Chapter Text
Louis Tomlinson was just signing off the email when the doors to his office opened and in stepped a girl with strikingly blue eyes.
“Dad! Are you ready to go?” The girl asked as she leaned against the wall next to the doors.
“Give me just a second, darling,” Louis answered as he closed out the windows of his computer. He finally looked up and smiled when he saw his daughter staring back at him. He grabbed his stuff and joined her at the door.
“Hi, Jazzie, how was school?” He wrapped her up in a hug and kissed the top of her head. Jasmine sighed and hugged him back.
“It was okay. Can we go now?”
Louis chuckled and released her, taking a step back. He held the door open for them to step out and locked the doors after himself.
“Alright, where are you taking me today?” Louis nodded at his employees as he went past them, following his daughter outside of the building.
“Do you remember that place down the street that was closed for some months now? They opened back up last week,” Jasmine explained as they made their way down the street.
Louis hummed and soon enough, a coffee shop appeared before them, a big cursive sign that read ‘Nonna’s cup’. The outside tables were all full, and people enjoying the spring sun and warm temperatures. They made their way inside which was quieter, only a few tables full. Luckily there was no line, so they made their way to the counter, which was surprisingly empty.
“Do you know what you’re getting?” Louis asked Jasmine, glancing up at the menu.
“I’m not, sure, maybe an iced coffee and a muffin?”
“Hi, sorry for the wait! What can I get you?” A deep voice interrupted Louis’ contemplation of coffee. He glanced down and locked eyes with the greenest eyes he had ever seen. The man looked a couple of years younger than him. He had chocolate brown hair and he had dimples.
“Hi, can I get a vanilla iced latte and one chocolate muffin, please,” Louis was startled by his daughter.
“Alright, coming right up, and for you sir?” The man turned to Louis again with the dimples. Louis was so done.
He cleared his throat, “And a black coffee, please.” He smiled at the man and paid for their order.
“Okay, your order will be ready in a minute, you can wait here,” the man said and turned around.
Louis turned to Jasmine, “Do you want to find us a sit and I’ll bring the coffee?”
“Yeah okay,” She turned around and walked towards the tables on the left.
Louis turned back to the counter and watched the man work. He couldn’t help but observe how attractive he was, despite wearing an apron with a drawing of a coffee cup over a white shirt. He noticed his hands which were artfully done with tattoos.
Could he get any hotter?!
Louis was baffled because he hadn’t found anyone that attracted him in years, no one since his ex-wife. He hadn’t really dated since the divorce a couple of years ago.
And it wasn’t that the man was just simply good-looking, he had this aura around him like he lights up any room that he steps a foot in.
Two cups and a paper bag are put on the counter in front of him.
“Here you go, enjoy!” The man smiled at him.
“Thank you,” Louis grabbed the drinks and just as he was turning around, he could swear the man winked at him.
He walked to the table Jasmine chose, still thinking about the green-eyed man.
“What are you smiling about?” The question surprised him as he put the coffee and muffin in front of her.
“What?”
“Is it the cute barista?” Jasmine wiggled her eyebrows, a grin on her face.
“What are you talking about?” Louis frowned as he took a seat.
“C’mon, since we stepped into the shop, you have been looking at him with heart eyes. I’m sixteen, I’m not blind.” She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.
Louis choked on a sip of coffee. “I haven’t been making heart eyes!” He denied but he felt warmth creep into his cheeks.
“You have, and I think you should get his number,” she grinned devilishly.
“I am not getting dating advice from my daughter!” Louis glared at her. He wondered where she got the sass from. “Now, how was school, how did the exam go?” He quickly changed the topic.
They talked for the better part of the hour, as they usually did every Thursday on their standing coffee date. Louis loved that he had such a relationship with all three of his kids, where they felt comfortable enough to talk to him and hang out with him. Granted, the youngest was only seven years old, but still. Their conversation ranged from the 1st year high school gossip to what would be for dinner.
Before they left, Louis went to the toilet. As he stepped outside the coffee shop, his daughter was grinning at him like a madman.
“What’s up with you?” He side-eyed her, as he started walking in the direction of the car garage.
“I got you the barista’s phone number. By the way, his name is Harry,” she winked at him.
Harry. That’s a pretty name.
“You did what?” Louis stopped and glared at her. “Why would you do that?”
Jasmine stopped in front of him and sighed. “Because you looked at him like he made the world, and you don’t even know him. Because you haven’t been on a date since that bitch left. Dad, you do so much for us, but you never think about yourself. I think you should just send him a text, see where it goes, and for once put yourself first.” A gentle smile graced her face.
