Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

"Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Taylor." Lauren shyly blushed.
Cyrus stood in silence behind Mandy. He fixed an intense gaze on Lauren without once looking away.
Meanwhile, Mandy, with a friendly smile, removed the emerald bracelet from her wrist and put it on Lauren's without warning. She remarked, "I showed up in
haste and didn't have time to prepare a gift for you. I hope you don't mind this gift."
Rory gasped in shock at Mandy's generosity. Did she just casually gift Lauren the emerald bracelet worth tens of millions?
Rory was moved by Mandy's magnanimity.
"No, Mrs. Taylor. I can't accept the gift. It's too expensive." Lauren proceeded to remove the bracelet, but Mandy stopped her. "Hey, do not decline gifts from your elders.
"Besides, the Taylors never take back what we gifted. I'll be upset if you refuse to accept my gift."
"Well... Thank you, then." Lauren blushed again as she carefully held the bracelet. Mandy was tickled by her adorable action. At that moment, she understood the reason Cyrus fell for Lauren.
Lauren was a simple, genuine, and cute young lady.
Before leaving, Cyrus blurted out in a raspy voice, "Lauren."
She stared at him quietly with sparkling eyes.
"I didn't show up tonight to lend you a hand." Cyrus' heart raced. Speaking at a fast speed, he confessed to her, "I just wanted to see you."
Before she could wrap her head around his words, he sneaked into his car and fled the scene.
Normally serious-faced, Rory couldn't help but chuckle.
"Mr. Rory, what's wrong?" Lauren looked confused.
Stifling his laugh, he mused, "Cyrus Taylor is an interesting young man."
On Mandy and Cyrus' way home, Cyrus remained blushing.
"Son, you have great taste." Sighing gently, Mandy patted him on the shoulder. "Too bad Landon was a step ahead of you." "Landon had loved her a long time ago. He made a lot of sacrifices for her. I can never measure up to that," Cyrus croaked with a frown on his face.
"But they've broken up. You aren't doing anything wrong if you pursue Lauren." Although Mandy had mixed feelings about the circumstances, she felt sorry for her beloved son. "Cyrus, you've always put others before you. Why don't you be a little selfish this time and pursue the woman you love?"
Cyrus struggled to come up with a reply. Instead, he quietly texted Alyssa, "Lyse, I think I'm not just interested in Lauren."
Taking a deep breath, he wrote another text, "Would you believe me if I say that I'm in love with Lauren?"
"Of course I do," she texted back without hesitation. "Back when I was hopelessly pursuing Jasper, I fell in love with him a bit more than the day before. Cyrus, Lauren has her freedom of choice, and so do you. Live your life without regrets."