Don’t go bacon my heart.
But she doesn’t laugh.
She pulls her hand back. “Oh. Um. But I can’t.”
“What do you mean? Can’t?” The food was just served and yet somehow everything has gone cold.
“I mean… um… I don’t know… I just…” She sputters, lost. And I feel like a goddamn fool. I’ve been in love with you since the day we met. Who says that to the girl of their dreams when they haven’t been given any clear sign that the feelings are mutual?
I stand, embarrassed. “I should go,” I say. “You eat. I’ll get to the station. I’m sorry… This was…” Now it’s me sputtering.
I walk out of the diner, running a hand over my jaw, trying to hide the fact that my heart has just been shattered.
And not by just anyone.
By the one.
Outside, the cool morning air hits me like a brick. One minute she was holding my hand, and the next she was pulling away.
I walk down the block, frustrated. Trying to understand her. And my mind runs back to a few years ago, to a story Georgie told me about how Valerie pushes people away when they try to get close, but that it’s her way of protecting herself from being hurt. I know a little about Val’s past — she has been on her own since she was a little girl.
And the thing is, she wasn’t acting so cool or calm in the diner. She seemed at a loss for words. Like she was scared.
And maybe she wasn’t scared of telling me no.
Maybe she was scared of losing what she wanted. Losing me.
Fuck it. I want her. I’m not going to walk away from the girl of my dreams with any doubts in my mind. Maybe Val doesn’t have feeling for me. But maybe she does, and she just doesn’t know what to do with them.
I want to help her.
Show her.
I won’t go without a fight.
Turning on my heels, I jog back to Hot Spot, stopping at the bodega on the corner first and buying a bouquet of pink tulips.
Valerie
I can’t believe I froze up like that.
I can’t?
Can’t what? Have the one thing I’ve always wanted? Can’t have the one person in the world who makes me feel safe? Can’t have the happy ending because I had such a shitty start?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Girls like me don’t get the story that binge-worthy Netflix shows are made of. Love Is Blind may be a hit TV show, but in real life, our eyes are wide open. And I can’t believe that Vance truly wants what he sees. That he wants me.
And I am just about to wallow in my reality when the door of the diner swings open.
Vance is back.
Here.
Why?
“Valerie,” he says, talking as he walks past tables of customers eating their breakfasts. “Give me a chance. Please.”
I shake my head as he slides into the seat opposite me. My world is already on such thin ice, I can’t risk my fragile heart breaking too. I have bills to pay. I can’t be laid up in bed with a broken heart.
But he’s the one worried about me bacon his heart… I smile, remembering his words.
He sees. Lifts his eyes.
“That smile means there’s a chance.”
I close my eyes. “Maybe.”
“Did I move too fast?” he asks, sipping his coffee as if he never left the diner.
“Sort of.” I wince, hating how much I yearn for his presence. How much I blossom under his gaze. I take a bite of my eggs, forcing myself to play it cool. Stay calm.
He hands me the tulips. They are my favorite color, pale pink. “Then bringing you flowers is probably a bad idea. At least they aren’t roses.”
“What’s wrong with roses?”
He shrugs. “Roses say forever. That would probably scare you away for good.”
“And what do tulips say?” I ask, smelling them — rain showers and springtime. The word hope pops into my mind again.
“Tulips are the universal language of second chances.”
I laugh. “Did you just make that up?”
He chuckles. “Yes.” He smirks. “Did you believe it for a second at least?”
I bring my coffee to my lips. “I’ll give you a second chance, Vance. After all, you saved my life earlier.”
He gives me a lopsided grin that makes me swoon with want. “Seems fair.”
We smile, drinking our coffee in silence for a few minutes. My mind is racing with possibilities. Is he seriously interested in me? I mean… maybe the altercation in the alley made him temporarily lose his mind.
“Vance… why do you—”
He cuts me off. “How about instead of asking me why I love you, you let me show you how I want to love you, if you’ll let me?”
“What does that even mean?” I ask, confused.
“Can I take you out tonight? After work?”
I swallow, nervous. “You really like me?”
He nods, taking my hand again. “I do, Valerie. I almost died once, and who knows what that man might have done to you today… There aren’t a lot of guarantees in life.”
“There are no guarantees,” I say.
He shakes his head. “That’s not true.” He gives me a smile that makes me forget about being scared for a spilt second, and instead, my stomach flutters with butterflies. “I guarantee you that I can be what you need.”
I smile, wanting to give us a chance… if he really means it. And I have no reason to think he doesn’t. Vance is a man of his word. A man with integrity. A man who is sitting here with my hand in his, offering me his heart.
This time it’s me making a promise. I won’t go bacon it.
Chapter Four
Vance
I get up from the booth to leave the diner after Val and I finish our breakfast, but it’s hard to walk away from her. She is so damn beautiful, so damn sexy. So damn sweet. I want her to be mine.
We step outside on the sidewalk to say goodbye and I’m glad the other customers can’t listen. I want a moment alone with her.
