The Writing Dependence || Conneree AU || ✔

Chapter VI

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Conner sat in the car outside his new flat complex building. He had just met with the owner of the flat and they had passed on the keys, leaving Conner to go back to the hotel to get his things. But here he was, sitting in the car, too freaked out over actually having gotten a flat in NYC to even do anything.

So, he decided to go get coffee. He drove to the little coffee place Bree and he had gone to the one day that seemed like years ago and got out of his car to get coffee. One foot inside and he saw someone that caught him really off guard.

Bella sat on a stool near the counter, flirting with the young barista that Conner had met the other day. Alan noticed and recognised him, sending help signals with his eyes. Conner walked across the room immediately, knowing what was happening.

"Bella!" he called as cheerily as he could muster. "How are you?"

"Oh, Conner," she drawled out slowly. "Nice to see you this year, I'm doing fine! How are you?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Alan looked between them with a questioning look.

"Hey, Alan," Conner said. "I met Bella here last summer at the Williams Press Writing Conference where I first got published. She was the assistant there at the time. What are you up to now?"

"I got a job somewhere else," Bella said off-handedly, waving her hand. Sensing the tension, she got up slowly, both of the boys looking away from her too-small skirt and the display she was sending with it. "Well, see you another time, Al," she said. "Bye, Conner," she added with a wink at them both and waltzed out the door.

Alan and Conner exhaled at the same time. "That is the most friendly customer I have ever encountered," Alan said.

"She is always that way," Conner said and sighed. "Hey, Alan, you know Bree pretty well, right?"

"Yeah," Alan said apprehensively. "Why?"

"'Cause I bought an apartment here in New York and I just don't know how to tell her. DO you think she'll take it well?" Conner said it all in one breath, very rushed.

"Wow," Alan breathed. "Um, I think she'll be over the moon about it. Just don't make too big a deal about it, and I think she'll be really happy."

"Really?" Conner asked.

"Really." Alan said. "Girls love committed guys,"

"Okay," Conner said. He ordered his coffee and left, his mind barely on the sweet caramel shots swirling over his tastebuds.

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[Another masterful appearance from Alan! I know this is more than you expected, Thomas, so, um, here it is. Hope I did a good job!]