Holy hell, I’ve always known women are the stronger species but watching her endure this only proves it. Contractions are coming one after another, and I feel so fucking helpless. I’d give anything to take this pain from her.
“You’re doing great, Sydney. Just one more push,” the doctor says, and I pray she’s right. I just want Syd out of this misery.
My fingers go numb as Sydney bears down, and she gives it all she’s got.
It’s okay. I didn’t really need this hand to begin with.
I guess that’s why I’ve been given two, right?
The next thing I know, the sound of a crying infant fills the room, and relief washes over me. As I watch the doctor bring our child into view, I’m overwhelmed with emotion. My eyes well up with tears as I witness this precious miracle before me.
Hearing the words, “Congratulations, it’s a girl,” are almost lost on me as I look at this precious miracle we’ve made.
Leaning in to kiss Sydney, I whisper, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” She smiles through tears as well. “I still have one more opportunity to break the hell out of your fingers.”
Chuckling, I shake my head and my hand out to prepare for the next round. “She’s got your hair,” I state as the doctor hands me my daughter.
“She’s beautiful,” Sydney sighs.
Leaning in to let Syd get a closer look, I’m startled when Sydney’s hit with another contraction.
“It’s time, Dad,” the doctor says, and a nurse comes to take my baby girl away. “The nurse will clean her up and get this precious girl ready for her brother.”
Leaning in, I kiss Syd’s forehead. “In case I don’t tell you enough, I love you.”
“Love you, too,” Syd says on a groan as she reaches for my hand to squeeze.
Through Sydney’s loud growl, I hear the doctor say, “Let’s do this again, Syd. Push.”
Apparently, my daughter has paved the way for my son, because after two strong pushes, he’s brought into this world with a cry much louder than his sister.
“Wow, he’s got a good pair of lungs on him,” our doctor acknowledges as she cuts the cord, then hands him off to another nurse in the room. “Let’s get him near his sister to see if he might calm down.”
Damn. He’s pissed.
My ears rattle as he screeches out his anger. Holy hell. How can someone so small make such a loud noise? I’m sure his voice is heard throughout the entire maternity ward.
But sure enough, the second he’s near his sister, she calms him.
I can’t help but wonder if Van and I were like that for my parents.
My heart constricts, wishing they were here to ask them. I know they’re looking down on us and smiling with joy. Even though they didn’t like the circumstances that brought Julia, they were the best grandparents possible.
Seeing my parents with Julia was amazing. They only got to experience her for a short time, but from the very beginning, she had us all wrapped around her tiny fingers.
“You okay, Vin?”
My voice is thick when I answer, “Yeah. Just wishing my parents could be here to see this.”
“I wish that for you, too. They’re still so much a part of you, so our kids will know them,” she reminds me.
The doctor takes Sydney’s attention for a few minutes to ensure everything is the way it should be after delivering the twins. While the nurses clean and examine our beautiful children, I’m left to stare in awe as she’s examined, realizing life as we know it will never be the same.
Once the twins are cleaned, diapered, and swaddled, the nurses bring them over for us to hold.
“Do they have names?” one of the nurses asks, handing my son over for me to cradle in my arms.
Sydney grins proudly as she reaches for our baby girl. “This sweet girl is Emery Ann, and Vince is holding Everett Daniel.”
“Oh, how precious! I love that both names start with the same letter,” the nurse closest to me gushes.
Grinning, I admit, “Just keeping with tradition. My twin’s name is Vanessa. Her kids are named Julia, Jordan, and Jasper. Can’t be outdone by them.”
“I was an only child until I met Vince,” Sydney admits. “But I’m lucky enough to have joined a family that started as small, but we’re growing exponentially.”
No kidding. Van’s family is officially up by one compared to ours, but her extended family has adopted Syd and me into the fold as well. We spend our holidays together, and I’m fairly certain if I were to walk into the waiting room at this moment, there would be a few of them waiting to greet our newest family members.
It warms my heart to see how far Van and I’ve come since that fateful night after graduation. Determined not to be statistics, we most definitely pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and made the dreams our parents had put into motion for us come true.
One thing is certain, I wouldn’t be where I am without this beautiful, headstrong, challenging woman beside me. From the moment we met, her feistiness wormed its way into my heart, and I’m proud to say I’ve never let her go.
Looking into my son’s eyes, I can’t help but notice they almost mirror Sydney’s. The rest of his coloring matches mine, but he’s definitely his Momma’s boy.
