Vince: Book Two of the Perfectly Independent Series

by Amanda Shelley

  “I’m sure they were. You and Vanessa are two of the most amazing people I know,” Sydney whispers as I squeeze her hand harder.

  I will get through this. But damn, it’s hard to look at her face full of empathy. She hasn’t heard the worst of it, but I’m sure she can tell what’s coming.

  Just stick to the facts. You can get through this, I remind myself before pulling in another fortifying breath and force myself to say the words.

  “Our class had chosen to do our Grad Night at a ski lodge. It was the start of summer, so the snow was gone. But we rented out the hotel for the night. We weren’t allowed to go into any rooms, but we had access to a huge ballroom, basketball courts, a swimming pool, and a few game rooms. Our graduating class raised money and even rented charter buses so we could ride to the resort in style.”

  “That sounds like a lot more fun than my school,” Sydney adds, and I ease up on the tension in my hand. No need for her to lose the feeling in her fingers. Instead, I take both her hands in mine as she sits crisscross in the driver’s seat, facing me.

  “It was one of the last great memories I had of just being a normal kid.”

  “Oh, Vince,” she sighs breathless as unshed tears fill her eyes but remain tucked behind her dark lashes.

  Exhaling hard, I steady my thoughts and my breathing to continue.

  “I didn’t find out until I got home to Vanessa. Thank God, I’d been with her when we heard the news. I would’ve hated myself forever if she’d gone through it alone.”

  I hear Sydney take in a deep breath, but I can’t look at her to see what I’m sure is agony on her face. Instead, I retell the story as if it were yesterday.

  “Apparently, on their way to chaperone, my parents were run off the road by a drunk driver in a hit and run. Their car was stuck in a ravine for hours, but from what I’m told, there’s no way they didn’t die instantly from the force of the impact.”

  Sydney gasps quietly but remains silent.

  “I got home, and Vanessa was playing in the yard with Jules on a blanket. It was a beautiful June morning. We hung out, and I filled her in on what she’d missed. We laughed about our friends and the typical drama of high school. But every ounce of playfulness stopped the instant the patrol car entered our driveway.

  “I remember knowing something was wrong in an instant. And it was like the world just went into slow motion,” I try to explain.

  “The officers wore the most unreadable expressions, and, in that instant, I knew something was wrong. Vanessa must’ve sensed it, too, because she reached for Julia, trying to protect her from whatever news they were there to deliver. Of course, I reached for the two of them to shield them from what I could. But it was useless.”

  I know I have to get through the worst of this. But, God, I still feel guilty, even now. My chest feels like a vise grip tightening with each second that ticks by.

  “There I was, having the time of my life, and my parents were dead, and I didn’t even know it. I’d fallen asleep on the bus ride home, so I didn’t even know there had been an accident. I’d wondered why I hadn’t seen my parents but just figured they were giving me my space at the party. They were fucking dead in a ditch, taking their last breath.”

  When I glance to Sydney, her unshed tears from before are streaking down her face. “I’m so sorry, Vince.”

  Not wanting to be distracted, I force myself to continue as clinically as I can manage. But damn, even after all these years, it’s so fucking hard to tell this story.

  “When they asked us to confirm our names and who our parents were, they suggested we go inside to discuss the matter further. I’m not even sure we knew how we got inside, but the next thing I knew, we were in our family room sitting on the couch beside each other, and the officers had pulled chairs up to face us as they explained the events of the evening. Apparently, they guy who’d run them off the road ran off the road himself a few miles away and was twice the legal limit with his blood-alcohol levels. He managed to survive but didn’t remember hitting my parents at all. We later found that this wasn’t his first brush with alcohol, and he’s still in jail to this day, paying the price of that evening.”

  “Ohmigod.” Sydney sniffles.

  “Those months that followed were the hardest of my fucking life. If I didn’t have Vanessa and Jules to keep me sane, I’m not sure I would’ve made it. Well, Jules is probably what saved us both. We were determined to let her have a normal life, so we’ve done what we could to pick up the pieces and keep her stable world intact.”

