"A coffee shop?"
She nods, tries to keep the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder. "One of the only places hiring that I'd even consider," she tells him. "The older woman who owns the place seems sweet enough."
"No restaurants hiring?"
"I'm sure they are," she sighs. "I don't think I can work in another restaurant, though. The last one left an awful taste in my mouth."
"Bad food or bad company?"
"Bad company," she clarifies. "The other waitresses were all older than I was and always gave me a smaller cut of the tips. I planned on quitting anyway because the pay wasn't enough, so it didn't seem worth it to pick a fight."
There's rustling on his end. "That doesn't seem fair."
"It wasn't, but I don't see this older woman cutting my pay so I think I'll be okay."
His chuckle reverberates through the phone, sends a chill down her spine. "Seems fitting, don't you think? You working in a coffee shop, when you consume at least half of your body weight in coffee daily."
"That's an exaggeration," she snorts, rummaging around in her closet. "It's only a quarter of my body weight."
"Oh my mistake, how could I ever be so wrong?"
She rolls her eyes, tugs a pale cream sweater off of a hanger. "That's if I even get the job."
"You'll get the job," he says immediately, the confidence in his voice overpowering her own doubts.
"I'm not the only applicant, Rick," she reminds, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "I'm not sure former stripper is exactly what this tiny woman's looking for in a new employee."
He sighs. "You've got to stop using that against yourself, Kate. It's in the past, proved by the former in front of the profession."
"I know," she breathes, rubbing at her eyes with her free hand.
"Do you?" he questions, and she swears she can see his face in front of hers, those piercing blue eyes staring into her own.
She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth. "Yeah."
"Good," he says. "Because that's not what everyone sees when they look at you. That's just what you see when you look in the mirror, Kate, and you need to start letting that go. You're so much more than that."
The corners of her lips tug upwards. "I know," she repeats. "I know you're right. It's just hard, you know? It's been what I do for so long and now it's... not."
"For good reason," he points out, and she winces.
Her eye's no longer dark shades of black and blue, and it's just about back to normal again. The tiniest hints of color can still be seen around the bottom of her brow bone, but it's easily hidden with a light coat of cover up and it no longer hurts, so it's not a problem. Her ribs, however, still have a while to go. The bruising has faded, her torso no longer looks like a toddler's paint canvass, but the sensitivity and soreness still remains.
It's lessened, though, and hopefully it'll be less tender within the next week.
"I don't think I'll be getting jumped outside the coffee shop," she muses.
He laughs. "No, let's hope not." There's a pause. "But maybe don't take the night shifts?"
"Rick."
"I know," he drawls. "You can take care of yourself and blah blah blah. I'm still allowed to worry. It's in the friend handbook, it's practically my job description."
She grins, letting out a soft laugh. "Of course," she says. "There's no sense in telling you not to worry since I know you will."
"No there is not," he confirms happily. "Might as well get used to it."
Her eyes roll. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"Nope."
"Didn't think so."
"When's your interview?" he asks after a few seconds.
She glances at the clock and stands. "Noon," she says, grabbing the pile of clothes she's laid out on the other end of the bed. "Which means I need to finish getting dressed if I don't want to be late. That wouldn't be the best first impression."
"Probably not," he agrees. "Tell me about it once you're out?"
"Will do," she promises. "I really have to go now."
"You won't need it, but good luck, Kate."
Hanging up, she quickly strips from her boy shorts and over-sized tee shirt and slips into skinny jeans and the sweater she'd picked out. It's not a super formal interview, not a fancy business franchise, so she's opted to forego the dress pant and suit combo. She looks damn good in those suit jackets, but they're a tad too much for a coffee shop.
She throws on some light makeup, just eyeliner, mascara, and enough concealer to cover her eye and make her face look more bright, more alive and fresh. Her hair's left down, and she curls the ends to make it look more presentable, sprays it with hairspray so it doesn't fall before she even gets there.
She stands, brushes a hand down the front of her sweater as she takes one final look in the mirror at her reflection to make sure she looks okay. It's as good as she's going to get, she figures, and so she grabs her purse and turns off her light.
Hopefully this will be the fresh start she needs.
