~8~

"Don't find love. Let love finds you. That's why it's called falling in love because you don't force yourself to fall, you [] fall," Unknown.

***

Louise did not contact Cyrus. She had never chased a man before. She was not sure if she was doing okay. Louise grabbed her phone, pondering for a few minutes.

"Why in the world is this so complicated?" Louise wondered. "This would have been fine if I were a guy."

"I don't think so," Diane said, taking a seat beside Louise.

"I know!" She sighed. "Don't you have a home? Why are you always here?"

"I don't want to go home."

"You're being bullied again?"

"Don't ask if you're not going to help."

"Why should I? It's your business, so you take care of it."

"Haha, such a nice niece I have."

Of course, Louise would have helped if things were beyond her aunt's reach. But she felt like Diane could have handled those people without her help. Louise did not want to support and help her in everything; Diane had to learn to defend herself sometimes without others' help.

"Don't worry too much about things," Louise reassured. "If you can't handle it. That niece will beat a few people for you."

"I know. You've been staring at Cyrus number for a while now. Aren't you going to call?"

"Would that be alright?"

"Ask him out."

"Out where? Like a date? Isn't it too early to ask him out?"

"Too early? Dear niece, are you sure you're older than me?" Diane laughed. "You've been to his house and met the most important people in his life."

"That was unintentional."

"I think he'd be happy. You know he hasn't had people taking care of him."

"What about his parents. They died when he was seventeen."

"True, but his parents were always at work. It's not like they neglected him. Money was crucial to them. He raised his siblings since he was young."

"How young?"

"Middle school. Stop wasting time with all your nonsense. What if Cyrus's ex comes back? How is he going to fall in love with you when you always disappeared?" Diane asked. "I'm leaving. I am going to take care of that brat at home."

"Alright! Call me if you can't handle it," Louise said, "No, call Gregg if it isn't a life and death situation."

"Sure."

~~~

Louise decided to call Cyrus in the end.

She took a deep breath and dialed his number.

He answered on the first ring.

"Hello," he said, his voice husky. "Cahir?" He asked.

"Hey," she said nervously. Why was she nervous? "How are you?"

"Fine, what about you?"

"I am good." She did not know what else to say. 'Fuck,' she muttered.

"You always do things unexpectedly," he laughed. "I didn't think you'd call. You know, it's like you are interested in me, but you are not. I can't figure it out."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know," he said. Louise could feel him smiling through the phone. "I am glad you call—I wanted to hear your voice."

Pause. Pause. Pause. Louise stopped. He said he wanted to hear her voice. She felt so happy that a word could not leave her mouth. "Chair!"

"Yes, I am glad I call."

"Are you—"

"Let's go see a movie on Saturday if you're not busy. Wait, will you be working? It's okay. We can make it another time." Louise said, not giving Cyrus time to answer any of her questions.

"Sure to the movie," he laughed.

"I am taking your car to work, have the driver send you," someone said.

"It's okay!" Louise said, "I have to bring something for Kate. We can go together."

"I am sorry," Cyrus said. "

"It's fine," she assured him, "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight."

"Think about me tonight; just a little is fine," she said, then hung up.

~~~

You are the luckiest bastard alive," Peter said. "She is gorgeous, friendly, polite—"

"Daring but considerate. Cahir's—"

"She's the type of woman who does things how and when she wants. When you think you got her all figured out, then she comes with something else and surprises you. She's not afraid to say what's on her mind. She's—I can't figure it out either," Peter said, playing around with the tip of the pen.

Cyrus stared at him in awe.

"What?"

"You always say the right things. It pisses me off sometimes," Cyrus said, gently pushing him off the bed.

"They are facts, my friend. You know, this good friend of yours is single. She's beautiful, damn. I would want her by my side. The first time I saw her, I thought she was a man too, but the more you see her, the more beautiful she looks. And that mole above her eye is just the sexiest thing, and she's tall. If you don't like her—"

"You are not her type."

"Eh!" Peter grinned, "I am not the beautiful type. I am handsome and sexy. Too attractive for my good," he said, pushing his hair back.

Peter was handsome in a dangerous way. He looked more like a bad-boy and rough guy, the kind who'd break women's heart.

Peter hated sleeping around with women he didn't know. He didn't like waking up in the morning to find a stranger in his bed. It'd freak him out.

But this guy would cuddle Tyler or Cyrus to sleep every chance he got. Cyrus didn't have any problem with his friend.

"You are so full of yourself," Cyrus said, "I pity my sister for crushing on you," he mumbled. "When I saw her at the bank, I thought she was fighting someone."

"The way she looks at you, Kate and her family are different. Her feelings don't show on her face around other people. But when she is around you, you can read her like a book.

"You're doing it again," Cyrus groaned, "Why didn't you become a relationship counselor or—I don't know—anything but business. But she always looks angry?"

"That doesn't mean anything. Some people only smile when something's funny, when they are happy or when they see the person they love. You have a natural happy face. She has a natural aloof personality, but when she smiles, she brightens someone's day. Doesn't her smile blind you?"

"Interesting! But I hate when she suddenly smiles at me. I feel funny."

Peter laughed. "You don't even know you like her already."

"What?"

"Nothing. I am going to have a sister-in-law soon."

"Be quiet and submit the report," Cyrus said. "That feeling is scary."

"What feeling?"

"I should still be in love with Mina, but I find myself thinking less of her ever since Cahir appeared in my life. I don't understand."

"I don't know what to tell you."

"I am always looking forward to her text, her calls. Just thinking about her bored expression makes me smile. I am always looking at her photos. You know I am always on social media those days to see her posts. She posted a twenty seconds clip on IG of her laughing at me. It just warmed my heart when I heard her laughed."

"When was that? I don't think I've seen this woman laugh."

"When we posed for Tyler."

"I don't remember."

"So, what are you scared of exactly?" Peter asked.

"Am I falling for her? Or, do I only love the attention I didn't get from Mina? I don't know," he sighed.

"The time you spend with her will tell. You know what you feel when you are with her. What is it that you feel when you are with Louise? Love and affection? Or you feel happy that a woman is giving you all of her attention?"

"I don't know. It's scary, but I like how it makes me feel."

"There we go. Find that feeling."

"Thanks!"

"For what?"

Cyrus shrugged. "You always listen to me."

Peter smiled. "Your first kid calls me uncle."

"Deal!"