Big Deal Sweetheart (Sweetheart, Colorado)

by Elle Boon

  After a week back in New York, he was in a sour mood. He’d promised his daughter he’d take her to New York Fashion week, which just happened to be Valentine’s weekend as well. He hadn’t done anything special on the day for lovers in years. Had actively avoided the day if he was being honest.

  “Dad, you promised you’d take me to all the shows,” Delilah begged, her big blue eyes blinked up at him with her bottom lip out. She had both hands clasped under her chin, looking for all the world like she was truly sad.

  “Are you seriously going to try that one on me?” He laughed at the picture she made.

  “Is it working?” Her eyes twinkled with mirth.

  “Not even in the slightest. But—”he held up his hand—“I did promise, and I always keep my promises. I have two front row seats to three shows this Saturday and one on Sunday.”

  “Oh, my gawd. You’re the best dad, ever.” Delilah threw her arms around his shoulders.

  He chuckled, wrapping her up in his embrace. In a few years, she’d be going off to school unless he could talk her into staying local. Selfish probably, but she was his baby and his life.

  “I want you to remember that when you get in trouble next time.” He kissed the top of her head and let her go.

  “How do you know I’m going to get into trouble? I’m an angel,” she said, raising her right hand, circling her head.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “Showing you where my halo is.”

  Keifer snorted then walked back toward his home office. “Young lady, if you have a halo, then I’m gonna go see if I can’t sell someone an oceanfront property in the Midwest.”

  “The Midwest doesn’t have any oceanfront property,” Delilah yelled.

  “Well, if you have a halo, then there’s gotta be an ocean there,” he hollered back.

  “How rude,” she muttered.

  He tossed her a wink over his shoulder, then went into his office. When life went crazy, the one constant was his child.

  Keifer picked up his phone and made a few phone calls to ensure the seats were where he’d told Delilah. Although he didn’t care about fashion, making his daughter happy with a few hours of watching a bunch of models strut down runways didn’t seem like a bad thing.

  Chapter Seven

  “They look amazing, don’t they?” Nova looked from one garment to the next, her visions finally on bright and colorful display. She’d dreamed of the day she’d finally be big enough to not only have people want her things but to have celebrities model them.

  “Nova, you’re a genius. If you weren’t my friend, I’d be a jealous beotch. As it is, I kinda crush on you. I told my husband that if I swung that way, you’d be my hall pass.” Candi her assistant grinned over her clipboard.

  She laughed at the blonde with pink tips and the bombshell body. “Well, if I was into girls, you’d totally be my type as well. Sadly, I’m strictly dickly.”

  Candi’s eyes went comically wide. “Is that a thing?”

  Nova shrugged. “I believe so. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I see women and can think they’re absolutely stunning and envy their figures or whatever. But I never get that tingly feeling I do when I see a gorgeous man.”

  “Ah, I gotcha. Same for me. So, what’re you gonna wear for your walk down the runway?” Candi looked at her clipboard before looking at the models.

  “I have a pair of black leather pants I’m going to pair with a top I created on a whim.” She hadn’t shown anyone the top yet, and since it wasn’t officially part of the collection, she didn’t want to put it on one of the models.

  Nova got lost in organizing models, making sure their hair and makeup was how she envisioned with each garment. By the time she was set to line the models up, Nova didn’t think she was prepared properly. Her stomach was in knots, rolling with the lack of food she’d forgotten to consume. “Candi, I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Don’t, your top is white, and you don’t have a backup plan.” Candi waved the clipboard in front of her creating a blast of cool air.

  “I’m okay.” God, she hoped she’d be. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt nauseous in the last couple weeks. Stress was good for her weight she guessed.

  Music began playing, the MC prepared even if she wasn’t.

  “You got this, girl. Look at all those women and men looking like a million dollars in things you created. Let’s go,” Candi cheered, pulling her to the front of the line.

  Nova straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and did like her parents had always told her. She bucked up. No way was she going to fuck up her first show.

  “Darling, you look amazing. I want one of these.”