“You ready to switch so I can meet my little man?” Sydney asks, kissing the top of Emery’s head. “I wanna see for myself which one of these two will be the soccer player of the family.”
Wanting quality time with my daughter, I expertly relinquish Everett to Sydney’s waiting arms as I maneuver Emery to the crook of my opposite arm. Most dads would be afraid of handling new babies, but after my nieces and nephew, I consider myself an expert. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still extremely careful, but Julia broke me of the fear of breaking them.
Leaning in to kiss Sydney once more, I offer, “You ready for me to bring in the cavalry? I’m sure the waiting room is full of family wanting to meet the latest additions.”
“With you by my side, Vin, I’m ready for anything.”
Stopping at the door, I turn as a thought hits me as I look at our twins. “Ha! I have a feeling we’re in for the ride of our lives with these two.”
“You and I against the world, Vin. You and I against the world,” Syd says as she rolls her eyes. “Especially when they’re teenagers.”
“Oh, God… let’s not borrow trouble,” I grumble.
Walking into the waiting room, I don’t think I could love this woman more if I tried. Family is everything, and I can’t wait to introduce Emery and Everett to the world.
THE END
If you want more from this series, be sure to check out Damien: Book Three of the Perfectly Independent Series where Vanessa’s story will continue…
When I walk into the diner, all I’m looking for is a decent meal. As a civil engineer for the largest project on campus, I just want to eat in peace. I’m happy to find this hidden gem since students are scarce. Don’t get me wrong, co-eds on campus are beautiful, but I was over that scene when I graduated three years ago. I need to finish this job and move onto the next one by the end of the year.
Then Vanessa walks up with a simple smile and takes my breath away. The next thing I know, I’m making every excuse imaginable to dine with this intriguing woman. She’s not only smart and sexy; she’s completely focused on reaching the goals she has set for herself.
The more I get to know her, the more I know she’s the one. I just have to find a way to make her deviate from her perfectly laid plans and take a chance on me.
Or if you haven’t read how Abby and Drew got together, be sure to check out Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series.
My heart races, palms sweat, and knees go weak.
I’ve never seen anyone like Drew in a science lab. He’s made me a firm believer in chemistry existing outside a textbook.
Then his ego and entourage show up.
Nope—No, thank you. Moving on. I mean… who has an entourage in coll
ege?
When our professor announces we’ll be stuck as lab partners, I nearly lose my mind—and not in a good way.
I can’t afford the type of distractions Drew brings.
About the Author
Amanda Shelley loves falling into a book to experience new worlds. As an avid reader and writer, sharing worlds of her own creation is a passion that has inspired her to become an author. She writes contemporary romance with characters who are strong and sexy with a touch of sass.
When not writing, Amanda enjoys time with her family, playing chauffeur, chef, and being an enthusiastic fan for her children. Keeping up with them keeps her alert and grounded. She enjoys long car rides, chai lattes, and popping her SUV into four-wheel drive for adventures anywhere.
Amanda loves hearing from readers. Be sure sign up for her newsletter and follow her on social media. Join her reader’s group Amanda’s Army of Readers to stay up to date on her latest information.
Readers group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmandasArmyofReaders/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19713563.Amanda_Shelley
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3iyENe6
www.amandashelley.com
Acknowledgments
First, I would like to thank you the reader, blogger, and reviewer for taking the time to read this book. There are so many stories to choose from, and I’m humbly honored you’ve chosen to read mine. I hope you enjoyed Sydney and Vince as much as I have. I’m honestly glad I don’t have to say goodbye to them, as they will appear in Vanessa’s story as well. So, it’s not really goodbye—yet.
I’d love to hear from you and your thoughts about Vince and Sydney. You can find me on social media, my reader’s group Amanda’s Army of Readers, or at www.amandashelley.com. If you care to share your thoughts on this book with other book lovers, please consider leaving a review at any of the retail sites or on Goodreads and BookBub.
I’d like to thank Amy Queau at Q Design Covers and Premades for creating the incredible cover for this book. You took my vision for this series and brought it to life and with those images, I’m dying to continue writing this series! You’re brilliant, and I absolutely love working with you! I see many more books in our future!
This book wouldn’t be what it is without my amazing team of support. To Renita McKinney at A Book A Day Author Services, thank you for helping me make Vince and Sydney the best they can be and developing them as characters.
To Susan Soares at SJS Editorial Services, thank you for working with me. I appreciate your time and feedback. You are amazing to work with. This book wouldn’t be what it is today without you.
