“The label thatFinessestarted? That wasCity?” I didn’t want to sound like a groupie but I knew a lot about the music industry. It was yet another pot my family had a hand in but I was only on the periphery of it. Being the founders of the lifestyle magazine for Black excellence the way we’d been, we’d grown up surrounded by some of the biggest names in the business. Christmas with the founders of Motown or having living legends attend my family galas was something that was normal for me. ButLyrically Soundwas making waves in the business and not being tethered to any of the usual bullshit, bots or bribery was something to be proud of. Add to the fact that the founders were rumored to run the streets of Atlanta, or had at one point, and people had a lot of admiration for them: professional and otherwise.
“Yep.” I could hear the wariness in her voice and I had to dial back my admiration before I walked out of this place bald.
“Sorry, it’s not like that at all. My people have connections to the music industry so I have a lot of respect for what they’ve built. He seems so normal. But then again, I’m sure that the success they’ve been able to achieve means that there’s a lot of toughness there too.”
She giggled slightly as her hands went back to my hair. “I mean, he’s human. What’s he supposed to be like?”
“I don’t know. Not normal. Definitely not the kind and gentle man that just came in here and kissed you like you were his reason for living.” Because he absolutely had and I was damn sure happy for this lady.
She stood bewildered at my words and I had to wonder what had her looking like that. “Damn.”
“What?”
She shook her head and pulled out a serum that she worked into my strands. “That nigga was right. If you saw it in two seconds I was really tripping.” She didn’t even have to elaborate, I could tell she had been leading that man on a merry chase. He looked too geeked to check in with her to make sure they were still good. Like someone of his stature needed reassurance from his woman and it was so precious to see. I mean that rock on her finger and his baby in her belly should’ve been enough but clearly men needed affirmation too.
Damn. Is that what Aldrich is missing? “Happens to the best of us.”
“Yeah, but that also means he was right about me knowing what I was talking about with you and Money.” The knowing grin on her face once again had me wanting to take back all my nice thoughts but I wouldn’t. I liked her too much.
“Ma’am, how did we circle back to me?”
“We would’ve never left if his big ass hadn’t interrupt.”
“Well, I think you’re wrong. This is just about work.” I tried to shrug her off mainly because I didn’t want to give in to what my mother called my fantastical notions. Aldrich was an explosive waiting for the match to be lit. I wasn’t about to willingly pick up a bomb and then get mad when it blew up in my face. I had far more sense than that. Right? There was way too much at stake besides my cousin’s business. My pride would be hit if I got rejected after thinking something could happen between us.
“That’s fine. But when y’all get together just let me come to the wedding.”
“If that happens you’ll be in the bridal party. But back to this hair, you have free rein to do whatever you want to.”
A devilish smile crossed Porsha’s beautiful face. “Carte blanche?”
“Yes ma’am. You change your hair you’re ready to change your life. I’m going to enjoy being surprised with what you do.”
Porsha was grinning as she stood behind me. “Oh, I like this. Sit back and enjoy. Let me get you some champagne in here. We’re about to celebrate.”
“She did a good job.” Aldrich was staring at me with a type of fascination that I wasn’t used to. It wasn’t scrutiny; it was something else. Something deeper than the simplistic compliment he gave me. It was almost a curiosity. Like he was seeing me in yet another light and I wasn’t sure if he liked it or didn’t. And with the mild confusion that covered his features neither could Aldrich.
“Thank you.”
“Your people all got heads full of hair like that?” He was still staring at my face, not my hair, and I was wondering if the change was all that drastic.
Porsha had removed the K-tips and I was grateful that I didn’t have a bunch of breakage. She told me I needed to give the strands a break from the weight and so we forwent additional extensions. My hair had a natural deep wave pattern to it that had been my mother’s point of pride about me since I wasn’t skinny. That was probably why I had chopped it all off when I went to college. Porsha added face-framing highlights and a layered cut that gave me more movement than before. She’d told me the custom clip-ins would be delivered within five days and based on how I’d looked in the mirror I was more than happy to pay her bill. Since she wouldn’t let me, I just gave her a huge tip. I was grateful that she hadn’t dyed it blonde since I gave her free rein.
“How you know it’s all mine?”
Aldrich, who was standing there with a T-shirt and basketball shorts on and bare feet, had the funniest look on his face. He took a swig of water before he responded. “‘Cause girls who get extensions don’t act like they’ve had hair before. You ain’t constantly touching it or being all weird with it. You're not checking to see where it is or if your tracks are covered or whatever.”
“That’s such a weird observation.” I almost regretted the words as soon as I said them because I didn’t want him to think I thought he was a creep. I was still relatively a stranger and I lived with him so of course he should be observant. I guess it was more of what he was observing that threw me off.
“I've been around when the girls always checking to see if they have a hair out of place. They carry around that root spray shit and be scratching their heads with anything they can. You don’t do that. Your shit just be there.” He waved his hand toward my head again and I had to fold my lips together not to laugh.
“Are you always so observant?”
He stood still for a moment before he shook his head. I wondered what his hesitation was about but didn’t ask. “Not normally, but it’s a newly learned behavior.”
“Well, I can understand that because you don’t really know me like that so I get it. I’m not a weirdo.” I held my hands up and wished I could take back what I’d said. The shift in him was immediate but I couldn’t take it back.
“Nah you're not but that was never up for debate. She got you right and was highly recommended so I’m glad that she was worth the hype.”
