Potions of Love
Chapter 11
Monday, September 26, 2022
Both Rick and Kate are late in arriving at their Monday morning lab session.
Kate is the first to arrive and quickly moves toward her table, with Emily already in place and reviewing her notes for the day. Rick comes in five minutes later, rushing to his table, finding his lab partner looking around the room anxiously waiting for his arrival.
"Hey man, I was about ready to give up on you. You're never this late. Is everything okay?" Mike asks with a sincere and concerned tone. Over the weeks that they have been partners, Mike has developed a respect for Rick as a knowledgeable lab mate and a caring individual. Rick isn't aware, but Mike has seen many of his interactions with Kate and has been impressed with the devoted attention that he seems to reserve, especially for her.
Rick honestly replies, "Thanks for the concern, Mike; that means a lot to me. It was a rough weekend, and I was running behind big time this morning."
After their short exchange, both turn their attention back to Professor Andrews, who begins his morning lecture and requests that students turn in their assignments before leaving for the day.
Both Kate and Rick keep watchful eyes on one another as the lab progresses while also focusing on Professor Andrews's details throughout today's discussions. The topics he describes will require extensive research outside of class to prepare for their upcoming exams that will be administered in mid-October in preparation for their November finals.
As Rick continues to watch Kate, he senses that something is up with her as there is a distinct look of sadness in her eyes. They have been unable to talk with one another, and he is concerned that Kate may have changed her mind about doing their follow-up testing. The testing isn't his big concern, but the bleak look on Kate's face has him troubled about her and her wellbeing.
Their lab ends, and Rick quickly bids goodbye to Mike and rapidly crosses the classroom to get to Kate before she leaves the room. Rick reaches Kate's table, but before he can say anything, Kate whispers, so only he can hear,
"Good morning Rick. Are you ready to do some more testing on your potion?" Her tone suggests that she is okay, but Rick can see a particular worry or sadness in her eyes that usually isn't present, but he doesn't pursue his thoughts at this point even though he wants to, so he answers,
"You bet."
Rick offers to give Kate a ride over to her lab at the Stabile building, and much to Rick's surprise, Kate accepts his offer. On the short ride to Kate's lab, their conversation focuses on their upcoming testing. They enter the Stabile building, go directly to Kate's lab, and organize their notes as Rick gives Kate the small vial of potion.
Kate adds a few drops of the liquid to her test slide and begins to repeat one of the tests they had done at the teaching lab several days ago. She wants to do another comparative analysis before further testing on Ollie and Lena.
The comparative results are similar to what they learned before, so they administer a controlled amount of the potion into Ollie and Lena's water bottles. Rick and Kate set timers and begin noting the reactions of both mice to the new dose of the mixture.
After observing Ollie and Lena for a little over an hour, they noticed that the reaction from both mice was more intense than it was during their previous testing. One conclusion could be that reactions increase based on repetitive exposure to the potion.
Rick notices that Kate appears uncomfortable as she observes her two lab mice. Rick isn't sure what's causing her discomfort, but he feels something happened over the weekend that has set her on edge. But again, he keeps those thoughts to himself.
Rick and Kate compare their notes on the two testing cycles and determine that the results are very similar and feel they have a good handle on how the potion interacts with both animals and humans. As they are straightening up Kate's lab and putting their notes away, Kate asks Rick,
"Now that we've confirmed our test results, what are your plans for the rest of this potion?"
Rick hesitates as he knows he won't use it on Kate or any other woman. Rick shakes his head and replies, "I don't know. I know that I no longer want to use it on anyone, including you." He doesn't know if he has clearly expressed his decision, but he looks at Kate, hoping she senses his sincerity.
Kate closely watched Rick during this short discussion and felt that his reply was genuine, so she commented, "That's good." She hasn't told Rick about her breakup with Josh or what he tried to do to her, but she knew she wouldn't be able to continue any form of a relationship with Rick if he was still interested in the potion.