To Julie Deaton at Deaton Author Services, thanks for making my book pretty. I appreciate knowing your proofreading is exquisite, and my worries become less. Your eagle eyes are spectacular, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.
To Mickel Yantz, thank you for designing my chapter images. Little did you know as a graphic designer, you’d be talking plot, becoming a beta reader, and helping me create images to match the flow of this story for promotion. I can’t wait to work with you for swag soon.
To the people who have supported me along the way, I’m humbly grateful to have you in my life. Whether you’ve read my books, asked me about my progress, listened to me talk about my fictional characters as if they’re a part of my family, plotted with me, or been my cheerleader, I appreciate your continued support. Please know it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Last but certainly not least, to my four beautiful girls who have had to wait patiently when I said, “Just one more minute,” when I obviously meant a lot more than one. I love that you get that I have deadlines and will sometimes keep me to task with your not-so-subtle reminders that “Mom… you should be working” during my designated times. I appreciate your support more than you’ll ever know. Even though you can’t read these books—because that might be weird—for both of us, I love that you keep asking. I love you all more than words can express. You’re the reason I continue to strive and reach for my goals each day.
PS—Gator—the jury’s still out for whether you can have the cover for Vince on your bedroom wall. We both know he’s more than worth looking at, but you’re growing up way too fast!
Also by Amanda Shelley
Available at all retailers
https://amandashelley.com/books-by-amanda-shelley-2/
Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series
My heart races, palms sweat, and knees go weak.
I’ve never seen anyone like Drew in a science lab. He’s made me a firm believer in chemistry existing outside a textbook.
Then his ego and entourage show up.
Nope - No, thank you. Moving on. I mean… who has an entourage in college?
When our professor announces we’ll be stuck as lab partners, I nearly lose my mind—and not in a good way.
I can’t afford the type of distractions Drew brings.
https://amandashelley.com/books-by-amanda-shelley-2/
Resilience: Book One of Resilience Duet
Resolution: Book Two of Resilience Duet
Samantha never saw Enzo coming.
As the dust settles from her divorce, her life is full. She doesn’t have time for distractions. She’s too busy running her own company and checking off numerous items from her kids’ demanding schedule to have a life of her own.
Then he walks into her kitchen with his breathtaking green eyes and a mischievous grin. He’s there to surprise his father - her contractor, but his presence makes everything off kilter.
Enzo’s perfectly content with his adventurous life as an elite rescue pilot, until a harmless prank turns on him. Instead of surprising his father, he finds his world thrown off course by the beautiful woman with a sexy smile, wicked sass and the mouthwatering ability to keep him on his toes.
With his limited time on leave, is she worth the risk to his heart?
Making The Call
Dani
As a bestselling romance author, most assume my life’s glamorous, filled with combustible chemistry, and most of all, romance. Ha! I can only wish. With a deadline looming, I’ve escaped to my family’s cabin on Anderson Island to free myself from distractions. My plan's great, until a man, who could pass as a cover model on one of my books, comes to my rescue. Is there chemistry? Sure. Is he everything I’d look for in a guy? Absolutely. But will my career be at risk if I give into my desire?
Luke
For a player, women line up outside the locker room. For coaches, we're lucky to get in the game. As the youngest NFL coach in the league, I live, eat, breathe, and even sleep football. To gear up for this season, I return to my home on Anderson Island for a much-needed break. When Dani literally crashes into my life, my mind’s suddenly on the sexy brunette with a sailors mouth, rather than my team's next play. She has me dusting off another playbook entirely, making me wonder, did I make the right call?
https://amandashelley.com/books-by-amanda-shelley-2/
COMING SOON
Damien: Book Three of the Perfectly Independent Series
When I walk into the diner, all I’m looking for is a decent meal. As a civil engineer for the largest project on campus, I just want to eat in peace. I’m happy to find this hidden gem since students are scarce. Don’t get me wrong, co-eds on campus are beautiful, but I was over that scene when I graduated three years ago. I need to finish this job and move onto the next one by the end of the year.
Then Vanessa walks up with a simple smile and takes my breath away. The next thing I know, I’m making every excuse imaginable to dine with this intriguing woman. She’s not only smart and sexy; she’s completely focused on reaching the goals she has set for herself.
The more I get to know her, the more I know she’s the one. I just have to find a way to make her deviate from her perfectly laid plans and take a chance on me.
https://amandashelley.com/books-by-amanda-shelley-2/
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Amanda Shelley, Vince: Book Two of the Perfectly Independent Series
Vince: Book Two of the Perfectly Independent Series Page 28
