Love Struck (The Taylor Brothers Book 4)

Annalise was stunned by Nelson's confession. She had no idea that he had developed feelings for her. She had no idea that he was behaving out of jealousy. Yet it didn't give him the right to insult her. Nelson had left after that admission and Annalise still sat at the cafe but her appetite was gone. So she packed up the left over pizza and went home. All her enthusiasm for a day out on her own had left her. If Nelson liked her, he had a very weird way of expressing it which only drove her further away from him.

Nelson was upset when she didn't react even after he confessed his feelings for her. He went to wallow in self pity at Carter's house. Susan called him to ask whether he could spend time alone with Annalise. She had canceled her outing with Annalise so that Nelson could spend sometime with her. The date with Trent was just a made up excuse.

"What? Why did you have to leave her? You should have showed her that you care, " scolded Susan.

"Oh, how do I do that? She said she didn't love me anymore," said Nelson, bitterly.

"Oh and you believed her? Her family's away. She's alone at home. Don't be dumb. Go and woo her," said a pissed off Susan and disconnected the call. Nelson jumped up with renewed energy.

"I gotta go and woo her, Cart, " he said, with a grin.

"Be careful. Don't kiss her yet dude, she'll get mad and injure your tool," said Carter alarmed by his friends enthusiasm.

"Nah, kissing can happen later. I'll just apologize now," said Nelson, rushing out. He drove over to the address that Susan had given him. On the way, he stopped at a florists and bought a bouquet of red roses. Feeling extremely excited, h parked his car and walked towards her front door. He waited with his breath stuck up at his throat after pressing the doorbell. He had no idea how she'd react to him.

Annalise opened the door and her mouth hung open seeing Nelson at her doorstep. "You? Nelson, what are you doing here?" She groaned, rolling her eyes with disbelief. A shit eating grin spread over Nelson's lips. She had called him by his name!

"Why are you grinning? I didn't forgive you. Just leave me alone, " she told him, trying to close the door. Nelson stopped her by placing his hand on the door.

"I can't leave you alone, Annalise. I'm sorry, please believe me. I genuinely mean it," he said with a look of intense guilt on his face. Annalise stared at him for sometime.

"You can't force me to forgive you, Nelson," she told him softly.

"I know. I'm sorry. I will continue to apologize till you forgive me. I brought these for you, " he said, giving her the bouquet of roses. Annalise looked at the bouquet disinterestedly.

"If I accept them, will you leave me alone?" She asked him tentatively.

"No, I can't ever leave you alone. So don't ask me that, " said Nelson.

"Go away Nelson. I don't want anything from you," she said but Nelson caught her hand and placed the bouquet in her hands.

"I won't give up, Annalise. Never," he swore, walking towards his car. Annalise stood staring at the red roses. Why was he so persistent even after she told him that she wasn't interested in him? She went inside with the roses. Somehow she didn't have the heart to throw them away. Placing them in a vase in her room, Annalise lay down on her bed and stared at the flowers.

"I still love you Nelson but I can't forgive you. My heart can't forget the words that you said to me," she said brokenly.

Nelson however was very happy with the little progress that he could make. She had dropped the 'sir' and started calling him by his name. He noticed in the rear view mirror as as he drove away that she hadn't thrown away the bouquet. These little things gave him more happiness than anything else.

Annalise's family returned on Sunday morning with the twins excitedly showing her photographs that they had clicked. Annalise smiled that their enthusiasm. She was happy that the twins had recovered from their loss and were behaving like normal children again. They enjoyed going with Derek to his school where their uncle Edward had admitted them. Although it was the best school of Houston and since they were very bright, they easily got admission. Ever since they had returned from their trip, Colton spend nearly every evening at their house. Annalise could sense his growing interest in her but she didn't like him that way. Her thoughts were always on Nelson, thinking whether he had already given up on her after her repeated rebuff.

Nelson dedicatedly appeared at her college nearly every alternate day and apologized with a red rose. She always brought it back and placed it in the vase in her room.

"Your room always smells of roses, " said Susan eyeing the vase of roses with envy. "Just forgive him, girl. He really is sorry. It's been a month already," said Susan.

"I don't want to forgive him," said Annalise.

"Fine, don't forgive him but please come back to the restaurant. Henry sir called me today to ask you to reconsider rejoining us," said Susan.

"Why does he need me back?" Asked Annalise.

"Chef Garner's gone crazy. He doesn't want any assistant since you left. He's mad at all the other interns. You know he's the oldest employee and his signature dishes make the restaurant run," said Susan.

"I'll think about it," shrugged Annalise.

The door opened and Alexis peeped inside. "Hey Anna, Colton and his mom's are here. They want you to come down," she said, disappearing instantly. Susan caught Annalise's wrist before she could get up and go.

"Who's Colton?" She frowned. Annalise looked uncomfortable at the mention of his name.

"He's Erik's best friend.  His mom and aunt Emily are planning to dump him on me!" Annalise rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean? Are you getting hitched to him?" She asked with shock.

"Not yet but it looks that way, " said Annalise.

"How can you be so cool about it? You love Nelson, don't you? I know he's been a d*ck to you but he has been apologizing to you sincerely for the last one month. He really has feelings for you. Forgive him already. Life's too short to hold a grudge, " said Susan.

"I don't love Nelson anymore. I don't believe in love, " said Annalise, looking away from Susan's eyes. They went downstairs and Susan left, her disapproval of Colton showing in her eyes. Annalise didn't blame her though. She was Nelson's friend too, she knew it.

"That's a lie, Anna. If you don't love him, why do you preserve those roses he gives you?" Asked Susan. Annalise knew that she was telling the truth and she had no answers to that. The next two hours were torture as she put on a fake smile and sat with Colton's mom and her aunt Emily. Alexis looked at her with a look of sympathy. She had overheard her sister's conversation with Susan and knew that she loved someone called Nelson.

The next day as Nelson was about to leave for Annalise's college, Susan pulled him to a corner. "It's time for some action Nelson. You keep apologizing to her while she gets hitched to her brother's friend," she told a gaping Nelson and stormed out, leaving him frozen. His whole body went numb with shock hearing  the news. She was his,  she loved him. How could she do this to him? How could she get marry her brother's friend?

Furious, jealous and frustrated he drove like a maniac to her college and paced outside her campus gates. Annalise came out and looked around for Nelson. Had he not come to see her today? Had he given up on her? The truth was she wanted to forgive him but was scared that if she did, he would stop coming to see her again. Although she would rather die than admit the truth, she knew that she wanted him to come everyday. 

Suddenly a hand caught her wrist and pulled her behind a building. Before she could yell, her eyes looked into the darkened green eyes of the one and only Nelson. "What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly as he pinned her to the wall with his body, blocking all her chances of escape. She could feel his hot breath upon her face as she looked up at him with shock.

"I apologized to you for a month, Annalise. I can apologize and beg for your forgiveness my whole life. How can you even think of marrying another man?" He asked in a hoarse whispered, his hands gripping her arms. "You're mine. Do you hear me? Only mine," he stated with eyes flashing with some strange emotion.