Chapter 66
Vincent had just returned and was removing his cloak when the doorbell rang. He froze, prepared to flee, when Catherine sighed and said, "It has to be Jenny. No one else would come knocking at this hour!"
"Catherine, she rang the bell," Vincent said.
That was why Catherine opened the door mid-laugh, surprising her friend who thought Cathy would be a little mad at the early morning visit.
"What's so funny?" she asked, pushing past Cathy and entering the apartment.
"Nothing," Catherine told her, eyeing the pink box in Jenny's hand. "Is that from Restrelli's Bakery?" she demanded.
"Yes, and if you tell me what was so funny, I might let you join Vinnie and I for breakfast!"
"His name is Vincent, and this IS my apartment!"
"So? I brought the food and coffee too!" Jenny reported holding up the bag in her other hand.
"Vincent doesn't like coffee!" Cathy informed her friend.
"That's okay! More for me then! But you should really try this coffee, big guy. It's much better that Cath makes!"
"Hey!" the maligned person protested.
Vincent had been watching the byplay between the two friends as if he were at a tennis match. His eyes kept going back and forth between the two women.
Jenny had started to unpack the coffee bag while she and Catherine had been talking. Vincent had gotten a whiff of the steam coming from the styrofoam cups.
"Pardon me Ms…Jenny, I thought you said you had brought coffee. I believe that I can smell chocolate."
"You do! What is coffee without chocolate in it? I brought mocha amaretto, a mocha caramel, because I know Cath likes that one, and last but not least, a double mocha. If you like chocolate that is the one I would recommend for you!" she grinned, holding out the cup to him.
He took the cup carefully and removed the lid. Inhaling deeply of the delightful aroma he took a tentative sip, because after all it was coffee and he had never liked that beverage.
When he lifted his head from the sip to report on his opinion of this new drink, both Jenny and Catherine burst out laughing. Catherine did try to control herself quickly, but when Vincent cocked his head to the side quizzically, she started all over again. Neither woman could stop laughing so Catherine took him by the hand and led him to the mirror on her dressing table.
He was now able to see the foam mustache across his upper lip. Normally he would have wiped it off quickly to avoid further embarrassment. But he was becoming more at ease with these two wonderful ladies, so instead teased, "Wait until it is your turn! Then I will be the one laughing!"
Catherine walked over to the table, picked up the caramel one, then lifted the little trap door in the plastic lid. She took a sip and put the cup down with a grin. There was no foam in sight. She told him, "You will just have to learn some of our Above tricks. How did you like it?"
He also approached the table and put the lid back on his cup as he told her, "The chocolate added to it makes it quite palatable Catherine."
"Great!" Jenny cheered opening the box from the bakery. "I brought donuts and since 'Vincent' likes chocolate so much you have to try one of the chocolate chip ones! They are to DIE for! Right Cath?"
With her hand already reaching for one, Catherine said with a giggle, "I don't know what you're talking about Jen! These things are barely edible." However, the sigh of bliss when she took a bite clearly made her words a lie.
"Vincent, I got a whole dozen and Cath and I will only eat two each. The rest are for you, big guy."
"That is very thoughtful of you Jenny, but even I could not eat that many in one sitting. Maybe we could save some for our breakfast tomorrow?"
"Oh! Breakfast tomorrow huh? Things seem to be moving pretty quickly for the two of you!"
Catherine looked at Vincent with a question in her eyes and at his smile and nod, she said, "We were going to tell my father first, but since you barged in…I guess you can be the first to know. Vincent asked me to marry him and I said, yes."
To be continued….