Page 17 of Vaughn

I'm more excited than I should be to begin my work day, but the truth is, I can't wait to see Val.

I park in the shade of a huge oak tree, thankful I'll be able to stay under these canopies for most of the day. I should definitely get work done before I decide to check out the bakery, but the need to put eyes on Val is worse than normal. I'm not sure why, but I want to look into those eyes of hers and make sure she's okay. There's a line going out the door of Get Baked. I know what I'm supposed to do, but instead I get at the back of the group, and wait patiently for my turn.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I look down, and scroll through social media, just so that I don't have to talk to anyone. As I'm checking the group chat with the guys, there's a tap on my shoulder. I'd love to ignore whoever this is, but it may be someone who knows I work for the power company and they need to let me in on something that's important. However, when I turn around, I'm surprised to see my Dad.

"Hey Vaughn." He says by way of greeting.

"What are you doing here?" I can't hide the surprise in my tone. He doesn't normally go out, hasn't since my mom cheated on him, and ruined his self-esteem. He's lost most of his friends, and when I do see him, it's typically when I've swung by his house on a whim.

He sticks his hands in his jeans, hunching his shoulders. "I was on my phone, and everyone was talking about how amazing this place is. I've been trying to get out lately. I know that's surprising, but I wanted to give it a shot."

I can't quite believe what I'm hearing, but I need to encourage it. "Good for you. Anything else that's been happening that you haven't told me about?"

"I've been going to an over-fifty-five singles night at the community center."

Holy. Fuck. The shock must be written across my face.

"I know. I know." He holds his hands up. "I never thought I'd be here either, but some things have changed in the past year, and I've been keeping it to myself as I work on me."

I've never heard him talk like this, especially about himself. "I'm glad. I really am, Dad. You have a lot to offer someone." I've worried off and on if he's going to end by himself, a miserable shell of the man he was before he found out my mom was cheating on him.

"I know." He smiles. "I'm learning that. It's not been easy, but I'm learning my worth. I appreciate you going to bat for me a few times over the past few years when I've mentioned that I thought I would be alone. If it hadn't been you gently pushing me toward things out of my comfort zone, I'm not sure I would've done this."

"Love you, big guy."

It's finally our turn to head into the bakery, and the line moves quickly. When Val notices me over the top of the case, she gives me a smile and winks.

"Is she winking at you?" Dad asks, looking back and forth between the two of us.

"Yeah, she is. I'll introduce you when we get up there."

"You've never introduced me to someone you're interested in before."

I retort with a smile on my face. "And I never thought you'd spend a night outside the house. We're learning a couple of different things about one another today."

He laughs, and as I get closer, my heart picks up the space, because seeing her is now a physical reaction, and if that doesn't prove how deep I'm in, I'm not sure anything else ever will.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Val

Iwasn't expecting to see Vaughn today, and I'm more happy than I can express as I watch him step forward with an older man. "Hey." I give him a smile. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be working?"

"I am..." he hooks his fingers in his pockets. "I'm checking power lines to see if tree limbs are in the way, but I decided I wanted a little sweet treat before I got started."

"What can I get you?"

"A cinnamon roll and a prosciutto breakfast sandwich. What do you want, Dad?"

My surprise is evident on my face, I can feel it. "This is your father?"

"Yup, the one and only. Val, meet Harold. Harold, meet Val. All my friends call him Rod. Feel free to do that."

They look so much alike there is no denying that they are related. He's not talked much about him, but I've heard things about how he's lived his life closed off after what happened between him and Vaughn's mom. "Nice to meet you." I give him a smile. "What is it that you want?"

"I've never been here before." He shrugs. "Do you wanna order for me?" He questions Vaughn.

"Yeah, get him a cinnamon roll if Nolan didn't get all of them, and give him a sausage breakfast sandwich. Both of us will take orange juices too."

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