She stays for dinner, after a little convincing from both Rick and Alexis.
She's quiet throughout the duration of the meal – though she is polite and does her best to converse with the young girl and Rick's mother, not wanting to draw attention to herself in any way.
She does enjoy sitting there, watching the three of them be the family that they are. It makes her want this – all of this, despite the tight ache in her heart and the feeling in the pit of her stomach that she should run now before it's far too late.
After they've finished their meal, Kate situates herself on the couch – as per Rick's request, and watches him say goodnight to Alexis before Martha's taking the half asleep young girl up the stairs. He comes around after that, sitting himself beside her with a small smile plastered across his face that has her pulse skipping a beat.
"How are you doing? After that whole scare with Alexis today?"
She breaks the silence first, watches him lean back on the couch, his elbow digging into the cushion as he keeps his gaze focused on Kate.
"I'm – a lot better. I mean, it's not the first time she's gone off. She did it when she was three when I'd taken her to see Santa. I searched the entire mall before finding her asleep inside a toy store." He laughs to himself at the memory, his head shaking. "But I'll definitely be putting a tracking device on her." He says it with such seriousness that Kate can't help but let out a breath of air, a small smile spreading across her face as she shakes her head at him.
"Now there's that smile." His face softens as he watches her teeth sink into the bottom of her lip. "You were quiet during dinner."
She shrugs, swallowing the small lump in her throat, unsure what to say to him really.
She's still afraid of screwing everything up, of not only hurting Rick – but his daughter as well. Nothing good in her life is ever easy, nor does it ever last that long. Which is why she's so hesitant in having accepted his offer in taking her out on a date.
Everything could go wrong.
But Rick's words were still ringing through her ears – that she can't stop living her life just because she's afraid. It hits too close to home, makes her think of her mother's voice inside her head saying similar words to her and she almost wants to laugh and cry at how the two share some similarities between them.
She knows fully well if her mother were alive and here today that she'd like Rick – would be pushing Kate to pursue something with the man and would be hounding her at every moment of the day till she did something about it.
"I was just, thinking."
"I gathered." His tone is light, a smile still across his face. "Penny for your thoughts?"
Her lips pull to the side as her gaze drops to her lap, her fingertips pulling at a loose piece of thread on her jeans.
"I just – I don't know if this date – if it's a good idea." She can't help but swallow hard, her brows pulling together and furrowing as she focuses her attention even harder on the thread she's pulling out, rather than looking up at Rick – afraid of the expression that'll wash across his face.
She hears him sigh, and her pulse pounds, her fingertips gripping the thread.
Rick reaches across, places his hand on top of her fingers playing with the thread and it forces her to look up at him and meet his gaze.
"It is a good idea, and I'll prove it to you." His gaze flicks to his hand covering her fingers and he runs his thumb along her index finger so lightly she almost shivers.
"When are you free? Because I want to take you out as soon as possible."
"It's a pretty busy time for me right now – at work, Rick."
"So, we have dinner at your apartment or the precinct if you're short for time then. First dates don't always have to be out at some fancy schmancy restaurant. It's more special and intimate if it's different." He shrugs, his hand not intending to move an inch as he keeps his gaze locked on hers.
He knows she's trying her best to back out of this, that the fear inside of her is trying to overpower the want – but Rick is nothing if not persistent, and they've gotten this far now; so there's no way he's going to back down now and let her give up.
"You really want this to happen, don't you?" She almost huffs, and Rick only smiles at her, turns her hand over and lets their fingertips intertwine.
"I do, and I know you do too. So, when are you free? I don't care when or how late. Just give me a day or a time and I will work my magic." His brows waggle and her eyes can't help but roll, a small smile threatening to spread across her face.
"Fine." She sighs, tearing her gaze away from Rick to really think about her schedule for the next week. "Since I took Saturday off, that's off the table. So, probably Friday." She glances back to him, sees his brows pull together and his head turn away from her as he thinks himself.
"This Friday?" He looks sideways as she nods before his gaze is looking back ahead of him.
"That okay?"
"How would you feel about the first half of our date being… a little more public, around a few more people than usual…"
Her brow arches as she stares over at him, confusion sweeping across her face as her lips slowly part, head tilting to the side. "What?"
"Well, Friday happens to be the launch of my next book. I don't have to stay for the whole evening and I could probably get out around maybe nine – eight if I get there early. I was going to invite you to it anyways. So, maybe afterwards we could start our date and I could take you out to dinner?"
She's surprised in a way, and also feels slightly guilty over the fact that he himself was a busy man – and even on a night that was all about him and promoting his new book, he wanted to get away to take her out on a date – prove to her that this won't end in a disaster. Whereas she was using her busyness as an excuse and a way out.
"Okay." She surprises not only herself, but him with the almost quick reply and short answer.
