie rolled her eyes. "What is it with guys and video games?"

Kate shrugged. "Who knows, Rick has tried to get me to play some game on the Xbox"

"Javier made me play that Halo or whatever it is called a few days ago and there like robots or something!"

Kate laughed at her friend, she knew a little more about the games than Lanie, but not much. Lanie turned off the TV and stood from the couch.

"I'm gonna shopping for some souvenirs, wanna go?"

"Yeah, let's ask the rest of the girls if they want to come"

Kate and Lanie made their way to the pool where Martha and Jenny were tanning, while Alexis was floating around the pool. "Were going shopping, wanna come?"

"Yeah!" Alexis said as she paddled her way towards the edge of the pool and carefully climbed off the float without getting wet. Jenny and Martha quickly retreated to their rooms to change their clothes. Alexis pulled her tank top over her head and pulled her shorts over her swim suit bottoms.

Kate grabbed the keys and her wallet from the master bedroom and they all climbed into the SUV. Kate settled into the driver's seat. Lanie sat in the passenger's seat, Martha and Jenny sat in the second row, and Alexis sat in the back with her iPod blasting in her ears.

Once they reached the first shop, they all piled out of the vehicle and made their way into the store. Lanie of course went straight to the flip-flop section. Jenny and Martha started at the coffee cups, while Kate and Alexis headed for the t-shirts.

After about forty five minutes of shopping around each woman had a bag and they all climbed into the car once more. Kate pulled off and headed towards a swimsuit shop. The entered the store and the smell of sun tan lotion filled their noses. The store was filled with every color, shape and size of swim suit that it could carry. There were board shorts for men and women, rash guards, one piece, trunks, bikinis, and tons of other styles. The women split up once more and rummaged through the rack of swimsuits. Kate bought a pair of short board shorts for herself and a pair for Rick. Lanie and Jenny both bought bikinis. Alexis found a cute two piece, while Martha stuck with a cover up and sun hat.

Meanwhile at the house: Jim had moved from the hammock to the lounging chair on the deck. Rick finally beat the guys at the video game and left those two to battle each other. He searched the living room for Kate and Lanie, but they weren't anywhere. He walked outside to the deck and saw Jim sitting on the chair.

"Where's the girls?"

Jim smiled as he placed the book he was reading down. "They all went shopping"

"Oh"

"Yeah, your daughter was the first to agree to go when Kate mentioned shopping"

Rick laughed as he nodded his head. "Yeah, Alexis loves Kate, and she especially loves shopping"

The two men laughed as they began to talk about their daughters. When the conversation turned a bit more serious when Rick went to his room, then returned just as fast as he left.

"Jim, I need to show you something and I need your honest opinion"

Jim nodded as he watched Rick pull a blue box from his pocket. Rick handed it to him and Jim opened it slowly revealing an engagement ring. Jim smiled as he closed the lid and handed it back to Rick.

Rick swallowed hard before placing it back inside his pocket. "Do you think she will like it?"

Jim nodded his head and his felt his eyes get a little misty. "Yes"

"Jim, I have been your daughter's partner for three years now, and we have been dating for a couple months now and in that time, I have fallen in love with your daughter. She amazes me every day; I have never been with someone that keeps me on my toes like she does."

Jim chuckled. "That sounds like Katie"

"I am ready for more, I was wondering if I could have your blessing to ask Kate to marry me"

Rick managed to get through that without getting misty eyed himself, but it was very hard. Jim quickly stood, and Rick mirrored him. Jim stretched out his hand to shake Rick's.

"You have my blessing Rick"

"Thank you Sir, that means a lot"

Rick retreated back to his room to place the ring back into the hiding place, and he did just in time, the woman all returned from shopping as they all plopped onto the couch. He leaned against the door frame and watched Kate as she chatted with the rest of the girls about their shopping trip. Alexis was the first to retreat to her room to put away her purchases, followed by Martha then Jenny.

Kate grabbed her two bags and walked past Lanie towards Rick. She smiled sweetly before ducking under his arm to enter the bedroom.

"I got you something"

"Really?"

Kate laughed "yes", she threw the board shorts towards Rick and he caught them before the hit the floor.

"Sweet, I wanted to get another pair!"

"That's not all, look" she held up her women's version of the board shorts. "We match"

"Ooh that's even better!"

There shorts really did match, they had the same design on the right side of the leg, but the women's design was in pink, while the men's design was in back. Kate's were shorter and stopped at her thigh while Rick's stopped just below his knee.

"So what did you guys do while were gone?"

"Uh, I beat the buys at the video game and me and your dad relaxed on the deck" He smiled

"Where are the guys now?"

"Javier and Kevin are still trying to kill each other on the game and I think your dad is still sitting on the deck."

"Oh, ok, so what do you want to do for lunch?"

Rick shrugged. "How about pizza?"

"Sounds good"

Kate put away the rest of the items that she bought then made her way outside to see her dad. "Hey dad"

"Hey Katie, did you have fun shopping?"

"Yeah, I brought you a keychain"

Jim chuckled as he reached for the island shaped keychain. He placed it in his pocket and started to watch the sparkle in his daughters eyes dance around. Kate realized her dad was staring to stare a hole through her.

"What?"

Jim shook his head. "Oh nothing"

Kate gave her father a confused look. "Dad, what is it?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it Katie"

"Dad, I'm trained to tell when someone is lying, what?"

He sighed, he didn't know how she did that but he knew she was damn good at her job. "I'm just glad you're happy"

Kate smiled as crossed her arms. "Ok dad, what did you guys talks about?"