“Yeah, I hate that dumb-ass song.”
Danira playfully slapped his forearm. “Hey, don't say that. I declared it to be our song.”
“I don't know why.” He frowned before looking out the window. “Shit could’ve been a beautiful song if my mama didn’t play it fifty times a day.”
Danira’s smile faded. “Hearing that song made me think about our relationship. The plans we made and how they fell through. I kinda miss it back then. You know, when we didn’t know what we were doing in life. We were coasting and making plans, not knowing that none of it would come to fruition.”
Propping his elbow on the table, Noble sighed. “Yeah, we were supposed to be on kid number four by now. Oh, and you said you wanted a vacation house in the Maldives.”
She grinned so widely that her eyes turned into slits. “Wow, you remember that?”
He nodded as his gaze drifted to the wooden table. “Yep, two boys and two girls.”
When their eyes locked, he saw a hint of water resting in hers. Life had a funny way of transpiring. People could make plans, but it was God who solidified them. Back then, Noble was set on Danira being the one for him. She had been the first girl to capture his heart until life broke them apart. Now that he had experience true, deep, yearning love with Irish, what he shared with Danira just couldn’t compare.
“I regret that we didn’t work out,” she quietly confessed, diverting her gaze. “I look back on my journey and all the relationships I've been in and… nobody made me feel quite like you did, Noble. Even in our youth, you loved me the right way.”She chuckled without humor. “Shit, you loved me so much you let me go… I wish you would’ve been selfish, though. Why didn’t you fight for me to stay?”
Noble leaned back in his seat, carefully choosing the right words to say. Danira was in a vulnerable state right now. Usually, she paraded herself as a woman who was unbothered and could handle the truth. But now, her chest was open, displaying a heart that wasn’t in perfect condition. Noble always wanted to handle her with the best care.
“Honestly.” He pulled the hairs on his chin. “I didn’t want you to resent me for fighting for you. Even back then, I didn’t want to be the reason you didn’t pursue the life you wanted. I couldn’t have that shit on my conscience. I had to let you go. I couldn’t be the reason you stayed back.”
Danira exhaled through her nude lips. “I get it, Noble. I swear I do. I just wish you would’ve went against the grain.”
Noble didn’t speak to that sentiment. He only watched as regret remained in her beautiful features. The conversation had become too heavy for him. He didn’t need to travel down the memories of him and Danira when his future was at home waiting for him. Glancing at his Breitling, he noticed it was time for him to meet with the crew.
“Look, I gotta get outta here.” Reaching into his pocket, he placed a hundred-dollar bill on the table. “Get lunch on me since I stood you up.”
Smacking her lips, she quickly scooped it up. “Yeah, I’ll be at The Fiftieth One today.”
He smirked and kneeled down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll holla at you.”
With that said, Noble continued out the door, hoping these talks about the past with Danira ceased.
Fifteen
“So, you want me to post all of these?”
Jovanis nodded, exhaling the contents from his blunt while surveying his surroundings. Rage was something he never managed well. When upset, he went off the deep end, unable to care how it would affect other people. This time was no different. There hadn’t been any growth in how he handled his wrath. Jovanis was hurt, and Tuck was going to feel it the worst.
“Yeah, post all that shit but don't attach my name to it.”
Chiquita was one of the messiest females in St. Parklynn. She ran a Facebook group exposing all the dealings in the city. People often sent her tea and tips to her DMs so she could expose people who were accused of cheating, molesting children, and even being on the down low.
“Okay, so, when I post this shit ain't no turning back. And I don't take shit down, so you need to let me know if you wanna change your mind.”
Jovanis had thought long and hard about how he would make Tuck feel the rejection he had unfortunately been infected with. His lack of care and concern of Jovanis’ feelings were gut wrenching. Since Tuck hadn’t shown him any mercy, neither would he.
“I ain't changing my mind. Post all that shit.”
Chiquita danced in her seat. Nothing excited her more than being messy and having what she deemed piping hot tea.
“I’m about to break the internet with this shit. I can’t believe it. Not Tuck.”
Jovanis snorted before flicking his blunt. “I gotta go. Don't forget to leave my name outta that shit.”
“I got you, Jovanis.”
He walked to his car and drove off. Between Tuck’s bullshit and Irish’s disappearing act, he was stressed. His person had been dodging him, leaving him with no one to dump on. He arrived at the warehouse near the port and got out the car. Walking inside, he noticed Wilde, Zayd, Rio, Nuke, and Noble seated at the table.
