Return To Maine Chapter 15
A/N: I know. It has been a while and for all my good intentions of keeping to a once a week schedule, life has intervened countless times since my last chapter and with all the site problems, I was afraid I might lose any work I had done, so I hesitated to send this through. Hopefully this will go through with no problems. I am so sorry. I am still going to try to get back on schedule, but it would be unfair of me to make any promises to you guys about timed postings. That being said, I can promise you that I am committed to this story and seeing it through. I have a few ideas that will take this story a long way.
I hope you all don't get too bored or this is too much fluff. Let me know in your comments. Myself I love fluff, but that doesn't mean that everyone does. Some of you have made some suggestions, very good ones, that I am going to incorporate into this story. Just please be patient with me. I have never written a crime one, so I may ask for thoughts or ask for help from some other writers, collaborate with them. In the meantime, your thoughts and ideas are always welcome and together, we will carry this story a long way. Thank you all for your help, thoughts, and ideas. You have no idea how much I value them. Now, onto the story.
A/N: This wasn't meant to be a song fic, but I couldn't help but reference a partial one. "The Way You Look Tonight" All credit for the lyrics belong to the legendary Frank Sinatra.
They met Amber and her husband, Rob in the lobby of the main building. Introductions were made. Pleasantries were exchanged and Rick pulled Rob off to the side where he removed a white envelope from his breast pocket and handed it to Rob.
"I really appreciate this so much, Rob. It's very kind of you and Amber to do this for us on such short notice."
"It's our pleasure, Mr. Rodgers."
After paying Rob the asking price of $250.00 quoted to him by Amber earlier today at the diner, which was a good bargain all things considered, plus the tip he included in the envelope for gratuity of $2,000 and the $100.00 tip he left for Amber, this evening was costing him a pretty penny by most people's standards, but to him was pocket change. This evening was worth every cent and then some.
It was only money, after all, which he had plenty of and what was the purpose of having it if you couldn't spend it on the people you love? He would gladly pay any price to give her / them this evening.
Rejoining the ladies, Kate linked her arm through his and they were escorted to the rear of the building, to a paved path behind the hotel lit with sodium vapor lights to illuminate the path, to the hotel's private pier where Rob had his boat docked. The strains of soft jazz music permeating the air.
They boarded the boat to the sounds of soft jazz and strains of Coltrane music being played by a small local band on the boat.
Mmm, this is heaven, she thought as she pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders and leaned closer into Rick's side. The sun rose and set earlier in Maine than it did in any other state in the continental United States and with sunset, the air had turned chilly.
Amber escorted them to a lone table set up in the middle of the upper deck.
The small table was beautifully set for two with fine china, linen napkins and two cut glass champagne flutes at each place setting, a small lantern in it's center casting a soft golden glow that only illuminated the table and the smaller table positioned at one end.
"Here we are. We should be casting off any time now. I'll go get your appetizers and be back in a moment." Amber announced as Rick held Kate's chair for her and then seated himself as Amber sauntered away.
"This is so beautiful! Thank you for doing this. This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."
"Well, then. I'm glad I arranged it and this won't be the last, either. Like it or not, you're stuck with me now." he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively, in a playful manner and reached across the table to take her hand and brush a small kiss to the back of her fingers.
At the touch of his lips as they grazed the back of her fingers, a shiver that had nothing to do with the coolness of the night air ran down her spine
"I guess it's a good thing I like being stuck with you." she lobbed back at his innuendo.
She smiled as a look of mock astonishment fell across his face, his eyes widening as his jaw fell slack. It took him a moment before he spoke again.
"Does that mean you like being stuck with me, stuck to me or perhaps on me?"
"All of the above." she replied, grinning at him, saucily.
"Good answer." he choked out as Amber approached, carrying a silver ice bucket with a bottle of champagne nestled inside and a small platter of stuffed mushroom caps.
"Here's your appetizers." she said, setting the mushrooms in the center of the small table. "And here's your champagne. Locally brewed by the finest distillery in the area." she added, presenting the bottle with the label up to Rick for his inspection.
At his nod of approval, not that he knew anything about the distillery but was trusting her opinion, she loosened the muselet over the outside of the cork. Holding the bottle at a 45 degree angle, she popped the cork and poured Rick a sample.
He swirled the champagne in his glass eyeballing the color and bubbles for a moment before taking a sip, rolling it around in his mouth, allowing the flavor and texture to burst on his palate.
