CH18
The week went fast as did the next two weeks. Kate stopped at Rick's to pick up her coffee and her lunch each work day. The only time Rick saw her or she, him, was in the morning and when she got home, finding Rick, Alexis, and the dogs waiting for her much like tonight. "Hi Rick." Kate walked up to him and kissed him like her voice had been asking her the second she pulled up outside. "Thank you for the seat cushion. My butt thanks you, too." She smiled at him. "I'm just glad it helped or I would have to find something else," Rick chuckled.
"So what are we having tonight Mom and is it on the menu?" Kate asked, taking off her belt, dropping it and her weapon into a cabinet drawer that Johanna had cleaned out near the front door for her. "Tonight is venison stew using crescent rolls to cover the top, and yes, it's still on the menu. Oscar sent me a message yesterday asking me to remove 4 of the appetizers and asking me to remove at least another 4 entrees. He wants me to concentrate on the entrees that I feel good about cooking. What I'm best at. This is just a variation of what I cooked…" Johanna stopped and just sat there for a moment. "What I cooked for you and your dad when you were little, only then I used beef and mashed potatoes." Kate reached next to her to take her mother's hand. It was the first time that she could remember that her mother had mentioned her dad since they moved here.
"He would be proud of you Johanna," Rick said. "Opening up a business, moving on with your life, living, and loving." He hadn't even seen a picture of Jim, but he knew love when he saw it and heard it.
"Have you finished your handout for your side business?" he asked her. "I have actually." She got up and disappeared for a moment and returned with a small handout and gave it to Rick. It was a mix of delicate creative lettering using metallic gold. The rest was mostly simple block lettering that varied in colors, three of them actually. It flowed diagonally with a strong color and faded as it went across the page only to be another color that was strong before fading. At the bottom was the address and phone number of their home in simple black block letters. "That's a lot of color," he commented and handed it to Kate. "That's kind of the point. I want them to remember seeing it, plus the colors match the colors I'm using for the restaurant logo," Johanna explained.
"What did Oscar say about you using fireworks?" Kate questioned. For a logo sure, but shooting them off? "He was actually silent for a time. He agreed to all black and that the colors would stand out on the shirts. He suggested they all be button down and as soon as I come up with a name, he'll create something and send it to me for approval before having a number of them made in various sizes for men and women."
"As for shooting off the fireworks, he suggested we only do it when the local college team wins a game. Football for certain, we're still talking about adding baseball, basketball or other sports. Oscar is even in contact with the University to try and get t-shirts, polo shirts, and jackets of the University to be sold here. He's even looking into what it would take to add my logo to them, making them collector's items that can only be purchased at my restaurant," Johanna told them.
"Sounds like you two are doing a lot of talking Mom," Kate remarked. "Almost daily actually. That man is full of ideas and amazingly good at his job." Johanna sounded happy to Kate and it made her think. "And when is he coming back out here?" Kate was going to put him upstairs when he came and she was going to sleep over at Rick' shrugged her shoulders. "I don't…" Johanna stopped with the phone rang getting her up from the table to answer it. "Oscar!" Kate started smiling at the tone of her voice. Yeah, if or when he should up she was sleeping over at Rick's.
"Yes I have, the appetizers are down to just 4 and I've removed 4 of the entrees so far." Johanna listened for a moment. "No, I haven't started the salad list yet, that's next on my list to do," she responded and listened for a minute. "No, I haven't started on the kids' menu yet either, that's on my list to do after the salads," Johanna told him, and went back to listening. "YOU ARE! That's great!" Johanna said, listening. "Actually Rick and Alexis are over here eating from my menu. Katie is home from work and has joined us," she said and listened again. "Okay." She walked over to Rick and handed him the phone. "He wants to talk with you." Rick took the phone and went to another part of the house.
"What did he say Mom?" Kate was curious, especially the really happy sounding part."He said he had finished the renderings for the exterior and interior of the restaurant. He has examples of what the menu should look like. He also has a drawing of the floor plan and kitchen equipment based off of the original menu items I sent him. He also has all of the costs worked out to purchase, build it and outfit it with equipment, tables, chairs, pictures and other stuff. He wants to come out and show it to all of us." Johanna beamed, so every excited.
"That's great and really fast. Did he say when?" Kate needed to know when she needed to pack a bag. "He said he would fly out tomorrow if he could get a seat," Johanna answered, telling Kate she needed to pack tonight and drop her bag off at Rick's in the morning, after she talked to him.
Rick came back. "Oscar is flying out tomorrow and should be here around a little after lunch. Well, in Rapid City a little after lunch," he clarified and handed the phone back to Johanna.
"Rick can I talk to you?" And she took his hand and dragged him outside. Kate immediately found herself in his arms as he hugged her. She simply melted and didn't care what the stupid voice might say and just soaked him up. "When are you off next?" he asked after he let go of her. She missed his arms instantly. "I work the next two days and have the following three off. Four straight 12 hour days followed by 3 days off," she explained.
