Vince: Book Two of the Perfectly Independent Series

by Amanda Shelley

Thankfully, Julia and Vanessa are great buffers. As soon as we enter the living room, Julia announces, “Momma, Guess what? Unks’ friend is comin to watch me ride like a big girl.”

  Vanessa’s eyes immediately jump to us as we enter the room and put Sydney at ease, like a pro. “Hi, Sydney. Glad you could join in the fun.”

  “Hey. I wouldn’t miss it. I can’t wait to see the big girl in action,” Sydney says enthusiastically as Vanessa’s eyes land on our linked hands. Her knowing smile says it all. She’s happy for me, and I couldn’t agree with her more, even though at the moment, I feel like an ass for holding back.

  But how do you drop a bomb like that?

  To get my mind off my parents, I focus on the present. “Hey, squirt, are you ready to go ride like a big girl?”

  Julia jumps up and down with excitement before grabbing Vanessa’s hand and dragging her to the door. “Let’s go!”

  “Let me just put her bike in the back of my Jeep, and we can take that,” I offer Vanessa. Sure, she has an SUV of her own, but I’d prefer to drive my Jeep any chance I can.

  “Are you sure?” Van looks between Sydney and me, obviously wanting to know if we need privacy.

  “Momma, we have to ride with Unks. Or we’ll miss riding with my new friend.”

  “Yeah, Van. We can’t have that,” I tease, though grateful for the distraction.

  Looking to Sydney, she just smiles with delight.

  “Okay—but go potty first,” Vanessa says to Julia. Then she turns to us with an apologetic smile. “Sorry. It’s a force of habit. The mom in me never turns off.”

  This earns a beautiful laugh from Sydney. “I can’t imagine it ever does. But if you don’t mind, I’ll use your restroom, too, before we leave.”

  “You can use mine,” I suggest, as our main bathroom is occupied with Julia and Vanessa, who’s followed her to help.”

  I lead her to the master bedroom, which thankfully I remembered to make my bed and pick up this morning. “The bathroom’s just inside there.” I point to the door on the opposite side of the room. Sydney stares at my California-king bed and shakes her head.

  God, what I’d give to know what’s going on in that mind of hers.

  Wanting to give her some privacy, I offer, “I’ll meet you in the living room. I’ll load her bike so we can leave as soon as everyone’s ready.”

  I don’t give her a chance to respond before walking out of the room. Thank goodness, Julia’s bike is small, or I’d have to put the bike rack in place of the tow hitch, which will take much longer.

  By the time we arrive at the park, everyone’s just as excited as Julia. Vanessa’s camera is ready to roll as Sydney stands beside her, cheering Julia on. Taking the time to show Julia how it’s easier to start with one pedal up in the air, she catches on like a pro. I fasten her helmet and adjust to make sure it’s on properly before holding the seat to steady her.

  “Remember, Jules, you need to ride with your chin over the handlebar and keep pedaling. I’ll get you steady, but when you’re ready to take off, I’ll let go. If you think you’re gonna fall, remember—the grass is your friend.”

  Julia sighs exasperatedly. “Unks, I know. You told me already. Let’s do this.”

  Damn. She’s fearless.

  She positions her pedal, and then she pushes off with one foot as she expertly settles onto the seat. It doesn’t take long before she’s pedaling her little heart out, and I’m jogging beside her, keeping her steady.

  She wobbles a little but steadies it before I have to use all my force to keep her in place. “Remember where your chin goes, Jules.” And she juts her chin over the handlebar. Instantly, she steadies and is ready to take off on her own. Not wanting to let her fall, I pick up my pace of jogging beside her and let go.

  Holy shit—she’s doing it.

  When both Vanessa and Sydney holler in encouragement, Julia’s attention falters, and she wobbles a bit. Shit. She’s about to crash. Reaching out my hand to steady her, I’m surprised when she manages to correct herself before I can give her any assistance. We go a few more feet before she makes a sharp turn at the corner and tumbles away from me into the grass.

  Of course, I’ve trained myself not to panic when she falls over the years, but my heart plummets as I await her response.

