Sorry for the delay. But here you go. Enjoy. :)
Chapter 8
After a long ride through Central Park, many falls, and lots of laughing Kate and Rick were changing back into their normal shoes and searching for a place to eat. As they walked hand in hand Kate looked up at Rick. He was smiling at something, and would chance a glance at Kate every few minutes.
"Castle?"
"Excuse me?" Rick questioned.
"Castle. As a last name."
"Castle?" He asked wearing an expression that read he was taking that into consideration.
"Yeah. It's a great last name, plus it has a ring to it, Richard Castle." Kate smiled.
"Yeah I guess. But say it fast and it sounds like asshole." He smiled. "Rick Asshole."
Kate laughed. "That's all I got." She repeated his words from earlier.
"Thanks for the help." He smiled.
"No problem." She squeezed his hand.
"You want to go back to Merchant's Gate?"
"I know a better place." Kate smiled, her eyes sparkling.
"Where would this place be?"
"Farmer's market."
"Hmm. I've never been to a farmer's market." He squinted.
"You've never been to a farmer's market?"
Rick shook his head, "Nope."
"Well come on." Kate tugged him forward.
They were walking toward to the farm's market. Rick looked down at Kate. She was looking around as if seeing everything for the first time.
"Penny for your thoughts." He said.
Kate looked up. "Just thinking about the past few days." She smiled.
Rick nodded. A minute later they were roaming among various tents and stands examining fruits and vegetables of different sizes and colors. Occasionally they would stumble upon a tent selling bread, another with cheese.
Finishing their browsing Rick looked down at his watch. "I have to go to work."
Kate looked up at him, but before she could respond Rick said, "Come with me."
"What?" She asked.
"I promise you won't get bored." He smiled.
"Where do you work?"
"You have to come if you want to know."
"Why do you want me to come to work with you?"
"If I told you it was bring your girlfriend to work day, would you believe me?"
Kate laughed. "You're going to take me no matter what I say, aren't you?"
"You know me so well."
"Okay, fine."
Rick smiled and was turning to continue up the street.
Kate grabbed his wrist, "But on one condition."
"Anything."
"You have to try this amazing food combination."
"What is it?" He asked cautiously.
"My lips are sealed. I don't get to know where you work, you don't get to know what I want you try." She smiled teasingly at him.
"You're a tease. You know that?"
Kate didn't answer but kissed him lightly. "Let's go, I think it's going to rain." Kate looked up at the darkening sky.
"It's not that far of a walk. Are you okay with walking?" He asked after glancing up at the dark clouds that covering the island of Manhattan like a dark blanket.
"Yeah." Kate said as they started their journey up the street.
Ten minutes later Rick stopped, "We're here." He said peering at Kate.
"You work in a bar?" She questioned glancing between Rick and the swinging sign.
"I'm the bartender." He said with a small smile. "And it's not a just a bar, it's the Old Haunt. Great writers have written countless bestsellers here." He added defensively.
Kate laughed as rain started to fall. "Okay. Mr. Bartender let's get inside before we get soaked."
"Good idea." Rick said taking her hand and leading her down the stairs to the door. Pulling open the door they stepped into the old pub.
"Ricky, you're late." A man behind the bar called.
"Sorry." Rick waved as he nodded and waved his hand while leading Kate to a bar stool. She looked around the dark place. Hearing a piano she looked up to see a middle aged man sitting tuning it, but when he heard Rick's name he smiled and played something Kate didn't recognize.
"Thanks Eddie." Rick smiled and waved.
"Rick. Who's this pretty girl?" The man asked as Rick walked around the bar.
"Kate." Kate introduced herself extending a hand for the man to shake.
"This the girl you were talking about last night?"
"Yes, this Kate my girlfriend. Kate this is John, the current owner and my boss."
"Nice to meet you." Kate said.
"The pleasure is all mine." John said. "Feel free to look around, take a seat."
"Thank you." Kate smiled kindly.
She turned in a full circle taking in the bar. The oak paneled walls were covered in signed photos, there was a pool table tucked away in a dark room in the back of the pub, the piano was sitting between the two rooms.
"What did you want me to try?"
"Oh." Kate said, turning to look at Rick. "This." She said, pulling out a red apple, block of white cheddar cheese, and a small jar of honey, all of which he remembered her buying at the farmer's market an hour earlier.
"I don't understand." He tilted his head to the side looking at all the things in her hands.
"Do you have a knife and plate?" She said not bothering to explain.
"Yeah." He turned and grabbed both from the counter behind him, placing them on the bar in front of Kate. She smiled and thanked him while starting to cut the apple then the cheese. Once the two foods were sliced and piled on the plate she poured some honey beside them, the gold liquid flowed slowly toward the piles of cheese and apple pieces. Looking up she saw Rick watching her intently.
"Okay." Kate said moving her hands swiftly over the plate, "You take a slice of apple and cheese and dip it in the honey." She explained as her hands repeated her words. She took a bite of the mixture and hummed in pleasure.
Rick smiled and reached over the bar, mimicking Kate's previous motions.
"Oh my God." He said, after finishing off his first trio.
"I'm guessing you liked it." She stated.
"It was amazing. I mean the sweet taste of the honey, mixed with crunchy red apple, and dry cheese. Perfect combination of foods right there." He exclaimed nodding at the plate in front of them.
"I knew you'd like it." She smiled. The couple finished off their snack. Rick removed the plate and knife from the bar as Kate wandered around the dimly lit pub, reading the signatures on pictures.
The man at the piano had stopped playing, Kate turned and looked at the instrument, nobody was sitting there, she looked around the bar, only Rick, who was washing glasses. She tip-toed lightly over to the piano, taking seat on the bench she placed her fingers on the keys. Feeling the small rectangles change beneath the pads of her fingers as she slid her right hand across the piano. Finding the correct key she placed her other hand on the piano and struck the first few bars of 'Piano Man'. She looked around the pub, still nobody there, she continued 'Piano Man', trying to remember the last time she had played the piano. Sophomore year of high school, nearly three years ago was the last time she finally decided. Rick startled her as he whispered the lyrics from behind her.
"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday. The regular crowd shuffles in, there's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin." He laughed as Kate continued the song. "You never told me you could play the piano."
"You never asked." She smiled, her fingers lightly pressing the keys, continuing the song. "You never told me you could sing."
"You never asked." He smiled his crooked smile at her before continuing the song.
"He says 'Son can you play me a memory, I'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad and it's sweet. And I knew complete when I wore a younger man's clothes." He sung into her ear. "La la la di dee da, la da di dee da dad um."
Kate laughed as Rick continued to sing and she play. She was surprised that he wasn't actually that bad of a singer, his deep voice only gave her goose-bumps as he sang in her ear.
REVIEWS are the best thing in the world. So please keep 'em comin'. :)
I don't own 'Piano Man'.