Nothing Without Love

Louis' POV
I have to talk to Josie today, clear the air. Niall and Erica are my friends, we have to figure things out so it's not so awkward between us. I mean, we can't just keep ignoring each other every time I stop over. She avoided me at the after party for her boyfriends fight. You could tell they had a close relationship, and I'll die when he finds out that she cheated on him with me.

So I'm driving to Niall's today. A surprise visit. I stopped over once after Ryan was born just to see how things were going but I didn't stay long. I always remembered when mum had her kids that she was so tired and just the thought of showering and dressing in something other then sweatpants would make her cringe. So I just stopped over, dropped off some diapers and some outfits my mum and sisters picked out and then left. It's been almost a month since Ryan was born, and a week since I went to the fight. I could have went to Niall's the next day but Mark was here so I didn't want to leave him and I know if Mark would have saw Josie, he would have known something was up. He can read me like a book.

I haven't called, I like to come over unannounced. It used to annoy the shit out of Zayn and Liam but Niall and Harry never seemed ti mind. The traffic isn't too bad, it only takes twenty minutes to arrive as I punch the familiar gate number and it opens easily. Niall is pretty trusting, he's always letting me know their gate code so I can get in if I need to. He knows mine though, it's a two way street. I park and all the sudden it seems like my nerves are in knots in my stomach. I turn the engine off and lean back in the drivers seat, taking a deep breath in and out. It was a breathing exercise that one of our old trainers taught us, to calm us.

Biting the bullet I pull the keys out and open the door, all but running up to the front door, no turning back now. I knock instead of ringing the bell, another thing my mum always hated if the babies were sleeping, the bell would wake them up. I'm sweating just a little bit but it's actually hot today, it's the first week in October but you wouldn't guess. The weather difference from London to L.A. Is just insane.

“Mr. Tomlinson.” Thomas answers the door, welcoming me in. “Are the Horan's expecting you?” He asks, Niall has said over and over again that Thomas is extremely professional, they can't get him to refer to them as their first names.

“No, I don't believe so. Did I come at a bad time?” I ask, itching my scalp and looking around to see if I can see anyone.

“No sir. Mrs. Horan and the baby are napping upstairs, and Mr. Horan is in the backyard writing lyrics.” He informs me then starts walking away, I can only assume it's okay that I'm able to join Niall as Thomas hasn't said otherwise.

I walk into the kitchen to the formal dinning room to the massive double doors leading out to the backyard and see Niall lounging by the inground pool, guitar on the chair resting, and notebook after notebook on the ground or the lounge chair with him. Maybe I'll see him before I see Josie.

“Niall!” I open the door and close it quietly, it's a big house, I know their master bedroom us upstairs on the opposite side but I don't want to be the reason to wake up a newborn baby and a sleep deprived mother.

“Louis! Another surprise!” He quickly gets up, all but tripping on the legs of the lounge chair, he's always doing this, he's been the clumsy one of the group since day one.

“Writing today?” I kick my shoes off, my feet need to air out, and plop down on the lounge chair next to him, laying back and enjoying the sun. I should have brought swim trunks, my skin is so pale still. It's like years of English sun and my skin can't adapt to anything else.

“Yeah, just messing around.” He puts his pencil down and lounges back with me. Niall always writes in pencil, it's odd but after he explained it once, we all got it. Niall is left handed, his hand always gets pen smudges, if you write with a pencil, it's easier to remove then a pen. Plus he has shit handwriting so he can erase and rewrite.

“How's Ryan? Life with a baby?” I ask, squinting in the sun, I should have brought in my sunglasses too.

“It's different.” He laughs quickly. “I mean, we love it, we love her. But we didn't realize how much sleep we wouldn't be getting, Erica is breast feeding so I try to help out as much as possible but I don't have boobs, I can't feed her. She doesn't want to bottle feed for a while.” It's a good thing we've always been so open with each other. “But Josie helps out a lot, she comes in early and lets us sleep in, we've gotten to take lots of naps because she's always around. Erica doesn't want to use her services as much but I know that when she gets fully back into her P.h.D courses and Ryan gets a little older Josie will be used a lot more.” He explains. The thought of Josie makes my stomach turn. I feel like I should tell him about our history but I don't want to throw Josie under the bus or make him think differently of her.

