Page 38 of Deeper

“Do you like spicy food?” he asked me.

I wrinkled my nose. “Not really.”

Zander bobbed his head. “There’s this dish I’d like to make for you Sunday. It’s chicken karahi. It’s a bit spicy, but it’s so good. I don’t make it as good as my dad, but I’ve heard I’m pretty close.”

He looked like a shy little boy and I agreed to eat every bite of his spicy dish right then.

Zander took out some shrimp and just as he was rinsing them in a strainer a familiar song came on and I immediately stood from the window seat.

Too $hort’s “Blow the Whistle” had me on my feet fast. “What?” I called out before commencing to dance to the iconic song.

I put my hands on my knees and shook my ass without shame to the beat.

Zander was frozen, watching me at the island. I had him mesmerized, and I wasn’t sure why, but I liked the way he looked at me. He’d been all over the world and seen millions of women, but it felt like if he had performed at The Warehouse, he would’ve spotted me out in the crowd, and he would’ve only seen me. Like I was the only woman in the world to him.

It was silly to think this, to think that I was leaving any sort of mark on him, but there was no missing the way he’d slip and just watch me, likehewasn’t the celebrity.

“Let me stop.” I laughed as the song ended and a Prince record came on. I went over to the island and sat at a stool, relaxing and falling into the lyrics of “Adore.” “What’s your favorite Prince song?”

Zander’s eyes flickered to mine. “?‘Insatiable.’ Yours?”

I told myself to calm down. The way he was looking at me, it felt like he was answering for more than just his favorite Prince song. “?‘Purple Rain.’?”

Zander nodded. “That’s also a good one.”

For a moment, I watched him work. In awe, and in denial. Was this real? Was I reallywithZander Khalil at hishouse? He seemed so at one with himself as he went about preparing food, while I couldn’t wrap my head around the reality of the situation. Where any minute felt like I would wake up back in my own bed, with the universe laughing at me.

But this was real. Very real.

Zander cooked this amazing garlic shrimp dish with a side of orzo—because he couldn’t just be a good singer, no, he was a multitalented king.

We ate side by side at the island—he drank wine and I drank water, and we talked about music, which I loved hearing how passionate he was about. It was a shame he cancelled his tour, because now Ididwant to see him sing.

“What type of movies do you like?” he asked as he carried the dishes to the sink.

“I like dark theme movies, but a comedy sounds good right now,” I said. With my belly full of delicious food, winding down with a lighter-tone movie sounded good.

“A comedy it is.”

“What’s your favorite comedy?”

Zander took me under his arm and walked us over to the entertainment area where we collapsed on the large sectional. “Dude, Where’s My Car?was always my favorite growing up for some reason.”

“I haven’t seen that in forever, but to call it a favorite?” I had to look at him sideways for that.

Zander snorted. “What’s yours?”

Growing up, Pryor and I would laugh our asses off watching one movie on repeat. “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.”

Zander looked at me crazy and I laughed. We were definitely watching it.

Zander foundDude, Where’s My Car?online and we snuggled up to watch both movies. Another thing about Zander I was growing to like, was how openly affectionate he was.

I guessed it was no surprise I fell asleep like that, there enveloped in his arms.

8

COMMON

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