CATHERINE
She awoke to the sun shining right in her eyes. She looked at the clock. It was almost one o' clock in the afternoon. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept this long on a Saturday. Her thoughts went to last night. She and Vincent drove around and talked till almost 4 a.m. She remembered his well tailored suit. It was cut perfectly and she loved him in it.
The phone interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey Cat!" Tess yelled through the phone.
"Hi Tess, what's going on?" "I'm throwing a surprise party for my parents tonight in Picayune. Do you think you can make it? I know it's short notice, but I didn't want someone to spill the beans."
"Sure Tess, I'll be there."
"It's at seven and bring a date, bye."
Catherine hated to call Vincent, but she couldn't think of anyone else she would rather accompany her.
"This is Vincent," he said.
"Hi Vincent," she said.
"Hi Catherine, how are you today?" he asked.
"I'm good, I'm calling, because I need a favor. My friend is throwing a party for her parents tonight and I was wondering if you would like to go with me?" she asked.
"Sure, you are a little social butterfly I see," he said.
Laughing, Catherine replied, "I guess you could say that. It starts at seven and the location is about forty-five minutes away, and it's semi-casual," she said.
"Ok, I can pick you up about six then," he said.
"Alright, see you then," she said.
VINCENT
He hung up the phone and thought about what he would wear. Catherine was so different from the women he normally dated. They had talked for hours last night and he still couldn't get enough of her. He was happy she invited him to a party. His Saturday was slow, and he could use some good company. In the back of his mind, he knew he was playing with fire, but he couldn't walk away.
Vincent pulled up to Catherine's building promptly at six o' clock. She emerged from the front door. He liked that she didn't make him wait. He jumped out of the truck and opened the passenger side door for her.
"You look beautiful, Catherine," he said.
"Thank you, you don't look too bad yourself," she said, smiling.
Forty-five minutes later they entered Picayune, MS. Catherine directed Vincent to a suburban neighborhood. A short while later they pulled up to an older brick home with a well manicured lawn.
"Hi Cat, you made it, and you brought a date," Tess exclaimed!
"Hi Tess, this is Vincent, Vincent, this is my best friend, Tess."
"Nice to meet you Vincent, can I get you something to drink?" Tess asked.
"Water would be fine, thank you," Vincent answered.
Tess disappeared for a second and came back with a bottle of water. "You go ahead and mingle Vincent, I need to steal Catherine for a minute, if you don't mind?"
Smiling, he said, "No, go right ahead."
Tess grabbed Cat by the arm and lead her into another room. "Cat, where did you find that fine specimen of a man? He can't be from here," Tess said.
Laughing, Cat replied, "He just moved here a couple of days ago. I met him by the river walk, when he accidentally bumped into me."
Tess gave her a suspicious look, but she knew that was the typical Tess. She was loud and crazy, and always the life of the party. She knew Tess wasn't finished interrogating her, but she was safe for now, since the party required her attention.
Vincent moved through the small crowd of people. He felt uncomfortable and out of place. He didn't know anyone and he sensed a change in his body. It was a familiar feeling that he knew all too well. He hurried to his truck. He opened the glove compartment and grabbed a small bottle of pills. He quickly swallowed one, followed by a big gulp of water. Silently, he reprimanded himself for forgetting to take his medicine. The last thing he needed was a reaction.
Just then Catherine walked out to the truck. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked, in a concerned voice.
"Yes, I'm fine." he replied.
"Come on then, lets go dance. You do dance, right?" she asked.
He smiled, "Yes, I think I can accommodate you on that request," he said.
He heard "Get Down Tonight" by KC & the Sunshine Band blasting in the background. Catherine pulled him into the room where people were dancing and they begin to dance as well. Five songs later, "Someone to Love" by Jon B. started to play. Vincent took Catherine in his arms and they danced to the slow jam. Vincent wished this moment would last forever. He loved having her in his arms. He smelled that wonderful perfume on her again, and he could sense the hints of honey left in her hair by her shampoo. She was perfect, and perfect for him.
Catherine relaxed in Vincent's embrace. She could feel the muscles that ran the length of his arms. He smelled so good. She laid her head on his chest. In his arms, she felt safe and secure.
"Vincent, lets go for a walk." she said. Catherine needed some fresh air after dancing for so long. "Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked.
"Of course, how could I not?" he replied. At that moment, he gently took her hand and held it as they walked down the street. "Catherine, I have enjoyed the last couple of days with you. I don't know what I would have done, if I hadn't met you," he said. He stopped and looked directly into her eyes. "Catherine, thank you, you are truly heaven sent," he said. He stood, enchanted by her eyes. She was so beautiful and he knew he was in trouble. He cupped her face with both hands, and kissed her lips ever so softly. She kissed him back and he pulled her even closer. He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back as he kissed her with even more passion.
CATHERINE
Catherine awoke to her alarm blaring loudly. She wanted to throw it out the window. She hit the off button and turned over. The events of last night flooded her mind. Chills ran down her spine, thinking of the kiss. Whew, that man could kiss. Her heart was beating fast and she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. She had never experienced anything quite like it. She thought about how good his body felt when they were dancing. She thought to herself, now he was a man, a real man. She could daydream about him all day, but she had to go to church, and she hated being late.
