Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

24. Surprise...?!

Cat walked out of the elevator, stopped. Then turned to face it again. Turned back and then walked around the corner towards her apartment.
She paused a few more times, wanting to go in and not wanting to.
She had been emotional on the way home after talking to Vincent, wanting to be alone. But now that she thought about it, maybe being around people was what she needed. They would distract her from the mess of a non relationship she had with a very complicated man. Yes. This party was a good idea.

She hovers at the door for a moment to practice a quick surprised face and then she opens it and steps in and switches the lights on.

"Surprise!"

Her entire apartment is filled with co workers, neighbors, friends and family, who yell out in excitement. She isn't surprised since she knew but she is happy to see all of them and it warms her smile even more when Tess and Heather come to hug her, clapping their hands.

"Happy birthday big sis," Heather gushes, singing. She takes Cat's hands. "Surprised, pissed or both?" she checks.

Cat laughs. "Uhm, totally surprised."

"You look surprised," Tess whispers as she hugs her, impressed.

"You shouldn't have done this," Cat tells Heather, taking off her jacket and hanging it on the peg by the door.

"It's your Saturn returns," Heather waves her off. "What else would you have done? Sat around and wished you had a party?"

They pass Joe, who smiles at her and leans in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday Chandler."
She wasn't expecting it but she thanked him anyway.

"Hey Cat," Evan says behind her and she, Tess, Joe and Heather all turn to see him standing there with a wide smile and a beautiful, tall blonde by his side. "This is Claire."

Cat recognises her from the profile and nods. "Yes I know, nice to see you."

Claire frowns in confusion. "Have we met?"

Cat realizes she's put her foot in it. "No, but I feel like we have because Evan's been talking about you a lot." Tess eyes her friend, wondering what she was babbling about and hoping she'd stop.

Evan flushes and chuckles. "That makes me sound like a stalker," he says nervously. He looks at Claire to do damage control. "I've been appropriately conversing about you." She nods and he looks around awkwardly, Tess just grinning at him and Cat trying to convey how sorry she was with her eyes. "Margeritas?"
They say sure, even though Claire already has one. He turns to go and get the drinks, just to get away.

Cat clears her throat. "So, is it true that you climbed Everest?" She might as well try and redeem the situation, include Claire in the group.

"Yeah, twice," Claire nods shyly. "But I had to stop a lot to pee." Cat's eyes widen and she glances at Tess. Twice?
"In fact, I need to use the girl's room now, is it - ?"

"Oh, it's that way," Tess points to the back. "Do you need a sherbot?" She is referring to something hikers use.

"No thanks, I keep a spare in my bag," Claire jokes, winking and then she passes them to go to the bathroom.

Tess overdoes it with the laughing at her joke, the thought of this woman existing just too much. They didn't like her. "Why?" she asks, her laughter dying down. She, Cat and Heather are all standing arms crossed, staring after Claire.

"Gorgeous, mountain climber yet funny and down to Earth. Obviously put on Earth to make all other women feel inferior," Cat sighs.

"And those pumps," Heather shakes her head, "I'd kill for those pumps," she gushes, staring at the floor where Claire stood a moment ago.