"Sorry for the wait," the older woman says, walking up to the table with two coffees.
Kate shakes her head. "Oh, it's not a problem. Thank you for meeting with me, Mrs. Bishop."
"Of course, dear. You seemed like a good candidate when we first met. And please, call me Anna. Mrs. Bishop makes me feel impossibly old."
Kate smiles, taking a sip of the coffee Anna placed in front of her. It's exactly what she asked for, with a hint of vanilla, and her nose scrunches at the pleasant aroma. She's only met Anna once before, after she'd seen the sign advertising for help in the window, but she's the kind of older woman who reminds you of your own grandmother. She's got light blonde hair fading into gray, and ice blue eyes that exude experience and wisdom.
This is the most informal interview she thinks she's ever gone to.
No office, no questionnaire set out for her to give answers to. Just Anna, some coffee, and a corner table in the shop.
"Tell me about yourself, Kate," Anna requests.
She opens her mouth, straightening her back. "I'm, uh—I'm twenty," she starts slowly. "I'm a junior at NYU, studying Pre-Law, and I'm pretty sure I drink at least half of my body weight in coffee on a daily basis."
She bites her lip, resisting the urge to shake her head at how she's just admitted to Rick's earlier assertion.
Anna laughs. "Love of coffee is definitely a good quality for this job," she says. "Pre-Law is pretty taxing, must keep you very busy."
"Oh, kind of," she admits. "But I'm vigilant about my work. This job wouldn't be any different."
"I wasn't doubting your ability to do the job," Anna assures with a smile. "It was merely an observation. I had one other Pre-Law student work here before, poor thing was always dead on her feet."
Kate exhales. "I've had worse," she says quietly.
She has no doubt her time in the club was the worst of it, kept her exhausted and disgusted at all times. This coffee shop wouldn't even compare.
Anna gives her a look, one she's seen before in people when they're trying to read her, when they sense something about her that she doesn't want to expose, and she dips her head, lets her hair fall into her face as she picks up the coffee again.
The older woman doesn't comment, but her lips tug up into a soft smile.
"What about a relationship?" Anna asks, laughing at Kate's started expression. "A beauty like you is sure to have someone who'll be hanging around."
The change of topic is welcomed, but what it's been changed to is not what she'd have expected.
"Oh, uh—" She pauses. There's Rick, she supposes, but she doesn't actually know what they are. Friends? Very caring friends who sometimes verge on the line between something more? "Not really," she decides. "He's not—it's... complicated."
"Ah," Anna drawls, a knowing smile on her face. "Take it from an old woman. Seize the day. What you do on your break is none of my business, but don't let something good slip away."
Kate smiles, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. How did this job interview turn into a casual conversation with this woman telling her not to let Rick slip through her fingers?
"Okay," Anna continues, before Kate has a chance to reply. "I think I've heard all I need to hear."
"Oh, I—okay," Kate stutters. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, again."
"The pleasure was mine, Kate. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Kate's mouth drops. "What? I got the job?"
Anna chuckles. "Of course you got the job, deary. You've had the job since the last time we spoke, this was just to confirm my suspicions," she winks.
"Your—your suspicions?"
"That you're a lovely young woman who'd fit in perfectly around here." The woman looks around the shop, notices the customers filing in. "If your complications turn into something more solid, just make sure he's a lover of coffee too. It'd be a pity to see him hanging around here if he hated it."
That's all Anna says before she stands, offering a friendly pat on the shoulder and a grin as she makes her way back behind the counter, disappearing into a back room.
Kate takes a deep breath, her mouth in a closed lipped smile. This woman is as sweet as can be, the complete opposite of Victor and his greasy, slimy buddies, and she can't help the sigh of relief that escapes her throat. She got the job.
She's employed, and it's no longer as a stripper.
She hits the speed dial as soon as she exits the coffee shop, a bounce in her step.
"Y'ello," she hears his peppy greeting.
"Hey," she says, eyes on the pedestrians in front of her as she crosses the street.
"Kate! How'd it go? Is it done? What happened?"
Kate laughs. "Slow down there, bud. It went... really great, actually. Anna's really sweet."