  “You mentioned before that you transferred to CRU, but I never understood why until now.”

  “Yeah, I was supposed to go to school on the East Coast, but thank God, my parents made me apply here as well. After we told the dean of admission our story, I transferred here with ease.”

  “That’s incredible of you,” Sydney says as she wipes the tears from her eyes.

  “I don’t know if I’d call it incredible. I’m here for selfish reasons as well. After losing my parents, I wasn’t ready to leave my twin or niece. They’re literally the only family I have left. I’ll move heaven and earth to make sure they have all they need.”

  “Oh, Vince,” Sydney says, seeped in admiration.

  “It was one hell of a summer. Van and I realized we couldn’t live in our family home without our parents. It was too fucking hard. Everywhere we turned, we felt like it was a time warp, and we couldn’t move forward… ya know?”

  God, I hope she understands. Explaining this is way harder than I ever imagined.

  When Sydney nods, I continue, “Thankfully, Dad was a planner. We have college funds to pay our expenses now and trust funds with their inheritance when we turn twenty-five, but selling the house made it so we wouldn’t have to have many monthly expenses, especially since we live together, and our home is paid off.”

  “That has to make things easier,” Sydney says as she brushes my hair from my face.

  That simple act alone makes me fall even harder for her.

  Well, that and the fact she isn’t looking at me with pity. I can’t even describe the expression on her face, but it’s more with revelry, or respect, than remorse. My chest loosens, and I relax now that she knows my truth.

  “It does. We still work because our college and trust funds didn’t cover health care. But overall, I can’t complain. We’re giving Jules the best life she can have. I think we’ve done a decent job so far.”

  “I’d say more than decent,” Sydney admonishes. “That girl is fucking incredible, and you’d never know there had been hardships in her life from the looks of her.”

  I sigh heavily when I think of Julia. “She’s already had so many things happen that she just accepts as normal. A sperm donor that wanted nothing to do with her, the loss of her grandparents and only babysitters she’d ever known. Van and I are just doing the best we can to put her needs first, to make sure she knows she’s loved and has stability.”

  “Uh… you do so much more than that. I’m in awe of you and your sister. When I lost Grams, I was a fucking mess, and I’d had a chance to prepare for the loss for months before it happened. You and Vanessa had your lives ripped from you, and you’ve done an incredible job of overcoming your adversity, if I say so.”

  Shrugging, I admit another truth, “Failure isn’t an option. My dad drilled it into me that Vanessa needed to follow her dreams. So when he died, I felt it was my place to take over his wishes for her. Do you know that less than fifty percent of teen moms even graduate from high school—and only two percent of them graduate from college before they’re thirty?”

  “Holy shit…” Sydney’s nose scrunches in disbelief. “I knew the odds were low, but that’s crazy.”

  “Yeah. But I’m not gonna let that happen,” I say with determination. “There’s no way in hell we’re gonna come this far—to only get this far. I have zero doubts Vanessa will graduate next year. We’ve only got four more years until our trust fund kicks in, and we�
�ll both be debt free and college graduates, too.”

  “I have no doubt about that.” Sydney’s smile makes my stomach flip with her sheer confidence in me.

  We stare at each other for a wordless moment. I take this time to brush away the last of the wetness under her eyes. The tenderness and compassion I feel in this moment is the balm I never knew I needed. Now that she knows my truth, the burden I’d been holding by harboring this part of my life is lightened.

  I know without a doubt, I can trust her with just about anything. I just hope she’ll accept my reality and not let this get in the way of any future we may have together.

  26

  Sydney

  Hearing Vince tell his story pulled at my heartstrings. I knew that he’d been through something, but it’s unfathomable to believe he’d lost both of his parents in one day. I’m in awe of both him and Vanessa. What they’ve done to survive is incredible.

  Holy hell, is it possible to fall even harder for him?