“I…” Louis sighed. “First of, language – do not talk like that about your mother. Jazzie, you gotta understand, if I start dating someone, I have to also think about you and Ollie and Steph, it affects your lives too. I can’t just bring some random people into your lives, just like that.” Louis put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. “And I’m perfectly happy with the way my life is right now, I don’t really need anyone.”
“Okay, I hear you, but can you just text just to see what he’s like? He did say you were cute and I did tell him I’m your daughter and he didn’t seem to mind so…” She grinned at Louis.
“What am I gonna do with you?” Louis sighed, but the corners of his mouth lifted up. “Alright I’ll think about it, but c’mon, we have to pick up Stephie and think about dinner.”
“Yess!” Jasmine exclaimed as they continued their way to the car.
ooo
Later in the evening, when the kids were finally in their beds, Louis settled on the couch with reruns of football highlights in the background. He thought about what Jasmine said. It’s true, he hadn’t been on a date since his divorce, but in his defence, he had to take care of 3 kids, who essentially lost their mom, and his company. He knew Jasmine and her twin brother Olliver took the divorce hard because they were already twelve when everything went crashing down and they did catch their mother cheating on him. He still remembers the call while he was at work when Jasmine called him crying about what she had just seen with Olliver yelling in the background.
Sixteen years of his life tainted just like that. Fortunately for him, his ex-wife didn’t want anything to do with the kids and she just disappeared after the divorce. He had to step up even more, as he had two teenagers and a three-year-old, at the time.
Louis sighed. Maybe he should give this a shot.
He picked up his phone and typed in the number Jasmine provided.
Hi, this is Louis from the coffee shop today…I’m sorry if my daughter bugged you!
He hit send before he could overthink it. He put his phone down and focused on the TV. Just a few minutes later a text came through.
Hi Louis! I’m Harry :) It was so nice to meet you today! Don’t worry about your daughter she was incredibly nice! I’m so glad you decided to text me, you should come by sometime soon, next coffee is on me ;)
Louis smiled; a weird fluttery feeling spread all over his body.
Nice to meet you Harry! I’m definitely taking you up on that coffee, it was amazing today!
They continued to text until the early hours of the morning. They talked about all kinds of things, like Louis’ kids and Harry’s coffee shop he inherited from his grandmother. Multiple times Louis caught himself grinning like a teenager with a crush. He went to sleep with the thoughts of green eyes and curly hair clouding his mind.
xxx
Harry just returned from the backroom when he noticed Louis from the day before walking inside. He felt his face stretch into a wide grin as he admired Louis walk in, an air of confidence surrounding him.
“Hi,” Harry smiled at him when he finally reached the counter.
“Hi,” Louis smiled back at him.
“So, what can I get you today? It’s on the house as promised,” Harry winked at Louis.
“You know what? Surprise me,” Louis grinned as he backed away and went to sit at the table next to the counter exit.
Harry shook his head and grinned. He quickly made two caramel lattes, deciding to show Louis his favourite coffee flavour.
When he finished, he went to join Louis at the table. It was just after the mid-morning rush hour, so the shop was empty, except for the student with headphones and a computer in the back.
Louis took a sip of the coffee, humming appreciatively. “This is great, I love it, thank you, Love.”
It should be illegal to look this good while drinking coffee and calling him ‘Love’. It’s not good for Harry’s mental health, Harry decides.
“I’m glad you like it!” Harry hesitates before continuing, “So, I was thinking, would you like to go on a date with me?”
“I would love to, Harry,” Louis smiled at him, “When were you thinking?”
They hashed out the details and Harry couldn’t be more excited for the following week when their date will take place.
ooo
Louis decided to talk to his older kids before he went on the date. He knew nothing had happened yet between him and Harry, but he still felt like he needed to be transparent with them.
That is why the day before his date, he sat down with Jasmine and Olliver after Stephanie’s bedtime.
“I’m going on a date tomorrow,” Louis blurted out as soon as they settled. “It’s still too early to say anything, but I just wanted you guys to know.”
Jasmine squealed, a grin on her face. “Is it with Harry?!”
“Who’s Harry?” Oliver looked baffled.
“Yes, it’s with Harry. It’s a guy that owns the coffee shop down the street from the office, I met him last week when we went with Jazzie.”
“I knew you two were gonna hit it off!” Jasmine started doing a little dance.
“Tone it down Jazzie, Steph is sleeping and nothing happened yet,” Louis looked at his daughter and a warm feeling of approval overcame him. He turned to look at his son, “What do you think, Ollie?”
“I mean, I’m happy for you. I’m glad you’re thinking of just yourself for once and doing something that will make you happy.”
That warm feeling from before spread even more. “I’m glad you’re both fine with it. I’m so proud of you for being such a well-thought persons.” Louis smiled at his kids. He couldn’t believe how big they already were.