Seth tapped on his iPad, “I’ve got everyone’s formalwear being delivered to the hotel and I’ll take care of making sure they get to the correct rooms. You, Holly, Kami, Yoli and Debbie have hair, makeup and nails starting at 11:00 tomorrow morning at Sam Brocato’s salon, which is only two blocks from the hotel.”
“Is Sam doing my hair?” Mia asked.
Seth rolled his eyes. “Yes, BBC. Sam is doing your hair.”
“Don’t take that tone with me, Princess. Sam has curls and he understands curls, not everyone does. After all, Curlinterrupted is his straightener. Are you coming with us?”
“Can I?” He brightened up.
“Of course. It’s always more fun if you’re there. You should do highlights or that ombre thing with your hair.”
“I think I will. I’m so excited.”
Mia pulled Seth aside and whispered, “What about Zac and clothes for tomorrow night.”
“Oh that one,” he rolled his eyes, “crisis averted with Devil Spawn. I’ve got him in an Armani Collezioni tux jacket, white Armani shirt, skinny silk tie the color of his cold blue eyes, he’s going to wear his own pair of faded jeans and I got him those Armani jean sneakers, they’re kind of like a blue jean suede.”
“Oh my God, the kid is going to walk out of here with a modeling contract. The little shit’s going to look gorgeous.”
Schooner came up behind them. “You ready, Baby Girl?” She nodded. He took a moment to look around and take stock. “I can’t believe this is the same space we walked into in February. Freaking amazing.”
“It’s really stunning,” she agreed. Even with Shai’s staff and vendors still laboring throughout the club, and electricians and carpenter’s furiously working to ensure all the details were executed precisely to Shai’s plans, the space had already taken on a breathtaking and unique aura.
Schooner draped his arm over Mia’s shoulder and pulled her into him, kissing the top of her head. She peeked up at him and reveled in seeing his look of satisfaction and pride, as he gazed around his latest concept club. His expression elicited an enormous smile of her own. “What are you smiling at?” He asked.
“You look happy.”
He hugged her tighter into him. “I am very, very happy, Baby Girl.” He looked down at her, “Truly happy.” There was definite conviction in his words as he tilted her chin up to softly kiss her smiling lips.
Mia took one last look around, surveying the rotunda and side rooms. “You did it, Schooner.”
He shook his head, “No, Baby Girl, we did it. Me and my team, you and your team. Our teams.” His brows knit for a second and he corrected himself, “Our team.”
Mia nodded, smiling to herself. He was right. What had begun in February as two separate people with two separate lives running two separate companies that were separated by the entire continental United States were now inseparable on every level, both personally and professionally. In six and a half months, Schooner and Mia had forged a union that encompassed all areas of their lives, allowing them to fully share and merge every aspect of their worlds. Together they had successfully built their tomorrow.
Mia felt her eyes begin to burn with tears. Every day had been focused on moving forward with their shared goal of the L9/NYC opening and making it the talk of the town and now she was standing there watching Shai directing his team as they finalized the magnificent finishing touches. The enormity of what they had accomplished since she hit the “Friend Accept” button on that horrible Monday, suddenly overwhelmed her.
“It’s all real, isn’t it?” She asked, unexpectedly astonished by the extent of all that had transpired since their reunion.
He hugged her to his chest and Nathaniel gave a hearty kick, sharply jabbing both Mia and Schooner. Mia looked up at Schooner eyes wide from the jolt and they both laughed, their eyes alight with the joy of feeling their son move and his timely surprise attack. “I guess that’s my answer.” Mia laughed.
“He’s telling you, Mom, I’m very real and don’t forget it or I’ll kick you.”
Mia tapped her belly, “Clearly a New Yorker in there.”
Schooner laughed and tucked Mia under his arm as she snuggled into him. “Let’s go check into the hotel and watch sunset from a rooftop.”
As they left L9/NYC, Mia wondered how everything in her life had gotten so perfect and smiled to herself as she heard Seth yelling at her in her head, “Don’t over think it, BBC!”
