by J. P. Comeau
Mr. Big Shot
An Enemies to Lovers Romance
J.P. Comeau
Mr. Big Shot
Copyright © 2020 by J.P. Comeau
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Mr. Big Shot is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and occurrences are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to a person, living or deceased, events, or locations is purely coincidental.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
1
Karina
I gazed out over the red clay mountains in the distance as the sun began to rise. Notes of caramel hung in the air, wafting up from the warm mug clutched firmly between my palms. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of my new home. Cars, striking themselves up. Engines, rumbling in the distance. Soft heels clicking against concrete before car doors opened and shut all around me. It was the sound of the world waking up. A sound I had always enjoyed, even as a child. When I used to sit out on the porch with my father and lean against his warm, strong arm while watching the world come to life.
“I miss you, Daddy,” I whispered.
I sipped my coffee and let the sugary sweetness rush over my tongue. I filled my mouth, gulping it down in an attempt to wake myself up. It was hard to believe that my new rental place was only fifteen minutes from The Strip. The Strip. The Strip of Las Vegas. The most infamous strip of land in all of the United States. I licked my lips, making sure to enjoy every last drop of coffee my mug had to offer. And as I drew in another deep breath, I felt energy finally rushing through my veins.
“Only took you two cups, crazy,” I murmured to myself.
I didn’t think I’d ever convince my parents of my need to move away. After being laid off from my job in H.R., I needed something new. A fresh start. Especially after having my heart broken so badly. I snickered at the thought. If Kelly and Roxy knew I was still holding onto that pain, they’d kill me themselves.
Then again, my best friends are the reason why I moved here in the first place.
After telling my parents that Henderson, Nevada, was one of the top ten safest cities to reside in, they let themselves become excited about my move. As if I had done it years ago. Granted, that’s what everyone said. ‘No one makes a life in the city that made them,’ Roxy always said. ‘Girl, you need to get out and experience things’ Kelly always boasted.
“Can’t say anything now,” I whispered.
I missed my parents, though.
I missed everything about San Francisco. The calm, even temperatures. The way the city sounded. The honking of horns that always greeted me first thing in the morning. I missed the salted smell of the ocean. The feel of wet sand tickling between my toes. I closed my eyes and conjured it all. The face of my mother. The soothing voice of my father. The comfort I felt stepping inside my childhood home to go find them for dinner.
I miss you guys.
As my eyes opened, I took another sip of coffee. I hummed over its strength as I studied the small backyard the rental afforded me. It was the first time I had moved away from home. Including going off to college. I mean, I only spent one year living in the dorms on campus because Dad wanted me to ‘have the experience.’ But, of course, I ended up back home my sophomore year, commuting back and forth and enjoying all of the comforts that came with the home I grew up in.
I sighed. “Why did I have to get laid off again?”
Oh, right. Because the company I worked for couldn't evolve with technology. I mean, they were a manufacturing plant. Why couldn't they evolve? That was part of their job. It was always part of everyone’s job. Evolution is what drives the business sector. Didn’t they know that?
Obviously not.
The sound of something vibrating against glass caught my ear. When I looked down at my phone, rattling around on top of the table, I smiled. Mom was calling. Her name popped up on my screen as colors flashed in the background. I exchanged my coffee mug for my phone and couldn't pick it up fast enough.
I longed to hear her voice.
“Good morning, mother,” I said.
I heard that tell-tale click. “Got your father here, too!”
He chuckled. “Hey, Princess.”
“Hey, Daddy.”
“So, how are things?” Mom asked.
Dad jumped in again. “Did you get moved in, okay? Did that patio furniture make it there with you?”
“I’m sitting out at the table right now, gazing out at the mountains.”
Mom squealed. “Oh! I’m so glad it made it. I knew you’d want something like that first thing in the morning.”
“It’s no ‘sitting on the porch with Dad,’ though.”
“And nothing ever will be, Princess. That’ll be our little thing.”
My heart warmed. “Always.”
Mom cleared her throat. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
My head fell back in laughter. “Sorry, Mom. It’s only because I’m still out here drinking coffee.”
“At nine in the morning? You’re usually up around seven-thirty.”
I shrugged. “I suppose I’m taking things a bit slower right now.”
“In Vegas? Is that a thing?”
Dad lowered his voice. “Our daughter doesn’t live in Vegas, Sweetie. She lives in Henderson. Remember?”
“Of course, I remember. I’m not senile. But, she’s only a few minutes from the city. How different can it be?”
I smiled. “Very, very different. But, enough about me. How’s Lucy doing in school?”
Dad sighed. “Well, you know her. Always trying to take the long way around.”
