What if?

Chapter Fourteen

"Hi." Kate said sheepishly as she walked up to the table. Rick looked up and smiled.

"Here you go, ma'am. Enjoy." Rick smiled at the woman in line. She squealed, giggled, and bounced away. Rick laughed and shook his head as he watched her run out the doors, book clutched in her death grip.

"You're done, Richard." Martha waved her hands around at the empty library.

"Finally. I'll see you at home, mother." Rick leaned over and gently kissed Martha's temple. She beamed at him as she shrugged on her coat and gracefully pranced over to the doors. Kate would be waiting for him. He couldn't wait to finally see her after a long day.

Rick pushed open the glass doors and looked down the street to the ice cream shop. There Kate stood under a street light, waiting as usual. Rick smiled and he smoothed down his hair and started walking to her. The ice cream doors opened and a sturdy Cuban man walked out with two ice cream cone in his hands. Kate moved from her spot and smiled at the Cuban. Rick's feet cemented themselves to the sidewalk as he watched the Cuban hug Kate and guide her back to her car as they laughed, Kate pointing to her new book, positively beaming. The book Rick had signed minutes ago.

Something inside of him clicked and fell out of place as a great hollow feeling consumed him. He stood there, unable to move or speak out as the Cuban opened the door for Kate, as she got in, as he walked around to get into the car. He caught Rick's stare and waved. Rick turned away from the Cuban with Kate. Watching the car pull away from the curb. Rick tore his phone from his pocket and pressed it to his cheek.

"Hi Gina, are you still interested in that date I owe you?"

"Hey Castle, wait up!" The all too familiar voice called. The memory dissolved as the same caramel haired woman called after him, looking at him with adventurous eyes and parted lips, turning up at the corners to reveal the most faintest smile. Most people would mistake it for her resting face, but Rick had conditioned himself to seek out those small smiles and love them. He turned around, bearing a cup of steaming coffee and Alexis.

"Kate!" Alexis squealed and ran over to hug her. Kate smiled and bent down, holding out her arms for Alexis to barrel into.

"Hey, kiddo!" Kate stood with Alexis clinging to her thigh. "Where have you been? I haven't seen or heard anything from you for almost ten months."

"Oh, I've just been up in the Hamptons with Alexis for a while." He replied coolly.
A shiny band around his finger caught Kate's attention. "Is that a wedding band? Rick, are you married?" Kate asked, slightly shocked.

"It's nothing." Rick shook it off. "Come on, Alexis, we need to be getting back." He grabbed her hand and pulled her away without another word. Kate's eyebrows shot up and she thought about running after him and demanding some sort of explanation. Kate watched Rick get into his shiny car and drive off, her feet still rooted to the ground. She arced an eyebrow and pulled out her phone, her finger hovering over the contact listed at "Castle". She nearly pressed it a dozen times before shoving the phone back in her purse and entering the small bar for drinks with Javier.

"Hey! Was that your writer friend?" Javier pushed a glass of liquor to Kate. She nodded and stared at her coffee. "Are you okay, Kate?"

"Yeah. I'm just surprised to see him. I haven't seen him in a almost a year. He's married now." Kate wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"Oh." Javier responded quietly. "Were you two close?"

"Yeah!"

"I mean, like in a relationship?"

"Um, no." Kate pushed her hair behind her ears and looked at the floor, her cheeks a bright cherry color. She ordered a quick drink and took a long pull of it.

"To us and our completed first year at the twelfth." Javier clicked his glass against Kate's and let the liquor burn his throat. Four drinks later, Kate turned to Javier.

"Do you want to come back to my place?" She grabbed her coat and stood, waiting for him, alcohol buzzing wildly in her veins.

"Yeah, sure." He said after a minute of thought. He followed Kate back to her house and walked inside the small apartment. Looking at the large intriguing painting on her wall of a woman and fighter planes. He didn't realize Kate had left him and jumped when she reappeared behind him.

"I brought you some wine." She held out a bottle of one of his favorite wine and poured a glass for him.

"More alcohol?" Javier shook his head and laughed. He accepted the dark glass, however, sipping it generously.