Fragile Heart

Chapter 9

Delilah's POV

The next few days were filled with listening to Mr. and Mrs. Abbizi bicker and banter back and forth with one another. They were so cute togther. I could not believe it when she told me they had been together almost fifty years.

"Yes darling, back then, it was frowned upon, you know. Middle Eastern man and an English woman. And now look. Five children, fourteen grandchidren, and two great-grandchildren. I wouldn't trade him for all the Englishmen in the world. He's the love of my life." Her eyes just sparkled as she spoke about him. They were absolutely perfect for each other. She was his heart and kept him balanced. He was her rock. It was beautiful.

"I want a love like that. But if I were to have yours, I would've had to start fifteen years ago." I said to her.

"Oh hush now, darling. You will find your soul mate. When you least expect it, it will just happen. Like a puff of air." I shyly grinned and put my head down on the counter behind the register. "Oh my! You have found someone. Tell me all about him!!"

I told Mrs. Abbizi about Louis and how we didn't know each other well, but how he made me feel happy. I could not explain it. We walked around the shop while I put up stray books that where lingering throughout the store. She followed on my heels and pointed out areas when I got stuck. Mr. Abbizi was on the phone in the back room working on payroll. My first check was next week. I couldn't wait. I went back downstairs and freshed up the coffee thermoses and patiently waited on customers. This was the best job ever.

Louis' POV

 It was Friday night and I'd only texted Delilah over the last few days. We had not talked on the phone.  We had performances at a 'Back to School" festival type show last night and a radio show the night before so I really didn't get a chance to talk to her much. She did picture text me a photo of her in the bookshop. She had her glasses on and her hair up in a sexy bun. She had on a white button down top and there was a shelf of books behind her.

Dammit, she was seriously living the sexy librarian fantasy. Ok, so maybe it was my fantasy and she just didn't know it yet.

We were at another photo shoot at the moment and we were waiting around for the photographer to change the scenery. Liam was texting Dani, and Zayn with Perrie. Niall and Harry were tossing a football back and forth, chatting about girls, food, and music. I was on the porch of the cottage we were shooting at, leaning over the railing and looking out at the woods. This would be a lovely place to go for a short holiday. A little wooded area for short hikes, a lake for swimming and a small beach for sun bathing, the cottage itself for fires at night, while drinking a glass of wine...

My mind was wandering again, filled with things I wanted to do and places I wanted to go with Delilah. I really wanted to just call her and tell her I liked her, but I didn't want her to get scared and run. That was the last thing I wanted, actually. So, I kept my distance and tried to play it cool. TJ thought it would be funny to text me ideas and helpful suggestions of how to win his sister over. I know it was a joke, but he sounded like an arse. Still, a couple of things I took from him and got a few ideas flowing. She was not a "flowers and chocolates" kind of girl. She liked both, but not together. She didn't want cheesy. She loved to dance with her friends back home and she wanted be kissed by someone in the pouring rain.  For a girl who didn't want cheesy, that seemed exactly that. I just laughed at the messages and closed my phone.

While I couldn't control the weather I kept the last idea in mind. The first one I had covered. I had already planned on bringing her a small bouquet when I picked her up for dinner tomorrow. Now as for the dancing, I'd have to get with Dani some of her friends and have them take her out.