Vic Vaughn is Vicious by J.A. Huss

CHAPTER TWELVE - DAISY

My shifts fly by. I am so distracted by Vicious Vaughn, I can barely function. I mess up two orders, spill a drink, and my tips for the day suck. But I don’t even care because he was… nice today.

Who knew?

I mean, Sunday night I thought for sure we were headed to a long, sick court battle over our daughter. But today things look totally different. Maybe the girls were right? Maybe Vic Vaughn being Vivian’s father is a stroke of luck?

That lawyer guy calls. Alec Steele. Him, I’m not sure about. He’s very aggressive and not at all personable. All he says is, “Vic is the father. We have the results. I’m texting them to you now…”

I glance at them. There was no possible way Vic wasn’t her father, because I wasn’t having sex with anyone else at the time, but it’s comforting to see it in black and white.

By the time eight o’clock rolls around I’m pretty excited about my date and not so much dwelling on the fact that this is going to be my first night away from my daughter since she was born.

But I’m starving. So I change out of my uniform and then hurry outside to catch the bus home. Ironically, the closest bus stop is right out front of Sick Boyz. Vivi and I never used that stop, obviously. We would walk down to the next block and catch it there. But I linger outside the Pancake House wondering if I should go over there and see him before I go home to change.

I weigh this decision carefully.

Do I want to interrupt him at work? Do I want to interact with his brothers? And Belinda, who works the front desk?

I mean, the rational side of me is like… no. But I mean, I’m one of them now, right?

I’m family.

Yes. Even if I’m not family the way Vivian is, I’m her mother. I matter to these people.

So I walk across the street, open the door, and find myself in the middle of a group of sorority girls. I have to push my way past them to even get to Belinda at the front counter.

“Oh, hey!” she says, spying me in the crowd. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Vic and I were going to have dinner tonight. So I just came by after my shift.” I nod my head in the direction of the Pancake House.

“Oh.” Belinda frowns.

“What?”

“Hold on. Let me check with him. These girls came in.” Belinda nods to the crowd. “They weren’t all in the book, but they pre-paid, so…” She shrugs. “We’re gonna see them all. He’s gonna be running late. Unless your date is at midnight, I’d make other plans for dinner.”

“Oh.” Now it’s my turn to frown.

“But let me check first. One sec.”

Belinda scoots off her stool and disappears into the hallway where the tattoo rooms must be. Then she reappears and so does Vic.

Every single stupid girl in the waiting room stops talking to look at him.

He pays no attention to this attention. And I’m not sure if he’s just used to this level of—what, adoration? Worship?—or if he’s just trying not to make a big deal about it since I’m here. “Hey,” he says. He’s still wearing his black vinyl gloves, so when he touches my arm to point me to the door, he leaves green ink on my skin.

We go outside and he immediately starts apologizing. “I’m so sorry, Daisy. These girls weren’t in the book, but—”

“Belinda already explained.”

“Oh. OK. Then I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Um.” I cross my arms and do a high-shoulder shrug. “Yeah. I don’t think I can tomorrow. I have school and… school.”

“What about Vivi?”

“I’ll call her and see if she’s ready to come home. If not…” I force a smile and shrug again.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s no big deal. I’m super tired, anyway. So”—I point down the street—“I’m gonna go.”

“Take the truck.” He reaches into his pocket, getting green ink all over his jeans now, and then pulls the keys out. “It’s right here. Just take it home. I’ll walk. Then I’ll call you in the morning and we’ll figure things out. OK?”

I nod. “Yep. Thanks. That’s great.”

“Daisy.”

“What?”

“You’re mad.”

“I’m not. I’m fine. I’m tired. I’m going home. Bye. Thanks. Bye.”

I don’t wait for an answer. I just walk over the truck, get in, start it up, and then back out onto College Avenue. I force myself to wave to him, because he’s still outside watching me, then I’m gone and I let out a long breath of air.

No date for Daisy.

What was I thinking? That a guy like Vic Vaughn would be interested in me?

I’m so not his type.

His type is girls like Belinda. That’s why she’s with Vann. She’s got pink hair, and her entire wardrobe seems to be black. And she has tattoos.

