Chapter 3

Pulling on her socks and shoes, and shoving her phone into her purse, Kate took the stairs two at a time. She entered the living room her father and Rick were sitting there. Her father on the couch, Rick in an arm chair, her father watching him sternly.

"Hey." She announced herself as her mother walked in from the kitchen.

Both men stood. "Hey." They said simultaneously.

Jim looked at Rick. "You ready?" Rick asked his eyes still trained on Kate.

"Yep." She answered, looking at Rick, he was wearing a different pair of khaki cargo shorts, and a light blue shirt, that really made his eyes look bluer. "Bye dad. Bye mom." Kate said waving at her parents.

Rick reached his hand out to Jim, "Mr. Beckett it was a pleasure to meet." Jim looked at his hand then grasped it.

"Rick. She better be home at a decent time."

"Yes sir." Jim released his hand. Rick looked toward Johanna, "Mrs. Beckett, thank you and your home is lovely."

"Thank you Rick." She said brightly.

Rick walked over to Kate, he opened the door for her, "Thank you." She said and stepped outside.

"I'll have her home on time sir." Rick said to Jim, before closing the door.

Jim and Johanna stared at the door for a minute, before Johanna nudged her husband, "Get that sour look off you face."

"I don't like him." Jim said quickly.

"You don't like any boy that Katie brings home." She responded.

"Yeah, but he's different, he's older than her. He said he's 26 with a five year old daughter."

"Do remember how old we were when we met?" Johanna didn't wait for an answer. "I was 19 and you were 29. My parents hated you, because you're ten years older than me. Katie is 19 and Rick is 26, seven years apart. That's three years less than us."

"Yeah but he has a daughter."

"So Katie is great with kids."

"I know that but-" Johanna cut him off.

"Jim stop, Rick is a clean cut man, he's responsible, and Katie likes him. So stop finding something wrong with him." She stood on her toes and kissed her husband.

"You're right." He sighed.

"I'm always right." She smiled.

X-X-X-X

Rick lightly closed the door to Kate's house. And looked up to see her smiling at him.

"What?" He asked walking over to her.

"My dad, doesn't like you." She said. "Where are we going?"

"Why?" He asked ignoring her last question. Leading her to his car.

"I don't know. Did you tell him you have a five year old daughter? Where are we going?"

"Yeah. It's still a surprise." Rick said opening the passenger door.

"That's probably why." Kate answered getting in. Rick closed the door and walked to the driver's side.

Silence fell over them, Rick broke it by saying, "It's your turn."

"What?"

"20 questions. We were on question number nine. You were odds, I was evens."

"Oh. So I'm guessing the question where you asked me to dinner and where and when, were all included."

"Yep. So you're question."

"Okay. How old are you?" Kate asked looking over at him.

"26. I was born in the spring of 1972. You?"

"19. Summer of 1979. Your question."

"Have you ever been in a fight?" He thought for a second before speaking.

"Would it surprise you if I said yes?"

"You've punched somebody!"

"Yep. This kid in seventh grade, his name was Billy Simmons. He had been making fun of me all year. My dad told me to do whatever I had to. So one day he was picking on me, I punched him the eye. He punched back; we got in pretty bad fight. I came out with bruised lip; Billy came out with a black eye and bloody nose."

"Were you the wild child?"

"No I just don't take crap from people. How about you, you ever been in a fight?"

"Bar fight. Some random drunk guy came up and said I was hitting on his girl. He took a swing, but since he was so wasted he missed. His second punch collided with my jaw. So I hit him back. I looked better than he did by the end. I had a bruised jaw and black eye. He had bloody lip and nose."

"Nice."

"You think?" He asked excitedly.

"Let me think of good question."

"We're here." Rick said from the driver's side a minute later.

"This question doesn't count. Where are we?"

"Remy's, they have the best burgers on earth, the creamiest milkshakes, and their fries are to kill for."

"I think my parents took me here when I was younger." Kate said stepping out of the car.

"My buddies and I would come here all the time after school. This was our hang out." Rick said also stepping out of the car.

They walked together to the door, Rick opened and motioned for Kate to enter.

"Ricky!" The man at the grill called to Rick.