CHAPTER 32
The sun was hanging low in the hazy sky to the west over Jersey City as Mia and Schooner exited the elevator onto the roof deck. A burly shaved-headed security guard, one of Charles’ staff, greeted them with a head nod.
They stood there for a moment, taking in the view, a soft breeze blowing Mia’s short pale pink silk caftan. “Ok, let’s go greet our guests.” Schooner bent down and gave Mia a quick kiss and they headed off in opposite directions to work the roof.
Mia held out her hand in front of her in a vertical fist, raising it in increments.
“What is that you’re doing?” Kami walked up to her, nursing a gin and tonic.
“Oh, that’s a photography thing to gauge how long you have until sunset. Each fist is about fifteen minutes and the sun is about three fists up right now. Comes in handy when you’re standing on a mountaintop in twelve degrees waiting to shoot sunset,” she laughed.
Yoli elbowed Debbie, a vivacious blonde with a deep, hearty laugh, “Just like CJ, huh,” referring to Mia.
Debbie practically spit out her drink. “I cannot believe how opposite ends of the spectrum they are.”
Mia laughed and walked over to their table, “I am choosing to take that as a compliment!” She gave Debbie’s shoulder a squeeze.
Yoli smiled, “You know it’s got to be killing her that she won’t be there tomorrow night, but I’m sure spy boy will give her the blow by blow.”
They all turned to look at Zac in the pool who had several female L9 staff vying to be on his shoulders in a raucous Chicken Fight. “Looks like he’ll be pretty involved in his own blow-by-blows.” Mia snarked.
“Love her!” Debbie turned to Yoli.
“Our boy got it right this time.” Yoli concurred.
“Awww, give Baby Daddy some credit. He actually had it right the first time. I was the dummy that got played and left him.”
“Well, the dummy’s got the last laugh.” Debbie raised a glass to Mia.
“You can’t laugh when the dummy’s yours!” And they all laughed.
“I’m never leaving New York.” Yoli announced, watching the sun on its descent. The breathtaking view from the roof of the James Hotel provided a nearly 360°; vista and made Manhattan feel like it was their own personal little island. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I really love it here.”
“You need to move here.” Kami looked sad. She and Yoli had grown to be close friends. “Can’t someone else run the California facilities?”
“You need to talk to your business partner.” Mia urged, as she got up to go talk to other guests.
She made her way over to sit down at a table where Gaby, Holly and Jared were munching on Chef David Burke’s Smoked Pastrami Salmon and Pretzel Crab Cakes.
“This could be my new addiction.” Mia said to Holly, eating her third bite of the Pastrami Salmon.
Holly smiled, “This is so fabulous up here.” The sun was just beginning to kiss the Jersey City roof tops on the far side of the Hudson River.
“We’re going to have a magnificent sunset once the sun drops below the horizon. That whole bank of clouds is going to light up,” Mia pointed to clouds in the western and southern sky, “and we’re going to get the whole show from the oranges into the pinks and reds tonight.” She turned to Holly, “We had some great sunsets over the Great South Bay this summer, didn’t we.”
“We had a great summer,” Holly smiled at Mia, “this was one of my favorite summers ever.”
“I really love that.” Mia reached for Holly’s
hand and gave it a squeeze. “Lots more to come.”
Holly leaned over and whispered in Mia’s ear. “Dad told me the baby’s name is Nathaniel James.”
Mia gasped, “That man cannot keep a secret! Do you like it?”
“I love it. I just can’t wait to see what he looks like. I still can’t believe I’m going to have a baby brother.” They both looked over at the pool to see Zac making out with one of the LA staffers, a 20-something California blonde sporting brand new Double D’s.
“I’m sorry he’s such an ass to you, Mia.” The pain and disappointment in her eyes was evident. More than anything she wanted her father to be happy and she knew Zac’s behavior weighed heavily on Schooner.
“He’s young. Hopefully it won’t always be this way.”
“Well, I’m happy you and my dad are together. It’s very evident how much you love each other and you make him so happy.”
