Catherine parked a car few blocks from where she was heading to – her usual precaution routine. She killed the engine and checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror… but there was nothing to check, actually. She didn't do makeup; she didn't do hair – just as requested. Weird request for the first date, right? But then again Vincent was no ordinary boyfriend…
Catherine got out of the car and pulled on her jacket. Today she wore simple white wool sweater and a pair of faded deep blue jeans – as simple and as warm as it gets. Come to thinks of it… Catherine wore exactly the same outfit she chose for her first "not-a-date" date with Vincent… that never happened due to his blackout. Catherine briefly wondered if her subconscious was playing games with her or maybe it's just not her lucky sweater…
- Hi, Catherine… - his voice was caressing her like a physical touch. There was something magical and enchanting in the way his voice cracked a bit every time he spoke her name…
Catherine turned around to see Vincent standing by her car, his fingers in the lapels of his jeans, leaning against her car frame. Way too relaxed as per her assessment:
- Vincent, the whole point of me parking three blocks outside your warehouse is to protect you from possible tail I may have led here… even though I checked and re-checked – I wasn't followed… but still – you showing up here breaks the whole point of my precautions technics!
He came closer circling her waist with his strong hands, lifting her up to kiss her – slowly, gently… no hurry… a lot of promises…
- Hi, Catherine…
She sighted – she never knew he will be so stubborn in being so irrational. But the fact that he was irrational FOR her and BECAUSE of her warmed her heart so much she could not even pretend to be angry with him.
- Hi, Vincent. You're changing the subject…
- I'm crazy about you, Catherine, but I'm not an idiot. You did your checking, I did mine before showing up here – we both came out clear. It's bound to mean that this time we're off the radar.
He nuzzled his face in the curve of her neck, breathing in slowly:
- I had to see you. So I came. Aren't you happy to see me?
Catherine could've sworn he meant it as a joke… but you can never be sure with this guy, sometimes his self-esteem was below the ground level… they have had so much growing up to do together…
- Yes, I am happy, that is not even a question. But… oh, well, I'll let it slide this time. Shall we go?
He kissed her once again and nodded:
- We shall, my lady.
- Um, Vincent, where exactly are we going?
- We are going up on the fire escape in the abandoned warehouse – make a deduction, detective Chandler! – his voice was mocking and she snapped back:
- Watch it, Keller, or I will kick your genetically-enhanced ass so badly you would beg me to spare you!
He chuckled very softly so she wouldn't hear – but she'd heard him saying:
- Yeah, my warrior princess gone wild – now that a picture to die for!
How she is even supposed to deal with this man when he's so disarmingly charming?
Vincent opened a door in front of her and said:
- Here we are.
Catherine's jaw dropped in shock – she would NEVER, in a million years, expected something so beautiful in the middle of deserted nowhere…
- Oh. My. God! You have a greenhouse!
- Yes, we do. Why is it so surprising? – Vincent sounded a bit offended, like it was totally normal for a fugitive ex-soldier living in the long-forgotten building with broken window shields to have an enormous greenhouse on the rooftop. Yep, she totally should've seen that coming!
- No, but… but… it's a greenhouse! I never thought you to be a type of person to like gardening. Or is it JT's? Something to do with his biochem studies?
Vincent retorted fast still sounding offended:
- No, it's all me. Mine! – he almost growled this last bit. – And… and I'm not so much into it for the gardening… as I am for the trees.
His voice was calm… a bit sad. Vincent hugged Catherine still standing on the entrance to the greenhouse and almost whispered:
- When I was… alive… me and JT, we rented an apartment not far from Central Park. I convinced him it would be rational in terms of saving us time to get to work… even though it was totally a lie and it was hell of an expensive apartment for a medical intern and university lector… But… there was a Central Park… and I just couldn't help it – I had to live close to it. I love trees.
Catherine looked around – indeed, pretty much every plant around here was actually a tree… not a flower or a bush – it was I little forest of trees. Some of them were meant to be like bonsai trees, others will eventually outgrow this greenhouse like pine trees and apple trees…
- What are your plans for when that cypress and this chestnut tree will hit the roof? Because I'm pretty sure these two are full-grown versions and they are bound to become too big one day.