Even though her response was only two simple words, Rick could sense her relief with his answer. He lets out a silent sigh and is thankful they are putting an end to this entire potion process.
Knowing they are both experiencing a similar sense of relief, Rick takes Kate's coat and holds it up for her to slip her arms into, then grabs her messenger bag and his backpack and says, "We've had a busy morning and afternoon. Let's grab lunch at the new Bistro that just opened downtown?"
Kate smiles and agrees as Rick extends his arm out to her. Kate slides her hand through the opening at Rick's elbow, and the two leave the lab with a renewed sense of closure for the many issues they have addressed over the last couple of weeks.
Rick has no idea what is going on between Kate and Josh, but Kate's acceptance of his invitation to lunch is a step in the right direction.
After sharing a delightful lunch with Rick, Kate arrived at her apartment around 2:30 pm. She unloaded her messenger bag and set up her books and notes so they'd be ready for her study time, which she would attack after she made an important call.
Kate had been too upset and tired to call Lanie Sunday evening after her encounter with Josh, so she knew she needed to make that call. She knew Lanie didn't have classes on Monday afternoons, so Kate thought this would be a good time unless Lanie's buried in her study time.
Lanie is reviewing her notes for an upcoming test when her cell phone rings. Seeing Kate's picture on her caller ID, she quickly answers, saying, "It's about time, girlfriend. I have been worried sick about you, and when you didn't call me Sunday night, I didn't know what to think. What happened Sunday evening when you met with Josh?"
Kate didn't immediately respond, and Lanie instantly knew something was up. "Hey Kate, are you okay?" asked Lanie with a very concerned voice.
"Yea, Lanie, I'm doing okay, it was just a very long evening, and I didn't have the energy to call after I got home. So could you come over tonight for dinner? I'll treat you to your favorite Ta Chin Chicken from Hunan Garden," Kate asked in a pleading voice that Lanie didn't often hear from her best friend.
"Well, that's a tough offer to turn down. Include a Tidbit Plate and bowl of Egg Drop Soup, and you've got a deal," teased Lanie.
"You got it. Does 5:30 work for you?" asked Kate.
Lanie responded in her most encouraging tone, "Most definitely, that would be perfect. Do you want me to bring the wine?"
Kate chuckled because Lanie knows she still has several bottles of their favorite Sparkling Red in her cupboard. Kate joins in the fun banter and replies, " Only if you are tired of my stash. You know I still have three bottles of that Red that you enjoy so much."
"Oh, no. We'll stick with the good stuff. See you at 5:30, girlfriend," laughed Lanie as she bid Kate goodbye and disconnected their call.
Kate wasn't excited about reliving the events of her Sunday night, but she knew Lanie was concerned, and after all, she had been her biggest cheerleader during all of Kate's struggles with Josh.
Kate sees that it's almost 3:00 pm, so she settles down at her desk, starts reviewing her notes from today's lab, and allows some comforting thoughts of Rick to worm their way into her mind. She recalls their lunch and the easy conversation they enjoyed, then quickly begins her study routine.
The doorbell rings right at 5:30, as Lanie lets herself into Kate's apartment. Lanie shuts the door turns; she almost bellows, "Oh my goodness, does this place smell delicious. I haven't had Chinese from Hunan's in ages. Dinner was a terrific idea."
Lanie quickly moves to Kate's dining table to find that their meal is all laid out, and a bottle of Sparkling Red wine is decanting in the center of the table. Kate gives Lanie a welcoming hug and invites her to sit down.
As they did Saturday night with their pizza, Kate suggests they enjoy their meal before tackling her saga about Josh.
As the two friends dug into their delectable meal, there wasn't much talking. Kate had split a delicious Italian meatball calzone with Rick earlier, but she always has room for her favorite Shrimp in Lobster Sauce dinner from Hanan's.