Mia smiled, “Thank you for saying that, you can’t even imagine what that means to me. I am thrilled that you are a part of my life, Holly. You are the bonus.”
Holly smiled and laughed, “Mia, you would’ve been heartbroken if you had seen him at his birthday party. He was so out of sorts. There was a restaurant full of people and he clearly didn’t want to be a part of it. He was hanging out on a deck all by himself, it broke my heart and just look at him here. He is so at home and happy.”
Sitting on the other side of the pool and laughing with Charles, Gaby and Seth, Schooner had his long legs stretched out, feet up on a chair, single malt Scotch in one hand, cigar in the other. He was laughing heartily at something Seth had just said.
The sun had finally faded behind the buildings across the Hudson River and dipped below the horizon, the sky show was about to begin. Mia walked over to where Schooner was sitting, “Excuse me while I borrow him for a few minutes,” she held out a hand to Schooner and he took it. They walked along the western side of the roof deck to a spot where they were alone. Mia turned to face the sunset, Schooner stood behind her, his arms wrapped over her shoulders. She leaned back into him and he kissed the top of her head. They stood silently and watched the cloud deck, a sky carpet, turn from gold to orange to pink to ruby, before the colors faded to gray and the lights of the city began their show.
“I love you, Baby Girl.” Schooner bent down and whispered in Mia’s ear.
“It’s smoochal,” she turned her head back toward him and he bent down to complete the sunset with a kiss. “Ok, am going to go check on where the next food course is, there should be rib eye sandwiches, grilled prawns and asparagus and a few other goodies coming.”
He kissed her again, “I’m going to check on my scotch.”
She laughed and walked off toward the bar. “Hey Mia,” she heard Zac call her from the pool. Mia walked over to where Zac and the California blonde were. He looked happy tonight, not surly Zac, allowing him to really look like a young version of Schooner. Mia walked over, smiling. As she got near the edge of the pool, Zac and the blonde scooped up as much water as they could, splashing Mia from head to toe with a torrential wave.
Mia immediately tried to wipe the water from her eyes, but her soaking wet bangs were matted down in them, as if she’d been swimming. Her short pale pink silk caftan was plastered to her body like a second skin, hugging her breasts and her belly, the fabric now translucent.
Zac and the blonde laughed viciously. “Hey Zac.” Mia said, returning his greeting, but with the added NY symbolism of rubbing her nose up and down with her middle finger.
“Classy bitch.” Zac snarled at her.
The blonde laughed, “Real classy bitch.”
Mia looked at the blonde with a “you didn’t just say that” look. “What was the third word you just used?”
The blonde didn’t speak, so Mia went on, “Let me refresh your fleeting brain cells. It was bitch. You just called me a bitch.”
The girl just looked at Mia with an attitude.
“What is your name?” Mia asked. The girl remained silent. “Ok, let’s try this one more time. What. Is. Your. Name?” Mia spoke in a slow cadence.
The girl answered Mia in the same cadence, thinking that she was amusing, “My. Name. Is. Mandy.”
Mia smiled at Mandy, her eyes narrowed into slits. “Well Mandy, unfortunately for you, cute and stupid does not have a long shelf life. You’re fired.”
“You can’t fire me.” Mandy retorted, breasts and chin thrust forward.
“I can and I did and it’s in the past tense. You’ve been fired, Mandy. E.D.’ed means past tense, à fait accompli. As you are no longer an employee of L9, you need to get out of the pool and leave this party immediately. I’ll have security accompany you to your room while you gather your belongings and leave the premises.” Mia nodded her head at the big, bald security guy by the elevator who was watching a dripping wet Mia.
As he rapidly approached, Charles popped out of his chair at the far end of the deck and sprinted toward Mia. Schooner had his back to the situation and turned quickly to see what had gotten Charles to spring from his chair. He was immediately behind, racing up to a soaking wet, shivering Mia.
Mandy turned to Schooner enraged, breasts still thrust at full throttle. “She fired me. She can’t fire me, can she?”