  Please don’t let her be hurt.

  Thank God, she jumps up with a smile on her face. “I did it! I did it, Unks.” Then she turns to where her mom is filming her. “Did you see, Momma? I rode all by myself.”

  “You sure did, honey,” Vanessa beams as she and Sydney close the distance between us. Sure, she’d only gone about thirty yards, but it was impressive for her first try.

  “Let’s do it again, Unks. It’s fun riding so fast.”

  I give Vanessa an ‘oh, shit, here we go’ look, and she rolls her eyes. She and I both know she’s just like her mom when it comes to determination. Julia’s gonna keep us on our toes, that’s for sure. Please let her make good choices in life, because there will be no changing her mind once it’s made up.

  I mouth so Julia won’t hear as I point to Vanessa. “That’s all you.”

  Van just rolls her eyes and sighs. She can’t argue, so there’s no use in trying.

  With a determined look on her face, Julia gets her pedal where she needs it. She glances at me as if to ask, Are you ready? Nodding my head, I grip the seat to steady it, and we start this adventure over again.

  The first few pumps look like she’s a weeble-wobble, but as soon as I remind her to put her chin over the handlebar and pump harder, she’s off like a rocket. I’m able to let go much faster than before, and we make it almost the length of the soccer field the bike path circles. She hasn’t quite figured out how to turn, but since she catches herself by standing up before the bike falls, we’re off and riding again before Vanessa even has a chance to catch up.

  I guide her verbally through the next turn and have to run a little harder to keep up with her. The next thing I know, she’s made it around the third corner, and we’re almost back to Vanessa and Sydney, who cheer her on from a distance.

  By the time we round the corner to the home stretch to return to Vanessa, Julia’s giggling so hard with excitement. Her riding becomes less steady, and she wobbles a bit. Thankfully, she’s more confident now. She easily corrects herself and makes her way back to Vanessa with ease. When she wants to stop, she even applies the brake. She slows down enough to bail off the bike into her mom’s waiting arms.

  “I’m so proud of you, Jules,” Vanessa gushes. “You’re a rock star on that bike. I can’t believe you just bailed off it like that. Are you sure you and Unks haven’t been practicing without me?”

  “No, Momma,” Julia says in a firm tone. “He just took my trainers off today. This was my first time, really.”

  Vanessa looks from Julia to me, to see if we’ve been conspiring against her, but I hold my hands up in defense.

  “Seriously, Van, she’s not trying to fool you. This was her first time!”

  “I’m impressed,” Sydney pitches in, earning a grin from Julia. “I still have scars from when I learned how to ride my bike. I didn’t have anyone like your uncle Vince to run beside me, and I was so determined to do it on my own. Are you sure you’re only three? I didn’t learn until I was almost six.”

  Julia rolls her eyes and giggles. “My birfday is April twenty-fird. Right, Momma?”

  “That’s true,” Vanessa admits. “She’s growin’ up faster than she should. I can’t believe you’re riding your bike all by yourself.”

  “I’m pretty sure that balance bike we got her for Christmas helped a lot,” I offer the crowd. “She seemed to master that in days. Remember?”

  “How could I forget. She could barely stand next to the thing. It was so tall, but she was determined like today to ride it on her own.”

  Sydney holds out her hand for a high-five. “I’m still impressed, Jules. You’re my hero.”

  Julia’s smile beams with pride
as she shouts, “Again, Unks! Again.” And off we ride around the loop nearly the entire way before she bails off again when we get close to her mom.

  By the time Vanessa suggests going home for dinner, I’m exhausted. I’ve jogged around this loop more times than I can count, not wanting to let her ride solo quite yet. When Julia begs, “One more time, this time on my own,” I know she’s more than ready. We watch her on bated breath as she starts entirely on her own and maneuvers her way around each and every turn in the path. There are a few close encounters with other people walking along the path, but they give her a wide berth, and Julia just keeps pedaling.

  When she makes it back to us without a scratch, I can hear Vanessa’s sigh of relief. “Way to go, Jules. Let’s ride to Unks’ Jeep, so we can get some dinner.”