  Nova turned at the sound of her mother’s voice, her anxiety vanishing at the sight of her best friend and greatest supporter. “You made it.”

  “Did you think we wouldn’t?” Natalia Langston asked.

  “We?” Nova looked around for who was with her mom.

  “Nova Leigh Langston, did you honestly think your father and I, along with Nana wouldn’t be here for your big day? I mean, there are days in a child’s life a parent would never miss. The birth of a child, obviously, and their graduations. I use the plural in that because most children will graduate from many things, and of course their wedding. Notice I didn’t use the plural for that one because I hope my child only gets married once. And then, for important events such as this. Oh, and the birth of grandchildren. Please tell me you plan to have at least one? Besides, your Nana said she would be here with bells on, and I think she actually attached them to her cane.” Her mother spoke quickly, batting her lashes, which usually got her out of all kinds of trouble.

  Nova was reeling from all the things her mother listed. “Mother, I love you so much. Is Nana really here? Did she bring Harold?”

  “Yes, and yes. So now you don’t need to worry about Nana. She is front row and center, making sure everyone knows this is her grandbaby’s show. We’ll discuss everything afterward. You just go and knock their socks off, or whatever you’re supposed to do. Although, looking at all these gorgeous pieces, you don’t really need me to wish you good luck, but I’m going to anyway.” Her mother kissed her on both cheeks, then stepped away.

  “Nova is brilliant, Natalia. Go have a seat and enjoy the show. I’ll make sure she’s alright back here.” Candi smiled at her mother.

  “You’ve been a god send to all of us. Thank you, dear.” Natalia kissed Candi’s cheeks before heading back out toward the seating area.

  “Seriously, you are so blessed, Nova. Your mother looks more like your sister than your mom, which means you’ll also look like a bombshell when you reach your fifties, bitch.”

  Candi was gorgeous, like her mother who happened to be Natalia’s best friend since grade school. Both women were married to men who had been lifelong friends and were two of the most handsome men, besides a man she’d met in Colorado. Before Keifer, she’d never thought men like him truly existed. You know, men who were rich and sexy as fuck. At least not in real-life. “And you’ll look like a goddess when you’re in your fifties too, so we are going to be F I N E fine,” she sang, getting more excited as she peered out the curtain and saw every chair filled with women and men wanting to see her collection.

  “I don’t want to freak you out, but I’m pretty sure you have a packed house and several celebrities out there. Of course, you have celebrities walking in your show, so it’s not like you don’t rub elbows with that ilk, but still,” Candi squealed.

  Her friend was the absolute best hype girl there was, yet she didn’t need to be reminded of who was out there, since she’d gotten a list of guests requesting seats and made sure they had great seats. Well, she’d handed that job off to PR, but she’d looked it over to ensure they hadn’t sat anyone next to guests who were fighting. Sometimes the promotions department would think about free publicity over the good of relationships.

  She lost herself in the magic of the show, checking each mode
l over as they went out and watching them and the crowd’s reaction. Cheers filled her with joy each time one of the models returned. When the last piece was presented, the MC called her name, or rather her designer name. Her family was one of the wealthiest in the world, with Langston Industries being a Fortune 500 for over fifty years, she didn’t see that changing. She’d thought of using a name that wouldn’t have anything to do with her family, but her parents had told her to use what she’d been blessed with, and after her jackhole of an ex had accused her of being a nothing and a nobody, she’d almost allowed him to make her exactly that. With her head high, she proudly walked out as the face of Leigh Langston Exclusive.

  With the three-inch heels on, she was almost five-feet-seven. Still a lot shorter than the models wearing her gorgeous pieces, but in her black leather pants and the white silk top that showed a little of her midriff in the front and fluttered down to her calves in the back, she felt like a million bucks. Nova wasn’t fooling herself into thinking she could ever be one of the women in her garments, yet as the crowd stood and cheered, she suddenly realized how rock stars felt. The thought made her laugh, until she locked gazes with a man she thought she’d never see again. The same man who’d wrecked her for other men.