“Of course she can. You’re fired.” Schooner said coldly, with narrowed eyes. “Get her out of here.”
“But Dad…” Zac began.
“Get out of the pool and follow me.” Schooner hissed at him. He turned to Mia, running his hand down her wet head, “You ok?” She nodded and he kissed her forehead before turning and grabbing Zac by the arm and hauling him off toward the roof deck’s indoor seating area.
Charles wrapped a towel around Mia. “You sure you’re ok?”
“Yeah, just cold, wet and pissed.”
Charles gave her a hug and whispered in her ear, “Fucking little dick.”
“You pegged that one.”
“Come Meezie, let’s get you into dry clothes.” Gaby was at Mia’s side, leading her to the elevator.
Mia was in a quasi half-sleep state when Schooner slipped into bed next to her and spooned her, kissing her shoulder. She turned over in his arms to face him and softly ran her hand down his cheek, smoothing her thumb over his cheekbone. “How is everything?”
Schooner sighed, “That is one very angry young man.”
“Angry at me and you?” Even in the dark, she could see the sadness in his beautiful eyes. He nodded, “And Holly, too.”
“It won’t always be this way, Schooner. He’s a petulant, beautiful boy, but at some point, with life experience, he’ll realize this isn’t a war.”
“Mia Silver, you are the one with the beautiful heart. I’m not so sure that my son has one or ever will. I will tell you this though, I was very clear with him on what is acceptable behavior where it comes to you. I will not tolerate blatant disrespect.”
“C’mere you.” Mia pulled Schooner’s head to her chest, kissing the top of his head in a gesture which he had patently comforted and expressed his love for her. Schooner nestled into Mia’s soft breasts, getting himself comfortable and let out a soft “mmmm” sound. Mia wrapped her arms tightly around him and entwined her legs with his before drifting off into an uneasy sleep.
CHAPTER 33
“We’ll see you over at L9. It’s ‘Showtime’ folks,” was Schooner’s last words to the team before dismissing everyone.
Everyone left the breakfast meeting pumped on adrenaline and excitement for the opening, clear on their assignments and ready to rock the New York social scene. The press for the event had already reached a frenzy and everyone was calling in favors trying to get an invite.
Charles was on hand to brief the staff on interacting with his team, as well as with celebrities and their private security. Mia and Kami gave precise instructions on dealing with the press and paparazzi. Yoli met with each of the teams and their team leaders to review rolls and rotations throughout the night. There was some
buzz about Mandy’s departure and if anyone was unsure of how Mia fit into the L9 organization, it was now clear that Schooner and Mia were partners in every sense of the word. Most of the staff were extremely savvy and professional and understood the ramifications of mouthing off to the boss. Calling your boss a bitch (unless you were Seth) was generally not a good career move.
“We’re headed off to go beautify. I’ll come over to the club when I’m done.”
“Why don’t you rest this afternoon, Baby Girl. You’re going to be on your feet all night.” Schooner reached down and brushed Mia’s bangs from her eyes.
“I feel like there is some detail I’m going to miss if I don’t go.” Mia looked up at Schooner, searching his face.
He shook his head. “Everything’s under control. Between the two of us, Yoli, Seth, Kami, Shai and Charles, we’ve done as much as we can. I don’t want you to push it.”
“Are you trying to tell me I need to relax?”
Schooner laughed, “I would never…”
Mia swatted him in the arm, smiling up at him. “You know that is not in my DNA!”
“Baby Girl, do not make me sic Dr. Gary on you,” his hands were in her hair, as he smiled down at her.
“Gary’s coming tonight,” she smiled back at him.
“Yes, I know, so don’t make me rat you out to him.” Schooner continued to play with her hair. “Go enjoy your girly stuff.” He bent down to softly kiss her lips.
“Schooner-,” she stopped.
“What, Baby Girl?”
“I love you.” Mia’s eyes were so earnest and every time she said the words to him, it was like she was saying it for the first time.
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