"Perfect! What would you say to a camping trip? Drive somewhere or even nowhere, set up camp, bring firewood with us. Cook marshmallows over an open fire, eat s'mores," he said hopefully. "You, me, Alexis, and the dogs?" She thought about it for a moment and saw the look on his face and kept her mouth closed a little longer just to tease him. "I'm driving," she announced watching Rick smile and then fade which had her heart sinking into her stomach. "My truck, my trailer, so I'm driving. And it's only going to be the two of us. I was going to ask your mother if she would child and dog sit," he told her and started praying.
Kate's breath hitched. Three days and two nights all alone with Rick out in the middle of nowhere? 'Please say yes! I'll not say a word for those three whole days. Just say yes!' the voice in the back of her head pleaded her. Three days of the voice not begging her to kiss Rick; three days of solitude within her own mind? "Deal, but we're taking our motorhome. I want access to my scooter in case I want to get away from you," she teased.
The bear in him was flying, headed for orbit. "GREAT! …Wait, what do you mean get away from me? I'm nice, when have I done anything that made you angry?" Rick was hurt. Then he remembered when Johanna was angry with him and Kate by association."On second thought don't answer that. Pack for three days; I'll bring the food and pay for the diesel," he offered. "I can buy my own fuel Rick, it's my motorhome." She was loving the looks that came over his face. He really wore his emotions on his face.
Maybe a game of poker while they camped, she could clean up. 'Good idea! Strip poker,' the voice told her. The thought of a naked Rick above her, inside her, started dancing in her head.
"We can argue over who buys the diesel after we convince your mother to child and dog sit," he said and started to walk back inside. His bear was in orbit at the moment.
"WAIT RICK! …I need to ask you for something." Kate got him out here to ask him if she could stay at his place while Oscar stayed here. His offer made her wonder if this was such a good idea. Rick stood there waiting. He was worried that she had changed her mind. It was written all over his face and was breaking her heart. "I wanted to ask you if I could stay at your place while Oscar's here to see Mom," she asked and saw him immediately relax and then start smiling. Next she found herself wrapped up in his arms again. Kate didn't feel any fear about spending time with him anymore. How did he do it with a simple hug? Even if his hugs were out of this world.
"Where is Oscar going to stay?" Rick asked while still holding onto Kate tightly. "Upstairs in my spare bedroom," she responded knowing what she was asking of answer caused him to pull away but not let go of her. "Katherine Beckett! Are you playing matchmaker for your mother and Oscar?" he questioned. "I was, I mean no. This is a bad…" Kate was forced to stop talking when he kissed her while hugging her. She couldn't help but kiss him back. She moaned into the kiss while something inside her started blooming. She had felt something for a while. In addition to the stupid voice, there was something. Like a seed that was trying to grow and all she had to do was let it. Kate placed his head in her hands and kissed him back as hard as she could. Screw Freddie, she wanted Rick. He broke from the kiss but she leaned forward with her eyes still closed searching for his lips again.
"Kate Beckett the matchmaker. I approve by the way. Oscar has been alone for far too long. He really is a good man who works way too hard by the way," Rick told her. It took her a moment to get her thoughts together. "This is probably a bad idea. It's too soon for Mom and Oscar lives in New York, someplace I know she has no intention of living in again." Kate was starting to rethink this plan.
She suddenly found herself wrapped up in Rick's arms again. Kate buried her face into his chest and closed her eyes. Somehow wrapped up in his arms she knew her wild and crazy scheme to give her mother something that she couldn't actually had a chance. "Forgive me Dad, please forgive me." She moved closer to Rick and let herself cry for a bit. He could feel her tears and simply rubbed her back. He let her get it all out even if he wasn't sure what it was about.
Rick hadn't felt any more tears for a little while now. "Better?" he inquired softly. She actually backed up out of his arms, which was a first for him. Kate Beckett must really be something. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry on your shirt. I was just…I mean, what I was doing could…perhaps we should go back inside," she suggested and walked to the door as Rick followed. He had never encountered anyone who could do what she was doing.
Kate stopped Rick at the door. "When will Oscar be here?" She still needed to make sure when to pack a bag. "Tomorrow, he's actually flying out tonight," Rick said. "He found a ticket that fast? It must have cost him a fortune," she commented, knowing what airlines charged for last minute seats. "It would have if he was flying commercial." He just smiled and slipped past Kate. He went into the house to collect his daughter and Midas and Maggie so they could go home. Kate simply stared at him. "He didn't?" She stared at his back.
XXXXXxxxxxxxxXXXXXXxxXxxXXXXxxxxXXXXxX
2 weeks ago:
Kate had one more day off work and was downstairs spending time with her mother going over some of her mother's plans for her restaurant and discussing how they were going to afford this adventure. "We still have just over 1 million dollars Mom. Between my pay and your profits we should be fine if we spend it," Kate argued. "And I don't want to be spending that money Katie. A lot, if not all of it, is yours. Do NOT argue with me. We have enough money, the house is paid for as are the cars. There's more than enough to secure a loan. Oscar has even given me the name of a person to work with to do just that." Johanna shut her down. "Oscar again. You seem to like him a lot." Kate started smiling. "He's been very helpful, we wouldn't have this restaurant without him," Johanna admitted. "And what is that look for?" Johanna saw something in Kate's face."Nothing Mom, absolutely nothing." Except Johanna didn't see the look leave her face and was all set to find out what it was when the doorbell rang. "Go answer the door, it's probably your boyfriend." Johanna decided to tease Kate since Kate was being hard on her. "Rick isn't my boyfriend." Kate countered and went to answer the door. "He is Katie, you just don't see it yet. He just might be perfect for her Jim," Johanna said to herself.
