Curved Edges ✔

(54) Montell ∎ Conan ∎ Noah

♡ MONTELL

My phone rings and as soon as I see it's my woman, I pick up. "Hey gorgeous, how is Ama doing?"

"Hello boo. Ama is a bit shook up. But not in a bad way. What can you tell me about Donté?"

I stay quiet for a bit, trying to figure out why she wants to know about him. It makes me a tiny bit insecure because all the girls are into him. 

I think Mona senses my apprehension and she adds: "Ama has been attracted to him ever since we started coming to the club. She ran into him in the liquor store earlier and is even more attracted to him now. So again, who is he?"

I chuckle at her protectiveness and start telling her what I know. "He moved here about 5 years ago. He's our senior bartender. Knows it all, does it all and my mom trusts him with her life." 

Mona sighs and I know what she wants to hear, but it's too much fun to tease her by pretending I don't know.

"Montell! Stop beating around the bush! You know what I want to hear. Spill!"

I chuckle, "I don't think he's a player. He's experienced though if you catch my drift. But I don't think I've ever seen him take a girl home. All the women in the club flirt with him and he's perfected that to an art. The tip jar fills fast when he serves the drinks. I think he's a good guy. And he might be into the curvy ladies because those are the ones I catch him staring at sometimes."

That last bit of information seems to do it. She chuckles a little and then asks if there are any job openings at the club. I tell her a cocktail waitress just quit on us but that my mom is picky where it comes to hiring people. My mom likes variety. All different sizes and flavors. A little bit for everyone she always says.

Mona tells me they'll be at the club tonight and I can't wait to see her. I tell her if Ama wants to inquire about a job, she should come by around eight. Mom would be free to talk to her then.

I say goodbye to her and order some Chinese for dinner. I know she needs time alone with Ama, so I'm not even going to ask her to have dinner with me.

♡♡♡

♡ CONAN

I walk into the gym for a training session with Noah. Something I hardly ever have time to do, but today I made time. Because my detective senses are tingling. Something's up with him. 

I wave at Mary, walk through the glass door, and make my way to the office. Just in time to catch Noah throwing his phone against the wall.

What the hell? He never gets angry. Something's up alright. Let's see how he responds.

"And a good morning to you too. Did your horoscope predict something bad?" I chuckle a bit but stop immediately when he lifts his head to look at me. He's crying?

I turn around and close the door behind me and tell Noah to sit down. 

He slumps onto a chair and sighs. 

"Noah? What happened between you and Ama?"

♡♡♡

♡ NOAH

Fucking hell. How does he even know it's about Ama? Yeah, I should know better by now, I know. I try not to cry but fuck do I feel bad. I thought I had her and fucked it all up. And she's not going to forgive me for it.

I tell Conan all about yesterday, how devastated she was. About the library, kissing her and carrying her to bed. 

Conan looks at me with those investigating eyes of his and says: "So far so good. Excellent even. You really came through for her. So what did you do?"

I tell him about my boss and the pictures they had of me and Ama. And that it was my third strike at strong rumors about me being 'inappropriate' with a client.

Conan pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. "You were cold to her."

"I explained that I had to keep things professional in the gym and suggested she'd find another trainer. She seemed to understand. I..." 

I feel a lump in my throat and can't talk anymore.

Conan gets up and paces through the office. "Noah?" 

I look up at him with tears in my eyes and his gaze softens a little. "Did you talk to her after you carried her upstairs?"

I shake my head and I hear him sigh again. "You idiot. So the first time you saw her again after yesterday, you were cold to her. Where did you tell her about being professional?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you take her into the office to explain it to her in private? And give her a hug in here at least?"

That's it, I can't hold my tears back anymore. I'm such a fucking idiot, I hurt her. I hurt her while she was still hurting from yesterday. I'm an asshole. And I wouldn't forgive me either.

Conan hands me his handkerchief and I chuckle a little in spite of my pain. He is such an old fashioned gentleman. A perfectly ironed, cotton handkerchief is such a Conan thing. It would look ridiculous coming from anyone else, but for Conan, it's just part of who he is. I wish I had a bit more of that.

He fills a glass with water and puts it in front of me. He sits down next to me and waits for me to calm down. I drink half of the water in one go and look at him. 

He looks at me with those calm eyes, "I'm not going to lie to you. You fucked up. And she's a strong-willed redhead. She is not going to forgive you anytime soon. But..."

I sit up and squeeze the glass in my hand. "But what?"

Conan smiles a tiny bit, "You did amazing yesterday. She is not going to be able to forget that easily. I do suggest you stay away from her and her best friend for a while because that can only end in murder. And I am busy enough as it is."

I chuckle a little and he gets up. 

He squeezes my shoulder, "Sadly you wasted all of the time I had carved out for training by crying like the book reading, stuttering sissy you are, so I am off. If you need me to come over tonight to drink away your sorrows, let me know bro. I'm out."

He whistles a Sinatra tune and saunters out the door. Leaving me with a tiny bit of hope.

♡♡♡

Even more POV mess in this chapter. But I like it.

So let me know what you think about this one. I felt like we needed to hear from Noah and that he needed Conan to talk about it.

And yes Conan can be found in the wonderful killer series by STDsam

Also a tiny bit of background on Donté given by Montell. 

♡