After wrapping up their meal, they clean up their dishes and, once again, take the bottle of wine and their glasses into Kate's living room. Lanie sits quietly and waits for Kate to update her on what happened Sunday night.
It takes Kate almost an hour to outline her nightmare with Josh.
Lanie sits in her spot on Kate's couch, dumbfounded. She knew Josh was a creep, but she would never have imagined that he would go to such unbelievable extremes to drag Kate into his world.
When Kate says, "Well, that's it. I walked out of his apartment and told him if he ever comes near me again, I will call the cops and file a formal assault complaint against him."
Lanie remains stone silent at the other end of the couch. She looks at Kate with watery eyes and says, "Oh, Kate, I am so sorry. If there had been any hint that he was that mental, I would have never let you go to his place alone."
Kate immediately slides over to her friend and draws her into a fierce hug, saying, "Oh, Laines, it was not your fault. I didn't even realize Josh had such a dark side until he came at me. I am so thankful we took that self-defense class last year that the university offered. It was rewarding to see him in so much pain!"
"Well, that is one bright spot in this conversation," replied Lanie.
Lanie adds, "Oh, I bet you aren't aware of what happened after you left Josh's place?" Kate frowns and shakes her head.
Lanie continues, "A friend of mine from pathology is doing a rotation at the hospital clinic. The word on the floor is that Josh went off on some fortune-teller on the west side of town and was arrested on several charges, including assaulting a police officer. Kara told me Josh was dismissed from the program as soon as the Board learned of his charges. And he has been ejected from the university for life."
Kate's eyes bug out of her head, and she is speechless as she stares at Lanie. She asks in an overwhelmed tone, "Are you sure he's gone?" Lanie nods in confirmation. Kate is quiet for a minute and then says, almost to herself, "What a relief."
It's getting late, and both friends have early classes, so they begin wrapping up their evening. Kate had wanted to tell Lanie more about Rick, but she decided to wait for another night. Kate walks Lanie to the door as is their usual ritual, the two share a hug, and Lanie heads for home.
Kate puts the remainder of their wine in the refrigerator, makes quick work of washing their wine glasses, then heads to shower and hopefully have a peaceful night's rest.
Rick and Kate's relationship takes a new turn over the next few weeks. They've met for lunch after labs, gotten together to watch a movie, and gone for walks over the weekends.
Rick knows that something dire happened that weekend when Kate met Josh, but he also realizes Kate is a very private person, and she will share her feelings with him when she is ready. So, for the time being, he enjoys his time with Kate and loves seeing this new relaxed side of his friend.
They have spent several hours together talking about a wide range of topics. Kate shared what it was like growing up with two high-powered attorneys as parents and the pressure put on her by some in their circle to follow in their footsteps. She also shared about the death of her childhood friend, which eventually led her to pursue a medical career in neurology.
Rick shared what it was like growing up in the sphere of a successful Broadway star. Kate laughed uncontrollably as Rick described some of the eccentric tendencies of his mother, but she also learned of the deep love the two share as they conquered numerous struggles during Rick's early years growing up in New York City.
Rick and Kate learned about each other's favorite foods and what activities they enjoy most when they aren't deep into their class studies. October also includes many hours of study time for both Rick and Kate as they prepare for their October lab tests and their block study finals in early November.
One Saturday in mid-October, after a lab final, they planned to meet and go on a memorable 'date.' Earlier that week, Kate told Rick that she wanted to plan the day, and the only hint she would give him was that he needed to dress warmly. Rick tried every way he could to get her to fess up about her plans, but each time she would give him a very sweet-looking smirk and continue to ignore his sometimes whiney pleas.
Saturday finally arrived! Minnesota weather had taken a strange turn, and the temperatures were running in the mid-'60s, which was rare for the upper Midwest. Rick was up early and had eaten breakfast and spent some time with Neddie but still found he had over an hour to wait before Kate would be at his apartment for their outing.
