Chapter Thirteen:
Rick woke the next morning to the sound of his cellphone's alarm chirping. Still groggy from the night before, he frowns as he stops the annoying sound. He had promised to meet his mother for brunch and was booked on the 6:00 pm flight back to Miami. He pushes himself up from the bed and stumbles into the bathroom. He had just enough time to get a shave and shower before meeting Martha.
The night before had been interesting to say the least. While Ryan and Jenny were thrilled to see him, Espo was more than a little apprehensive about being there. He and his date arrived late and looked as uncomfortable seeing him as Rick was at the moment. While the conversation flowed smoothly with Kevin and Jenny, Espo spoke very little, if at all. After a second round of drinks, Rick decides to take the group to dinner. Espo reluctantly agrees to come with the group as Lanie shoots daggers at him.
Dinner had went about as well as Rick would expect, considering the personalities involved. Espo was drinking about twice as much as the others and it appeared that his date was more than a little taken by the 'new and improved' version of Castle. Her not-so-subtle flirtation had Javi seeing red, coming to a head when she practically throws herself at him after Lanie describes her day on Rick's yacht.
"Why are you here Castle? Come back to screw with Beckett's mind some more?" Espo angrily slurs, the effect of too much alcohol in too little time.
Both Lanie and Kevin give Javi a look that would have melted steel. "What's your problem man?" Ryan asks, trying to curb his own anger.
Rick holds up his hand to stop Kevin. "No, let him talk. I'm curious to hear what he has to say..." He looks directly at Espo. "First, you're drunk, and second why I'm here is none of your fucking business. For eight years I put up with your bullshit, because you and Beckett were so tight, but that's all over now."
"Oh yeah?" Espo gives him a challenging look. "You're lucky that I'm with my date man..."
Everyone at the table is shocked by Espo's words except Castle. He laughs at the not-so-veiled threat and replies. "Man, no wonder you two were so tight, there's no limit to your egos." This comment produces nervous laughs from everyone, further infuriating Javi.
"I think that you should go." Kevin comments to his former partner. Without his partner and Beckett, Espo had struggled, making his way onto the new Captain's 'shit list'. The only reason that Espo even agreed to come was the chance to face the man he felt was responsible for all of his recent misfortune. Seeing that Castle looked like he was thriving without them only increased his resentment.
Espo wads up his napkin throwing it on his plate as he grabs the arm of his date. "I'm out of here. Let's go."
The brunette that was Javi's date, jerks her arm away from his grasp and growls. "You're an ass. You go without me."
Red faced from embarrassment, Javi storms out of the restaurant. The brunette,, who's name was Heather, apologizes for Esposito's behavior and offers to leave herself. The others assure her that it's ok and that she was welcome to stay.
"Man, I've never seen Javi that mad. You shouldn't poke the bear like that." Kevin confides to Rick.
Castle can only laugh at the comment. "Do you honestly think that Javi could kick my ass? The only thing that saved him all of those years was what Kate would have done to me if I embarrassed her partner." Rick spoke with such calm confidence that no one there questioned him. "I trained at the Farm, before I spent nearly a year working with the CIA. That's why the Derrick Storm novels seem so authentic..."
The conversation returned to safer topics and Jenny thanked Rick for the present that he had sent when their son Seamus was born. Kevin figured correctly that Martha and Alexis were in contact with him all along. He understood why Castle had to leave. It was why he had to transfer from the 12th. He had no contact with her since his send off last year.
Dinner was over and Rick made arrangements for his old limo service to take Lanie, Heather, and the Ryan's to their respective homes. Rick took a cab back to his hotel and pondered the evening's events. He was happy to see that Kevin and Jenny were doing well, yet disappointed to see how lost Espo appeared to be.
Castle logged on and checked his email, finding nothing. He went to sleep as Kate was writing her note that would change everything...