I don’t have tattoos. I don’t like tattoos. I’m not even sure I like his tattoos and they are pretty. Definitely high-quality.

The drive home is short and I don’t even remember about the parking permit until I’m pulling into a space. But then I glance at the windshield and sure enough, there it is. A permit for the apartments.

This makes me sadder for some reason. Because Vic Vaughn has a lot going for him. A lot more than I initially thought.

He’s one of those guys who takes care of shit.

I haven’t dated a lot recently, but before Vivi was born, I did my share. And I realized very early on there are two types of men in the world. The kind who get shit done and the kind who don’t. I guess you can call them lazy and not lazy, but that’s not entirely accurate. Lots of men who get nothing done have jobs. But they are not the kind who remember to take their girlfriend’s car in for an oil change every three thousand miles. Or have it towed to their buddy’s garage for a new transmission. They don’t fix a leaky sink without being asked. They don’t think of things like that and it’s got nothing to do with lazy.

Vic is a get-shit-done kind of guy. I have a feeling the entire Vaughn clan is like that too.

That’s the kind of man I want.

In fact, the more I get to know Vic, the more I realize he is exactly the kind of man I need. Never mind the tattoos, the beard, the bikes, the reputation—I like him. I have always liked him.

And now he’s in my life and the only thing I can think about is… how unalike we are. How I am not the kind of girl he dates. I don’t wear black, I don’t have tattoos, I don’t draw any more, I don’t wear boots, I don’t ride bikes, and aside from a purse I got on sale, I do not own any leather.

So why am I surprised that our date was cancelled?

I get out of the truck, lock it up, and walk to my apartment. Alone.

Because for the first time in seven years I will not fall asleep in the same house as my daughter.

When I get inside, I call her. But Ronnie tells me all the girls crashed out about thirty minutes ago. “I’ll wake her up if you want,” she offers.

But I decline. “No. I’ll call her in the morning.”

Then I just crawl into bed without even changing, and force myself not to cry.

My final on Wednesday isn’t until eleven, but I am meeting the girls to study in the library again, so I get up early, get ready, and then head out the door.

I stop dead in my tracks when I see the old truck parked in the lot because I had completely forgotten about it.

I’m mad at Vic, so I briefly consider not taking it to school. But then, what the fuck, right? I fish the keys out of my purse, grab my phone while I’m at it, and then get in the truck and start it up. Then I press Vivi’s contact on her phone. She answers first ring, and I’m so relieved that it’s her, and not anyone else, I let out a sigh.

Vivi says, “I miss you too.”

“How did you know what I was thinking?”

“Because did you know that we’ve never spent the night away from each other before?”

“I did know that. I was thinking about it all last night.”

“Me too.”

“Are you ready to come home?”

“Mmmm.” She hesitates. So obviously, her answer is no.

“You don’t have to.”

“They invited me to stay until the weekend. There’s gonna be a pool party on Sunday. Can I stay until Sunday?”

I die inside. That’s four days away. “Yep.” I force this word out. “Sure. I would not want you to miss the pool party.”

“You can come too! Vic has that day off.”

Even though I already told Ronnie I would come, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. So I say, “I have to work. That’s my Sunday and—”

“I know. I know. You make more money on that one day…” She doesn’t finish. She doesn’t have to. We do this every single Sunday. And it’s not even Sunday. It’s only Wednesday.

I don’t understand how that’s even possible. I mean, four days ago she didn’t even know who Vic Vaughn was. Now he’s her father and she’s practically living with his sister.

“Mom?”

“Yep. I’m here.”

“OK. Then you have a good day at school.”

I laugh. “You have a good day on the farm.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you—” But the call drops before I can finish.

I drive to school, park as close to the math building as I can, then walk over to the library to meet the girls.

Vic calls. But I don’t pick up.

Vic texts. But I do not answer him.

He’s just too much for me. I need to face that fact. He’s too much and I will never be enough, and this needs to stop before it even starts. Because he’s running on guilt and personal responsibility right now. And I’m running on fear.