“She’s already challenging her fifth-grade teacher,” Mom giggled.
“She’s smart as a whip, though. That teacher might be wrong on something,” I reminded them.
Dad interjected. “She got sent home the other day because she wouldn’t stop back-talking the teacher. That girl’s gonna put me in an early grave.”
Mom laughed. “We’re already going to be in early graves with her. We’ll be sixty by the time she graduates high school!”
My face fell. “That’s not funny. I don’t like that one bit.”
“She’s right, sweetheart. We shouldn’t make jokes like that with her on the phone,” Dad chuckled.
I froze. “You mean, you make jokes like that even when I’m not on the phone? Ah! The horror!”
The three of us laughed together, but part of me wished we were laughing together in person. I missed home. There was no denying it. But, I knew once I saw Kelly and Roxy again, it would feel like home. Those two had been my best friends growing up. And when they moved to Vegas for school after we all graduated, I was gutted. I always saw the three of us graduating from college together. Living in a place together
. Our lives moving in tandem with one another’s.
I’d never been as ambitious as them, though.
And I didn’t have a home I wanted to run away from like they did.
I sighed. “All right. Well. I should go inside and get cleaned up for the day. Those resumes aren’t going to submit themselves.”
Mom clicked her tongue. “You really should have secured a job before--.”
Dad cleared his throat. “What your mother means is--.”
“I love you guys, too. But, I promise that you have no reason to be worried. I’ve got an entire year’s worth of cushion in my savings account. So, if Vegas doesn’t work out? I’ll be back when my lease runs out.”
“Good luck, honey.” Mom sniffled.
“Awww, Mom. Please don’t cry.”
“We love you, Princess. We know you can do this.”
I sighed. “I miss you guys.”
Mom’s voice grew shaky. “We miss you, too, pumpkin.”
I closed my eyes as we said goodbye. The tone of her voice broke my heart. But, I knew I was doing the right thing by this. The phone hung up, and I opened my eyes, taking in the sun as it shone brightly in the sky. I smiled at those red clay mountains; the ones that had greeted me every morning for the last two weeks. Then, I reached for my coffee and thought the mug felt a bit empty. So, I peered inside to see how much coffee I had left.
There was none. The horror of it all.
“Time to go inside, I guess.”
Part of me thought about taking a shower as I walked inside. Part of me even entertained getting dressed up simply to feel the part. But, the call of my couch was too strong. I quickly discarded my mug in the sink before making my way into the living room. The plush carpet beneath my feet squished between my toes. I smiled at the sensation as I conjured the sound of sloshing waves from memory. I flopped onto the couch and dug my toes deeper into the softness, and leaned my head back, taking in the phantom smell of the salted ocean waves.
I’ll be back soon, shoreline. Don’t you worry.
Then, I opened my eyes and reached for my laptop.
I scrolled through the filters online for ‘manufacturing,’ ‘secretary,’ and ‘receptionist.’ As much as I enjoyed my H.R. work, I wasn’t looking to get back into it. Every time I turned around, someone was coming to complain to me about something. And half the time, the complaints that were put in never got addressed. It infuriated me, really, all of that paperwork I had to fill out, only for it to get ignored and tossed out.
I wanted something more fulfilling than that.
Why not take away ‘manufacturing,’ too?
I navigated my mouse to the ‘filter’ tab. I double tapped the mouse pad and stared at the three filters working against me, finding me the least amount of jobs possible. I mean, did I have to stay in the manufacturing world? Surely, secretarial work wasn’t too much different across businesses. Answering phones, taking messages, answering basic questions. Generally screening people. I could do that kind of work. I’d already done that kind of work. Back in high school, and through college, it was to give myself some pocket change for coffees and late-night study dinners at the diner up the road.
Try something different, for once.
I hovered my mouse over the ‘manufacturing’ tab and clicked the X. Then, a screen popped up.
Are you sure you want to remove this filter?
Am I sure I want to step into another world?
Hesitantly, I clicked ‘yes.’
The second I did, my job listings went from two pages to ten. My eyes widened as the search parameters broadened for both part-time and full-time positions. My jaw unhinged as the pages kept loading. Fifteen. Twenty. Within a thirty-mile radius, there were over twenty pages worth of jobs for me to apply to. And as I scanned the rest of the filters, I became bold.
Brazen.
I took control of my life.
Full-time? Yes, please.
Work from home? Nah, I’m good.
Hourly or salary? Definitely salary.
And as I clicked buttons, the pages dwindled. From twenty to thirteen to nine, and finally? To three.
Three pages of job descriptions filled the goals I eventually wanted from my career.
Before I could start applying for the jobs, I felt something vibrating against my thigh.