"Wow! That's excellent, Amber. That will do very nicely. Thank you."
She smiled at Rick as she refilled his flute and moved to serve Kate. "We are very proud of our local distilleries and breweries."
"As you should be." Rick concurred.
He considered asking Amber about other nightlife in Bar Harbor, but tamped that idea down. They had seen numerous pubs while they were in town earlier in the day and if they decided to partake any of that, any one of them would work. Besides, if they were going watch the sun rise on Cadillac Mountain in the morning, they'd need to be up early.
"We should be getting underway any moment now. I'll check back on you shortly. Enjoy your appetizer."
"Thank you, Amber. I'm sure we will." Rick said and Amber sauntered away. He turned back to look at Kate and found her gazing at their surroundings in awe.
"It's beautiful, isn't it ?" he asked as he took i n their surroundings.
She brought her gaze to meet his. "Yes, it is! I love it here so much that I dread having to leave it, but..."
He nodded his understanding. "But?"
"Nothing. I'm thankful that we're here. It's just that two days here..."
"Is not enough?" he asked.
"Exactly!" she replied, picking a stuffed mushroom from the plate and offering it to him.
He leaned forward, taking the bite she offered, his lips grazing her fingertips in the process and smiled as a chill ran down her spine and she shivered. He loved the way her body responded to his touches, his kisses.
He leaned back, chewing thoughtfully. "Oh, these are so good. Admittedly, two days is not enough time. You're not thinking that we won't be back, are you? Because, I can promise you that we will come back. You have two weeks vacation coming up in July, maybe we could come back then."
God, he was hoping she'd want to come back then. He already had the ring.
"You trying to plan my vacation now, babe?" she teased.
"Uhm, not exactly. I just thought…"
She grinned across the table at him at his crestfallen expression. "I'm kidding, babe. Coming back here would be nice, but I thought you'd want to spend some time in the Hamptons. Isn't that where you usually go with your mom and Alexis?"
"It is, but it's not their vacation. It's yours."
"No. See that's where you're wrong. It is their vacation, too . Vacations is family time and I don't want to interfere with that."
"You wouldn't be interfering with that. You're family too and you'd be included in that. Okay. Two weeks beginning July 1st and going until ?..."
"July 15th. I actually have 15 days in total. But babe, I'm not fami..."
"No! Don't say that. Don't even think that. You are if I say you are. Okay. So we plan for those dates. We can invite your dad to join us in the Hamptons for the 4th of July weekend. We spend 5 days there and then fly back out here for 5 days doing whatever we want."
"Sounds good to me, but that still leaves us with 5 days to fill."
"Maybe we'll get more Maine? We'll figure it out, I promise."
"Okay." she agreed.
As the boat pulled away from the pier, Rick picked up his champagne flute and raised it aloft with her following suit. "To beautiful Bar Harbor and to us." he toasted.
"To Bar Harbor and us." she said, clinking her glass to his.
They had just finished their appetizer of stuffed mushrooms, when Amber appeared with two bowls of steaming, scrumptious clam chowder and Kate welcomed the warmth it would provide. Amber asked them if everything was to their liking and after their nods of approval and murmured thank yous, scurried away.
"So, you said earlier today that you are contemplating telling Gates about us? Are you sure you're ready to do that?" Rick asked as he refilled their champagne glasses.
"I don't know, babe. I feel like if I tell her, this is all going to blow up in our faces and I don't want that. But the logical side of me is thinking that it's only a matter of time before we slip up, someone finds out despite of the precautions we take and she'll find out anyway and it will only be worse."
"It won't blow up in our faces, honey. I refuse to let that happen. It won't change the way we feel about each other. I mean, we may have to change things a bit, but I'm good with that as long as I have you."
"You'll always have me, babe. But if she fires me for breaking departmental rules for dating my partner and co worker, and bans you from the precinct..."
"That's not going to happen, but let's say for the sake of argument that it does..." At her nod, he continued, "In the first place, I don't see her firing you for that. You're the best detective the city has ever had and she'd be pretty stupid to do that. I don't think she is that stupid. Secondly, if she tried that, I'd sick Bob Weldon on her so fast, her head would spin."
At that, Kate couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up in her chest and spilled out, imagining a dizzy, light headed Gates floated into her vision. Yeah, right! Like that would ever happen. They didn't call her iron Gates for nothing.