Vincent smiled:
- Hey, you now this stuff! Didn't take you for gardening type either!
Catherine shrugged:
- I have had my share of planting trees at our summer cottage… with my mom… - sad subject, too sad for a date like this, need to change it quickly, - but I prefer evergreens, especially fir-tree.
This time Catherine actually took her time to look around – the greenhouse was really gigantic. Wooden and metal window frames, heavy crocks, variety of trees from the most common maple trees to quite exotic Japanese Cherry tree – somebody had to put quit an effort to make this happen.
Catherine couldn't help but look at Vincent in puzzlement – there was so much she didn't know about this man! So much to discover!
- Stop looking at me like that!
Oh no, has he misread her look for something negative?
- Vincent, no-no, I didn't mean it like that, it a very pleasant surprise, I was just marveling…
He came in few wide strides and lifted her in his arms. She clung to him instinctively, opening herself to his kisses and passion…
Vincent breathed out loudly to the nape of her neck trying to calm down… and she did feel how UNCALM he was at that moment.
- Catherine, I meant "stop looking at me like I'm some world's eight miracle" because it only makes me feel drugged with love… and desire.
He looked her in the eyes, her clouded hazel eyes, and added:
- Scratch that out – EVERYTHING you do makes me drugged with love and desire! Catherine, I'm… oh, man, I'm going crazy!
He kissed her neck, her face, her hair… while pressing her body closer to him, trying to imprint himself on her skin…
The moment he considered tearing a collar of her sweater with his teeth, a mocking chuckle came along:
- Guys! Can you please wait till I leave? Cause I've already had my sex education class in school, I don't really need any step-by-step manual from you two…
Catherine made her best effort to stand erect in no time, even though Vincent had to hold her as she was still shaky on her feet. Catherine flashed hot red and picked from Vincent's shoulder to see that wide smile that came with a comment. She whimpered:
- Oh… hi, JT!
When they say that love is blind – they actually mean that you can overlook the whole corner in the greenhouse… even though it was pretty concealed with a big widely-spread honey locust tree.
But there was a corner… where there was a table… candle-lit table… fully served with tablecloth and napkins and silverware and other stuff Catherine didn't even know these guys have.
Night was full of surprises and it has just started!
And by the table there was JT. In a white shirt. And a bowtie. Such a familiar combination…
- Wait… wait a minute! – epiphany has hit Catherine, - Are you telling me JT is going to be our waiter tonight?!
Obnoxious smile on JT's face quickly changed with irritation:
- You have no idea how many times you've been served food by Ph.D's! Science is so terribly underpaid in this country…
Catherine retorted with laughter:
- Nice try, JT, but I'm not falling for it! Tell me now, both of you, what's happening?! The end of the world or something? Why would JT..?
Vincent winked at JT making his best friend to wince:
- JT owes me.
JT looked almost… miserable. And you have to have no heart to be able to bare that look on JT – he was way too adorable for his own good. So Catherine interjected with a comment:
- I was under the impression YOU owe JT for everything he has done for you… and for us…
She turned to JT trying to express her gratitude with her smiling eyes. He nodded his acceptance and responded to Vincent with a victorious smile:
- That's my girl! You listen to your women, Keller! She talks business!
Vincent was not shaken even a tiny bit:
- We will see what you're gonna say in a week…
JT's smiled faded and he took a brave face. He motioned them to sit down and gave their menus. Catherine didn't notice any of it trying to decipher the code of a "week notice". She failed completely so she had to ask – curiosity was going to kill her!
- What's in a week?
JT gasped and looked at Vincent… Seemed like it was some kind of embarrassing secret for JT…
- Oh, I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, I didn't mean to! You can forget I was asking!
And Catherine followed it by pretending to read her menu even though she was just covering her face with it trying to hide her giggling.
But after some intense shushing on boys side JT said in defeat:
- OK, you can tell her, I know you will tell her anyway… I'll be back in ten minutes, so make your choice by then!
And with that he was gone.
- OK, tell me the story of "The Week"!