  “I’ll race ya,” Julia beams, and we all chase after her with grins plastered across our faces.

  13

  Sydney

  Somehow, by the time Saturday rolls round, Vince and I manage to steal some time together every day. Through texts, talking on the phone, and the short time before, I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. The only night we didn’t see each other was last night, when I went to the basketball game with Abby which thankfully CRU pulled off a win, so they’re in the next round of playoffs.

  Somehow, I’ve managed to keep up with my homework, but to keep from a heavy load this weekend, I’ve spent the morning working on a paper due next week.

  Usually, Saturdays are meant for sleeping in, but knowing Vince and I will spend the afternoon together, I work hard to free up more time with him. Just as I’m going through a final read through, my phone buzzes with an incoming text.

  Vince: Vanessa just got home. Mind if I pick you up early?

  Me: You still haven’t told me what we’re doing…

  Vince: Just dress casually, wear sneakers and bring a sweatshirt. It’s been chilly, even though it’s March.

  Me: You still haven’t told me.

  Vince: Can’t it be a surprise?

  Me: Fair warning - I suck at surprises.

  I laugh at my response as I await his reply. It’s true I suck at waiting, but I’m sure he’ll make me do it anyway.

  Vince: I’ll be at your place in ten minutes. I’m loading my Jeep now.

  Loading up his Jeep? Where the hell is he taking me?

  Knowing I need to be a good sport, I quickly tap out my reply.

  Me: I’ll be ready. But I can’t promise I’ll be patient.

  Vince: Relax. It’ll be fun. Promise.

  Instead of replying, I use this time to quickly make use of the bathroom, run a brush through my hair, and brush my teeth. I’m just grabbing a sweatshirt from my dresser when I hear a knock at the door.

  Knowing Abby’s studying, I rush to the door so I won’t disturb her. I call out, “I got it,” as I rush to Vince.

  It seems that no matter how many times I see Vince, he still manages to take my breath away. Avoiding the Spanish Inquisition with Abby, I quickly grab my purse that I’ve left beside the door and step out onto the porch. “I’m ready.”

  He leans in and kisses me until I’m breathless.

  When he pulls back, his expression’s almost shy. “I know it’s only been two days, but is it weird to say I’ve missed you?”

  I stare at him, wondering if he’s able to read my mind. “Not at all,” I agree, as if he has taken the words right out of my mouth. He reaches for my hand and leads me toward his Jeep. “Still won’t tell me where we’re going?” I ask in a vain attempt to get him to crack.

  “Nope. Patience—young grasshopper. Good things await you.”

  Okay—I’ll admit it. I’m completely impatient. As Vince drives us off campus, I mull over a million places where we could go in this direction. When he takes the highway leading out to the gorge again, I look him over quizzically.

  The man’s a freaking vault and gives nothing away. He simply pats my leg and winks. Gah… I hate surprises. Hopefully, he’ll learn this soon, so I’m not tortured like this often.

  After about ten minutes, Vince takes me by surprise when he turns off a side road I’ve never been down. I swear he’s taking me out to the boonies as we follow this winding road. Instead of speaking my mind, I force myself to bite my tongue. Of course, this also means I can’t bring myself to talk about anything casual either. Let’s face it, I don’t trust myself to not ask the impending questions that will flow from my mouth when I let it go.

  Eventually, Vince pulls off the road and parks. Then he reaches in front of me, opening the glove compartment, and places a pass on the rearview mirror. Only then does his gaze meet mine, and the sexiest smile forms on his face. “You’re not too mad that I haven’t told you, are you?”

  “No, but I totally deserve a medal for not asking about it,” I snark. “I’ve literally been biting my tongue to stop myself. This isn’t fair.”

  Looking around the heavily forested area, I don’t see any other cars around. Without a word, he gets out of the Jeep. Instantly, I hear a river running close by. Before he walks away, his eyes pin mine. “I promise, I have good things planned.” Then a flash of something resembling doubt crosses his beautiful face before sincerity becomes the dominant feature. His voice is low when he says, “Thanks for being a good sport and going along for the ride. Give me a second to grab my backpack, and I’ll help you out.”