"Rick recalled how Kate had driven him nuts all week as he tried to figure out what plans she had for their day, but she never gave in to his numerous appeals. She gave him a quirky little smile that he was growing to love, telling him he would have to wait!"
Rick was sitting at his kitchen table, watching Neddie finish her breakfast, when he heard the roar of a motorcycle pull up near his rear door. He looked at Neddie and said, "NO! Is she taking me on her Harley? Neddie, can you believe this is happening?" He continued as if the cat would respond, but instead, she paid him no mind and kept eating her breakfast.
Rick grabbed his coat and stocking cap and raced out of the door, almost forgetting to trip the lock. In her black leather gear, including her helmet, there was Kate. She had flipped up her visor so he could see her smile as she reached behind her back and pulled another helmet out of her saddlebag.
"Hey pharmacy boy, do you think you are up for a little excitement today?" She had slipped off her helmet, so Rick was blessed with seeing her beautiful smile as she motioned for him to come and take the helmet. Rick ran the last few steps until he reached her and threw his arms around her, saying, "I can't believe this is happening. You're taking me on a ride on your Harley. Best day ever!"
Kate laughs at Rick's enthusiasm and is thrilled that her plan has made him so happy. She helps Rick adjust the chin strap on the helmet and has him check the audio mic to ensure it's working correctly, so they can communicate during their ride.
Rick climbs on the bike behind Kate as directed and situates himself on the incredibly soft Corbin seat. Kate has the mics on as she turns and tells him that he can hold onto her as they ride if he wants to. Kate uprights the bike and flips up the kickstand; as Rick slides his arms around her waist.
Once they are both settled, Rick asks, "Where are we going?"
"To one of my favorite places, Stillwater," replies Kate.
"Cool," Rick replies rather loudly, not realizing he doesn't have to yell for Kate to hear him.
Kate turns and points to the volume button on his helmet, saying, "I can hear you; just talk normally."
Rick shakes his head and says, "Right, sorry."
Kate smiles and fires up the powerful bike and makes a turn to get them back out on the street. Before pulling into traffic, Kate explains to Rick, "I'm going to take us around town some, so you can get used to how the bike rides and how you need to lean into the turns we make. I know what I am doing. I have been riding for years, so let your body follow my lead, and we'll be fine."
Rick again nods and says, "Gotcha. Sounds great to me. It's been a while since I've been on a motorcycle."
Kate looks in both directions, pulls out into traffic, and begins their tour around Rochester. Rick is overwhelmed by the exhilaration and pleasure he experiences riding on the back of Kate's motorcycle. Rick feels, sees, and smells everything around him as they pass through downtown Rochester. He does as Kate instructed and pays close attention to her body movements as they make turns and stops in the city traffic.
After about a half-hour, Kate pulls into a Kwik Star and asks Rick if he's ready to hit the open road? Kate tells him they may have to turn up their volume to better hear each other with the wind whipping around them. Kate adds that the ride will take about an hour and a half and if he needs a break, let her know, and she'll pull over. She reminds him that this is his first ride, so some parts of his body may feel it more than others, and she has no problem stopping for a rest if needed. Rick acknowledges her instructions, and then they are on their way!
Forty-five minutes into their ride, Rick understands what Kate was explaining earlier and asks if she can take the next exit. Kate agrees and pulls off of Hwy 52 at the Casey's near Cannon Falls. Rick gets off, stretches his legs and back, and indicates he will make a stop at the facilities. Kate also removes her helmet and joins him in his walk to the convenience store.
After a brief break, Kate and Rick are back on the road, enjoying their time together as they continue the trip. Kate breaks off Hwy 52 at Hampton and continues on Hwy 61/95 up to Stillwater.
Kate heads directly to the downtown area of scenic Stillwater and parks near the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge. They secure their helmets in the saddlebags and head toward Leo's Grill and Malt Shop, with Kate promising they will backtrack to Barbara Ann's Fudge Shoppe after lunch. Even though it's the offseason, many specialty shops are open. And the locals are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm day to enjoy some time by the beautiful St. Croix River.
