Page 32 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
That caused him to laugh.
“Did you at least take care of yourself and eat something real?”
“I grabbed food before I came in,” he said. “It wasn’t great, but it worked.”
“Mhm,” was all I said.
He didn’t argue. “Tomorrow will be smoother. I don’t have as many head to do as I did today.”
We went through a few more things… small updates about his schedule, a couple of things I needed to order, and the plans for the next day. He talked about a few clients who wanted earlier appointments and how he was shifting some things around to make the rest of his week easier.
“I’m about to call it,” he said eventually.
“Yeah, I think I am, too.”
“Call me when you get up,” he insisted.
“I will… goodnight.”
“Night, mama.”
When the call ended, I stretched out under the blanket, rolled onto my side, and let the thought of Semi and what we were doing invade my thoughts until I fell into a peaceful slumber.
12
Semi
I came in that morning and started laying out my tools. Case was already talking before he even touched a clipper. He’d glance over at me, say a line, wait, then try again. I didn’t give him much, which only made him more determined.
“Aye,” he finally said, stopping what he was doing. “You been off all morning.”
I tightened the lever on my clippers. “I’m thinking.”
“About what?”
I took my time answering him because I wanted the words right. “Zora.”
That was all he needed. He leaned on the counter, arms crossed, watching me like he knew there was more.
“She’s getting in my head in a way I didn’t plan for,” I admitted. “Not in a messy way. Just… settling in places I didn’t expect her to touch.”
Case nodded slowly. “Aight… what’s that doing to you?”
“It’s making me rethink how I’ve always moved,” I said. “I’ve had women around before, but none of that ever meant anything. This situation? This is different. I catch myself wanting her around all the time, thinking about her when I’m planning my day, checking on her without realizing I’m doing it.”
Case didn’t say anything for a second. He wasn’t laughing. He wasn’t smirking. He was actually listening.
“You’re further in than you’re admitting,” he said.
I nodded once. “I know.”
“And you’re not scared of it.”
“I’m not.”
“Good,” he said. “Then move like it.”
I tapped a brush against my station. “I want her to know where she stands with me—without guessing, without waiting for me to finally say something. She’s solid… she’s consistent… she’s got her own life, her own schedule, her own thing going. And she still makes time for me. I’m not about to let that sit in limbo.”