"So..."
"So," she echoes, grinning. "I start tomorrow."
She can hear his elated squeaking, the woo she's almost positive he didn't mean to yell out loud. His excitement is endearing though, and she can't wipe the smile off of her face as she weaves in and out of hurried New Yorkers.
"Congratulations, Kate! That's incredible!" he exclaims. "I'm so proud of you."
"It's just a coffee shop job, Rick."
"No," he dismisses. "This is a big deal, regardless. It marks your official end with the club, and that calls for a celebration."
Kate chuckles. "A celebration?"
"Yes," he says firmly. "A celebration. What do you say, early dinner tonight? The lovely company of two Castles?"
She chews on her lip. He's so sweet, so happy about this new chapter that's starting, and she can't help the butterflies that have taken up residence in her stomach. The dinner options in her apartment are slim to none; she thinks she has some leftover takeout, probably, but she really just planned on ordering in again.
"Okay," she agrees after a few seconds. "Dinner sounds nice."
"Great." She can practically hear the smile in his voice. "Come by in an hour or two?"
Nodding, she turns onto her street. "See you then, Rick."
Stepping off of the elevator, she makes her way towards his apartment. The strong aroma of sauces and spices hits her as soon as she nears the door and she takes a deep breath, inhales the pleasantry of it all before she finally knocks.
It takes only a few seconds before she hears footsteps shuffling towards the door, and then it's swinging open and she's immediately pulled into a hug.
"Kate," Rick greets. "Come in, come in. Dinner will be ready shortly."
"Hi, thanks," she manages after she's let go. Taking off her coat, she places it onto the hook next to her. "Smells incredible."
"Spaghetti and meatballs," he grins. "But with a kick. Some extra spices to really... well, spice it up."
She laughs. "I'm sure it'll be delicious."
Alexis comes bouncing down the stairs. "Daddy, is it—" Her eyes light up and then go shy as she takes in Kate. "Hi, Kate!"
Kate bends down, smiling at the girl. "Hi, Alexis," she says. "It's nice to see you again."
"You too!" she exclaims, hesitantly coming out from behind her father to give Kate a quick wave before running into the living room. "I'm hungry!"
He chuckles. "Patience, grasshopper. It'll be done in a few minutes." His head nods towards the kitchen, his hand extending in a sweeping gesture. "Care to help put on the finishing touches?"
She lets her hand fall into his, lets him guide her. "I'd be honored."
Following him past the island and to the stove, she hovers beside him until she's told what to do. He picks up a knife and hands it to her, instructs her to cut the vegetables that'll be going in the side salad, and she starts taking the lettuce off of the head too just because it's there. It's all placed into a bowl, and she takes it upon herself to go in the fridge, take out whatever dressings he has and put them on the counter to choose from later.
Once all of the vegetables are cut up and thrown together with the lettuce, she mixes them together and places it to the side.
Rick continues to stir the sauce, and she laughs when he makes a face every couple minutes before sprinkling in a bit more spice.
He tastes it, letting out a delighted hum.
"Satisfied?" she teases.
Dipping a spoon back into the pot, he fills it with some more sauce and swings it towards her. "Here, taste," he says, putting one hand under the spoon to keep from dripping on the floor and bringing the tip to her mouth.
She makes a noise, startled by the gesture, but she doesn't have much choice other than to open her mouth, let him spoon the sauce for her to taste. The spices hit her tongue, mix together with whatever other ingredients he's put in there, and explode.
Her eyes widen, a hand coming to cover her mouth as he retracts the spoon, and she can't help the low moan that slips out.
Rick just laughs. "That good?"
"Shut up," she mumbles, swatting at him with her free hand. "That's incredible."
When she looks up his eyes are on her, a soft smile on his face, and she meets his gaze for a few seconds before chewing on her lip, averting her eyes. He clears his throat then, breaking the spell, and turns to shut off the burner.
"I think it's done," he manages, his voice gravelly.
"Tastes done." Her arms gesture to the counter behind her. "Salad is ready to go, too."
He grins, moving past her to grab the bowl. "Excellent salad mixing," he drawls. "You have a real talent."