Rick and Kate savor their bacon cheeseburgers and thick hand-scooped malts on the Grill Shop's heated patio. Rick has never been to Stillwater and is taking in many of the iconic views of the small cozy town as they enjoy their meal.
After paying their bill and purchasing two red and white T-shirts that Rick insisted they had to have, they began a leisurely walk down Main St. Rick reminds Kate that they can't forget to stop at the Fudge Shoppe. Kate chuckles at Rick's little boy antics and unconsciously reaches for his hand. Her gesture causes Rick to take a sideways glance at Kate, and when he sees her beautiful relaxed smile, he gives her hand a slight squeeze and continues to enjoy their afternoon together.
Besides the Fudge Shoppe, Rick drags Kate into several souvenir stores, insisting that they both need new coffee mugs and baseball caps to remind them of their first road trip on her Harley. They share laughter and easy camaraderie that make for a beautiful day.
They head back to the lot where Kate's motorcycle sits and stow their purchases in the saddlebags, as Rick insists they have to take a selfie by the historic Lift Bridge. Kate bumps shoulders with Rick as they walk back to her bike and prepare for their ride back to Rochester.
They make the trip back home without any stops. Kate heads directly to Rick's apartment, thinking she will drop him off and then head to her place.
She again pulls up to Rick's rear entrance and shuts down the Harley so that they can get Rick's purchases out of the saddlebags. Rick places his helmet back in the right side bag when Kate reaches for his arm and says, "No, Rick, why don't you hang onto that so you're ready for our next ride."
Rick stops and looks deeply into Kate's eyes, assessing what she just shared. He again sees her dazzling smile and, without thinking, leans down and softly kisses her cheek, saying, "Thank you. That means the world to me."
They both share a quiet moment, looking at one another before Kate says she should head home so she can get her bike cleaned up before she calls it a night.
Letting Kate leave is the last thing Rick wants to do, but he also doesn't want to push her too fast. So he replies, "Kate, thank you so much for helping me have one of the best days I have had in years. Today truly was the best day ever. Please call me when you get home, so I know you arrived safe and sound."
Kate returns his smile, saying, "You are very welcome, Rick. Today was a great day for me too, and yes, I will let you know when I get home." Kate wishes she didn't have to leave, but she also feels what they have is still so new and fragile that she doesn't want to rush into anything new at this point in their relationship.
Kate throws her right leg back over the bike and straps her helmet back on. Then she flips her visor up so she can tell Rick goodbye and wishes him a great rest of the weekend. She starts the Harley and gives Rick a final wave as she pulls away and heads toward her apartment.
Rick watches Kate until she is out of sight. As he turns and heads toward his rear door, he smiles and thinks to himself,
"Wow, what a day. That woman never ceases to amaze me, not to mention how hot she looks in her leathers riding that Harley. She is slowly capturing my heart."
Rick continues smiling to himself as he unlocks his back door. Neddie is sitting in the center of the kitchen, waiting for her human to return. As far as Neddie is concerned, Rick is the center of her world, and the minute he crosses the entrance into the kitchen, she is 'talking' to him, telling him about her day and rubbing against his legs as he tries to make his way into his apartment.
"Well, hi to you too, Neddie. Did you miss me?" he chuckles as he picks up the cat. She instantly lets her kitty motor take off and snuggles into Rick's neck, purring up a storm. Rick stands still and pets Neddie between her ears until she turns and tries to jump out of his arms.
"Okay, loving time is over. Give me a sec, and I'll get your dinner." Rick places his new Stillwater coffee mug next to his coffeemaker and continues to his bedroom, where he sets his new ball cap on his dresser. Then he moves things around on the top shelf of his closet and places his new helmet directly in the center, where he can see it every time he opens the door. Once Rick has the helmet on the shelf, he steps back, recalling the incredible day he had with Kate.