VINCENT
Vincent relaxed on the couch and watched football. On a normal Sunday, he would be more enthusiastic about sports, but his mind was on Catherine. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. Her lips were so soft and she kissed him with so much passion. She was quite a woman, the complete package. Doubt started to creep in his mind. He knew trouble was on the horizon. She could never know his secret. But where would that leave them? He was saved from his thoughts by the ringing of the phone.
"This is Vincent," he said.
"What's up, big guy." It was J.T., his best friend.
"Nothing much, watching the game," Vincent said.
"Did you see that Hail Mary pass Tom Brady just threw?" J.T. asked.
"No, I must have missed it," Vincent replied.
"Ok, who is she?" J.T asked, pointedly. "Only a woman would distract Vincent Keller enough to miss a play like that." Vincent was kind of relieved to talk about her. He and J.T grew up together, and he could trust him.
"Her name is Catherine and she is great. Man, she is beautiful, smart, and really down to earth," Vincent said.
"I'm happy you have met someone like her, but I must warn you to be careful," J.T. said.
Vincent sensed the note of concern in J.T's voice and he knew exactly why. "I will, I know I should walk away, but I can't. I promise to be careful though," Vincent said.
"Alright man, Sarah is calling me, take care, and keep in touch," J.T said.
"Ok, take care, Bye."
Vincent sat in silence once more, left to his own thoughts.
VINCENT
Vincent reluctantly got out the bed. He hated Mondays. He hated meetings even more, but he knew he had obligations and deadlines to meet. He headed to the kitchen to make some coffee. He spotted a can of Café Du Monde coffee and he knew his morning would be great. Coffee was one of his guilty pleasures. He prepared some toast and egg whites, before sitting down to read the Times-Picayune newspaper.
Valerie walked in just as he was finishing breakfast. "Good Morning, Mr. Keller."
"Good Morning, Valerie. Thanks for ordering the coffee. It really helped me this morning. Oh, the new office should be ready today, so going forward, you will be working from there. I'm sure that pleases you, since it is probably closer to your house."
"Yes, it does. It's only a ten minute commute."
"Well, I have to get dressed for the grant meeting at ten."
"Ok, I set up the schedule on your phone."
"Thank you."
Vincent stood in the shower, just letting the water run down his body. He wondered what Catherine was doing. He hadn't spoken to her yesterday, but she stayed on his mind. They hadn't made any future plans, but he desperately wanted to see her. He would be finished with his day by three, so he decided he could cook her dinner. That's the least he could do, since she had invited him to two different events. The thought of seeing her motivated him to start and get the day over with expeditiously.
CATHERINE
Catherine relaxed on the couch. Mondays were always slow for her. She usually watched movies and lounged around all day.
Ring Ring
"Hello."
"Good Morning, Catherine."
"Good Morning, Vincent."
"Are you busy?" Vincent asked.
"No, today is usually slow for me."
"Well, I was calling to invite you to dinner tonight. I want to cook for you."
"Oh my, what a surprise!" She exclaimed. "Yes, what time should I come?" she asked.
"Don't worry about driving. I'll send a car for you around seven, if that's okay?" he asked.
"Alright, that would be great, see you then," she replied.
"One more thing, Catherine, are you allergic to any foods or have any dislikes?" he asked.
"No food allergies, no dislikes, so surprise me." she said.
"Great, see you tonight then," he said.
Catherine's hands were trembling, because she was excited and scared. He wanted to cook her dinner. What would she wear? She remembered her black dress and knew immediately, it would work perfectly. She knew she would be watching Pride and Prejudice for most of the day. She was in that type of mood.
VINCENT
It was almost seven-thirty and Vincent was getting nervous. Catherine would be there soon and he couldn't wait to see her. At that moment, the doorbell rung. He opened the door and there she stood. He was speechless. He was taken with her beauty. She had her hair in a bun and she was wearing a little black dress that showed off her curves.
"Hi Catherine, Come on in," he said
"Hi, something smells delicious," she said.
He smiled, "Can I pour you a glass of wine?" he asked.
"Sure," she said.
He poured her a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. She noticed the bottle said Screaming Eagle. She had never tried it, but she knew it was extremely expensive. Vincent hit play on the stereo and "The Waves of the Danube" begin to play.
"Ms. Chandler, may I have this dance?" he asked, with his hand extended.
"Yes, you may," she said, smiling. She placed her hand in his and they waltzed around the room. Catherine felt like a princess. This was certainly a first and she thanked her mom for making her take dance lessons.
After the song ended, Vincent led her into another room. It was very elegant and beautiful. The table was set with clear charger plates that were decorated with silver beads. Napkins with silver napkin rings lay in the plates. White roses were in several vases and crystal glassware was everywhere. She could see the shine on the silverware from across the room. Vincent pulled out a chair and she took a seat.
"Excuse me Catherine while I go get our salads," he said.
