Page 32 of Vince
“That had to be amazing. My grandparents lived on the East Coast, so we only got to see them occasionally growing up before they passed. Speaking of baking…” he trails off then lowers his voice conspiratorially, “though I probably shouldn’t admit this, I completely devoured those cookies today. Your efforts paid off. Your grandma must’ve been phenomenal in the kitchen because I would gain about a hundred pounds if I had you baking for me like that every day.”
“Oh, I don’t bake every day… trust me. Usually it’s just when I’m stressed or bored.” I shrug in response.
“Okay—so baking’s more therapeutic. I’ll keep that in mind. Though I certainly hope it’s for boredom than stress. Either way, if you’re looking for someone to consume said treats, I volunteer as tribute.”
“Okay—be honest. Did you read the book or just watch the movie?”
Vince’s hand flies to his chest, and his eyes widen in shock. “You wound me. Of course, I read the books. My parents wouldn’t let us watch any movie that had been made from a book, without reading them first. And truth be told—books are always better.”
Exactly! “A man after my own heart. I have yet to watch a movie that was better than the book—even if I’ve loved the movies.”
“No kidding. I loved Woody Harrelson in theHunger Gamesthough. I’ve always been a fan but was shocked by his performance.”
“I completely agree. Tell me, what was it like growing up as a twin?”
“Like you, I wouldn’t know it any other way. Vanessa managed to beat me into the world by a whole seven minutes. A fact she never has let me forget, even though I’ve always been bigger than her. We were always there for one another—kinda like built-in best friends. Even when we would fight which, trust me, we did as kids, we’ve always been there for one another. She’s still my best friend.”
“That’s amazing. I always wished for a sibling, but I wanted them to be older, so, of course, that never was possible. But when I got older, I was glad to be on my own, life would’ve been crazy with more kids for my mom.”
“Are you close with your mom?” Vince asks with interest.
“Well… we get along, but when I left to attend CRU, she took the opportunity to enjoy her newfound freedom. She’s currently traveling with her new boyfriend around the country, so I haven’t actually seen her much.”
Vince stares at me for a long moment but doesn’t say anything.
To keep things from becoming awkward or to have him feel sorry for me, I quickly tack on, “Don’t worry, we weren’t all that close to begin with. I was an unexpected surprise for her, so I feel like I owe her this sense of freedom. I love my mom, but when this opportunity came knocking, I encouraged her to take it. With Grams passing away before I left for college, she had nothing keeping her in our small town. She’s traveling with her boyfriend who’s an in-demand consultant for a tech security firm. She works part time as his assistant, which is how they met. They travel along the Eastern Seaboard as often as their jobs require it.”
Vince’s tone is thick and filled with emotion as he whispers, “I’m sorry for your loss. It’s hard to lose someone you love.”
“I miss Grams every day, but she’s in a better place. Cancer overtook the last year of her life. It was brutal. Unfortunately, she was stubborn and waited too long before seeing a doctor. By the time she was diagnosed, it had already progressed too far. I was with her until the very end. I know without a doubt she’s looking down with a smile on her face. I’m reaching the goals she helped me set, and I’m in a better place because of her efforts.”
Vince takes a long, steadying breath as his gaze drifts to the water below us. With the light fading by the second, it’s hard to read his expression. When he remains silent longer than what I can handle, panic sets in.
God, I suck at dating.
Vince is the first guy I’ve actually liked and have been willing to let know the real me. I hadn’t meant to get onto such a heavy topic, but for some reason, Vince has me opening like a sunflower on a warm summer day.
What is it about him that’s so different?
When I can’t take the berating in my head any longer, I place a hand on his shoulder and ask, “You okay?”
Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, he returns his focus to me. “Yeah. Sorry. I guess I got lost in my head for a bit.”
“It’s okay,” I assure him. “Please know I’m doing much better now, and this isn’t a sad subject for me.”
Vince’s dark eyes pin me in place. “Iamsorry about your loss. But as you’re clearly okay with it, let’s focus on happier things—since this is our second date after all.”
He says it with a straight face, but his tone clearly turns playful at the end, and I can’t help but match his newfound mood. “Sure. Let’s save the heavy stuff for later.”
“Deal,” he agrees as he takes another bite of ice cream.