  I reach for his face and brush my thumb along his cheek. His stubble is thicker from last night but still just as sexy as ever. Wanting to show him just how much he means to me, I guide his face close to mine.

  With our lips inches apart, his eyes remain on mine, as if he’s testing to see if I’m the one who’s okay. I’m not the one who just had to relive a horrific experience. The fact he’s concerned about me warms my heart even more.

  Leaning in, he slants his lips over mine. Unable to wait, I close the distance between us.

  I feel his tension slip away as he kisses me back for all he’s worth.

  This kiss isn’t about sexual tension or the need for more.

  No—this kiss is about connecting, being open to one another and showing him how deep my feelings run. This wonderfully unselfish man who’s given up his plans to be there for his family. Vince puts other’s needs ahead of his own and will move heaven and earth to make all their dreams come true.

  He’s driven, and I doubt there will ever come a challenge he won’t rise to the occasion for. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone sexier than Vincent Daniel Larson.

  Unfortunately, when a car zooms past, causing the Jeep to shake, I’m brought back to reality.

  Talk about getting carried away.

  With my eyes never leaving Vince, I pull away, drawing in ragged breaths until they steady. His hazel eyes search mine as if they’re looking for something, though I’m not entirely certain what it could be.

  “What?” I ask before I can stop myself.

  His head shakes as if he’s clearing his thoughts. “I guess I keep waiting for you to scream and run away when I tell you something you don’t want to handle.” The fear in his features makes my heart break for him.

  Who the hell has he been entrusting his secrets with?

  The minute that thought fills my head, I know the answer… no one.

  Oh, Vince.

  Trying to bring some levity to the situation, I sigh heavily. “Uh… The only place I’m going is for a drive. What do you say we head out to the falls for a bit?”

  His genuine smile makes my heart expand.

  Don’t worry, Vince. I’ve got you.

  It takes me a minute to resituate myself so I can drive.

  I crank over the engine, put the Jeep in gear, and rev the engine to find the sweet spot with the clutch.

  The Jeep lurches forward as the engine sputters and stalls.

  “Shoot,” I mumble as embarrassment flows through me.

  So much for being smooth.

  My faux pas does the trick though. Glancing at Vince in mortification, I don’t miss that he’s doing everything he can to hold onto the laugh dying to escape. His hand covers his lips, and his eyes dance with joy.

  Even though the joke’s on me, it feels so good to see him smile.

  Clearing his throat, he reassures me, “It’s okay. Just take your time and try finding the sweet spot, again.”

  Shaking off my nerves, I restart the Jeep.

  Putting it in gear, I switch my foot from the brake to the gas.

  I find the sweet spot and release the clutch.

  Too fast…

  Again.

  We jump forward, and my foot instinctually slams on the brake, making me nearly miss my forehead against the steering wheel.

  When I regain control of the vehicle, Vince’s holding on to the oh shit handle with white knuckles. But I’ve got to give him credit. His face remains free of emotion until he makes the mistake of meeting my eyes.

  A light laugh escapes as he shakes his head. “Okay. Let’s try this again. Enough with the herky-jerky.”

  “Ohmigod…” I gasp with the laughter bubbling inside me. “Herky-jerky? Where the hell did that come from? Are you seventy?”

  “No… but we may be that old before we get on the road if you don’t start paying attention to what I’ve taught you.”

  I huff. But I’ve got nothing…

  “Okay… let’s do this again.”

  Patiently, he walks me through the steps once again. On my next attempt, he lets out a “Whoop” when I effortlessly make it to the pavement and drive up the highway.

  “Okay, smartass,” I pretend to grumble. “You’re the navigator. Where are we going?”

  Later that night, I drive with ease to my apartment. Thank God, I didn’t have to close, and I’m home at a decent time—well, decent in the sense that it’s before midnight. To my surprise, Chloe and Abby are up and watching a movie, and Drew is nowhere to be found.

  “Are you two having a girls’ night without me?” I tease when I see Chloe sprawled out on the couch and Abby with her feet up on the coffee table. There are bowls of half-eaten ice cream in their hands, and each are mid-bite.

