He knows what will be good for her. He can feel the connection that they have had since he's been working with her all these years. It's a connection of the heart and he will stop at nothing to get her. All he needs to do is make her see that they will be great together and then she will follow him anywhere. He just needs a plan…

Xx

After another long shift, she was looking forward to getting back home. She misses Eli, Alexis, and Rick. But what she looks forward to the most was whatever Rick wanted to try out on her when she gets home. If she is anything, she is becoming pampered. For the last week, she came home to a different dish for dinner after her shift. After she had a relaxing bath with lavender bath salts that Rick gave her because he said she was worth it, she came back downstairs and was treated to a culinary delight at his hand. He chose a different dish every night and wanted her honest opinion after she was finished. At first, she loved the fact that she is being treated like this but after a couple of days, she starts to wonder why.

"Rick this was the best one yet. What's it called?" Kate asked.

"What you just ate is grilled yellowfin tuna with lemon and garlic. Was it good?"

"It was delicious!" She wanted to know why he was making her all these dishes. So, she asked him.

"Rick, why are you jumping from dish to dish? What I mean is you rotate from a seafood dish to a beef dish then a chicken dish, to a pork dish. Is there a reason why?"

"Kate, can't I just cook for you? I like to cook is that a crime?"

"It is when there seems to be another motive. What's going on Rick?"

He knew that it was too good to last. But at least she gave him her honest opinion about his cooking he needed to explain to her why he was cooking so much for her.

"Kate, the reason I'm cooking such a variety of food is that I am thinking of opening my own place." Rick held his breath hoping for the best.

" I see. All this cooking was a way for you to test out how good your dishes were going to be on my good reviews."

"Well yes, I guess so."

"Okay, I was a guinea pig then?"

"No Kate! I'd never. It's just that I wanted your honest opinion before I decided to move forward with this. And I just want to get everything right."

"Rick, why didn't you just tell me what you wanted to do begin with? I would have understood and you could cook whatever you wanted for me."

"Kate I create in the kitchen. If you haven't noticed I'm just a little bit shy about asking for what I want. But if you put a cut of beef in front of me, I'll make you one of the best meals you could possibly eat."

She couldn't believe that he would think that he was shy when it came to asking for her opinion on something. Maybe he was they've only been living in the same house for a short time now and she really doesn't know all of his quirks yet.

"Okay, Rick. Tell me a little bit more about this restaurant that you thinking about opening up.

"Well, it's going to be large enough to seat at least seventy to one hundred people. This way I can see to it that the menu will be personalized to what I know I can cook. Once I have the menu set up, which is everything, by the way, I plan on searching Dallas for a great location. That's key. Without it, I'll just be another regular run-of-the-mill restaurant."

"I know some people who might be able to help you. Maybe I can give them a call for you."

"Could you Kate? It would be a big help."

"Rick I would do anything to help you out. But please in the future don't be pulling the wool over my eyes just because you're trying to get an honest opinion. Remember what I said earlier about not keeping any secrets from each other? Well, the same thing applies here just try to be honest with me that's all I ask. When are you going to tell Alexis?"

"Probably soon. I have all my finances in somewhat of an order. I have my saved money, the money I made selling the house in San Francisco, and Emily's life insurance policy payment. It might not be able to give me my own space to purchase but I'll be able to lease for about two years before I start feeling the pinch."

"I'm not too sure how much it is to lease for the year Rick but I'm betting it won't be cheap."

"While you were asleep I was able to call some commercial realtors and get some information on properties in the downtown Dallas area that looked pretty nice."

"Oh yeah? Where?" Kate asked.

"Well, the one that I am really excited about is on Thomas Ave. It's two floors with a bar on each floor. The downstairs dining area can seat about fifty to seventy-five people. The upper dining area can seat about twenty to forty. The total square footage is four thousand one hundred and fifty-two. The annual lease payment is one hundred thirty-seven thousand. The only problem is that there are two other eateries close by. The competition would be tough."

"Not necessarily Rick. I know that area and one place is more of a pizza place with a bar and the other is a sports bar type place. The Nodding Donkey I think it's called. I also think that you'll be fine because if what I've been eating over the last few weeks is any indication of what you'll be serving in your new place, you'll rake it in."

"Thanks, Kate. Let me clean this up and you can go catch a couple of hours of sleep before your shift."

"Rick try not to worry. It will work out." Kate tells him as she walks out of the kitchen.

Xx

He has the basics of his plan almost worked out. He has the secluded location, the necessary medication to keep her sedated for a month if need be, all he needs is the time off from work and the exact location to take her. He'll pay more attention to her when she's talking to Kim or Kenzie for something that will get him close to her to take her away from that man whore she's living with in sin. She'll understand when he tells her that they were meant to be together forever, even if it kills them.

He checks the straps that are lashed to the twin sized bed and the chair that's bolted to the floor in front of the table. This will be their home for the foreseeable future. The house is basically sound proofed. Of course, he will let her get some exercise and fresh air that's what the large concrete block and twenty feet of chain are for in the electrified fenced in backyard. He spared no expense in making this their home. He selected a location that's far enough away from civilization that no one will hear her yelling or screaming. She'll see to reason, she has to.

Knowing that she won't see what he has to offer her because her parents will make her see to reason, he will make sure that her parents are met with a horrific accident that could end up killing them outright or possibly requiring a long and guarded stay in the intensive care unit of the hospital. Her brat of a kid will need to be dealt with as well. Maybe he can kill two birds with one stone. Yes, his plans are coming together nicely.