Page 9 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
“So you’re the neighbor,” I said, lifting my glass to hide the curve of my mouth.
“Yeah… and I couldn’t let the night pass without properly introducing myself. It would’ve felt wrong watching you all day and not introducing myself.”
“You were watching me, huh?” I smirked.
“Hard not to.” He let his eyes drag over my frame before making it back to my face. “Figure we’re gonna be seeing each other a lot, so we might as well make it easier.” He pulled out his phone and held it steady in front of me. “Why don’t you give me your number?”
I let him wait through a long pause, then slid the phone from his hand and tapped it in. Passing it back, I watched him tuck it away, not bothering to check and see if I’d given him the correct number.
“You’ll be hearing from me soon,” he said, his voice low, before nodding at Tiana and Nia again and walking off without a glance back.
The second he was gone; Tiana smacked the table. “Zo, don’t play with that man.”
Nia grinned wide, shaking her head. “He don’t look like he plays fair, anyway.”
I laughed under my breath and finished what was left of my drink. “Good. I hope he doesn’t.”
They groaned, ready to give me a questionnaire, but I had no answers for them. Not yet anyway. Semi had my attention, even if it was only temporary.
***
I was setting up for my first client, laying everything out on my station, when the door opened and Semi stepped in with two cups in his hand.
“Morning, beautiful,” he said as he came closer, setting one down in front of me. “Figured you could use a pick-me-up.”
I glanced at the cup, then back at him, a smile tugging at my mouth. “You bringing me coffee now?”
“Of course. Only right I look out for my neighbor,” he said, leaning against the chair like he had all the time in the world.
I picked it up, letting the warmth run through my hand before taking a sip. The taste hit just right. “This is perfect,” I admitted, setting it down again.
“Good. Means I guessed right.” His eyes never left mine. “So what about you? What’s the story behind the fine stylist across the street?”
I folded the towel in my hands, not breaking eye contact. “No story. I keep my circle tight, I ride with my girls, and I work hard at what I do. Nothing complicated.”
He studied me like he was reading between every word. “You say that, but nothing about you looks simple, Zora.”
I arched a brow at the way he said my name. “Nothing ever is. What’s your story?”
“I run my shop and raise my daughter. I’on waste time on anything that doesn’t matter,” he said, voice steady but edged with pride.
“How old is your daughter?” I asked.
“She’s eight.”
“My niece is eight too,” I countered. “So I already know what you’re dealing with—attitude one second, a pure sweetheart the next.”
He chuckled, low and rough. “Hell yeah… maybe we get them together sometime. Let the girls run around while we kick back.”
“Smooth way to work that in.”
“I’m serious, though. Let me take you out. Dinner, drinks… you pick the spot.”
The bell above the door chimed before I could answer, my first client walking in with a bright smile that cut straight through the moment. Semi smirked making it clear he didn’t take my silence as a no.
“I’ll see you later, Zora,” he affirmed, nodding at my client before pushing off the chair and heading for the door.
I watched him through the glass as he crossed the street and disappeared into his own shop. The coffee was still warm in my hand, but it was the way he moved that stuck with me—like he’d already decided he wasn’t going anywhere.