  “Not intentionally. Drew’s hanging out with his roommates to celebrate their win. Apparently, it’s tradition that there be a girls-free night where they just hang and roast one another after a team dinner.” She shakes her head as if she’s confused. “I didn’t get it, but it’s their way of keeping things low-key and the public spotlight off them. It’s at his coach’s house and more or less mandated.”

  I nod, understanding completely. “No, Coach B has had this tradition for years. I’ve heard a few players talking about it this week at the bar. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Abby. It really is on the up and up.”

  Abby rolls her eyes. “I’m not worried. It gave me an opportunity to hang with Chole and now you. I’m surprised you’re already home. We’d planned on waiting up for you.”

  Chloe laughs. “Well, at least trying. I might crash on this couch if I don’t get up and move a bit.” With that, she sits up and offers the other end of the couch to me.

  “Give me a minute to shower and change.” A girls’ night in sounds just about perfect.

  As I exit the room, I hear the TV return to the movie they’re watching. We’ll likely not watch the end of it as we always end up chatting through most of it anyway. I quickly rush through a shower and put on my pajamas before returning to the living room.

  Since I haven’t had the chance to catch up with either of them in what feels like forever, I ask the room, “So, what have I missed?”

  “Uh, not much.” Abby shrugs. “I’m just pestering Chloe to give up the deets on her night with DeShawn. She’s been tightlipped—and we all know Chloe. She always has something to say about her dates.”

  Chloe blinks and shakes her head in denial. “Nothing to say… what can I tell you?”

  Yeah, she’s lying. When she gives her tell by pulling on her ear, I call her out on it. “You’re telling me that you went out with DeShawn and all you did was eat ice cream?”

  “I’m a sucker for this stuff… you know that,” she admonishes and scrapes what’s left of the ice cream in her bowl as if that’s proof.

  “Seriously, Chloe, you don’t have to say anything, but know… I’ve got an active imagination, and your silence only makes my mind wander,” Abby practically singsongs. Unable to keep a
straight face, I bust out laughing.

  “Yeah, Chloe, now that she’s engaged, I’m sure she’s got a vivid imagination to compare things to. Before long, she’s going to imagine that you were whisked off to Vegas for a quickie wedding or that you at least had some hot, sweaty monkey sex with that beast of a man,” I tease, knowing full well she hasn’t done any of these things, but maybe if I downplay the situation, she’ll fess up.

  “DeShawn, is hot,” Abby agrees.

  “Hey, don’t you have your own hot fiancé to lust after,” Chloe reminds her.

  “Chloe—I may be engaged, but I’m not dead or blind for that matter. My eyes still work, and I can see you have the hots for him.”

  “He is hot,” I admit but heed a warning at the same time, “Just be careful… he’s got a reputation for being a player off the court. I’d hate to see you hurt.”

  “I can handle myself. Thank you very much,” Chloe pouts in mock-defense.

  “I know you can,” I agree. “That’s why I want to know what went down.” I try one last time to get her to cave.

  “We went to ice cream,” she enunciates like I’m ninety, needing a hearing aid. “Nothing happened worth mentioning.” Chloe’s quiet for a second before she turns the table on me, and her expression turns devious.

  Oh, shit… what’s she up to?

  “So… what’s up with you and Vince? Have you figured out why he hasn’t rung your bell yet?”

  That little shit. Of course, she’d go here to get the attention off herself.

  “Really?” Abby asks with interest.

  Turning to face her, I clearly inform her, “Oh, he’s rung my bell… multiple times… just not in the way you think.”

  Abby’s knowing smirk says it all. “Really? Do tell…”

  Falling back into the couch, I sigh heavily as I think of how to explain Vince in a nutshell. “I swear the man was given the secret code to crack my body. He barely has to do anything, and I’m lighting up like the Fourth of July.” I shake my head when I realize just how cliché that sounds. “It’s more than that… and it isn’t about the sex… or lack thereof. He just seems to get me.”