Love Struck (The Taylor Brothers Book 4)

Annalise stood frozen hearing the news. "D dad? Who told you?" She asked with shock. Susan told her about her uncle and brothers who had come looking for her at the restaurant.

"Switch on your mobile phone and talk to them, Anna, " said Susan. Annalise switched on her phone and spoke to her uncle. Soon they left for the hospital in a hurry. The next few days was very emotional for Annalise as she had to comfort her two inconsolable siblings too along with taking care of the funeral preparations with her uncle.

Nelson went home as he was mentally too disturbed to continue at the restaurant. He sat in his room sulking as tears of remorse fell from his eyes. Annalise's face crept onto his mind again and again and he just couldn't think of a way to erase her pain. He realized that his feelings for her might have grown since the day he met her otherwise why would he react the way he did with only her? He never reacted this way with any other employee or noticed any one else the way he noticed her. It couldn't be just plain like. It had to be deeper than that but he had lost it all with his irresponsible before. He should have talked to her first instead of accusing her. In fact he hadn't even given her a chance to prove herself blinded by extreme jealousy.

Nelson sobbed brokenly in his room and drank straight from his bottle. If only he could turn the hands of time. However, the alcohol didn't help reduce the pain that he felt. After he was too intoxicated to even think straight  he slumped into the floor in a state of unconsciousness. Nick found him later in a pathetic state. Nick cleaned up the mess that his brother was in and placed him on his bed. He would have to speak to him when he woke up the next morning.

The next morning, Nelson went to uncle Henry's house to talk to his cousin Stuart. Since the day they were born, all the brothers shared a very close bond with one another. Stuart was the eldest of the lot and they all looked up to him for every little problem that they faced. They loved him. He walked inside and sat at the breakfast table with Stuart. Stuart thanked him for his valuable suggestions regarding a date. He nodded but didn't say a word, looking very upset. "What's wrong Nel?" He asked.

"Nothing," he said as Sean joined them too at the table. Denver, Drake, Daxton, Nate, Queen and Timmy hadn't returned from their jog yet.

"You can tell me," said Stuart trying to coax him into opening up.

"There's a girl at the restaurant Stu who likes me. I've been a dick to her and now she's stopped coming to work. She left the job because of me. I don't know what to do to fix all this, " said Nelson feeling ashamed of his own behaviour.

"Why do you want to fix it all? Let her leave if she's left the job," said Stuart trying to get more information out of Nelson. Nelson groaned and sat with his head in his hand.

"What happened?" Asked Sean. "Don't tell me that you've fallen for her too."

"I like her and I don't want her to leave," said Nelson in a small voice.

"Just like or is it deeper than that?" Asked Sean.

"Deeper than that," admitted Nelson.

"Then call her up and apologise and make her rejoin work," suggested Stuart.

"Yes, I'll do that," said Nelson with a smile.

"What's her name?"asked Sean.

"Annalise Martin," said Nelson. "She works in the kitchen assisting one of our chefs, " informed Nelson. Sean and Stuart looked at one another. They would have to check Nelson's girl out soon.

"Don't you even think about it," said Nelson with a glare. His mood lightened a little as he decided to apologize and make Annalise rejoin work again. He returned home with a better mood only to be caught by a worried Nick. He pulled him up to their terrace.

"Spill dude, why did you drink yourself out last night?" He asked. Nelson shrugged.

"I can't recognize myself these days, dude," said Nelson, giving up. He and Nick were inseparable and knew everything about one another.

"I know. You've been an a*ssh*ole lately, yelling at all of us," said Nick with a grin. Nelson groaned.

"I know," he sighed.

"So who's the chick?" Asked Nick wiggling his eyebrows.

"Is it that obvious?" Asked Nelson.

"Yeah, man. Chicks are the only ones that make us behave like d*cks," shrugged Nick. "So?" Prompted Nick. Nelson told him everything that happened and also Stuart and Sean's valuable advice.

"Hmm, well, it wouldn't be easy, you know," said Nick. "You have to be patient. "

"I know. I'll do anything to make her forgive me," said Nelson with a determined expression.

"Good. Be prepared to get kneed," warned Nick. "After all you've hurt her bad, bro."

"Yeah. I deserve it, I guess," said Nelson. "I'll give her time to settle down to normalcy since she just lost both parents," said Nelson.

"Now stop sulking and plan your next move, " said Nick with a pat on his arm and they went downstairs to tuck into the delicious breakfast that their mom made. Later Nelson went to Carter's house to update him about Adam's lies. Levi  was also lazing around munching pizza slices.

"I knew there was more to it than what Adam told us. You shouldn't have believed him, dude," said Levi.

"I hadn't believed him, you know but everytime I saw her with a guy, something just exploded in my mind and I lost all rational thought," said Nelson, holding onto his head with frustration.

"That only means one thing, dude. You've fallen for her," said Carter with a shake of his head.

"Say something new, bro," groaned Nelson.

"Getting her to listen to your apology will be an uphill task," said Levi.

"I know that too," groaned Nelson.

"She might never love you, Nel. Be prepared for heartache," said Carter. Nelson sat slumped beside them.

"Don't say that Cart, please," he told him in a tortured voice.

"One good thing is she loved you once. So try to be the person who she fell in love with, Nel. Try to be yourself, " said Levi. His advice brought a glimmer of hope in Nelson's eyes.

"Thanks bro for giving me a little hope. I'll do just that, " said Nelson.

"Noe eat pizza and be happy," said Carter, pushing a slice into his mouth. Nelson relaxed after that heart to heart with his friends and brothers. It was like the old Nelson was back to his happy self.

The next ten days, Nelson carried on with his college and work. He wanted to give Annalise some time to get back to her daily routine before approaching her. However, the restaurant didn't feel the same without Annalise. Everyday, Nelson took an update on Annalise from Susan. He knew that she wasn't working anywhere any longer. She just went to her college and then returned to her uncle's house. Susan regularly went to her uncle's house to see her.

"She doesn't talk much with anyone, not even me. She's hurting badly," informed Susan. "Don't get your hopes up, Nelson. She might not want to see you at all," warned Susan. After interacting with one another every day, Susan had relaxed around Nelson. They shared a good friendship and Susan called him by his name and so did Nelson. Susan had forgiven him after he sincerely apologized to her many times. They mostly discussed Annalise but sometimes they did discuss Trent also. Nelson realized that Susan, over Trent who had no idea of her feelings for him.

Nelson sighed. "I know but I won't give up," he told her. Susan smiled.

"Good, she needs a man who won't give up on her. Her heart is very pure, Nelson. She never had a boyfriend in her life. You're the first guy who she fell in love with. After the way you behaved, her heart is crushed. She's scared to love again. She doesn't trust you any more. So think before you decide what you want to do. Winning her heart back is an impossible task Nelson so you can just apologize and leave her in peace. It's up to you," said Susan.

"No I will win her heart back. I won't give up," he promised with a smile. Susan smiled back.

"Thanks. I wanted to hear that from you," she said, feeling hopeful that he might  someday win her friend's heart back.

Nelson took the address of her college and her uncle's house. Now he would start planning for mission impossible and make it possible. So he went home with a determined expression.  The next day, he would visit her outside her college and try to apologize to her.