"Hello?" Kate answered the door and found a lovely, well dressed women. She would have looked perfect had she been in New York City, but this was Wyoming. The high heels she was wearing would make it difficult to walk around here. "I'm looking for Johanna and Katherine Beckett. My name is Linda Evans. Oscar Lehman told me you desperately needed an interior designer," she said, introducing herself.
"LINDA! We've been expecting you. You should have called and we would have come and gotten you. You didn't need to drive all the way out here." Kate wasn't concerned for her, the road itself was safe. It just wasn't necessary. "Nonsense, I learned a lot on the drive out here." Linda got to see Wyoming on the way out here. "Please come in and meet my mother." Kate stepped aside and gestured for Linda to enter. "Mom, this is Linda Evans, the interior designer. She's here to see what our house needs," Kate called out.
In only minutes Linda was upstairs and looking around. "Do you like this furniture?" Linda asked. "It, along with everything else, came with the house," Kate explained and watched her walk into the kitchen only to turn around and walk back out. "Please tell me Oscar is doing something with…that," Linda asked. "It's not really that bad; it does still function, and yes, he is," Kate answered. "Good," Linda replied and pulled a pad, pen, and a tape measure out of her bag. She measured everything before stepping outside onto the deck that was almost as long as the house itself.
"You're thinking of something, I can see it," Kate remarked. Linda simply smiled and walked back inside. "Do you have a basement?" Linda asked and watched them shake their heads. "Crawl space?" Linda asked and watched them shake their heads again."Good. That means slab on grade. We lose the wall between here and the kitchen. We will need an engineered beam across the opening with reinforced studs all the way down to the slab most likely. Meaning we would have to open up the downstairs' walls temporarily.
We'll do the same for this outside wall, from here…to here." Linda walks not noticing the looks on Kate and Johanna's faces. "We will likely need another engineered beam with reinforced studs on either side all the way down to slab. We'll replace this wall with full length bi-folding double paned glass doors that lead out onto your blacony. It will allow you to see the view that you have and bring the outside in during summer.
We would need to place film on the glass to help to prevent the sun from fading your furniture and drapes. The double-paned glass panels have argon gas in-between that will help prevent heat loss in winter.
Rip up this carpet and lay down a nice hardwood floor, perhaps bamboo because it's a sustainable wood, with an area rug. The furniture isn't that bad and we can re-use some of it to save costs. Replace some of these pictures with real art, add a couple of sculptures, change the paint color and this room will be beautiful. When Oscar is done with your kitchen it will transform this place. Now show me your master bedroom," Linda asked Kate and followed her to the bedroom. "Please pardon the mess. I work long days and have today and tomorrow off which is when I do laundry." Kate grabbed a few items and hid them behind her back.
"The furniture isn't bad. Do you like carpet in the bedroom?" Linda inquired. "I'm thinking it would be better than a cold floor," Kate responded, not that she had experienced a hard winter here yet. "Then it stays, we just need to clean it. Do you use the sitting area much? It's a nice size," she said, asking another question. Kate shook her head. "I mostly just use this room to sleep. If I want to relax and watch TV I use the living room," Kate replied. "Then maybe all we'll do here is change colors, make it softer, a little less masculine looking," Linda suggested. "Actually that's what I don't like in the living room." Kate told her. "Well, we're going to fix that. Let me make a few sketches and create a floor plan, make a few calls then I can get you a rough estimate of the cost," she offered. "I'll get started when I get to my motel room," Linda assured her.
"You don't have to do that. We have two spare bedrooms, one up and one down, plus you'll get free meals. Mom's testing out some of her menu items for her new restaurant. I can guarantee some amazing dinners," Kate said, seeing no need for her to go anywhere. Plus it would take some of the pressure off of Kate to eat it all. "That's so kind of you. Let me cancel my reservation and get my bag from the car," Linda answered, grateful for the room and the meals.
Linda was in the spare bedroom downstairs when she got a call. "Oscar, what a surprise. I can see why you sent me. This house is nice but can use some help and that kitchen." She tried not to picture it. She listened a little while. "The most expensive thing will be the beams and the wall of glass leading out to the balcony. Everything else is simple enough," she explained and listened some more.
"She's one lucky lady! I wish I had a boyfriend that generous," Linda commented and listened some more. "Seriously? What's wrong with her? Does she not like him? Not handsome enough?" Linda questioned and continued listening. "Got it; I won't include any of those items in my estimate. If they're smart they're likely to notice though, these three items don't come cheap," she remarked and listened to Oscar speak. "My lips are sealed and yes, I'll get to sample one of these meals you talked about. I'm looking forward to seeing if it stands up to your ravings," she chuckled and ended the call.
"What have you gotten yourself into old friend?" Linda was no fool.