Chapter 27

Catherine and Vincent were both surprised by this question and because she had been looking at him she was aware that Vincent had heard. She just couldn't face the idea of telling her best friend the story of what had happened to her so with a look at him that she hoped conveyed an apology, she told Jenny, "Yes, I got pregnant the night Vincent and I met."

Vincent's jaw dropped open at the implication in her words and Catherine dropped her gaze in shame at taking the easy way out. Meanwhile, in her ear, Jenny gasped, "Cath in this day and age how did you let that happen?"

"Tom and I were 'waiting', but we did want a family so I wasn't on anything…"

"And somehow you just hooked up with this guy Vincent the first night you met? Was it some kind of rebound thing after breaking it off with Tom?"

"Jenny, it's a long story and it really is late…"

Her friend interrupted, "He's there right now isn't he? Did I interrupt something? And if so, why in the world did you answer the phone? And most important, when am I going to get to meet this guy?"

"Well, ummm…." Catherine's head had come back up at Jenny's last question and she met Vincent's gaze as she tried to think of an answer for her friend. "I don't know Jenny…Vincent is away a lot…arranging a meeting might be hard."

"Oh no you don't Cathy Chandler! Just because I didn't like Tom and told you so…and now you can see that I was right all along…anyway, you aren't going to keep this new guy away from me! You promise me that I am going to get to meet him soon or I will get in my car and come over there right now!"

"Jenny, you do know it takes you over an hour to drive here, and if I wanted to keep the two of you apart it would be easy for him to be gone when you get here…" Cathy laughed.

"Yeah, but what you wouldn't have known was that I would've brought a suitcase and just stayed until he showed up again!"

"Jenny there are…ummm some unusual…ummm difficulties involved in you meeting Vincent."

"Hey I get it! He's just so hot that you don't want me anywhere near him until you talk him into marrying you! But really, what kind of friend would I be if I stole the guy who knocked you…ummm got you in the family way!"

"He is gorgeous Jen, but there is more to the story than that."

"And I will let you tell me all about it at lunch tomorrow…or rather later today, and you can also set up a time for us to meet!"

At the helpless look on Catherine's face Vincent rose and extended his hand for the phone. In a daze she gave it to him. Putting the receiver to his ear as if he had been using phones all of his life instead of for the first time ever, he said, "Miss Aaronson, I would be happy to meet any friend of Catherine's. Would this evening after, your lunch, be convenient for you?"

"Ummm sure," Jenny stuttered.

Taking the phone back from Vincent, Catherine asked her friend, "There, are you satisfied now Jen?"

"OH MY GOD CATH! If his looks are anywhere as thrilling as that bedroom-voice, he must be awesome! I have to tell you that he got me all hot and bothered in just those few seconds!"

Vincent's face flamed at Jenny's words even though he had already crossed the room back to the sofa. Catherine seeing that took pity on him and ended the call as quickly as she could after setting up a time and place for their lunch date.

She slowly approached the sofa after hanging up and started to apologize, "Vincent, I know it was wrong of me to let Jenny think that you are the baby's father, but I just couldn't tell her what happened to me! I have told everyone that I had no memory at all of what happened to me in regards to the attack and the ten days I was Below. I was afraid that if I tried to make up something, I would trip myself up and your world might be put in danger because I couldn't keep my story straight. I promise you that I will tell Jenny the truth at lunch so you aren't blamed for this mess I am in."

To be continued….