“You sure you are okay to work today?” I ask, squeezing her hand.
She nods. “Yeah, I have to.”
I frown. “Linda won’t let you off?” Her boss had appeared pretty understanding of the alley incident.
“No, it’s not that.” She bites her bottom lip, then shrugs. “I need the money.”
“Oh. Right.” I swallow, not knowing how to offer her help that she would accept. “You’ve worked here a long time, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, but this isn’t like being a cop. I don’t get benefits for serving hash browns.” She waves her hand in the air as if it’s not a big deal. “It’s all good, Vance. Don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl.” She smiles. “Hey, and maybe I’ll win the lottery and can buy the place from Linda.”
“She selling?”
Valerie nods. “Yeah, actually, Linda is. It’s been on the market for a few months.” She smiles playfully. “And I bought a ticket last week so ya never know.”
She isn’t letting the seriousness of the moment weigh her down. Damn. Val has had a rough go of things and yet here she is, still positive. It shows me what a life with her would be like. I know that even when faced with inevitable curveballs, she would look for hope. For the silver lining.
It makes me want to be her silver lining. Her hope. Her husband.
“You’d really want it?” I ask her. “The diner?”
Her face turns red, and she licks her lips as if uncomfortable expressing her real desires. “Yeah, I mean, it would be amazing. I love this place. But I’m a twenty-two-year-old girl with a disconnected cell phone and unpaid medical bills. Not exactly a candidate for a massive loan.” She exhales, her bright smile fading fast.
“I wasn’t trying to upset you,” I say, stepping toward her, not wanting her to leave without knowing that I want to know all her ups and downs, dreams and fears. I’ve wanted that for a long ass time. It’s time she understands I’m not full of hot air. “But I wish I’d known about the phone and b
ills. I could help.”
She shakes her head. “I would never.” She closes her eyes. “I wouldn’t want the guy I’ve been in love with to know what a mess I am.”
My eyes widen. “In love with?”
She covers her face. “Oh, God. I’ve really done it now.”
I pull her hands down, needing to see her gorgeous eyes. “You sure have.”
We stand face-to-face, a foot apart, and I pull her to me, needing this kiss more than I’ve ever needed anything in my life.
Valerie
There are kisses you see in the movies. Kisses you read about. Dream about, even. And then there are the kisses you get in real life.
The kind that melt you and make you all at once.
Undo you and put you back together.
A kiss born from hope. A kiss filled with longing. A kiss that says I accept you, I see you. I want you.
Vance doesn’t pull away.
His lips press against mine and our mouths part. The kiss intensifies and every single bone in my body tingles. All the feels, right here, on the sidewalk — I’m flooded with them.
I want more. More. All of it. All of him.
I feel dizzy as Vance’s arm wraps around me, drawing me close, and I whimper — actually whimper — as his tongue runs over mine. And anything that I thought about love before has been wiped away. This is a fresh slate, a new start. The beginning of us.
When a customer leaves the diner and claps for us, we pull apart, not embarrassed exactly, but remembering ourselves.
“I don’t want to walk away,” he tells me.
“You’ll see me tonight,” I say, on my tiptoes.
“I’ll pick you up at six,” he says.
I swallow, thinking about him at my place. “Georgie will be home then,” I say, only just remembering the fact that Vance is my best friend’s big brother. My face falls. “Crap. She’s gonna kill me.”
“Kill you?” Vance chuckles. “It’s me that should worry.”
“She’s not gonna like this.”
“But she loves you,” he says. “And she loves me. I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
“How can you be so sure?” I ask, thinking about how she has been there for me so many times. “She’s my best friend — she is like family to me. I don’t want to lose her.”
“You won’t lose her over this,” Vance says with confidence. “Trust me.”
But I just think about how distant she’s been acting lately. What if this pushes us apart even more? Vance must read the worry in my eyes.
“Let me talk to her,” he offers.
I shake my head. “We don’t need to say anything yet. It’s not like we’re doing anything more than going on a date.”
Vance’s eyes narrow. He takes both my hands in his. “I don’t think you understand. I know what you said. Everything changes now.”
I’ve been in love with him forever.
“But after this date, you might not want this,” I say, looking for a way to protect myself.
“I’ve wanted this since the day we met, Valerie. I’ve wanted you. It’s time to face the truth.”
“The truth?” I lick my lips.
He nods. “Yes. The truth.”
“And what is that, Vance?”
“The truth is Georgie is going to be more than like family soon enough.”
I search his eyes. “What do you mean?”
He leans down, kisses my lips softly. “Just wait until tonight, okay?”
“You better be on time,” I say with a smile, not wanting this spell to break.
“And you better not go bacon my heart.”
Chapter Five
Vance
The day passes in a blur — I’m on duty, but on my lunch break I’m fielding phone calls, stopping at the bank, swinging by a notary office. I told Valerie she needed to let me show her how I want to love her… and I am hoping to do just that tonight.