"That being said, she may try to ban me from the precinct, but she couldn't stop me from showing up there to take you and / or the boys to lunch or to pick you up. My point here is that we may have to make some adjustments, but we'd adjust accordingly. So we would take it one day at a time and see what happens. Whatever you decide, I'm okay with."
"You're so sweet and I love you so much" she said, taking his hand in hers across the table. "Then there's the part about lying to everyone we love and care about. I hate lying to people. The only person that knows about us is my dad and I hate that I've put you in the position of lying to your mother and Alexis."
"Yeah. I don't like lying to them, either."
"See? That's what I'm talking about. And if that's not bad enough, I'm lying to the best friend I've ever had, who would be ecstatic that we're together. Then there's the boys and as much as I'd like to knock their bull heads together for their recent antics, I still love them."
"I know you do. I love them, too. They're the closest things I've ever had as brothers. And they love you, too."
"I know they do, as misguided as it is. I just don't want us to be the butt of their jokes."
"I think they'd be happy for us if they knew, though."
"I do too, which kinda makes me feel more guilty for lying to them."
"Maybe I could keep them in check." Rick suggested.
"How Rick? By offering them the Ferrari? And even if that worked, how long would that last? They'd use that and just want something else and it would snowball from there. I don't want you to have to give in to their bribes."
"Okay. You have an excellent point. I don't know, but whatever you decide. we'll figure it out. In the meantime, if I swear Alexis to secrecy would you mind if I tell Alexis and mother? I'll stress to them how important it is that they do not share it with anyone else."
"As long as they keep it among themselves, I don't have a problem with that It's just that I'd rather tell Gates myself and I'd rather we tell the boys ourselves, if I decide to tell them now. I hate that we're lying to them... to everyone."
"Okay. Thank you for that. I'll tell mother and Alexis when I get back from my tour. So are you rethinking our plan of revenge on the boys?"
Kate laughed. "Not a chance in hell. They trespassed on your property illegally, I might add. And they so deserve to be punished for that. Speaking about your tour, I have to be back at work on Tuesday, but I heard you tell Gina earlier that you weren't coming back until Wednesday."
"Yeah. So?"
"So, I was wondering what your immediate plans are for Monday evening am hoping that if you don't any, you'll come and spend Monday night at my place."
"I had planned on seeing you home and then flying back into DFW later on Monday night, but you have to be at work early on Tuesday morning, so what's your plan?" he asked.
"I really don't have a plan. I just thought that instead of you flying back to Dallas right away, you could come and spend the night at my place Monday night and we could leave for the airport early. That way, we'd have more a little more time together, I could see you off at the airport and you'd be back in time to rest up before Wednesday morning."
"Hey. You know I wish I could go in with you on Tuesday." he said, reaching for her hand again, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze."
"I know. I'm just really going to miss you and having to say goodbye again..."
"I know. I'll see to my plane reservations."
"Good."
After they had finished their New England Clam Chowder, Amber came and removed their dishes, replacing their bowls with platters of succulent, fresh caught Maine lobster and tender, juicy steaks cooked to perfection served with baked potatoes, and melted butter for dipping sauce for the lobster.
You just couldn't get any better than this! Maine was known for its fresh seafood, local home grown produce, it's breweries and it just didn't get any better than this.
The band that had been playing Coltrane music when they had boarded the boat earlier had switched from Coltrane to jazz mid-way between the chowder and main entree.
About half way into the main entree, he raised his gaze from his plate to look at Kate, whose face was bathed in the soft golden glow of the lantern.
God, she was beautiful! Exquisitely so! She was always stunning, of course but tonight there was just something about her and she was even more so. Devaststingly, heart stoppingly beautiful.
Noticing that her head was bent and she seemed to be just pushing her food around on her plate, he laid his fork down on his plate and reached his hand out to lift her chin to meet his gaze with his index finger.
"Hey. What's wrong?" he asked, concern etching his features.
"Nothing. Everything is perfect. I'm just stuffed." she answered.
"Are you sure that's it?"
"Yes. Absolutely." she answered, smiling up at him, the strains of soft jazz music permeating the night air.
"You know what?" he asked.
"No. What?"
"So am I." he replied, laying his napkin to the side of his plate and rising from his seat.
She watched him quizzically as he took her hand in his, tugging gently. "What is a romantic evening without dancing? Dance with me?"
She smiled that brilliant smile at him, placed her napkin to the side and rose, moving into the warmth of his embrace.
