Once Lost But Now Found
Chapter 18 - Celebration Time
On the Tuesday following their 3-day Hampton weekend, Kate arrived her usual time at the precinct in an extremely good mood. Brent saw it immediately and knew it was because of Rick's return. As much as Brent was pleased to see her in such a happy disposition, he was sadden by the fact that he was not the reason for her demeanor. Brent had long realized that Rick had her heart, even if Kate herself had been doubtful of Rick's true affections, given her unplanned pregnancy. As much as Brent worked to regain her affections, she had relegated him to the friend's zone. Brent, however, accepted it, hoping eventually she would see him as more. Seeking to know more about Rick's return, Brent asks a probing but seemingly innocent question.
"So how was Rick's arrival? He's back from his tour isn't he."
"Yes he is and we are glad to have him home."
She did not provide Brent with any more info on the homecoming. She did not mention their Hampton weekend. Kate was keeping her cards tight to her chest, not wanting to give a hint on what cards she held. Kate had always been good at poker and not showing her tells. She had the ideal poker face!
Brent realized that Kate was holding back. He was not surprised by that, Kate had always been pretty closed off, even when they had been together. Still, back then he could always get hints on some matters she'd kept closed to him. He had hoped that he might catch her in an unguarded moment for an unintended reveal about Rick's return. But the intimacy and close-ness he once had with Kate was no longer there for Brent. She had been that way ever since they had once again been brought together at the Academy. Brent knew that Kate would not provide any further details on Rick's homecoming.
"Well, I am glad for both you and Alexis", he says trying to not disclose his true feelings about Rick's return from his book tour.
It was a slow day at Homicide so Brent and Kate were once again detailed to patrol duties. Even the patrol was uneventful, but Brent was still trying to get more clues from her on Rick's return.
"So how was the book tour for Rick. Did he get lots of fan questions on what happened with Coterra?"
Kate knew that Brent was still trying to find out more about Rick's return and the question on Coterra was asked as a way of getting a reaction from her.
"He said he missed us everyday and that the whole Coterra thing did raise fan interest, which is good for sales. All of that was just another PR action to gain fan interest for the new Storm novel."
Brent had hoped for a tell tale reaction from Kate on his question, but again she was being closed off and poker face. He decides to stop his questioning, it appeared to be a dead end.
For lunch the two partners decide to go to their favorite sandwich place. As they take their orders back to a table, who should enter but Espo and Demming also taking a break from patrol duties.
"Hey you two, how's it going?", greets Espo.
"Slow, fortunately, so we are just chilling.", responds Edwards.
Demming looks at Kate and sees the glow coming from her person. He reacts to it by asking Kate, "I take it that Castle is back from book tour?"
"You would be correct on that", replies Kate and there is a happy tone in her voice.
Demming on hearing the tone in her voice gives his partner, Espo, that look. Espo returns Demming's look with his eyes and slight rise in his brow to acknowledge what they both knew...it had been a happy homecoming and Kate was no longer brooding over Rick's absence.
"Well I for one am glad Castle's back, this one has been moody ever since he started the tour", reveals Brent, all the while looking at Kate as he spoke.
"To be expected", Espo and Demming say together, and then all the three men look her way.
Kate realizes that her colleagues have caught on to her mood change. Had she been that transparent and easy to read? All of them had been schooled at the academy to notice dispositions and mood changes when interrogating witnesses. Those skills were clearly evident now in these men.
"Well, you two come join us after you get your lunch. We have to keep the breaks to a minimum on patrol so might as well get caught up before we are back on patrol", Kate says trying to ignore their stares with the show of a neutral face.
As Demming and Espo join them after getting their orders, Kate tells them, "We want that celebration party for the three of you on a weekend, what is free for all of us?"
"Tom and I have the weekend off after the next coming week ."
"Same for Bent and me, let me get back to all of you on it."
"Sounds like a plan", says Tom, " We will expect a reply. A simple text would do."
They all finish lunch and part ways.
The Luncheon Planning
Once they had set on the date for the event, Kate and Rick started preparations for it in earnest. Brent had suggested inviting the girls also, so Kate informed them of the planned event. Their evenings were spent working out the details for the luncheon. Saturday was the preferred day and Kate thought maybe they should do both lunch and dinner with lots of comradery in between. Contacting her friends on it, they got a consensus by all of them to make it so. Thus most of the day on Saturday would be for the event.
On Thursday before the Saturday happening, Rick plans a dinner for Kate as a reward for her setting up their Saturday celebration that was being given in appreciation for Kate's male patrol mates having her back in their first ever gun fight. The couple had Martha there as a sitter for Alexis on their dinner date night, thus allowing them to be worry free about their daughter while they were out. It also allowed them more time together before they returned home to the loft. They dine at one of NYC's five star restaurants that required months in advance for a reservation, which Rick, using his celebrity status, was able to get with just a week's notice.
Rick went all out on the dinner and had even hired a car service for the night out.
After dinner, they once again go to Studio for some dancing and drinks. Again, Rick had reserved a table close to the dance floor so they did not have to make their way thru the club crowd to get to the dance floor. After dancing several fast numbers, they head back to their table for some cooling wine and to catch a rest for their legs after the fast dancing.
"I really do like this club, so many memories here", says Kate as they sip their wine.
"Same here", Rick replies and then gives Kate an affectionate kiss to the lips.
Just then the DJ puts on 'The Closer I Get To You", a slow dance, sung by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. This song is a favorite for the couple. So Rick takes her hand and leads her to the dance floor. They lock into an intimate dance embrace and enjoy the starting lyrics:
[Verse 1: Roberta Flack]
'The closer I get to you
The more you make me see
By giving me all you've got
Your love has captured me
[Bridge: Donny Hathaway]
Over and over again
I try to tell myself that we
Could never be more than friends
And all the while inside, ...