"Hey Remy!" Rick waved. "Where do you want to sit?" He directed his question at Kate.

"A booth is fine."

"I'll be right with you Ricky!"

"Take your time Remy. We're in no hurry."

After taking their seats at a booth Kate looked up at Rick. "My dad didn't interrogate you or something did he?"

"You mean scare the date type deal, like bringing out severed heads, polishing the gun. No. Just stared at me like I was going to kidnap you."

"Yeah. He does that. Be prepared for next time."

"So there's going to be a next time." He smiled, but before Kate could reply, Remy was standing by their table.

"Ricky who is this lovely young lady?"

"Remy this Kate. Kate as you probably know this is Remy." Kate shook his hand and smiled.

"How long have you two been datin' because Ricky never brought a girl in here, besides Alexis?" Remy asked Kate.

"First date." Kate answered.

Remy whistled and looked over at Rick, "She must be real special Ricky."

Rick's face had slowly been changing to pink throughout the entire conversation. "Remy I would like chocolate milkshake and cheeseburger with everything."

"Okay so the usual for Mr. Embarrassed and what about you gorgeous?"

"The same. Thank you Remy." Remy turned and walked away.

Kate was silent for moment before asking, "So Ricky. I'm the only girl you've brought here, besides Alexis." She put emphasize on his name.

"You seemed like a classy kinda girl."

"Well you were defiantly right. Burgers are a classic." Remy walked back over carrying two chocolate milkshakes.

"Here you go lovebirds." He placed them both down on the table in front of Rick and Kate.

"Thanks Remy." Rick said.

"Thank you." Kate smiled, as Remy turned and walked away.

"Try it." Rick prompted, watching Kate look at the drink.

"I am." She opened her straw; pushing it into her milkshake she took a long drink.

"That has to be the best shake I've ever had."

"I told you! They're thick, creamy, and heaven on earth, right?"

She nodded and plucked the cherry off the whipped cream on her drink and dropped on Rick's.

"Hey." He said defensively.

"Oh come on Ricky." Kate smiled as she took another drink.

"Two cheeseburgers with everything." Remy said placing to huge burgers on the table.

"Thanks." Rick and Kate said simultaneously.

"You two are so cute." Remy said, making both of their faces go pink. He smiled and walked away.

Kate looked down at her burger and across the table at Rick, who was maneuvering his hands in order to lift his up without anything spilling out. She smiled and looked back down at her own burger. She lifted it up, checking to make sure nothing spilled out, before taking a bite.

After she swallowed her first bite she said, "This burger is amazing."

Rick nodded, trying to keep his together. They ate in silence. Kate finished her burger first, Rick looked up to see that she had.

"Jesus. Did even take a break to breath?" He asked shocked that she could finish a burger that big in that amount of time.

Kate laughed in return and popped a fry in her mouth. Rick finished his burger a moment later.

"So have you written any books?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, but they're unpublished and title less."

"Can you tell about them or are they super secret like the government."

"The first one I wrote is about an NYPD detective, investigating the murder of a Broadway actress. But the main suspect commits suicide, so the detective refuses to let go of the case. Soon he becomes hunted by the most powerful people in New York. And he has to solve the case quickly or he could die."

"Sounds really good." Kate took a long drink.

"To be honest, when I writing it, I was planning the murder of my mother."

Kate choked, "Why your mother?"

"Martha Rodgers, Broadway actress."

"My mom loves her." Kate said.

"Really?"

"Yep." They both laughed.

"Hey I wanted to do something else, you done?" Rick asked looking at his watch.

"Yeah."

"Great. I'll go pay." Rick stood and walked across the diner. Kate could hear the whole conversation.

"Done already, Ricky?" Remy's voice boomed.

"Yep. Thanks so much Remy."

"Anytime Ricky." There was no more talking after that. Rick was at Kate's side in seconds.

"Hey. Come on." He said offering his hand to help her out of the booth. Kate grasped it and stood. She and Rick were inches apart, Kate could feel his breath on her, she looked up at him. "We should go." He whispered.

"Yeah." She agreed. Rick pulled away and started toward the door. Kate followed and exhaled slowly.

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