Kate scoffs. "Thanks, I'll be sure to put tossing salad on my resume."
His mouth opens, amusement etched into his features, and she holds up a hand, stops the comment she's almost positive she knows that he's about to make.
"Don't," she says. "Just don't."
He shrugs. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Narrowing her eyes at him, she turns away, leaving the kitchen and making her way towards the living room. She shoots him a look over her shoulder, holds up one finger in warning.
"Sure, Rick."
She's in the living room with Alexis getting a show of what the girl's been drawing in her notebook when the door swings open, and the clicking of heels resounds off of the hardwood. Her head whips around, heart in her throat, as she watches a vibrant older woman bounding into the loft.
"Richard," she drawls.
"Mother? I didn't know we'd be expecting you," Rick says, ushering her in regardless.
His mother waves a hand. "Class ended early, so I thought what better way to spend the evening than with my son and darling granddaughter?"
"Don't you mean spend the evening with a free meal instead of paying for one?" he quips.
She grins, putting up her hands. "My son, the comedian." He raises a brow. "At least we don't kid ourselves, darling."
Alexis runs from the living room then, colliding with the woman and wrapping her arms around her waist. "Grams!" she yells, smiling up at her grandmother. "You're here!"
"I'm here," she echoes, her eyes catching sight of the woman in the living room as she looks over Alexis's shoulder. "And who do we have here?"
Kate freezes, feet rooted to the floor. It's Rick's mother, his mother. She's only just met Alexis, and the girl is adorable but she didn't think she'd be meeting his mother this soon. And if the apologetic—and slightly confused—look on Rick's face is any indication, he didn't either.
"Mother, this is Kate," Rick speaks up for her. "She's a friend."
Her legs finally move, carry her into the dining room to greet the woman.
"Martha Rodgers," the redhead says, offering a hand. "It's nice to meet you, dear."
"Likewise," Kate manages, and she's pleased with how steady her voice is.
Rick slides up behind her, resting his head on her shoulder as he whispers in her ear. "Let the show begin."
She laughs, rolling her eyes as she follows him into the dining room.
"Care to go for a walk?"
Kate turns to find Rick standing in front of where she sits on the couch, Alexis nodding off next to her. She nods, carefully removing herself from her seat so as not to wake the girl, and lets him pull her up the rest of the way.
"What about..."
"Go, kiddos," Martha says from her spot in the lounge chair. "I'll hold down the fort."
Rick grins. "And I can expect the loft to be in full working order when I return?"
She waves a dramatic hand, rolling her eyes, and Kate hides her grin as she's tugged out of the living room. They stop in the entryway to put their shoes back on, and then they're out the door, walking side by side until they're down on the sidewalk.
"So, that's your mother."
He laughs. "That's my mother," he nods. "I'm sorry this was all sprung on you. This was supposed to be a celebration for your new job, the end of your club days, and I know you didn't expect her to just show up. I didn't expect—"
"Rick, hey," she cuts him off, a hand on his arm. "It's fine. It was... unexpected, to say the least, but it was okay. She's sweet."
"Sweet?"
She shrugs. "What, she's nice." He raises a brow. "And... eccentric."
"There we go," he chuckles, and she rolls her eyes. "What time do you go in tomorrow?"
"Ten, I think. But I'll probably go in early, get a feel for the place before I actually have to start."
Nodding, he guides them across the street, keeps Kate next to him as they do their best to avoid running into hurried pedestrians. Her gaze travels around them, eyes jumping from one store front to the next, admiring the decorative additions hanging from the street lights. The sun's set already, leaving nothing but the bright city lights to illuminate their surroundings.
The city is her favorite at night.
It's bustling during the day, and it's just as busy at night, if not more so because of the bars and late night outings, but the way everything is lit up makes all the difference. There's something about it, the chill in the air, the sparkle of the streets.
"Are you taking me to... the park?" she asks with an amused huff when she realizes where they are.
He grins back at her. "You too old for the park, Kate?"
"Who you calling old? Last time I checked, you are the one pushing thirty."
One of his hands comes to slap a this chest, covering his heart, a look of mock offense on his face. "Ouch. That cuts deep."