I call Georgie. It takes four tries, but finally she answers.
“I need to see you.”
“Why?” she asks, as if put out.
“Are you okay?” I ask, confused by her shortness.
“I’m fine. Just dealing with a lot.”
“Do you need help?” I ask, concerned. Usually Georgie is in a fun, playful mood. But something has changed lately. She always seems tense.
“No,” she says tightly. “I’ve got it under control.”
“Okay, but… look, can I see you? For an hour? It’s important.”
Georgie sighs. “Yeah, I can meet you at four. Where’s a good place?”
When four o’clock comes around, I am getting a little jittery. I made a plan — a big, grand plan — and now I need Val’s best friend to weigh in and help assure me this is a good idea.
Georgie runs down the sidewalk, clearly in a hurry. “Hey, Vance, it’s been a few weeks.” She gives me a hug. I take a good look at her. She looks like her normal self, no red flags in that department. Still, I give her an extra-long hug.
“What’s that about?” she asks.
“I just worry about you,” I say. “I think Val is worried too.”
Georgie frowns. “When did you talk to Val?”
I swallow. Hard. “We need to talk, Georgie.”
She’s wearing a pair of overalls and her curly blonde hair is pulled up on the top of her head. She has new freckles on her face that she only gets when she’s out in the sun. What has she been up to? And why is she being so secretive?
But she isn’t interested in talking about herself. “Be honest, Vance, what’s wrong? You look… wait. Why did you want to meet here?” She looks around the downtown sidewalk, trying to figure out why we’re here.
Across the street is an antique store. “Look,” I say to my sister. “I need your advice.”
She twists her lips. “I can count the number of times you’ve wanted my advice. You’re kinda freaking me out.”
“Well you’re freaking Val out. She is worried about you, and honestly, so am I.”
“Don’t be. I’ve got it all under control.”
“You’ve got what under control?” I press.
“Can we just please focus on you?”
I look at the time on my phone. “We need to go.” I drag her across the street with me.
“The antique store?” She frowns.
“I need a piece of jewelry. For Val.”’
Georgie’s eyes bug out. “For what?” she shrieks.
“I’m going to marry her, Georgie.”
“Seriously?” Georgie laughs. Shaking her head. Shocked. “God, I thought something bad had happened. This is… this is… oh God. Does she have any idea?”
“An inkling,” I say with a grin.
“I can’t believe you’ve been dating and somehow kept this a secret.”
I tense. “Actually, we haven’t been.”
Georgie frowns as we walk inside the store. “What, so you mean you haven’t been dating?”
“I don’t need to date her to know.”
“Know what?”
I smile, confident and at peace. “To know that I love her.”
Valerie
When Georgie enters our apartment, I’m mostly naked and deciding between two dresses. “Which one, the red or the pink?”
She purses her lips together and pushes around the hangers in my closet. “I think this blue one. It makes your eyes look good.”
“Uh, okay,” I say laughing as she pulls out a bottle of champagne from her purse. “What’s that for?”
“What? A little pre-date champs is nothing out of the ordinary.”
I narrow my eyes. “How did you know I was going on a date?”
She laughs, uncorking the bottle. “A lucky guess. Anyways, since when are you one to turn down champagne?” She pours us each a glass and we clink the rims together. She frowns. “You need to get those nails done.” She isn’t wrong — my purple polish is chipping.
“Right, because I have the money for th
at.”
“Let me,” she says, plucking a blush nail polish from my dresser.
“You’re in a good mood,” I say slipping the blue dress over my head.
“I miss you,” she says, taking my hand. “I know I’ve been busy lately.”
“Where have you been?” I ask.
She shrugs, slowly running the polish over my pinky. “Can we talk about you right now?”
I laugh. This is why I love Georgie. She has a big personality and an even bigger heart. “Fine. But… I need to tell you something.”
She bites her bottom lip. “Yeah? What is it?”
“Well… actually… I don’t want you to be upset but… the date tonight? It’s with Vance.”
She sets down the polish and claps. “Oh my God! It’s about time!”
I laugh. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’ve been in love with him since forever, Val.”
“You knew?”
She tilts her head, shaking it. “You’re my best friend, of course I knew.”
“And you don’t mind?”
“Why would I? I love my brother and I love you. I couldn’t be happier.”
A massive sigh of relief washes over me. “I don’t know why I was so scared to tell you.”
She twists her lips. “All I know is that tonight, you are going to look fab. And if I know Vance, he will treat you the way you deserve.”
She is the closest thing I have to family, so her support means everything to me. She must know that because within seconds, we’re both blinking back tears.
“He is gonna be here any second,” she says. “We need to finish these nails.”
I laugh. “How do you know when he is gonna be here?”
She giggles and I throw a pillow at her.
“Oh my God, you already knew about the date didn’t you?”
The doorbell rings and we laugh. I guess it’s time for me to do the damn thing.
Chapter Six
Vance
The Way To A Man’s Heart: Books 1-10 Page 11
