"Hello?" Natalie said again.

"Oh, Hi Natalie. It's Jessica." Jessica said.

"Jess Its like 8:30 in the morning. What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing" Jess said. "I just wanted to see if you wanted to got to lunch with me."

"Hang on let me check with John, He might have planed something for us." Turning to John Natalie asked, "John, would you mind if I went with to Jess?"

"Sure, I actually have a business lunch with Evangeline today at The Palace" John said, with a grimace on the words The Palace. "You don't have to ask me if you can go to lunch with your sister you know. Only other men." John said with a sexy grin.

Natalie laughed then said, "Sure Jess I'll go to lunch with you. Do you want me to meet you?"

"That would be perfect." Jess said, "How about the Palace at 12:30?"

"Ok, that's fine with me. Oh, by the way is mom up?" Natalie asked, wanting to thank her for the advice.

"Yeah, she is getting ready to leave soon." She said, "I think you have about a half an hour to get over here before she leaves if you want to talk to her. I'll talk to you later ok. I have to get over to the Sun or Todd is gonna have a canary. Bye Nat."

"Ok, I'll be there in a few minutes. Bye Jess." Natalie said and hung up the phone. She said to John, I'm going over to Lanfair for a while, I'll see you at work." Heading towards the bathroom she turned back to John, "I got the shower first," and grinned at him, disappearing behind the door.

John laughed and shook his head. He noticed Michael looking at him strangely, "What?"

"Ok, who are you and what did you do with my brother?" Michael asked with a smile. Then said a little more seriously, "I am just used to you with a frown, it's nice to see you smile again. You haven't smiled much since Caitlyn died."

Natalie came out of the bathroom, after taking the quickest shower of her life, with a smile. "What are you guys talking about?" She asked.

"Nothing" they said. Natalie laughed and said, "Fine don't tell me, I have to go anyway," leaning down she gave John a quick kiss and went out the door.

John sat there grinning until Michael said, "ok what happened between the two of you?"

"I finally told her I loved her." John said sheepishly.

"Well it's about time! You two are soul mates. Everyone else could see it but the two of you." Michael said excitedly. "What did she say when you told her? Did she pass out?" Michael asked with a smirk, knowing how hard it was for John to say those words she just might have.

John looked like he wanted to smack Michael and said, "No she didn't pass out. She said she loved me too,"

Michael laughed, "well of course she loves you, it's written all over her face the minute you come into her view," he said.

This time John did smack him, right up side the head. "It's not funny!" he said, "I wasn't sure. I always thought that she loved Cris's memory and if Cris ever came back she would leave me and be with him. But last night she convinced me that that wasn't the case."

John thought back to last night. After Natalie had told him about Cris he had been angry and hurt, but after she had explained he knew he had to forgive her. If he had been in that position he probably would have kept the secret too. For different reasons, of course, but he still wouldn't have told her Cris was alive. When they woke up after making love the first time they had talked some more. He had promised he wouldn't tell anyone else about Cris, He didn't know how he was ever going to look Antonio in the eye again, but together he and Natalie would try to help Cris any way they could.

"So?" Michael said, with a leering grin, startling John out of his thoughts, "how did Natalie convince you?"

John blushed and said, "that's none of your business! Now get out of here. I have to get ready for work."

After Michael left John took a shower and went to work, his thoughts still on Natalie.

The Palace, 12:20pm

Evangeline sat at the table, with her sister Layla, waiting for John. He was late, as usual. She was getting angrier and angrier with every minute that passed. Finally John came in looking more harassed then she had ever seen him. She sat at the table looking at him hungrily. Damn he was fine! She was getting turned on just looking at him. She stood up waiting for him to get there and saw Natalie and Jess come in. Evangeline had an idea, If it worked she wouldn't even have to tell John about Cris. Suddenly, as John got to the table, Evangeline grabbed him and kissed him passionately on the mouth.

Natalie and Jess cam into the Palaces Dining room talking about Vicki's health when Natalie saw John walking over to Evangeline's table. She smiled and was about to call out a hello when suddenly Evangeline pulled him into a passionate kiss. "Oh, no she didn't!" thought Natalie stomping over to their table with Jessica at her heels.

As Natalie put a hand on Evangeline's shoulder and spun her around Evangeline thought, "yes, Natalie will break up with John now!"

Hearing Natalie yell, "what the hell do you think you are doing?" Renee came over and asked them to take the argument out side. Renee shook her head at the group as they filed out side with Natalie, looking extremely angry, in the lead. John looked embarrassed and Jessica looked amused. The other girl, the one Renee didn't know, looked smug. Renee had a waiter follow them out to make sure they didn't upset the other diners.

As the group stopped in the parking lot Evangeline said, "I'm sorry you had to find out about John and I that way but we were going to tell you today anyway."

"Tell me what?" asked Natalie very softly.

"Natalie its not what you think!" John broke in, stammering.

As Natalie said, "No, Let the woman finish." Evangeline almost laughed to her self; this was easier then she thought it was going to be.

"John and I have been seeing each other for almost a month behind your back." Evangeline lied. "He doesn't want you any more. In fact he told me you were trailer trash and he was glad to be rid of you!" She spat viciously.