When I Decided to Love Him

My best friend, Zoe Wright, was hospitalized due to a car accident and requested my assistance in retrieving some clothes from her home for her to change into.

When I entered her house, I was greeted with suspicion by her brother, who mistook me for an intruder. His sudden attempt to subdue me was so startling that it almost gave me a heart attack.

I was seething, on the verge of uttering some harsh words, but then I turned to him and swallowed them back.

Firstly, the guy was gorgeous. Secondly, he was standing there in nothing but his boxers.

And let's just say there was a lot to take in...

He had the whole package—six-pack abs, long legs, and an air of masculinity that hit all the right notes on my aesthetic scale. Even the way his hair fell across his forehead was artfully placed.

I felt my cheeks flush and tried to avert my gaze, but my eyes had a mind of their own, sneaking glances back to that spot.

Zoe's brother, however, remained composed. He methodically took his clothes from the closet, put them on, and then inquired, "You've come to help Zoe with her clothes? What happened to her?"

"Hospitalized from a car accident," I replied.

He furrowed his brow, and for a moment, I thought he was genuinely concerned. But then he said, "She didn't call me, so it can't be that serious. Plus, she must be totally at fault."

I was left speechless.

It was right on the money!

He asked, "How did you get here?"

"By cab," I answered.

"Alright, I'll drive you back to the hospital. I'll make a pit stop to see my sister."

A pit stop?

Was that all the family bond amounted to?

...

As it turned out, the term "a pit stop" was more than just words.

He truly did just pop in to check on Zoe, ensuring she was alright, and then promptly left, much to Zoe's annoyance.

"I'm going to call our parents and tell them Caleb Wright, that jerk, was mean to me again!" she fumed.

While she was ranting, the only thing that caught my attention was her brother's name—Caleb Wright. I quickly asked, "C-a-l-e-b?"

Before she knew what she was doing, Zoe had unconsciously affirmed with a nod, then shot back, "You're not interested in my brother, are you?"

How could I not be? He was incredibly handsome and had such a cool demeanor. I was smitten.

On the way to the hospital, I had hoped to engage more, but Caleb was either on the phone or tapping out messages, leaving me no opening for conversation.

"Is your brother seeing anyone?"

Zoe replied, "No girlfriend, but my brother has never been keen on relationships. He's very set in his ways. You might be barking up the wrong tree."

"How can I know unless I try? Maybe I can make him reconsider?" I countered.

Zoe wasn't convinced and made a wager with me. "If I lose, I'll do a handstand and wash my hair."

The challenge was daunting, and it made me a bit anxious. I realized I might have to pull out all the stops to win his favor for the next three years.

...

The first attempt at a dinner date with Caleb fizzled out when he mentioned having to work overtime on the weekend.

The second attempt met a similar fate. He had a client meeting in the evening.

When I suggested a movie date the third time, Zoe doused the idea with a remark, "He'll just fall asleep in the theater."

"..."

I felt disheartened for a bit, then came to a realization. "Your brother is either truly asexual or he just isn't interested in me."

Otherwise, by now, he would have noticed a girl being so enthusiastic and probably thought she had an agenda.

Zoe disagreed, "That's not necessarily true. If he really had no feelings, Caleb would have just said no."

"Maybe it's because I'm your friend?" I speculated.

"Please," she retorted, "he doesn't do anything for me."

"Well, I'll give it another shot then."

Zoe not only encouraged me to try again but also offered some advice,

"If he says he's working late, suggest a midnight snack afterward.

"If he mentions a client meeting, ask if he'd like to see you after.

"As for the movie idea... Let's just forget about it. The last time we went as a family, he slept through the whole thing."

In fact, I already knew all the things Zoe mentioned.

She probably forgot that it was me who taught her how to flirt with men.

With anyone else, I would have deployed my exclusive seduction strategies.

But Caleb was her brother, and that made things different.

I was cautious, worried that if things didn't go well, it would be incredibly humiliating.

But with Zoe's encouragement, my confidence was boosted. I no longer had any reservations.