This is not the sign of a budding relationship. It’s the hallmark of an impending romantic disaster. And I’m really not up for that kind of drama, so… I’m done with him.

I find the girls upstairs on the second floor of the library and plop my backpack down on the table.

Ella is in the middle of gulping down coffee, so she just waves. Rina is mumbling chemical equations under her breath and doesn’t even look up. So Luu is the only one who actually greets me.

“Oh, my God,” she says. “I saw you.”

“Saw me where?”

“Riding in a truck with a man who looked like Vic Vaughn…”

“Holy shit!” Ella squeals. “Are you two together?”

I put up a hand. “No. Definitely not. We were just riding home from his sister’s house.”

“Whoa,” Rina says. “Hold up. You were at Spencer Shrike’s house?”

“It’s his wife’s house too, and she’s Vic’s sister.”

“Wow.” Ella sighs. “You’ve got all the connections now.”

“Oh, my God.” Rina snorts. “Have you seen Vann in his underwear yet?”

“What?” I make a face. “No. I’ve only had dinner over there once.”

“Holy shit,” Luu says. “You’ve been gone two days and so far you’ve been up to Spencer’s house and you had dinner with them? Girl, I hear wedding bells.”

I actually guffaw. “Ladies. I understand that you’re still very young and naïve.” They groan. “But here’s a lesson in love for you. Do not ever think that because you have made a baby with a man that he is the man for you. OK? It doesn’t work that way. And Vic Vaughn is not the man for me.”

“Why not?” Ella is chewing on her pen.

“Because.” I shrug. “We’re too different. I’m not like him, he’s not like me. The only thing we have in common is my daughter. And that’s just not enough, ladies. Plus, he told me he was taking me out to dinner last night, then he got too busy with sorority-girl tattoos.”

“Ohhh,” Ella says. “What a dick.”

“Right?” I say.

“Yeah, fuck him,” Rina says. “I bet he tattoos tits up all the time.”

“Or worse.” Luu snickers.

“Exactly.” I cross my arms and take a deep breath. “So I’m not even getting involved. I was never into him—it was a one-night thing—but that was a long time ago. I’m so not into him now.”

“Right,” Ella says.

“You go, girl,” Rina says.

“You’re too good for him,” Luu says.

“I know.” And then I sit down, feeling much better that all the girls are on my side. Even if they have no clue what they are talking about.

We study in silence for a while, then I go get us some fresh coffee, and then pretty soon, it’s time for my one final of the day. Calculus. Which I hate, but I am prepared for it. So that goes smoothly, and then before I know it, the test is over and I’m done for the day.

I’m thinking I might drive up to Veronica’s house and pick Vivi up against her will, but when I turn up the aisle where I parked the truck, who is leaning up against the front fender?

“Hey.” Vic waves. “How’d the test go?”

“What are you doing here? How did you even find the truck in the parking lots?”

“Your girls texted me. Told me where to find you and what time you’d be done.”

“What? What girls?” But then I get it. Those sneaky shits stole my phone while I got them coffee and texted Vic. I cannot stop the smile so I have to turn away from Vic for a moment to hide it. “Huh.” Because I never thought of Ella, Rina, or Luu as friends. They are my study partners. I am a lonely single mom who spent the first five years of my child’s life secluded on a dairy farm and the last year and a half just trying to survive. I don’t have friends.

I didn’t have friends, anyway. Until today.

Or maybe that’s just my hangup? Maybe they have always seen me as a friend?

“Daisy?”

“Hmm?” I turn back to Vic.

“Are you mad at me? I’m sorry about last night. I could fucking kill Belinda over that mistake. But you’re done now, right? You’ve got time for me?”

I pull out my phone and look at the time. “It’s already one.” I shrug. “You’ve got clients soon.”

“Not today. I gave them to my pops.”

“What?”

“I’m gonna make it up to you.”

“How?”

He opens the passenger door to the truck. “Get in and find out.”

And even though I was ranting about how we are not meant to be together—I let myself hope.

Because I want us to be together.

I have always wanted Vic Vaughn.

So I get in.

And I have hope.