  Her steps almost faltered. Candi’s presence next to her kept her moving, her long hair in the high ponytail swung with each step.

  “Do you know that hunkahunkaburninglove?” Candi whispered during their stroll back toward the curtains.

  “Know is a very strong word,” Nova muttered.

  “Oh, my gawd, did you bump sexys with that man?” Candi asked, staring over her shoulder back toward the crowd.

  “Sssh, keep it down. And isn’t it bumping uglies?”

  “Not when the two people in question look like the two of you. I’m gonna need all the deets.”

  Nova had no doubts she would, but there were somethings she wouldn’t be sharing, and her night with Keifer was one of them. How could she tell her bestie that the man couldn’t wait to wash her from his body and probably wished he could from his mind as well. Her biggest question was how had he gotten tickets to her show when she knew for a fact they’d been sold out for weeks? Not that she was thinking he’d come looking for her or anything. No, it was clearly a coincidence, which was clear by the shock on his too handsome face. Gah, she could’ve gone her whole life without seeing that expression. He obviously hadn’t wanted or planned to see her. And that was totally fine, she felt the same. Liar!

  “Heads up, I spotted Jackhole in the audience as well. He was in the very back, but he was trying to make his way forward.”

  The only Jackhole Candi would be referring to, would be her ex, and if he was there, her dad was liable to punch him. Why did the thought of seeing him not hurt?

  “Candi, it’s happened.” She grabbed the other woman’s arms, jumping up and down excitedly.

  “What?”

  “My last fuck has gone. Like, I don’t care at all about Jackhole. Actually, I think I stopped caring even before I caught him getting his little dick sucked by another guy.” Nova laughed.

  “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think, Nova?”

  Nova shut her eyes tightly, her lips twitching. “He’s behind me, isn’t he?”

  Candi nodded. “Yep, and so is your dad but he doesn’t look like he’s ready to hit him. I call that a win.”

  “I’m pretty sure you done hit where it really hurts, darling, or maybe it wouldn’t hurt if what I just overheard is true. What’re you doing here, boy?”

  Jeffrey turned to face her dad, hands in his pockets. “Hello, sir, good to see you again.”

  Nova wasn’t in the mood to be cordial or have the man who she had no wish to see or speak with ruin her big day. “We have nothing to say to one another, Jeffrey. I’m not even sure why you’re here, and honestly, I don’t care. The fact I have zero feeling at all when it comes to you is actually really refreshing.”

  Her ex rocked back on his heels, an action she’d found appealing before. This time, she saw it for what it was. Him trying to make himself appear as if he were charming, boyish even, when in fact he was a shark in snake’s clothes. She didn’t care that she was mixing metaphors in her mind.

  “I was hoping I could take you out for dinner or drinks to celebrate your success. I remember all the nights you’d spent drawing and creating clothing when we were together.” He turned to look at the models as they walked by.

  Yeah, she remembered those nights too, nights he’d scoff and tell her to give it up.

  “That would be a no. Please leave and don’t bother to contact me again.” Nova wasn’t going to be nice, leaving any kind of opening would give the asshole hope.

  “Your loss, Nova. I made partner. I don’t have to work so many hours. You and I could’ve done all the things we’d talked about.” He shrugged.

  Candi moved in front of Nova. “She prefers someone with a little less ego, and a lot more...everything, Jackhole. Now, I suggest you go on and scurry away before her father decides he doesn’t mind getting his five-thousand-dollar suit wrinkled.”

  Nova covered her mouth, trying to contain her laughter as Candi held her hands a foot apart while she spoke. There was no denying what she meant even as her ex’s face turned a shade of red. It wasn’t that he was terribly small in the D department, it was that he wasn’t...like someone else.

  KEIFER KEPT HIS HAND on his daughter’s arm while they watched the little prick get told off. It took monumental effort not to be the one to hand him his ass. Rage had washed through him when he’d heard the man remind Nova about their past. Hell, he had no right to the woman, yet he was ready to beat the man to a pulp. He actually enjoyed hearing the man lacked in one area that he knew for a fact he didn’t.