He longingly looks at the helmet one more time before closing the door and heading back to the kitchen to feed Neddie. Just as he is putting Neddie's food away after filling her bowl, his cell phone rings, and he smiles as he sees Kate's face appear on his screen.
"Hi Kate, are you home safe and sound?" he asks as he sits down at the table.
"Yep, no problem at all," replies Kate. She is sure this is the first time any guy she has ever dated shows this much concern for her wellbeing.
Was everything okay when you got inside? Was Neddie happy to see you? After hearing Rick talk about Neddie, she quickly caught on to who runs things at his place.
Rick laughs and answers, "Yea, all is well. Neddie seemed to miss me, but then her stomach took over, and now she is happily enjoying a late lunch."
There's an awkward moment of silence before Rick says, "Kate, thanks again for today. It was amazing. I haven't had that much fun in ages."
Kate can tell how happy Rick is by his tone, making her heart skip a beat. "Great, I am so happy you enjoyed the day. I had high hopes that it would be something you hadn't done before and that you would enjoy yourself. It was great for me too. I go to Stillwater several times a year, but it is more fun when you have someone to share it with."
"Well, it was my pleasure, and anytime you need a riding buddy, I'm all in," Rick caringly adds.
Rick and Kate again comment on the fun they had and bid one another goodbye with wishes for a good night.
Kate's POV …
Kate arrives home shortly after dropping Rick off and places her Harley in the garage. Before beginning her clean-up process, she calls Rick to assure him that she made it home safe and sound. After their call, Kate wipes down her motorcycle and heads into her apartment.
Kate goes directly to her bedroom, changes out of her leather jacket, chaps, and heavy sweater, and puts on her new red and white Leo's Grill t-Shirt. She stands in front of her mirror laughingly, remembering how Rick insisted that they buy the t-shirts as a memory of their day. She lovingly rubs her hands down the sides of the t-shirt, thinking to herself,
"I haven't had this much fun in a long time." She continues smiling as she heads into her kitchen to get a bottle of water.
It's still too early for bed, so Kate lays down on her couch and goes through some of the other pictures she had taken besides the selfie they took at the bridge. Kate locates another selfie they took outside of the Fudge Shoppe, where Rick pretended to stuff a piece of gooey chocolate into her mouth.
Kate selects the picture and texts it to Rick with the note, "Today was a sweet day."
She only has to wait a couple of minutes when her phone pings back with Rick's picture of her wearing her new Stillwater baseball cap with the caption "So true."
Kate and Rick then share virtual goodnight wishes and head to their separate beds with a renewed sense that they have many more happy days ahead.
Sunday, Kate wakes up feeling guilty that she hasn't yet told Rick about Josh. She knows she owes him an explanation, especially since her behavior and actions toward him have changed over the last few weeks.
Kate wrestles with her thoughts until a little after lunch. Kate knows she has to tell him something, though she doesn't feel she can go through the entire saga at this time.
Kate doesn't want to get her Harley out again since there is a chance of rain, so she calls a cab hoping Rick won't mind a surprise visit.
A little after 2:00 pm, there is a knock at Rick's front door. He frowns and looks at Neddie, asking, "Who could that be?" Rick opens the door and is shocked to see Kate.
Kate quietly asks, "Can we talk?"
Rick is instantly worried but says, "Of course," and moves to the side of the doorway so Kate can enter his apartment.
Kate walks into Rick's living room, looks around, and comments, "The last time I was here, I didn't tell you that I love the openness of this room. It's very inviting."
Rick smiles, thinking, the last time Kate was here, they had other things on their minds, and said, "Thanks, please make yourself at home. Can I get you something to drink?"
Kate nods her head and says, "Yes, water would be wonderful."
Rick takes his time, going into the kitchen to retrieve water for both of them. He can sense the tension in Kate's posture, so he hopes he can give her a minute to regroup and formulate whatever thoughts she has on her mind.
