Impress Me Not: Neon Underground

Chapter 42

It was a long night. Too long, in fact. Melvin hadn't had a night leave him so exhausted in a long time. He also hadn't had a night where someone was bawling into him in a long time.

A sigh escaped him as he drove himself home. He made sure that Mateo got home safe. He even called him after a bit just to make sure. Mateo sounded exhausted, but much better than when this whole disaster first started. Melvin was hoping that he would feel better after he got some sleep, but there truly was no telling if that would happen. Built up emotions finally coming out did some damage on people. He had enough experience with that. He just hoped that Mateo didn't backpedal. Melvin had seen too many people go through something like this.

He hadn't told many that they were important to him, though. Perhaps important to the world or to their family and loved ones. But there were a fair few that he said were important to him.

Melvin parked at his house, but didn't turn off the car. He rested his face on the steering wheel, soaking in the memories that the morning sun tried to wash away. The years had treated his heart harshly. So, just like everyone else, he put up a guard on it. The few that did get through it, he protected and helped as best he could. A lot of his workers were like family to him. He still treated them like employees, but he would help them if he could.

It just didn't make sense that someone he once hated had somehow snuck past those barriers.

He would be just as bad as the ones he despised if he didn't admit that people could change. Mateo wasn't the narcissist that he first met. But it was easy to fall back into old habits.

Well, he could still be trained. He was a good student.

The problem wasn't just his own hesitation towards a relationship. There was also the fact that this man was also the one that had slept with his cousin. And Melvin didn't want anything messy.

Rubbing his head, he turned the car on and left his house, heading towards another one. It was probably time to get it out in the open. He knew that he couldn't keep it a secret forever. Not if things were heading in the direction he thought they were.

Today should have been one that he had off. Melvin could never be too sure, but he was too busy driving to give him a call. So, he parked in front of his cousin's house and hoped that the man's car was in the closed garage.

Speaking of cars: it looked like Gabe was there. The old man always had very distinct cars.

This was going to be such a fun conversation. He was sure Gabe would get a kick out of this.

Melvin knocked on the door as a warning before opening it and walking in. Anton wasn't the type to get mad about it, and neither was his father, Nick.

Unfortunately, neither of them were there.

"Ah, the mystery man," Gabe looked up at him from the couch in the living room. It was an open house, making it easy to move from one room to the next. "Are you actually here to spend some time with us?"

"I was mainly looking for Anton," he said, moving towards the coffee machine. The kitchen was open as well, and connected to the living room. It was great for parties. "Are you the only one here right now?"

"Nick got called into work, and Anton wound up going to his café," the old man answered. "Apparently it's only going to take thirty minutes."

"Do you really believe that?" he asked, pouring himself some coffee. Anton had one of the best coffee bars in his house. He used it all the time when he was trying to come up with a new flavor for his business. It was the perfect thing for Melvin right now, considering he hadn't slept at all the night before.