Love Struck (The Taylor Brothers Book 4)

The next morning both brothers had a detailed discussion with their dad at the breakfast table. While Nelson would join uncle Henry's restaurant, Nick was forced to join his dad's. He was shattered and he sulked all day. Nelson left for college to start a hectic day.

After an uneventful day at college, he returned home to get ready for work. His dad had already informed uncle Henry about his joining him. Nelson wore a simple white shirt and black trousers and drove towards The Grub Club, their multi-cuisine restaurant. He had been there many times for family get together but this is the first time, he would go there to work. He drove into the parking area of the restaurant and walked right in to uncle Henry's small office room at the back.

"Come and sit down, my boy," said uncle Henry getting up to give him a warm hug.

"Quite a crowd at this time!" Nelson joked.

"Yeah, we usually have this crowd," said uncle Henry.

"Stuart and Sean aren't here?" Asked Nelson. He had expected his cousins to be here too.

"No, they've applied at Omega Food Corp. They're not interested in this sort of work, " shrugged his uncle.

"Oh," said Nelson, feeling disappointed but he didn't show it lest uncle Henry misunderstood his intentions to work hard. "So what do I start with uncle Henry?" Asked Nelson.

"I've vacated the office room near the billing counter. You can check these last two year's reports on the restaurant's performance, income graphs and reviews.  Then you can check the HR file and have a meeting with the employees. I'll introduce you to everyone, " said uncle Henry. Nelson nodded and took the files and went towards his workstation. There were two guys at the billing counter who greeted him with a smile. They were old and trusted employees and knew all the Taylor brothers well.

"Hey, Nelson, heard you joining us?" Asked Trent who was the most efficient of the two.

"Yeah dad's orders. Have to get serious now, " sighed Nelson.

"Welcome to TGC, dude. Who said life's serious here? Did you see the chicks here? We have a blast daily," said Greg, the ever grinning, happy-go-lucky guy working at the billing counter.

Nelson was surprised. "How uncle Henry hasn't fired you already?" Asked Nelson with a grin.

"HT is always working in his den. When he comes here for five minutes, we're on perfect behavior, " said Greg with a cheeky grin. "Now don't ya go reportin, boss," said Greg with a wider grin. Nelson rolled his eyes at him.

"Don't call me that. I'm just like you. I've come to learn the work for a meager wage," said Nelson melodramatically with a grin. "Okay enough of fooling around. Where's my office? Need to start asap, " asked Nelson and Trent pointed towards the office door right behind them. Nelson nodded and was about to go when his eyes went towards the girl who suddenly emerged from the kitchen.

There was something familiar about the uniform clad employee. Her brown hair coiled into a bun, her slender figure, her all seemed like he'd seen her somewhere but where? Then she turned and walked towards them with her eyes cast downwards upon the floor,  drowned in her own thoughts. Nelson gasped recognizing her face instantly. She was none other than Annalise Martin but what was she doing here?

"Are you too bowled over by her?" Whispered Greg into Nelson's ear.

"No but who's she?" Asked Nelson feigning ignorance.

"Oh that's Annalise Martin, the hottest intern ever recruited here. She's working in the kitchen under chef Garner and seriously all the guys are drooling after her even the chef!" Laughed Greg. Nelson frowned not liking that speech at all. "Welcome to the drool club, dude," Greg winked. Nelson frowned more. He didn't  want to be associated with the likes of Annalise Martin. From what he saw so far, she seemed to be using her innocent looks to grab the attention of the entire male population wherever she went.

"Count me out, man. I'm here to work and I'll do that. Send me a cup of coffee, will ya?" Said Nelson, patting Greg's arm and walking off towards his office.

Annalise froze seeing the one and only guy who had stood up for her in her entire nineteen years of life. He had pulled her close to his chest and fought the world for her. She couldn't forget those mesmerizing green eyes even if she wanted to. Ever since she saw those orbs she was hypnotised by them. She hadn't heard his name, she had no idea who he was apart from the fact that he was Adam's friend. By now he might have heard all the rumors against her and her mom. Maybe that was the reason why he hurriedly walked away into the office. Maybe he had started repenting his actions already but she couldn't hate him. In her dismal, lonely life, he was the only one who had helped her, stood up for her and showed her some compassion. That was enough for her to feel a sort of bonding towards him. Maybe she was crushing on him already? After all he was the most gorgeous guy she'd ever met. Who wouldn't fall for him?

She walked up to Trent to hand the slip that the kitchen in-charge had asked her to hand over to the billing counter. "Annalise, can you get a cup of coffee for the guy who was here a minute before? He's in that office," said Trent absent-mindedly, busy handling a customer.

"Sure, " said Annalise, a strange excitement coursing through her body at the prospect of being able to meet the green-eyed guy again. So he was a new employee here? She smiled inwardly as she walked back to the kitchen to make him his coffee.

Living in a run down building in one of the most dismal neighborhoods of Houston, Annalise had a lot of responsibilities upon her shoulders. She was the oldest of three siblings. Her younger twin siblings, ten year old Alexis and Aries were quite a handful. Her mom Greta Martin couldn't make ends meet with her housekeepers job after their dad was diagnosed with leukemia. Ever since for the last six years, life had been a tough battle for them. Annalise was pursuing the undergraduate degree in Culinary Science and this new job was good enough to allow her to contribute at home. She was good at her studies and had gained a fifty percent scholarship for her studies. The rest of the money was paid by her uncle, Edward Martin who was her dad's youngest brother.

She sighed as thoughts of last night came rushing to her mind. After completing the work at Adam's house, like every day, her uncle Edward had picked them up to take them to the hospital to see her dad. Her dad's family was very well off. It was against her grandparents' wishes that her dad married her mom, their housekeepers daughter. Her grandparents threw them out of their mansion. For years they hadn't kept in touch with her grandparents. It was only when her dad was in the hospital did their uncle Edward and his four sons come forward to bear the expenses of the treatment. They didn't have any other option than to accept.

Last night the doctors wanted to change to a more expensive treatment since her dad wasn't responding. Her mom had broken down considerably after hearing the doctors. Annalise sighed. She knew that Adam's mom misunderstood them. Adam's dad was her dad's childhood friend and had helped them when her dad was diagnosed with leukemia. They had been lost and it was he who had admitted her dad to a good hospital. Adam's mom was too bitchy to understand their relationship with Adam's dad. Maybe like everyone else, the green-eyed guy too believed in all those rumors?

Shrugging all negative thoughts away, she picked up the tray and walked towards the office where the green-eyed guy was working. Her whole body was flushed with excitement. She had dreamed of him last night and her siblings had teased her when she fell off the bed. She blushed remembering it all. Maybe she had fallen for him already.

She knocked on his door excitedly. A deep throaty voice said, "Come in." She opened the door and her eyes met with those green orbs staring directly into her own blue ones.

"I brought you your coffee," she said breathlessly. The green-eyed man nodded and gestured towards his table. Annalise went inside and placed the coffee on his table. "I forgot to thank you for yesterday," she said shyly.

"Thank you," she told him when he didn't answer. Green-eyed guy nodded in acknowledgement. Annalise was dying to know his name but didn't know how to ask him. "I'm Annalise, Annalise Martin," she started.

"I know, " said the green-eyed guy to her disappointment. She waited for him to introduce himself but he just sat doing his work. Disappointed, she walked towards the door. Maybe she could ask Greg.