A few minutes later, Vincent entered the room with a silver platter. He placed a white salad plate in from of her. She was impressed with the presentation. It was a parmesan cup filled with spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot strips, and croutons.
He handed her a mini silver cup with salad dressing in it.
"This salad is delicious, Vincent, and I love the salad dressing," she said.
"Thank you, it's champagne dressing," he stated. He could tell she was pleased and it made him happy. He served his next course. It consisted of parmesan crusted tilapia, truffle mashed potatoes, and glazed carrot flowers. Catherine was at a loss for words. She was a chef and he had blown her away.
"Catherine, if you have room for dessert, I made some," he said.
She loved dessert, so she would make room. "Sure, I'll take some," she said.
He loved that she didn't mind eating. He worked out and ate healthy, but he loved to cook and eat delicious meals occasionally.
He placed a small plate in front of her with several strawberries with a filling inside.
"It's cheesecake stuffed strawberries topped with graham cracker crumbs," he said.
"So Vincent, I have to ask? Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"My mother taught me. She wanted me to be able to cook my own food and limit my fast food intake. It worked, because I rarely eat fast food," he said.
"Tell me more about the young Vincent," she said.
"Well, I grew up in New York city and I came from a family of fire-fighters. I was actually a fire-fighter, until my brother talked me into going to med school. He knew that's what I really wanted to do. I was in the middle of my residency when both of my brothers were killed in the towers on 9/11. I was devastated, so I joined the army to get away, but it turned out to be one of the worst decisions I ever made," Vincent said.
Catherine sat in shock. She had no idea he had been through so much. "I'm sorry about your brothers Vincent. I can't imagine how hard it must have been," she said.
He didn't want to think about it, so he changed the subject. "Tell me about you, Catherine," he said.
"Ironically, I grew up in upstate New York. My mom was a scientist and my dad was a lawyer. I have one sister. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, until both of my parents were killed in a car accident. I found solace in cooking, so that's how I ended up in culinary school in New Orleans," she said.
He was amazed at the pain and heartache in both of their backgrounds. "Lets lighten the mood a little, how about a movie?" He asked.
"You're speaking my language now, Mr. Keller," Catherine said, smiling.
"Are you okay with 'Scent of a Woman'?" he asked.
"Yes, great choice," she said.
They both sat on the couch and started to watch the movie. Vincent noticed Catherine looked cold, so he grabbed an afghan and placed it over her.
"Is that better?" he asked.
She smiled and replied, "yes."
He pulled her closer to him so that her head rested on his chest. He loved having her close to him.
Vincent was woken by the ringing of the phone. He looked at the clock, it was nine in the morning. That didn't surprise him as much as the sight of Catherine fast asleep on his chest. He hated to wake her. She looked so peaceful. He debated whether he should wake her or let her sleep. He finally decided to carry her to one of the guest bedrooms and let her sleep. He picked her up and took her to the closest bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed and covered her with the afghan. He would shower and dress, before he woke her.
Her eyes opened and she looked around the room. It dawned on her that she was at Vincent's house. She must have fallen asleep. But where was he? How did she end up in the bed? She got out of the bed and walked to the bathroom that was in the adjourning room. Afterwards, she headed towards the living room and there was Vincent coming around the corner with nothing but a towel on.
"I'm sorry Catherine, I thought you were still asleep. I'll get dressed and be right back," he said, with an embarrassed look.
She nodded her head and he disappeared down the hallway. She couldn't help but think about what he looked like without a shirt. He had a six pack and he was well defined and chiseled to perfection. What a view to see early in the morning? She was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn't hear him walk up.
"Now that I'm properly attired, can I get you some coffee or breakfast?" he asked.
"No, I'm fine. Would you happen to have an extra toothbrush and a towel I could use?" she asked.
"Yes, sure." He walked around the corner and came back with a new toothbrush and a small towel.
"Thank you, if you will excuse me, I need to freshen up," she said, as she walked away.
"Okay."
Vincent sat in silence. He didn't want to think about anything but her. He just wanted to enjoy the moment. He fixed a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table.
Catherine walked in and took a seat across from him.
"Are you sure you're not hungry?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm sure, thank you," she said.
"I'll take you home when you're ready," he said.
"Ok, but don't rush on my account, I don't have anything scheduled this morning," she said.
"It's okay, let me get my phone and keys and I'll be ready," he said.
Catherine went to fix the bed in the room. She finished and turned to exit the room and ran right into Vincent. Vincent caught her before she could fall. They stood locked in the moment. Vincent leaned in and kissed her. She placed her hands on the back of his head and leaned in to his body. He engulfed her small frame with his arms. She could feel his growing desire in the kiss. They both wanted more. Vincent slowly stopped kissing her. In a low voice, he said, "I better take you home." Neither of them moved. Catherine looked at him with those pretty brown eyes and he knew he had to leave now. He didn't know how much longer he could stay strong. Catherine hugged him and he embraced her. He never wanted to let her go. They stood in the embrace and no words were needed. Finally Vincent grabbed her hand and they walked out of the room. The moment was over, but two hearts were now beating stronger for each other.