  It takes him no time at all to open the back of the Jeep and sling a backpack onto his shoulder. From the size of it, it’s hard to tell what’s in it. It could be hiking gear or something else but either way, it warms my heart that he’s gone to great efforts to plan this date. I should give him some slack. Maybe it’s the planner in me, but I don’t like feeling out of control.

  When an apprehensive Vince opens my door, I consciously make the effort to relax and go with the flow. I can be flexible and shouldn’t let my fear of the unknown ruin my time with him. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time someone has gone to such efforts. The fact that he’s doing this might actually make the unknown worth the while… though the jury’s still out.

  Greeting him with a smile, I put him at ease. “In case I forget to tell you, thank you for doing this.” He still looks a little unsure, so I call myself out on my bullshit. “Yeah—I suck at surprises, but the fact that you went to such efforts is incredible. I can’t remember the last time anyone has ever done something like this for me.”

  “You need a better dating pool,” he deadpans then panics. “Scratch that. I’d rather not think of you dating other guys. This can just be our thing, yeah?”

  He knows how to go for the jugular. Gah… all the feels with this man. But I can’t let him think I’m starting to fall for him. “I think we can manage that,” I tease, keeping my tone light.

  His outstretched hand steadies me as I hop down from the Jeep. “I thought I’d take you to one of my favorite places for lunch.”

  “Okay, I’m trying not to ask, but can you at least tell me where we’re going?” I finally admit.

  “I found some waterfalls just over that hill. It’s crazy busy here on hot days, but it’s perfect for days like this, especially if you want to get away and think.”

  Something in the way he says that makes me think there’s a story there, but if he wants to share it with me, I’ll let him tell me in his own time. I know all about self-preservation and needing to get away from it all. Who am I to judge someone for wanting to find peace? However, the thought of it being his special place makes me feel a bit closer to him, and I’ll admit I’m eager to find out more about Vince.

  As he takes my hand and leads me down a trail, the sound of running water becomes louder. I’m not sure what I expect but when we round a corner, the view of the river is exquisite. The river’s much wider than I expect, and there isn’t just one waterfall. Nope—multiple waterfalls from all directions swiftly flow over the smooth rock cliffs. Beneath each fall is a pool perfect for swimming—if it were warmer.

  “W
ow, this place is incredible,” I say in awe. “How did you find this place?”

  Instead of answering my question, Vince pulls me to a flat spot and says, “I thought we could picnic here by the falls. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a couple of different sandwiches you can choose from since I don’t know your favorite. I brought a few other things to snack on—if you don’t like sandwiches at all.” He suddenly looks unexpectedly shy. “I guess I should have asked, but I wanted to surprise you.”

  Aww… can he get any sweeter?

  “I’m really not a picky eater, as long as it doesn’t have sauerkraut or some pickled beets in it. I’m down with trying anything once.”

  Confusion fills his features, and he blanches in disgust. “That’s… an odd combination? Is this dislike… from experience?”

  “Oh, hell no. I was just making up a nasty combination—I hope no one ever puts that between two slices of bread to prove a point. I mean—that’d be disgusting!”

  Vince’s laugh echoes off the rocks around us. “Yes, that would be.” He digs into his bag, retrieves a blanket, and spreads it with ease. It appears he’s thought of everything as he empties the remaining contents in his backpack. Not only are there a variety of sandwiches, but he’s thought of drinks and even a few different flavors of chips in individual packaging.

  “Wow…” I say in amusement. “You’ve really gone all out.”

  I swear I see his cheeks darken as he mutters, “Well… I like I said. I didn’t know what you’d like.”

  To ease his tension, I swipe the bag of Fritos with a smile. “These are my favorite. But for the record, I would’ve eaten anything. It looks delicious.”

  This does the trick as his shoulders visibly relax, and a lazy grin replaces apprehension. “There’s chocolate in the side pocket for dessert.”