Page 59 of Deeper

“Nah, I like it, I’m feeling the vibe. Do you write all your music?” Eddie wanted to know.

“I have a hand, yes, but full records not usually. This one I definitely want to write all on my own. The lyrics and the melody are inside my head, and I feel like I could write it all. It’s definitely going to be a piano-driven ballad.”

“This is a first for you to just take total creative control writing wise.”

“I guess you can say I’ve got the proper muse.”

I shut off the radio, unable to take any more.

I stood from the counter to stretch my legs and move, because I couldn’t sit still with my mind going a million miles a minute.

“Definitely not a fling,” Holliston announced from behind me.

“He just…defended me—andBlack women, and freestyled a song he’s writing for me.” I couldn’t breathe.

“Victoria will never forgive you at this rate.”

Placing my hand to my rapidly beating heart, I willed it to calm down and not think too deeply on things. “Holy shit, he must really like me.”

“The sex must’ve been crazy good,” Holliston mumbled.

To that I was able to laugh. “God, what’s next?”

“People are definitely going to write fanfiction about you two.”

Honestly, God bless Holliston, because she was taking the load off so effortlessly. My life, if I decided to include Zander in it, was about to change, whether I liked it or not. I just hoped it wasn’t a bumpy ride.

Customers were coming in in spurts, so we were back to business as I took control of the music and put on Zander’s first album. The first track, “Exposure,” was only over fifty seconds. It was nothing more than a series of cameras clicking and a menagerie of people—reporters, asking him questions. That track ended and bled into track number two, “The Sound.” I really liked that song, especially after our weekend.

Not too long later my cell phone rang, flashing Zander’s number and I excused myself to the back to sneak and answer his call.

“Hello?” I was even giddy to speak to him suddenly.

“How’s my car?” he quipped.

“Sold it for 50k.”

“That’s a pity, it’s worth a quarter of a million dollars.”

My eyes nearly blew out of their sockets. I wasneverdriving one of his cars again. “Of course.”

He snickered in my ear, making me bite my lip. “How did things go with Victoria?”

My mood sank at the mention of my grief with Tori. “She’s pissed.”

“Give her some time. This is new and a fresh wound,” he said gently.

I was going to give Victoria a couple of days before I tried again. With her being my closest friend, I couldn’t lose her, not over a guy. “How was Paul?”

On his end, Zander sighed. “Fantastic. He told me to go out there and bleed for my fans, and so I went on the radio today.”

“I heard, and thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“When did you become a social justice warrior?” I teased.

“From the beginning of my career there’s always been Black women on my team somewhere getting us right. I’ve heard a lot of conversations and asked a lot of questions along the way,” Zander said. “Are you okay?”

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