770. Chapter 770

After Always Buy retail

Episode 1.06

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: What do you think? Rating: T Time: See above

In spite of not having breakfast that morning, Kate Beckett had only been able to finish less than half of her cheeseburger and had hardly had any fries. Castle had walked away from her a month ago, his arms around his blonde ex-wife, leaving her with a broken heart. How could I have been so stupid? She asked herself. I know what he's like. Okay, maybe he's not one hundred percent an empty headed playboy. He is a great dad and in spite of how he can infuriate me at times, he's a good detective. He was my partner. Maybe I would have solved some of those cases without him, but he did help. But, he reverted to type. Kate Beckett can't come to the Hamptons with me? Well, who's next in line? And off he went with Gina, who's going to stay on top of him, the whole summer. I hope she falls off and breaks her neck. Kate was surprised at how much she disliked Gina. It's not like I ever made any attempt to show Castle that I really did like him. It's not like I didn't latch onto Tom after Castle fell madly in lust with that slutty actress. I liked Tom, but Castle was different. No! I just thought he was different.

It took Kate a second to realize that someone had sat down at her table at Remy's with her. "Meredith?"

The redhead smiled. "Detective Beckett. They told me I'd find you here."

"If you're looking for Castle, he isn't here. He went to the Hamptons for the summer."

"Oh, I know. I was just there."

Beckett's opinion of Castle fell another notch. Screwing one ex-wife isn't enough for him? He has to screw both of them. I wonder if it was a threesome or if….A horrible thought entered her mind. Did he expect me to join in if I'd gone? She smiled back at Meredith. "I hope you had a good time."

"Oh, I always do, you know. But, Alexis was there, so I had to go up and see my little sweetie."

Beckett knew just how often Meredith visited Alexis. Every time she wanted something. "I'm sure the two of you had a great time."

"And I heard that Rick invited you to the Hamptons as well."

"Yes." Beckett said, wishing that Meredith would go away. Far away.

"It's just as well that you didn't go, Detective. It wasn't very pleasant with Gina and me there."

"I can imagine." Kate said, trying to keep the spite out of her voice. She couldn't decide who she disliked the most right now, Rick, Gina or Meredith.

"For some reason Gina has always disliked me. Jealousy, I suppose. Do you know that when they were married Gina tried to talk Rick out of giving me…the occasional financial help he provides? After all, an actor's life isn't all fun and games. And the bitch was working on him to stop assisting me while I was there. Can you imagine?"

Actually, Beckett could well imagine. "You don't say." She said noncommittally.

"But I fixed her. She was mad at Rick anyway. He had hardly written a thing the whole month. He just moped around and drank way too much. So, last night, I made sure Rick had all the Scotch he wanted. And when we went to bed, Gina decided she should sleep in another room because Alexis was there. As soon as Rick's bedroom light went out, I snuck into his room and got him aroused. He was too drunk to tell who I was, but not so drunk he couldn't perform. And can that man perform. So, when I came, I screamed as loud as I could. That brought both Alexis and Gina running. Gina was furious. She had a huge fight with Rick right there. She packed her things and told him if she didn't have a workable first draft of his book by the end of summer, they'd cancel his contract and sue him for the advance." Meredith laughed happily. "Gina was absolutely furious."

"So, why are you telling me all of this?"

Meredith's smile disappeared. "I told you he could perform even though he didn't know who I was? Well, he thought I was someone named Kate because he kept calling me that all through our lovemaking. Now who do you suppose this Kate is?"

Kate just nodded. Castle is miserable because he's there with Gina and not me? God, was I wrong?

Meredith leaned in and dropped her voice. "Listen, Detective. I have no intention of giving up the relationship I have with Rick. And just in case you think you have any chance with him at all, forget it. And if you get in my way, I will bury you."

Now Kate smiled, concealing her anger. "You'll bury me? Rick is smart. He knows that all you're interested in him for is his money. But he's generous and he doesn't want Alexis' mother to have to live on the streets, which is where she'd be if she had to depend on her nonexistent talent. And as far as Rick goes, you haven't got a chance against me. If you hurt Alexis or Rick, or if you get in my way, I will bury you." She leaned towards Meredith. "Now get the hell away from my table. Now."

Meredith stood and walked off. Kate sat there fuming at the arrogance of the woman. Then the words came back to her. …If you get in my way. Oh my god! What did I just say?

"Hi, sweetie? How are you feeling?' Lanie asked as her friend came into the morgue.

"Um, I need to talk to you."

"You've needed to talk to me for about a month now. You finally want to talk about how you broke up with Tom to go to the Hamptons with Castle?"

"How did you know?"

"Tom Demming has a big mouth. He thinks it's very funny that you dumped him and then got dumped yourself. I've had to talk to Javi twice now to keep him from rearranging Demming's face." Lanie put her hand on Beckett's shoulder. "But you have to accept that he made his choice and it wasn't you."

"It was." Kate said and recounted her conversation with Meredith.

"He thought Meredith was you? He wanted Meredith to be you?" Lanie laughed. "Now that must have made Meredith seven kinds of angry."

"I thought he was in the Hamptons with that blonde having a great time, but apparently, he's not. What should I do?"

"Call him."

"Lanie! I can't just call him up. What'll I say? Tell him what Meredith told me? Meredith isn't the most reliable source, you know. She could have been lying."

Lanie shook her head. "You know friends do call each other? Just to say hi. Call him. See if he sounds happy. Listen for sounds of loud partying in the background. Hell, girl, just tell him you want to come up and joint the party."

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can. You've been miserable for a month because you thought Castle was having a great time while you were miserable. And Castle has been miserable because he thinks you're here having a great time with Tom. Call him. Say hi. You can do it."

When she got home that night, Kate sat on her couch with a glass of wine. She looked at her speed dial and put her finger above Castle's name. Then she put the phone down. By ten o'clock she still hadn't called him and was worried he might be drunk. I don't want to talk to a drunk Castle. He might not remember what we talked about. He might say something he really didn't mean. She put the phone away and went to bed.

The next morning she went to the precinct. When the bullpen was empty, she took out her phone. Suppose he's hung over. Tired and grumpy? Angry at everyone. She put her phone away.

At lunchtime she went to Remy's and requested a booth all the way in the back. She picked up her phone and taking a deep breath, called Castle.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Castle."

"Beckett? Why are you calling? Has there been a murder and you need my help? I can be in the city in no time."

Suddenly Kate felt better. He wanted to come back. "No, I just called to see how you were doing. How's the book coming along?"

"You want to know about the Nikki Heat book?"

"Yes. She is based on me, so I want the book to be good, or I'll look bad. How many pages have you written?"

"It's not about quantity, Beckett. It's about quality."

"You haven't written a thing, have you?"

"That's not entirely true."

"But pretty close."

"Yeah."

"So you've been partying with Gina all this time? I thought she was supposed to be helping you."

"Um, Gina left. You know, I'm not Black Pawn's only author. She had to go back to the city."

Liar. She thought. Kate took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Sounds like you need a muse. Have any handy?"

"Not a one, and my only real muse is busy."

"Oh, I'm not busy at all."

"Aren't you with…?"

"We broke up."

"Oh." Castle couldn't keep the happiness out of his voice. "If you'd like to come up, I'd love to have you here. As a muse, of course."

"I have to work on Saturday, but I could come up Sunday and Monday."

"The weather's going to be great her on Saturday. If you left right after work, I could barbecue some steaks, some corn on the cob and do some potatoes. How does that sound?"

"Saturday it is, then."

"I can't wait to see you."

"Me too. Bye."

"Bye."

Kate was already planning what she would say to Montgomery to get off a bit early on Saturday.