From Friends to Lovers

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They were sitting on the lawns, Kevin, Rick, Javi and Lanie, the latter two, smooching away, when Kevin spotted Kate getting of a motorcycle with a guy. "Hey look, there's Kate… but who is she with?"

"That's Davidson, Josh Davidson, what's she doing with him?" came Esposito's curious tone.

Then Rick spoke up, not taking his eyes off Kate and Josh who were now standing by his motorcycle and talking. "Uh… she had mentioned to me that some guy josh had asked her out a few weeks back, but she had turned him down…"

Lanie spoke now, "looks like she changed her mind."

Kate had said bye to him and was now walking towards them, she squatted down next to them
"hey guys… so… what's up?"

Lanie spoke "What's up? You tell me sister. Who's motorcycle boy?"

Kate looked back at him and then turned to them and said, "That's Josh. We went out for coffee before getting here"

She knew what they were all thinking and not saying. So she continued. "He's a nice guy, and well he asked me out, so I thought, okay…"

Rick didn't really know what to think about this. There was something happening inside him but he couldn't understand it. He just smiled and asked "So you guys are… dating?"

Kate looked at him and said "Yea, I guess so"

Rick wanted to find out more, but the warning bell for class rang out, and they had to rush into the building.
At lunch time, Kate invited josh to their table, and while the rest of them gelled easily with him, Rick was finding it hard to just accept him into the group. So he just kept to himself. Limiting his conversation.

But he couldn't help but notice how smitten Kate was. She kept smiling so much at him, and he'd say something funny, and she'd laugh out loud. The guy was a fan of PDA too.

Rick kept himself distracted with his phone, so that he wouldn't have to see Kate fall in love with this guy. But what Rick found hard to understand, was why he was having such a problem accepting that Kate was dating this guy.
'It's not like I have feelings for her, and neither does she. We're best friends. Right?'

Rick tried his best to be okay with it. He tried talking to Josh; he tried to feel comfortable with the way Kate was all over him all the time. He tried to condition his heart to accept that Kate was dating this guy, and being her best friend, he would support her, and be there for her. Kate was falling in love, and who was he to tell her not to.

Rick was seated with Jim Beckett on the living room couch. Mr. Beckett had invited him over to watch the game with him.
Rick never knew what it was like to have a dad. So this bond that he had with made him feel good. He enjoyed coming over here to watch the game with him. Both of them enjoyed the company.

Today, just as he passed the remote control to , they heard footsteps from the staircase. Rick turned first and then Jim to find Kate all ready to go out.

Jim turned back towards the TV but asked out loud "Where are you off to Kate?"

just then Johanna walked in from the living room, "you didn't tell me you're going out tonight…"

"I'm going out on a date mom."

Rick was still looking at Kate, questioning in his mind why Kate had not mentioned it last night when they were messaging. She always told him about her plans. And rick had actually hoped that she would join him and her dad to watch the game, she'd done it several times before. She wasn't like other girls that way; she didn't run away at the thought of watching sports on TV.

well, Maybe it wasn't planned until today. He suddenly realized Jim was saying something to him. "So, where you taking her?"
Rick looked at him confused... "Mr. B… i… ummm… I'm not..."

but before he could finish his sentence, Kate was done putting her coat on and she walked over to her dad and gave him a kiss on his cheek "dad, I'm going out with Josh. I'm not dating Rick!"

she laughed now and turned to walk away. They heard a motorcycle honk, and Johanna went to the window to find Josh waiting for her there.

She called out to her Daughter "Kate, I think your date's here."

Kate kissed her mom's cheek and said "I'll be back before midnight okay, love you", and she ran out the door.

Rick finally turned back to the TV, but his interest in the game was now lost. He quickly sent a text to Kate "don't know if you noticed, but I was in the room too. I deserved a kiss too."

He hit send, and then began over thinking it. He basically just told her he wanted a kiss from her too. The message sounded flirty.

But before he could send something else, he opened a reply from her that read "hahahah Rick, I saw you! How could I miss a handsome man like you ha? ;) well if you still want that kiss you'll wait till I'm back. It feels like forever since the last time we sat together and talked. Do you mind waiting up for me?"

He smiled at the text, hmmm well, looks like he wasn't the only one in the mood to flirt. He quickly sent back a reply
"it depends, what will you offer me in return for my time?"

The reply took time, but it came nevertheless. "Isn't a peck on the cheek enough big guy? ;) Okay, how about when I get back I make us some of my special hot chocolate?"

"hmm. Interesting. Okay, I'll be here when you return."

He got a smiley face from her. And he decided to not interrupt her date. Hell, if it had been him dating her, he would hate it if Kate was texting another guy. 'Wait, hold that thought, why am I thinking about a situation wherein I'm dating Kate?'

he shook his head, and then got up to go get himself a beer from the fridge. He tried to keep his attention on the game, but he found himself getting impatient for Kate to get home.

It had been almost a week since they actually spent some time together, what with Kate going out with Josh almost every second day, and Kate having to complete homework and assignments for the next day, they could hardly find time to catch up.

The game was almost over now, but Rick couldn't care less. He looked at his phone yet again, it was 11.30 pm. Jim switched the TV off and then looked at Rick,
"what's wrong, your mind seems to be preoccupied tonight."

"Me? Oh… I'm sorry, I'm just... I don't know…"

"You know Rick, I always thought Kate and you had something for each other. Imagine my surprise when I find out Kate's dating some guy that's not you."

"Oh no... Mr. B, Kate and I are just really good friends…We've always been best friends. Never anything more."

Although he made it sound very convincing, he himself didn't seem convinced. In his mind he questioned, was it never anything more? Had he always thought of Kate as just his friend?

Rick noticed Jim yawning, "Mr. B, Kate asked me to wait until she's back, you don't need to stay up, I'll make sure she's home safe."

Jim smiled nodded at said "I'm sure you will, goodnight Rick. Gotta go join me-lady" he laughed and walked away upstairs.

"Goodnight." Rick called out.