Impress Me Not: The Architect

Chapter 61

He knew it was a bad idea to let him go. He was already suffering from a hangover when he got a call from his friend Leo. From a friend screaming at another to a bride crying from the stress of it all, it wasn't a good situation. And, as usual, it had to happen the day before the wedding. Tensions were always on the rise as the special day got closer. In his line of work, he learned that if it wasn't the bride or groom causing problems and drama, then it was someone else. Whether it be a parent, a bridesmaid, or a friend, it never boded well for the success of the wedding. And it needed to be resolved as quickly as possible.

And now he was having to pick Valentino up. The man was usually calm, keeping his ground in most situations, but he was also a passionate man. Which meant that he could be quick to anger. And when he was, it wasn't pretty. Casimir had learned that from firsthand experience. He didn't know what was said while he was over there, but he didn't like how worked up Valentino seemed over the phone. He wouldn't even drive back home, too angry to see straight. He just told Casimir to bring Lou so that he could pick his car up.

"I wonder what's going on now," Lou sighed.

"Nothing that can't get fixed," Casimir assured him. "You have the extra keys, right?"

"Yup," he nodded. "It's been a while since I've driven it myself. I still remember the first day I rolled up in it. It was a shell of its former glory back then, but Valentino looked so excited when I told him it was his."

Casimir enjoyed the stories as he drove to Sunshine's house. He knew that Lou wasn't happy to do this. He would do anything for Valentino, Casimir believed that. But he also knew that the man had flown Ichika over again that week. He got permission from Sunshine and Nikita to invite her to the wedding, and he was enjoying using that excuse to see her again. She didn't need an interpreter like the last time with him around too. He had loved Japan so much in his travels with his band that he learned the language.

"You really love her, don't you?" he smirked at him.

"I do," Lou told him, smiling in the distance. "I'm thinking of asking her to move here with me. I mean, it's not going to be a quick process, but it couldn't hurt to ask."

"That's a wonderful idea," he told him. "But don't you think it's a little too soon to ask such a question?"

"What's love without a little risk?" he shrugged. "I'm not like you and Valentino, you know. I don't have my whole life ahead of me like you two. I don't have time to play this waiting game of seeing if things work out or not. Especially when it's a long distance one like Ichika and I."

"You have a point."

"Thanks," he chuckled. "I just wish I could get Valentino to understand that. It seems like the only one who could convince him to live a little is you."

"I don't think I'm the sole reason he's getting out more."

"You're a big part in it," he said. "I always told Valentino that he needs to actually take some risks in life, especially in love. Without them, you're going to have a boring life with nothing to remember when you get older."

"I think he was just afraid of ending up like your father," Casimir said. After hearing the whole story, it was no wonder why the man was so afraid of love.

"No," Lou shifted in his seat. "He's afraid of getting his heart broken. He was afraid of falling so hard that he wouldn't be able to pick himself back up from it. That's a little too common in our family."

"I see," he said. "Is that what happened to you too?"

"You hit the hammer right on the nail," Lou sighed again. "I fell in love with a chick when I was still traveling on tours and everything. She hated that I was so far away all the time, and when I had to stay home a little more to raise Valentino, she hated that too. She basically gave me the ultimatum of my kid brother or her. And, well, family always comes first."