Page 36 of Deeper

I poked my head in between the driver and passenger seat. “It’s not?”

Zander’s grasp on the steering wheel tightened. “Easy, I may have to pull over and see about it.”

I smirked as I finished getting dressed. “Mm-hmm.”

Ten minutes later he pulled into a shopping complex and parked in front of a shop called J&K Beauty Outlet.

No matter what city you were in, or neighborhood, every beauty supply store was the same. Old Black hair model posters on the windows sporting the classic styles from ponytails to microbraids, to the occasional clothing each shop sold as well.

Something told me this was out of Zander’s usual element, and for that I met up with him on the sidewalk and held his hand as we entered my type of world.

“Wow,” he let out as we stepped inside and he took it all in.

On one side of the large open room was a section exclusively selling clothes, everything from old Baby Phat and Sean John to the newest stuff from Michael Kors. In the middle of the room was aisle upon aisle of hair supplies and accessories, and on the right side of the room from the front to the very back was mannequin head upon mannequin head of wigs. By the front counter I spotted an array of makeup tables and jewelry as well. Yep, nothing beat this.

“That’s a lot of wigs,” Zander noted as he followed behind me in my search for my essentials.

“Yeah, but the best type of wig to buy is a lace front, and I wouldn’t buy mine in a store because they’re not as good quality as the ones you can find online,” I said.

Zander’s eyes landed on my hair. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

“Nope, these are bundles, or, hair extensions.”

His brows furrowed, and he looked so incredibly cute when he was perplexed. “What’s your real hair look like?”

We made it to an aisle that offered everything from scarves, durags, and bonnets.

I gathered my phone and found a picture of my last silk press and showed it to him.

A smile curved his lips up as he examined the photo. “I like this look. It’s nice. I like natural Bianka.”

“Uh-huh.” I shoved my phone into my pocket and began debating between a scarf or bonnet.

“Ay, I see you!” a man shouted as he entered the shop with brown paper takeout bags with grease staining them. His eyes were on Zander and me.

Zander politely smiled back and lifted his hand to wave.

“Black is beautiful, my brother. Ain’t it?” the man asked with a big, friendly smile on his face.

Zander observed me, a gleam in his eye. “Indeed it is.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at their exchange. My eyes landed on Zander’s bronze skin and imagined my brown skin next to it. “Am I the first Black woman you’ve…hooked up with?”

Zander angled his head, looking deep in thought. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Another one.

I bought my haircare items and tried my best not to laugh as the man who was dating the cashier made more silly comments to Zander about being with me. He kept congratulating him, and I caught the cashier appraising Zander like I’d won a prize as well.

This wasn’t a big deal. It was only for the weekend. Nothing more, and nothing less.

The drive into Zander’s gated community had me sitting up and taking it all in. The properties were spaced apart to where each resident had enough privacy to do what they wanted. The upkeep let me know the gardeners and landscapers must’ve made a real killing out this way.

“From the ’Wood to the Hills,” I mumbled to myself. But I was just a mere guest; there was no way I could ever live in a place this nice for real.

Zander pulled onto a long driveway that led down to a massive mansion. At the wrought iron gate, he let the window down and punched in a code at the mountingkeypad post protruding from the ground. The gate slowly swung open and Zander drove through and pulled in and parked by a row of other luxury vehicles near the front entrance.

“Are we alone?” I wondered, looking up and staring at his house. It was a Spanish-style villa with its tile roofs, stucco exteriors, and half rounded doors and windows.

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