The band began playing Sinatra songs as she looped her arms around his neck, pressing her body intimately against his as they glided, twirled, and dipped to the beat of the music across the deck to the strains of "Come Fly With Me." "Witchcraft", "It Had To Be You", and "Fly Me To The Moon".
Time seemed to stand still as the band played on and they danced around the deck oblivious to all that surrounded them except each other. She nestled further into Ricks embrace, reveling in the warmth, strength, and security she felt when she was in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder, breathing in the scent of him.
The band began playing "The Way You Look Tonight" and Rick banded his arms around her waist, sealing their aligned hips together intimately, humming along with the song softly at her ear, the warmth of his breath and the vibration of his hum washing delicious sensations through her bloodstream.
"Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm,
And your cheek so soft.
There is nothing for me, but to love you
And the way you look tonight." Rick sang softly in her ear.
Lifting her cheek from his shoulder, she whispered, "Love you" and ran her tongue lightly against the shell of his ear before resting her head against his shoulder again.
"With each word, your tenderness grows, tearing my fears apart…
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose.
It touches my foolish heart." Rick crooned in her ear.
"Lovely… never ever change.
Keep that breathless charm,
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you… Just the way you
Look tonight."
They stood at the rail watching the lights of Bar Harbor glimmering on the waters of Frenchman Bay as the boat approached the pier.
It had been such a lovely evening and one that she would never forget. Not that she'd ever try to forget. She couldn't if she wanted to. She wanted this night to never end. It had been that perfect, that beautiful and that magical.
As impromptu as this trip had been, this small seaside town, its occupants, and all that it represented had embedded itself in her heart after only spending one day within it's borders and she was pretty sure that Rick felt the same way.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Rick asked at her ear, his warm breath fanning against her cheek.
"It's breathtaking!" she breathed.
They stood at the rail on the boat until the boat docked and it was time for them to disembark.
They went up to the band and thanked them before finding Rob and Amber, thanking them for their hospitality.
"Would you like us to escort you back to the hotel, Mr. Rodgers?" Rob asked as he shook Rick's hand.
"That won't be necessary, Rob. We appreciate and have enjoyed this so much, Rob. Thank you so much for this."
"The pleasure has been all ours, Mr. Rodgers. We hope you'll sail with us again."
"Actually, we may be planning another trip here in July and would love to book another private cruise with you."
Rob reached into his pocket, pulled out his business card and handed it to Rick. "My cell phone is on the back. Give us a call when you finalize your plans."
"Will do, Rob. Thank you." Rick responded, pocketing the card.
They bid Amber and Rob goodbye and disembarked the boat, walking hand in hand up the pier to the path that would lead them back to the hotel.
They stopped under one of the sodium vapor lights and Rick checked his watch. "It's only 9:30. The night is still young. Would you like to stop at the bar in the hotel for a nightcap?"
Not in a hurry for this night to end, Kate smiled up at him. "Actually, I'd love to."
At 11:30 that night after a romantic dinner cruise and spending the last couple of hours in the hotel's bar, they approached their room.
Rick pulled the key card from his pocket and inserted it into the lock, opening the door and standing aside to allow her to enter first.
She gasped in surprise as she entered the room with Rick behind her, his hand in the small of her back.
To her amazement, the bed linens were drawn back, the room bathed in a soft golden glow from candles on the nightstands and the small table across the room. On the coffee table in front of the couch sat a bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket with 2 crystal champagne flutes beside it.
"Happy Anniversary, honey." Rick whispered in her ear.
"When? How did you even pull this off?" she asked, turning in his arms.
He shrugged. "While you were in the tub, I made a call to the front desk and set it up. Is it too over the top? Too dramatic?"
"No. It's perfect." she breathed. "I love you." she rose up on her toes and kissed him.
"I love you, too. Best anniversary, ever." he murmured.
A/N: I'm not really pleased with this chapter, but hope you enjoy it anyway. Next chapter will begin their journey into Acadia National Park and I have a lot of information on the area, not sure I can cover each place as a separate chapter the way I had planned, so I may have to cover a couple of destinations in one chapter.
That being said, what do you guys think? Should Kate come clean to Gates about her relationship with Castle? Should he propose to Kate on another romantic cruise in Maine? What about a Maine wedding down the road? Tell me your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and constructive criticisms.
Going to start writing Chapter 16 now, but it may take a few days to gather my thoughts and research notes, but will post something good or bad soon. Hope you all have a safe, blessed, and happy week!