He'd half expected her to continue trying to push him away, didn't think she'd accept to come to his book launch and have their date afterwards. She hadn't intended either. But Rick was putting in the effort to prove to her, and the least Kate could do was try.
His smile only spreads wider across his face and his hand squeezes hers. "Really?"
"Really." She nods, lets her own lips curve slightly as she squeezes his hand back and looks up to meet his gaze. "Book launch, then… date."
She can try. She can try to stop being so afraid and to allow herself some happiness. Rick had surprised her so far with how persistent and caring he'd been – maybe he'd surprise her in proving her wrong in this ending in a disaster.
She enters the bookshop at approximately six pm. She's dressed in a strapless lacy black cocktail dress with strappy heels to match. Her hair is in soft waves that sit just above where her dress begins at her chest.
The few looks from people have her chewing on the inside of her lip and her pulse thumping – wondering whether or not she was far too overdressed for a book launch. She'd never been to one and didn't know the complete rules of what was okay and not okay to wear. Plus, Rick and her had a date afterwards, so she also had to dress for that occasion as well.
The week had flown by faster than she expected, and the nerves about the events of tonight hadn't hit her till she realised she had nothing to wear. She didn't go out that much, rarely ever bought dresses. She never needed to. All she wore for work were pants, it was rare to find dresses or even skirts in her wardrobe. She'd ended up having to call her best friend and colleague; Lanie, to her home, telling the medical examiner to bring anything that would be good for not only a book launch, but a date as well.
Kate's jaw had dropped when she'd first seen the strapless cocktail dress, because although it was beautiful – she was unsure if it was too much for what she was attending and doing. But, Lanie had of course convinced her that nothing was ever too much and that her jaw wouldn't be the only one dropping tonight.
Her heart thumps hard and fast beneath the cage of her ribs as she scans the small crowd of people for Rick and his family and the nerves inside of her ease in the slightest as she spots Martha and Alexis over in a corner.
"Martha, Alexis." Kate breathes out after approaching the two redheads and Martha turns to the voice, her eyes widening as she lets her gaze drift over Kate.
"Oh my, don't you look absolutely radiant tonight, Katherine."
She can't help the smile that spreads across her lips as her head slowly dips. "Thank you, Martha."
She lets out a small breath, warmth radiating up the sides of her neck as she shifts her gaze to the redheaded girl standing beside Martha who looks completely disinterested in the event she's at and would rather be anywhere but here.
"Don't you look beautiful, Alexis." Kate smiles down at the girl, watches her face light up immediately as her head drops, fingers pulling out the pink fabric of her dress as she twirls slightly.
"Do you like it? Gram helped me pick!"
"I do. Your gram has very good taste." Kate smirks slightly as she shifts her gaze from Alexis to Martha.
"Do you know where Rick is?"
"Somewhere in the back I believe. But don't you worry, if you don't see him now. You definitely will when you go on your date tonight." Martha smirks at her and a blush can't help but wash across Kate's face, a small lump starting to form in the middle of her throat.
"I'm just glad he's finally seeing somebody sensible." Martha mumbles to Kate, makes sure Alexis doesn't hear the words her grandmother speaks. "You two have fun tonight, and don't worry. I've got Alexis all night and all morning." She nudges Kate, giving her a wink that only has Kate's pulse pounding harder and faster than before, and suddenly her dress is far too tight and its way too hot inside this bookstore that she needs some air.
"I – excuse me, I just need to use the bathroom." She doesn't waste another minute before manoeuvring through the small crowd. She's not sure where the bathroom is, or if she's heading in the correct direction, but she'd be fine with finding the way out of this place to get some air at least.
"Kate."
She stops in her tracks, her hand hovering over a door handle to a door she thinks leads out back as she hears the familiar voice and her pulse continues to pound.
She slowly turns around and soon meets Rick's gaze, watches as he heads towards her, his eyes slowly roaming down her body; taking all of her in and she can see his adams apple bop, the bright blue in his eyes darkening as his chest slowly rises.
"Wow." He blinks a few times as he comes to stand before her, towering over her in only the slightest. "You look… wow." He's at a loss for words, which is rare for him.
A blush washes across her cheeks, the edges of her lips unable to not stretch out wide. She runs her tongue along her bottom lip, allows the time to let her own gaze sweep over the suit he's wearing and she slowly begins to chew on her bottom lip. "You don't look too bad yourself, Rick."
The edges of his lips curl upwards and his hand slowly reaches out, his thumb dusting over her wrist as their gazes lock once more.
"I'm glad you came."
"Well, I believed I was promised a date afterwards." She shrugs slightly and he lets out an airy chuckle, his head nodding.
"That I did. And I intend on keeping that promise." A beat passes before he's curling his fingers around her wrist and pulling her towards the stand of his books.
"Congratulations, by the way." Kate smiles at him, shifts her gaze to sweep over the Derrick Storm books on display before her.