“Where is Josie?” I ask, trying to act casually.

“Um, she's coming out, just before you came she was going back to her place to put her swimsuit on.” He shrugs his shoulders and the thought of Josie in a swimsuit, I can only assume a two piece makes me even more nervous to talk with her. “Ah, there she is. Hi Josie! Louis is here!” He shouts across to her, at least if Erica or Ryan wake up I won't be in trouble, it will be my dumb friend Niall.

“Hi.” She speaks a little loudly but not enough and sets up across from us. Laying a pink beach towel on the lounge chair and putting her sunglasses on. She's got a lavender swimsuit on, its not a lot of fabric. It makes you appreciate her body, this is when I really need sunglasses so I can look at her without her noticing. Jesus, I'm creepy.

She gets up suddenly, stretching her back slightly. “You want anything to drink guys? I'm going to grab a water.” She asks, starting to walk towards the small pool house.

“No thanks.” We both speak and Niall returns to his notebooks. I watch as she walks away, her backside sliding back and forth effortlessly, her shoulders straight and you can see a small bit of muscle in her arms, a small defined stomach, her quads, every muscle seems to be defined. But it's not masculine. It's sexy.

“You really let her walk around like that?” I ask Niall as she's walked into the pool house.

“What do you mean, let her?” He snorts.

“I mean, she's hardly dressed! What would Erica think?” Why do I get so worked up about this?

“Dude, relax. You care more about Josie and what Josie does then Erica and I do. You've never even had a conversation with her. She's got a swimsuit on. We used to see boobs at every concert, hers are covered. She's not shoving them in my face, she's got the day off so she can do whatever she wants, including using the pool.”

“I'm going to get a water.” I think out loud, this might be the perfect time frame to talk to Josie just quickly and clear the air.

I walk with purpose as I reach the french doors, seeing her bent over in the fridge and I swallow my pride.

“Hey.” The word lingers in the air as she turns around quickly.

“Hey, sorry, you scared me, didn't hear you come in.” This is literally the most she's said to me since we slept together.

“Can I have a water?” I ask. She turns and grabs one, closing the door.

“I was refilling the fridge, pop and water they were getting low.” She informs me even though I haven't asked.

“So I'll just get to the point. Can we just be relaxed around each other? This is your job, Niall and Erica are my friends I don't want it to be weird when I stop over.” I lean against the counter, pushing the chair out of my way just slightly.

“Yeah. I can do that.” She squeezes her lips together, making them almost white and then the color comes back in, all I can think about is how it felt to kiss her lips, they're full. I let out a breath, I can't say I want things to be less awkward and then go about thinking of her full lips.

“I saw you at the fight. You're boyfriend is pretty good.” I try to remain casual, I don't want things to get tense.

“My boyfriend?” She almost chokes on her water, letting it dribble slightly down her chin.

“Yeah, um, Chaos?” I don't understand why she's acting like she didn't see me or like I don't know because I know that she saw me.

“Yeah, you mean Adam Collins?” She smiles, she knows something.

“Sure. Isn't he your boyfriend?” I'm cautious now, I don't understand how she's so calm, she cheated on him with me.

“Adam Collins.” She repeats again and I nod. “I'm Josephine Collins, it's nice to meet you.” She smiles big.

“You're married?” I ask quickly, with frustration. She's married? She cheated on her husband with me?!

“Okay, relax. I know you didn't go to college, but I know you're smarter then that. Collins, same last name, no wedding ring on my finger. And we have the same parents.” She speaks slowly and lets it process.

“He's your brother?” I ask, feeling like a complete idiot.

“He's my older brother. Good job.” She raises her eyebrows and smiles, walking away from me. Jesus Christ Louis, quite jumping to conclusions and pull your shit together.

Notes

For all you bored readers on this Sunday! Finally some interaction, but we're not done with this day yet! Maybe I'll even update tomorrow, if you would like!

Have a great day!!

xooxxo