Catherine leaned over the table eager to hear the secret. Vincent was actually trying to read a menu, smiling to himself. Catherine whined:
- Oh, c'mon, you have to tell me NOW! Pleeeeeease! I can force you if needed!
That was meant to be a threat. Joke threat but still.
But when Vincent raised his head, there was no fear in his eyes. Only challenge. He was daring her to make him to do anything! He probably already had a plan of what her persuasion may look like…
Catherine pouted and proceeded to fake read her menu – she was not going to give him what he wants if he's not giving her what she wants!
- It's a story of the greenhouse, actually, - said Vincent in a small voice admitting his defeat, - and the way it started. There was a greenhouse in the university and it was vandalized pretty badly so it needed extensive renovation. I don't know what's gotten into JT, he eclipsed or something… but he offered to take the plants to keep them on our roof till the renovation is over. So one day he showed up followed by the truck full of trees and bushes…
It made more sense now – the guys didn't pay for all these trees, they've gotten them for safekeeping. But why would it take so long so Vincent had to build a whole greenhouse?
Vincent answered Catherine's thoughts:
- When renovation of the uni greenhouse was over some big landscaping company gifted the whole set of rare and unique plants to them so the greenhouse was pretty booked and there was no place for these trees to move back into. They'd told JT to dispose the trees the way he saw fit… and I said we'd keep them and build our own greenhouse.
Vincent tilted his head and smiled remembering something.
- JT didn't want all the trouble, I insisted. We've argued a lot... Then we'd agreed that this will be completely my project and he won't have to do anything and this will be MY greenhouse…
Catherine interrupted:
- Awesome story but what does it have to do with "The Week" issue?
- I'm getting to that part. JT has a girlfriend, Sarah. She's also a biochem professor, but more on the bio side, works with plants. So you can figure she's quite a big fan of their local greenhouse… Only that it's not that easy to get there after office hours… and…
The picture was getting clearer by the second:
- You mean… you'd let JT to bring her here? To your greenhouse?
Vincent's voice was serious:
- I do owe him a big deal. I owe him my life. So… yeah… it was not getting anywhere beyond coffee and bagels with Sarah so I'd suggested he'd bring her here. I'd trained him to know this garden's backstory – he had to come off plausible as I can't really take credit for this place so it had to be JT as "The Creator" – and I set up the perfect moment… the sakura blossoming over there…
Vincent motioned somewhere behind Catherine but she didn't look around too engrossed in the story to care for little details.
- Should I say that they'd hit off gloriously after that date? I mean, you should've seen the look on his face the next morning – sun couldn't shine brighter than he did!
- Look who's talking! – JT's voice came out of nowhere but he appeared a second later, - You have had this stupid "let-me-hug-the-world" grin since this morning!
Catherine kept looking from one guy to another... silently praising the fate for giving Vincent such a great friend to stand by him.
JT bowed jokingly and asked:
- Have you made your choice for this evening?
Catherine looked at menu in horror – she'd pretended to read it so many times today but hasn't actually come to read even one line. She tried to delay answering:
- How does it work, JT? Do you cook too?
JT recoiled in mock horror:
- Do I LOOK like I cook? Or better yet – do I look like you're gonna LIKE what I cook?
After few more witty comments about sanity of Catherine prompting JT to cook she'd figured out the menu was actually from a nice Italian restaurant that served delivery too. Catherine knew the place so there was no need for her to read the menu and she'd finally voiced her choice. Vincent added few things for himself and JT left to make a phone call.
When JT was gone Catherine asked the same question she kept asking before:
- What is it about a week?
- Honey locust tree will blossom. It's very beautiful and the aroma is mind-blowing!
- Oh…
- Yes, oh… Since JT has breached a perimeter of MY greenhouse he owes me for maintaining his perfect dating spot.
Catherine giggled. Poor JT… But then again… this WAS a perfect dating spot, Sarah and JT was in luck to have such a romantic place all to themselves…
And since it was pretty far away from the traffic polluted streets of New York… you could actually see stars here.
Again, I'm not good with planning my writing pace. This was supposed to be ONE LAST chapter with a date... but it got bigger in the writing process... so the rest of the date will come tomorrow =)
But I hope you liked this part =)