I knew it was real, ...
The way you make me feel'
The rest of the other verses to the song fade into silence for the couple. Rick is looking into Kate's eyes passionately and she is returning the look. They are having a moment and the world is lost to them. They are not on the dance floor anymore, but instead in another place, sharing in their minds the intimate moments the two have had together. The lyrics to the song are ringing true for both of them.
They come out of their moment when the DJ puts on a fast dance. With that Rick takes Kate's hand and leads them back to their table. Once seated, they start up on their wine again. There is a pause of comfortable silence between the two of them as they take in the ambiance of this place, of this time, of their being together, and of their growing love for one another.
"I just love the lyrics of that Roberta Flack song, it makes so much sense", says Kate in a throaty voice.
"Kate, do you know how to tell when you are in love?", responds Rick to her comment.
Surprised by the question, Kate replies, "No, tell me how, Rick."
"When the words to songs make sense."
"Oh, ...really?", says Kate startled at Rick's reply to her.
Then it hits her hard, realizing the implication of Rick's reveal. She knew she was falling in love with him, but now she knew that Rick also knew. He now knew that she loved him for himself. Not because she had gotten pregnant by him, not because he was rich and famous, and not because she felt obligated to him for his actions when she was pregnant. She simply loved him for the person he is.
"So, to fan the flames of this moment", Rick tells her, reaching into to his coat pocket to pull out a velvet clad black ring box and opening it for her, "Kate Beckett, would you be my wife?"
Upon hearing his proposal and seeing the diamond ring, she is shocked. When had he bought the ring? Kate's head is swooning. She is totally caught unprepared for what Rick had just asked her. There is a moment of stunned silence that seems to last forever for Kate, as she sits there, incredulous!
Looking at the open box, with her mouth hanging open forming an 'oh' from her lips, Kate lets out a startled and breathless response, "Yes, yes,... a million times yes."
Their kiss is lustful and Kate puts on the two karat diamond engagement ring.
"Rick, it is so big!", she says looking at her ring.
"Kate, your fingers are just so slender."
"When did you get the ring?"
"In Los Angeles, on the tour, when I finally realized I loved you and that I could not endure being away from you. I had planned to ask you when the moment was right. I brought it along tonight on the chance this might be the time. But when you said the lyrics of that last song made sense, it came to me that those lyrics meant the same to you as it did to me. That's when I knew I had to pop the question to you?"
They start to kiss again but stop just then when they hear the clapping and are blinded by several flashes of numerous phone cameras. It appears the club crowd had noticed their moment and had been intrigued, then thrilled at Kate's reaction to Rick 's proposal.
They end the evening with a hasty retreat to their limo when they sensed the official paparazzi might be near. They were sure to make page six of the papers when the knowledge of Rick's proposal got out. Once they get home they check on Alexis now sound asleep in her crib. They end the night in passionate love making but wake up early the following morning tired but sated. They do the final touches for their planned event with Kate's fellow law officers.
Kate could still not get her mind around the fact she is now engaged to Rick Castle. She kept looking at her ring to remind her of that! Kate is still in a haze, particularly after their night in bed. They both had held nothing back. It was a night to remember, even more memorable than their first night together, or their time at the Hamptons.
On Friday night before the planned celebration, Kate prepares all the condiments to go with the beef and baby back ribs that Castle had marinated that day. They are both finishing up the prep for both the luncheon and follow-on dinner, as it was to be an all day affair.
Saturday arrives soon enough and just before the planned time for the start of their event, all the food is laid out on the dining table and kitchen island. The items just needed to be brought up to the BBQ place. The drinks were on a little wine cart that Kate would wheel to elevator going up to the rec area. At the top deck to the loft where the BBQ grills are in the Rec area of their loft building, Rick has started up the grill so that it would be hot and ready shortly after the guests arrive.
When he returns, Alexis is being fussy and her crying can be heard over the baby monitor. Kate looks flustered, an unusual state of mind for the tough cop that she is.
"Kate, go take care of our daughter. I got this. Just get Alexis and yourself ready. I want you to look your gorgeous self so Edwards and Demming will be jealous when we announce we are engaged."
The celebratory event now had two purposes, to honor Kate's fellow officers who had her back during the shootout and now also as an engagement announcement party.
"Woo hah there writer man, you did not just say what I thought I heard you say?"
"Kate alllow me to gloat, I just got engaged to the most beautiful NYPD lady cop ever to grace the spaces of the 12th precinct."
Kate heart skips a beat when she hears his remark. The man always knew what to say to set her heart on fire.
"OK, you get away with your remarks this time only because they are so sweet and charming, but you need also to get ready. Can't have my cop girl friends think I'm marrying a slob."
"Ha, ha, for that I won't give you a kiss when we announce our engagement."
"Oh really, let's see how well you keep that promise. You never can keep your hands off me."
"Says the lady who jumped my bones that first night she saw me."
"I seem to recall it was the other way around."
"Okay, enough of our flirty banter. We need, I need, to get ready in the proper outfit. I have to be my ruggedly handsome self!"
Rick gives Kate a quick kiss to her lips, but Kate has other ideas. Instead of a quick one to the lips, Kate grabs Rick in a tight embrace and locks her lips on his for a very lustful kiss. Rick returns it and they finally break the kiss, both breathless from it. On shaky legs Rick heads to their bedroom to get dressed.
Twenty minutes later they are ready. Kate is dressed but still getting Alexis ready, as Rick hears the first ring of their door bell.
'Here we go', thinks Rick, and answers that first bell.