In lieu of a reply, she shoots him a smirk, moving in front of him and walking backwards so they're still facing each other. He's shaking his head, smiling back at her with amusement etched into his features. She looks back to make sure no one's behind her before turning back to him, her tongue peeking out behind her teeth.
His face falls a few seconds later, and her brows scrunch up. "Kate, watch—"
She has no time to react before her foot gets caught in a break in the pavement, knocking her off of her balance, and she goes tumbling to the ground. The shock of the fall has her freezing before her mouth opens, laughter bubbling out, and her hands brace her weight on the concrete on either side.
Rick's in front of her a second later, on his knees beside her. "Are you okay?" She keeps laughing, can't stop. "Kate. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she manages, calming down. He's still hovering, eyes wide with concern, roaming over her body. "Rick, I'm okay."
"You're sure? What about your ribs?"
She nods, giving him an appreciative smile. "I'm sure," she laughs. "Now help me up."
He extends a hand, gently tugging her from the ground, and she smooths her hands over her pants, wiping away anything that's stuck to the fabric during the fall. She puts her weight onto the ankle she'd just fallen on and winces.
"It okay?"
"Not sprained or anything, just a little sore," she decides, wiggling the ankle in question. "Come on. You brought me to this park, so let's go enjoy it."
Once he's convinced that she's okay, he smiles, leading her over to the swing set that sits in the corner of the park. There are a few kids in the park, older teenagers congregating over towards the other side, but there's no one else around this area.
He sits first, nodding towards the swing next to his, and she rolls her eyes but takes a seat anyway.
"So, do I get a friend discount?" he asks after an extended silence.
She laughs. "I haven't even started yet and you're asking for friend discounts? I knew there was an ulterior motive for your excitement," she teases.
"If I worked at a coffee shop I'd give you discounts."
"Is that so?"
He nods. "It's so."
"Come in and I'll get you a coffee, on me. Deal?" she reasons, a smile on her face when he laughs. "Or you could buy us both a coffee as compensation for this rolled ankle you've given me."
His mouth drops open. "Hey, I didn't tell you to walk backwards!"
"Didn't warn me there were cracks in the pavement, either," she throws back.
"I tried!"
She watches a playful grin take over his face, and she turns away, leans back on the swing and stares up at the sky. It's so dark, and there aren't many stars visible, not at many as there would be if they weren't in the city, but it's nice.
He surprises her then, coming up from behind and tugging on the chains, pulling her backwards before pushing her as hard as he can. She squeaks, letting the chuckle bubble out, and uses her legs to aid in his pushing. After a few minutes, he gives her one final push and then gets back on his own swing.
"Wanna see who can go the highest?" he asks as they swing.
She turns, looking over at him. "This a challenge?"
"Absolutely."
"Deal."
He grins. "Loser buys ice cream?"
She lets a competitive grin blossom across her face. "I'd like a chocolate and vanilla twist," she says in response, a twinkle in her eye.
They take back off then, racing to see who can go the highest for the longest amount of time without letting the momentum fall, and there are trails of laughter coming from the both of them. Rick tries to grab onto the chains of her swing, to slow her down, but she manages to dodge his attempts and he almost slows himself down in the process.
"Cheaters never win, Rick," she laughs.
In the end, Kate wins, due to the fact that Rick quits the game and decides to grab her chains anyway, tugging her into him until their swings collide. It brings them down to a slow pace, and they're laughing, letting themselves sway until the swings come to a full stop.
Their gazes lock, and she feels the breath catch in her throat, but then she blinks, averts her eyes, and the moment's gone.
"So, chocolate and vanilla twist?" he asks, clearing his throat as he stands, offering her his hand.
She nods, taking his hand and giving him a small smile.
"Chocolate and vanilla twist."
A/N: It's been forever, I know, and I'm sorry. Now that How to Disappear is finished, this is next on my to-do list. Since this was meant to be a one shot, I hadn't really mapped it out much further, so I'm hoping to get that done and begin uploading as regularly as I can. All I ask is that you be patient while I get back into the swing of things with this one, and thank you so much for those of you who are still sticking around!