X-X-X-X
Kate woke a little after eight. She hadn't slept that well in over a year. She knew that she'd done all that she could with her note to Rick. It was up to him now. She logged on to her computer and was disappointed to see that her message to him hadn't been read. She took a quick shower and packed her belongings. She took one final look to see if her message had been opened and tried hard to not be disappointed when she found that it wasn't.
After a quick breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, she checked out and was on her way to the airport. She cleared airport security only thirty minutes before her flight was scheduled to begin boarding. She opened her laptop one last time before she stowed it in her carry on bag. Once again, there was no change in status. Either Rick hadn't checked his email, or he saw it and decided not to read it. She assumed the latter.
X-X-X-X
Rick was sitting at the table in the hotel's restaurant when his mother walks in along with Jim Beckett. Castle knew nothing about Jim coming to brunch with his mother. The way they were laughing and talking as they approached the table, this was something his mother had planned. Rick rises from his seat as the two approach.
"Richard darling! It's so good to see you and my you certainly look different than the pictures that Hayley had taken of you in Key West..." She threw her arms around him giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek..
Rick gives her a kiss on her cheek in return and releases her from the hug as he turns to extend his hand to the elder Beckett. "Jim, it's good to see you."
Jim shakes Rick's hand and replies. "It's good to see you too son..." The smile on his face shows his sincerity. Rick gestures for everyone to take a seat as he holds a chair for Martha. Once seated, Rick gestures for the waitress to take their drink orders. They all order coffee as she leaves the menus and asks if they were interested in the buffet instead.
"So darling, what brings you back to New York. Did you come to your senses and decide to come home?" Martha inquires.
"Not really, I flew up Thursday for meetings with Black Pawn. I signed a new three book deal..."
"Well that's marvelous son. You're continuing the Nikki Heat series?"
"No. I just finished the last one on my previous contract last week. That's why they wanted to get me back under contract so soon."
"So, are you starting a new series then?" Jim asks.
"Yes, I've got a couple of ideas that I plan to develop. Nothing final yet." Rick replies.
Coffee served, the waitress took their orders and the conversation stayed on safe topics. Martha with her workshop and Jim with his firm. Jim did reveal that he had used Rick''s agency a couple of times for some case related work. At first Castle seemed pleased to hear about it until he realizes that it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with his daughter. Rick spoke about visiting the Olde Haunt and running into Lanie and Hayley while he was there. He talked out his dinner with Kevin and Javi last evening, omitting the confrontation with Esposito.
Both Martha and Jim seemed pleased to see that Rick was making an effort to re-establish ties with those he left behind when he disappeared. They were enjoying their coffees when Jim spoke. "So... Hayley tells us that you have a yacht..."
"It's not exactly a yacht by technical terms, but it is pretty nice..." Castle smiles and replies with a wistful look on his face.
Jim smiles himself seeing Rick talk about something that truly made him happy. "So tell me about her?..."
"She's an Endeavor 40. A single mast sailboat. She's pretty nice..."
"So what's her name?" Jim inquires.
"Loves Lost." Rick replies as his smile fades.
"Do you have any pictures of her?" Jim asks, hoping to find a way to get a trip on the boat and possibly sneak on his daughter somehow."
"No. Sorry Jim." Rick replies apologetically.
"That's ok... One of these days you'll have to take me out on her..." Jim comments.
"Anytime you'd like Jim. We could sail down to the Caribbean or the Bahamas..."
"Are you serious Rick? I've got some time between Christmas and New Year... I could take a few extra days beyond that..."
"Just let me know when Jim. My schedule looks pretty open right now..." The two men talked in general terms about the trip and Jim promised to contact him through Martha to let him know just how and when they could leave. What he was really hoping for was an agreement from Kate to be part of his plan to get her back with Rick.
They ended their meal and exchanged handshakes and hugs, promising that they'd see each other soon. Rick still hadn't decided if he'd return to the city for Christmas or have Martha and Alexis meet him somewhere. Checking his watch, he sees that it's now after 1:00 pm and the driver would be here to pick him up at 2:00. Rick returned to his room and quickly packed up his bag before checking out of the hotel with a few minutes to spare.