“Good. Finally.” He flicks his blinker on and shifts into the right lane. “I don’t remember how to get there, so help me out.”
It takes me a second to look up the quickest way, but I finally figure it out and talk him through it.
“See, this is beneficial for me too.” His lips quirk. “You’re helping me get reacquainted with the area. Everything has changed so damn much, I feel like I’ve returned to an alien planet some days.”
I haven’t lived in the Capital Region long enough to consider how things might have changed over the years, but I understand why it might be frustrating for him. I reach over and rest my hand on his leg. “Happy to help. Although, I don’t know if finding your way to the best makeup stores is how you want to reacquaint yourself with the area.”
“Sure, it is.” He slows to a stop at another red light and points to the left. “Look at that. Now I know where the closest Harley dealer is.”
I burst into giggles.
Grinder
It might’ve felt like pulling teeth to get Serena to admit where she wanted to go, but once she gets inside the store, she’s a focused hunter, stalking her prey. And here I am lumbering behind her like a polar bear who accidentally ended up at a tea party. Who knew there were entire stores dedicated to…pretty packages of beauty stuff? No wonder Serena’s makeup channel is so popular.
At least I can act as her human shopping cart and hold all the items for her—a plain-looking glass jar with a pristine white and black label full of what looks like rainbow ice cream swirled inside, a bottle of nail polish remover with flowers floating in it, rounds of cotton, a bright blue tube of eyeliner, bottles of purple hair stuff, a tub of hair “pudding,” red glow serum, and beauty sheet masks.
“I thought companies send you stuff too?” I ask.
“They do. But I’m sort of picky with my regular-use products.” She bites her lip. “And sometimes, I’d just rather buy my own stuff, so I don’t feel obligated to give glowing reviews, you know?”
“Sure. That makes sense.”
“Ooo. I almost forgot the big thing I came for.” She hurries to a row of appliances. Hair appliances. Good Lord, there are enough to fill a tool chest.
Serena whips a long, wide, shiny blue hair straightener off the shelf. “My last one died on me,” she says in an apologetic tone. “You really don’t have to—”
“Whatever you need.” This wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I said I wanted to buy her something to celebrate. I envisioned a trip to the jewelry store where she could pick out a pair of earrings or something more enduring than…sulfide-free shampoo. But she seems happy and that’s all I care about.
As the salesgirl rings up everything, Serena pulls out her wallet.
“Don’t you dare,” I warn her in a low voice.
She slides a store rewards card out and taps it in front of me, her mouth slightly curling at the corners. “Unless you want my bonus points?”
I rumble with laughter. “No, that’s okay.”
“Oh my God! Tranquil Sparkle!” The salesgirl flaps her hands in the air. “You’re Serena Sparkle! Oh my God. I can’t believe this. I love your channel so much!”
Serena blinks for a moment before slipping into the relatable, friendly persona she uses in front of the camera. “Aw, that’s so sweet. Thank you.”
“I follow you under GoldenGills420 but my name is Alice.” She fluffs her short, blond curls. “This color will look so ahh-may-zing on you.” She wiggles the bright blue eyeliner pen Serena bought between her fingers. “Are you going to use it in one of your videos?”
“I was planning to, yes.”
“Oh!” Alice clasps her hands under her chin and rolls her eyes to the ceiling. “We just unpacked this gold glitter liquid eye paint that looks soooo gorgeous with the teal. Do you want me to find one for you?”
“Ah,” Serena’s nervous gaze darts my way. “No, that’s okay—”
I nudge her with my elbow. “I like you in gold.”
She lets out a thin laugh and nods to the salesgirl. “Sure. Let me see it.”
“Be right back!” Alice scurries around the counter and runs down one of the aisles.
“You’re a celebrity,” I say to Serena.
Her cheeks turn a shade pinker and she glances over her shoulder. The woman behind us has her face pinched in annoyance, huffs, and glances at the clock over the register.
“Got it!” Alice shouts, holding a small gold tube in the air like she’s carrying an Olympic torch as she runs behind the counter again. “Phew. Sorry about that.” She hands the tube to Serena. “It’s got this subtle gold to bronze patina-like shift in different lights. So pretty.”
“Sure. I’ll try it. Thank you for the rec, Alice.”