“Mom, I promise you, I’m going to be okay,” I said as I picked up the phone.
Kelly laughed. “Mom? Who the hell do you think I am?”
I blinked. “Kelly! Hey!”
Roxy piped up. “Hey, girl! I take it you’ve already talked to the parents this morning?”
I clicked on the first job description. “Don’t you know it.”
Kelly started rattling off. “Please tell me you’re finally settled enough to come out with us. Please? Pretty please? With lots of cherries on top?”
Roxy snickered. “You know that girl doesn’t like cherries. When the hell you gonna remember that?”
I submitted my first resume. “I’ve unpacked and gotten myself organized, yes.”
I placed the two of them on speakerphone and sat my phone off to the side.
“So, Roxy and I were thinking. If you’re free tonight, we can finally take you out and show you how those who live in Vegas like to live it up.”
Roxy giggled. “There’s this bar we love to go to. Reasonably-priced drinks for the area, lots of hot guys, and outstanding music to dance to. You're going to love it.”
I submitted another application. “You know I don’t do clubs and stuff like that.”
Kelly barked with laughter. “Then, why move to Vegas?”
Roxy sighed. “Technically, she’s in Henderson. The boring, old person part of town.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing wrong with old or boring.”
Kelly giggled. “Girl, there is if you’re only twenty-five.”
Roxy’s voice mounted. “And at twenty-five and single? You should be livin’ it up, girl. Yes!”
Yet another application was sent off. “I don’t know, you guys. Why don’t you two come over, and we can order some pizza?”
Kelly scoffed. “You hear that, Rox?”
Roxy grumbled. “Yeah, I did.”
“Bitch wants us to order pizza.”
“Want us to bring our footie pajamas, too?” She sighed unimpressed
Kelly added her two cents. “I could get us some juice boxes.”
“We could put on a nice Disney movie.”
Another application done. “I mean, that sounds like a fun night to me.”
Kelly groaned. “Yeah, you’d think that, wouldn't you?”
Roxy stole the phone from her. “Girl, this is what’s happening. You’re gonna do you all day, right? Then, we’re going to come pick you up at eight.”
My eyes widened. “Eight? Like, at night?”
“Who are you!? Mrs. Doubtfire! Shit, that woman knew how to party better than you do.”
I paused. “Wasn’t Mrs. Doubtfire a--?”
Kelly stole the phone back. “Semantics. We’re picking you up at eight and taking you out. End of story. Be ready, be dressed for a night out, and bring your I.D. You need to start making some friends and becoming comfortable with people your age. The club scene is the thing out here, girl! And you’re gonna be part of it, for once.”
I submitted another application. “Okay. Yes. I’ll be ready at eight.”
Roxy yelped. “Yes! Okay. Great. We’ll pick you up at eight on the dot.”
“Have fun with those applications,” Kelly sing-songed.
And as I submitted my fifth application of the morning, the phone call ended, leaving me to anticipate what might come my way that night.
“I’m gonna need a nap,” I murmured.
2
Zane
“Mr. Hearthstone, I’m telling you this from the bottom of my heart. The deal isn’t going to stand.”
I folded my hands in my lap. “And why do you feel you have the
authority to tell me that?”
He cleared his throat. “Because I just do, okay?”
My eyes whipped over to my office speakerphone. “You know that isn’t going to fly with me. Why won’t you let me speak with my client?”
“I am your client, Zane.”
“Mr. Hearthstone. You had it right the first time. And no, you’re not my client. You are my client’s realtor. There’s a difference.”
He sighed. “Sir, I have my client’s best interests at heart. And your deal definitely doesn’t fall into that category.”
“Why? Because you don’t like the offer? I can certainly raise it.”
He sounded exhausted. “It isn’t about the money, Zane.”
“Mr. Hearthstone.”
He paused. “Mr. Hearthstone.”
I nodded. “Good. I’m glad we’re finally on the same page with that. Now, as to my offer...”
“It’s a ‘no.’”
My jaw clenched. “I wish to speak with my client.”
“Well, that’s not happening.”
I slowly stood from my seat. “You have two choices. You can either let me speak to my client, or I purchase the property right beside your clients and push them out. Either way works fine with me.”
“You won’t smoke us out.”
I spoke slowly. “Listen very carefully, Mr. Walsh. There is no ‘us.’ This deal is between myself and Mrs. Daily. Now, you can either put Mrs. Daily on the phone, or I can pay her a personal visit. Whichever works fine with me.”
“That won’t be necessary. Mrs. Daily doesn’t enjoy visitors.”
My voice fell flat. “Neither do I. So, we either negotiate, or we end this phone call. Understood?”