"Thank you." He smiles at her before he's reaching out to grab one of his books from the display to pass it towards her. "I'll give you a personalized copy later, I promise. But for now, thoughts?" She can sense he's nervous – eager to know her opinion and her brow only arches as she takes the book in her hands, lets her hand dust down the hard copy before she's flipping open the book.
"Well, I might be a fast reader, but even I can't read a book in a few seconds and give you a review, Rick." Kate chuckles her eyes beginning to read over the dedication and the smile on her face falters, the pounding that had subsided in her chest, now rising once more and traveling up to her ears.
To Alexis, for always bringing light into my life.
To my mother, for always supporting me.
And to K.B, for being a friend at a time when I needed one most.
Her mouth runs dry, her brows raising in the slightest as her breathing hitches; chest rising as she takes in the words sprawled across the page.
It's a surprise – a shocking one, something she never would've expected and tears immediately burn round the rims of her lids.
"Rick." She barely breathes out his name above a whisper, her mouth gaping and fingertips dusting over the words as if they'll disappear within seconds – that maybe her mind is playing a cruel joke and she's seeing things.
"Do you – uh, do you like it?"
She blinks a few times and her head slowly turns to meet his gaze – sees the hope in his eyes that has her chest rising once more and her brows pulling together as she drops her gaze back to the book.
She's at a complete and utter loss for words – doesn't know what to say, what to even do. How does she comprehend something like this? Comprehend how wonderful and amazing the man beside her really is, and how she didn't deserve one bit of him – would most likely screw up anything between them and have these words burning into her till the day she dies.
"Rick, there you are!"
Kate's head snaps to see a brunette woman approaching them and the woman eyes Kate up and down, a small smirk playing at her lips before she's focusing her attention on Rick.
"Rick, reporters are here. So, it's time to sell this book like it's the best thing since sliced bread."
"Oh, I can assure you that it is much, much better than sliced bread and I'll have no problem selling it." He chuckles slightly before his gaze turns to meet with Kate's.
"Uh, Kate – this is my publisher, Paula. Paula, this is… Kate."
Kate blinks a few times as she watches the woman extend out her hand and she quickly frees one from the book she's holding to shake it.
"Kate, huh? You wouldn't happen to be the K.B he's put in his dedication, now would you?" Her brow arches, a smirk still playing on her lips and Kate only swallows as she retracts her hand.
"I've been your publisher for how long now, Rick? Where's my dedication? Better yet, where was Meredith's?" Paula squints, the teasing evident in her tone as she laughs.
Rick shifts uncomfortably, warmth radiating up the sides of his cheeks before Paula's taking a hold of him arm. "Come on, lover boy. You two can finish this whatever later. For now, we've got business to attend to."
Paula tugs at him as Rick looks over his shoulder at Kate standing there just watching the two of them. "I'll come find you later." He calls out to her before he disappears into the crowd of people, leaving Kate there all on her own.
It gets to eight o'clock before Rick's finally free of doing press, his reading and the little mingling he's been doing. He finds his mother and daughter in the corner, Alexis fast asleep on one of the bean bags that his heart completely melting at the sight.
"I'm gonna take her home now kiddo, very proud of you." Martha kisses his cheek and the edges of Rick's lips curl up wide.
"Thank you, mother." A beat passes before he continues. "You haven't seen Kate, have you?" He turns away from her, his gaze searching the small crowd that's fanned out now. He hasn't seen her since Paula had whisked him away – couldn't manage to spot the breath-taking woman when he'd been mingling.
"Oh." His head snaps back to face his mother, his brows pulling together slightly. "She left about… half an hour ago?"
"She – she left?" His eyes go wide, pulse starting to thump as his fingers begin to fumble to pull his phone out of his pocket.
Had he screwed up? Had the dedication in his book been too much too soon for her? Had his publisher pretty much telling her that he'd never even written his own wife or publisher a dedication freaked her out?
"Is everything okay?" Martha looks at him a little worried and he nods at her as he scrolls through his contacts to find Kate's number.
"Yeah, it will be." Because he'll fix whatever's wrong.
He pulls his phone up to his ear, the ringing taunting him and as soon as he hears Kate voice he almost lets out a sigh of relief – but then he realises it's her voicemail, and a grunt falls from his lips.
"You've got Alexis, right?" He glances at his mother and she nods, waves him off before he's trying Kate's phone once more as he heads towards the back exit of the bookstore.
He'll make up an excuse to Paula later about why he left so early, for now, he had to go find Kate and figure out why she left and if she was okay. He needed to know if she'd left because of his dedication, if he had freaked her out. He should've known to take things slow with her, that doing something as big as writing her a dedication in his book could scare her off.
A/N: A somewhat short chapter, but don't worry – the next one will be pretty long. Also, Kate leaving definitely won't be what you're probably thinking. So, don't go hating on her.
