Page 11 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
“Don’t be a hater,” Case smirked.
“Then stop talking like one,” I shot back. “But for real. I appreciate you looking out, but this is just a date… a first date at that. I’m not tryna marry the girl.”
“I hear you, bro. I’m just making sure you’on go into this shit looking for more than she’s willing to give. I would hate to have to explain to Maya why she has to get another stylist because the one she had magically disappeared.” I laughed at his dumb ass but respected his stance on the situation.
We finished the last of the boxes, swept the floor down, and stepped back to look at what we accomplished. The shop looked good, better than I expected with a week still left before opening. I wiped my hands clean and walked over to Semerah, crouching in front of her. “I’m ’bout to head out, Peanut. It’ll be late when I get home, so I’ll come get you in the morning. Be good for Uncle Case And TiTi Maya. Aight?”
“Aight,” she mocked me.
We went through our handshake, and I kissed her forehead before turning to CJ and did the same with him.
“Aight,” I said, grabbing my keys. “I’ll catch y’all later.”
“Aight. Be safe, bro.”
“Bye, Daddy!”
“By Uncle Semi!” Everyone said their goodbyes at once.
Once I made it outside, I glanced across the street and noticed that Zora’s car was gone, and her shop was closed for the day. That made me grin before I even pulled out my phone.
Hope you’re getting ready for me tonight.
Her reply came faster than I expected.
Zo: Maybe I am… maybe I’m not.
I had to chuckle because this girl loved to play that tough role.
Don’t play with me, Zora. I’ll see you later.
Zo: Maybe…
I slipped the phone back into my pocket and shook my head as I climbed behind the wheel. I kept telling myself it was only a night out, nothing heavy, but that was a lie, and I knew it. Zora wasn’t built like the women I had dealt with before. She had her own way of moving, like she set every rule herself, and the more I thought about her, the more I knew I wanted to be the one to test them.
***
I stood in the mirror and admired myself as I brushed my waves. I was a simple nigga, but I didn’t slouch when it came to my clothes. Tonight I settled on a cream and blue Dior tee with a pair of distressed jeans, completing my look with a pair of Travis Scott Limited Edition Jordan 1s in the same color. Once I had my chain and watch secured, I grabbed my wallet, keys, and phone and locked up. It took about twenty minutes to get to Zora’s spot. When I pulled up, I parked, killed the engine, and walked up the path with my hands in my pockets.
When I knocked, it didn’t take long before the door opened, and there she was, standing in the frame with her purse already on her shoulder. I let my eyes scan her thick frame that was covered in one of those oversized shirt dresses that hung off of her shoulder. Her red hair was curled and flowing freely, and the subtle makeup she wore was still no match for her undeniable beauty.
“Damn, Zora,” I said, not taking my eyes off of her. “You really tryna make this hard on me tonight.”
Her gaze dragged down my fit before sliding back to my face. The corner of her mouth curved. “You don’t look bad yourself.”
“I know,” I responded with a cocky smirk, causing her to laugh.
I stood back as she locked up. When she was done, I offered my hand, and she slipped hers into mine without hesitation. I walked her to the car, opened the passenger door, and waited for her to settle before closing it behind her. Once we pulled into traffic, the conversation flowed effortlessly.
“You always been in Diamond Cove?” I asked, glancing at her.
“Born and raised. My family’s been here forever. My parents died in an accident when I was young, so it was just me and my older brother for the longest until he met his wife and they had my niece.”
I see we have more in common than I thought.
“I’m sorry to hear about your people. My mama died when I was fourteen. That’s when Case’s mama stepped in,” I revealed.
“Oh, so you and Case are brothers?” she asked.