Rick returns with two bottles of water to see that Kate has taken a seat on the end of his couch. Rick hands her a bottle of water, then moves to the opposite end, waiting for Kate to begin the conversation. Kate remains quiet for several minutes, so Rick finally asks,
"Kate, is something wrong?"
In the meantime, Neddie has come back out of Rick's bedroom, where she had retreated to after Kate's arrival, sniffs around Kate's feet, and automatically hops up onto the couch and moves to sit beside Kate. Rick is stunned as that is totally out of character for his cat.
Kate reaches over and begins to pet Neddie, which seems to help calm her nerves as she works up her courage to tell Rick about Josh.
Kate takes a deep breath and begins. "Rick, I feel very guilty about not telling you what happened between Josh and me last weekend. I can't go into the full story yet, but you need to know we broke up, and there is absolutely no future for him and me. You are too great of a guy, and I don't want you to think I am seeing both you and Josh. Please trust me, I will tell you the whole story, but things are still too painful to think about."
Rick is quiet for a couple of seconds, then responds, "Kate, thank you for telling me about you and Josh. I have been wondering about you and him, especially since you've been open to seeing me outside of class. I know that is a big change for you, but I also realize you are a private person, and I hope you will feel comfortable enough with me to tell me what's going on when the time is right for you."
"So yes, I understand, and please know you can talk to me about it whenever you are ready. I would never pressure you to do anything you aren't comfortable with."
After a few more moments of awkward silence, Rick says, "I was getting ready to watch the Vikings / Eagles game. Would you like to join me? I have snacks!"
Kate laughs at his snack comment and says, "Sure, how could a girl turn down good football snacks?"
Then Kate coyly asks, "Can I cheer for the Eagles?" Thinking Rick would be a Vikings fan.
Rick grins, "Sure, they are my team. I'm always thrilled to welcome a new Eagles fan into my home."
Kate again laughs, "Thinking this guy always seems to surprise me."
Rick then hops off the couch and races to his bedroom, throwing on his favorite Eagles jersey. He then digs through one of his dresser drawers and grabs a spare jersey for Kate.
Rick comes back into the living room and tosses the overly large shirt to Kate, saying, "You can't be an Eagles fan in my home without wearing the proper gear.
Kate again laughs and slips the oversized shirt over her head as Rick goes into the kitchen to grab the snacks.
Rick returns with chips & salsa, meat, cheese, and crackers and tells her he has some Little Smokies warming in the crockpot. He then hands her a beer, and they sit together on the couch with Neddie snuggled down between them, watching the game on Rick's big-screen TV, sharing his yummy snacks.
The Eagles trounced the Vikings 31-7, much to the delight of the two Eagles fans!
After the game ends, Kate says, "I need to be heading home," and reaches for her cell phone to call a cab.
Rick asks, "What are you doing, calling a cab? Nope, that's not going to happen. I am going to give you a ride home."
Kate weakly attempts to protest but is very happy to have a few more minutes with Rick.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrive in front of Kate's apartment, and Rick insists on walking her to her door, just as he did the night of the Sammy Rose concert.
As they reach the door, they both turn toward one another, and Kate says in a soft voice, "Rick, thanks for a wonderful evening. It turned out much different than what I was anticipating."
Kate then stretches up and gives Rick a tender kiss before bidding him goodnight.
Rick again is caught off guard by this intriguing woman and gives her a huge smile, saying, "It was my pleasure, and I hope we can do it again soon. Good night Kate, and sweet dreams."
It's Kate's turn to watch Rick walk down her sidewalk and get into his Jeep, but he doesn't pull away from the curb until he rolls down his window and gives her a big wave.
Later that night, both Rick and Kate fall asleep and have very 'sweet dreams.'
A/N - Dear readers, I hope you don't mind; I got a bit carried away writing about Rick and Kate having good times together, so now, hopefully, there will be one more chapter plus an epilogue.