  “Dad, she’s gorgeous,” Delilah whispered.

  Fuck, he couldn’t agree more. “Dee, maybe we shouldn’t go.”

  At that moment, the daughter of one of his best friends noticed them. She’d been in the show and was a huge model in the industry. “Gigi, how are you doing?” he asked.

  “Keifer, Delilah, you made it. My mom and dad are in town, but I don’t think they made the show.” Gigi rolled her eyes, giving him and his daughter air kisses.

  “Is Zayn here?” his daughter asked. She was a huge fan of the musician the model was dating.

  “Yes. Would you like to meet him? I mean, if it’s alright with your dad that is?” Gigi blinked up at Keifer.

  Keifer sighed, knowing there wasn’t any way he could deny Delilah the opportunity to meet the singer. “Sure, lead the way.”

  “Why don’t you go over and say hi to Nova while I go with Gigi, and I’ll come back here after I gush over Zayn? Sorry, Gigi,” Delilah said with a giggle.

  “Truly, it’s fine, Keifer. Besides, everyone gushes over my guy. I’ll bring her back to you safely. You know Nova, the designer?”

  How did he describe what he’d had with the other woman? The best night of his life he’d fucked up. Yeah, he didn’t think that would go over well. “If you’re sure. I’ll just say hi then if you haven’t returned, I’ll wait in the car out front.” Or if Nova kicked him in the nuts, then he’d scurry away like a whipped dog.

  He watched the two young women walk away, then turned back to where he’d seen Nova standing. The older woman was clearly her mother, while the older man had to be her father. The taller blonde he was a little scared of, but the only one he had eyes for was Nova. Shit, he needed to get his head on straight, or he’d make an ass of himself.

  In that moment, her dark eyes met his, ensnaring him. Keifer began walking toward her, skirting models without breaking stride, murmuring apologies without looking at who he’d bumped into. He came to a stop a couple foot from Nova and the trio of onlookers.

  “Hello, Nova, you look beautiful.”

  “Thank you. Did you enjoy the show?”

  Her husky voice sent a shiver down his spine, making memories of that night pop into his mind. �
��I did. Your pieces are remarkable, but what you’re wearing is probably my favorite.”

  Nova had a complexion that was tan, but he didn’t miss the slight rosy tint that stained her cheeks. His memory of another time she’d blushed for him was one he had jacked off to more than a dozen times. Shit, he really needed to quit thinking about sex in front of the man and woman who were clearly her parents, especially with the older man glaring at him as if he could read his thoughts.

  “My apologies, sir, and, ma’am. My name is Keifer Sparks. I met your daughter in Sweetheart, Colorado with my daughter Delilah a few weeks ago. She was a savior who didn’t allow my child to dye her hair black in a fit of rebellion.” He held his hand out toward the older gentleman and waited.

  “Keifer Sparks of Sparks Industries?”

  They shook hands, and then Nova’s mother took his proffered hand. He took her much smaller one in his, smiling down at her. “I can see where your daughter gets her gorgeous looks from. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “You’re a charmer, young man. Please call me Natalia, and this is my husband Liam. I don’t think you’ve met my mother, Nell though. She’s still out front since she’s still not getting around as well as she would like with her leg. Where’s your daughter now?” Natalia looked around him.

  “She went with Gigi to meet her boyfriend Zayn but should be back shortly unless she hides in their limo.” He was joking, sort of.

  “You know Gigi?” Nova raised a brow.

  “I know her parents, therefore I know the girls.” He didn’t mention he was her father’s financial adviser. There weren’t too many he still advised personally. He mostly allowed his employees to handle the business while he overlooked things, since he’d vetted and trained many of them himself. The billionaire that was Gigi’s father was an exception. They’d been friends and business associates since Muhammad had hired him straight out of business school. Keifer’s father and the older man had been friends forever, and the one thing he’d been taught was to use any advantage given to him. He’d taken his father’s advice and used his connections to further his own business many times. Anyone would be a fool if they didn’t, in his mind.