by Elle Boon
Big Deal Sweetheart
Sweetheart Colorado
Elle Boon
By Elle Boon [email protected]
© Copyright 2021 Elle Boon
All cover art and logos © Copyright Corma Covers
All rights reserved.
Big Deal Sweetheart
Sweetheart Colorado
Copyright © 2021 Elle Boon
First E-book Publication: 2021
Cover design by Corma Covers
Edited by Tracy Roelle
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER:
Elle Boon
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Thank You
About Elle Boon
Other Books by Elle Boon
Dedication
First and foremost, I’d like to thank Jenika Snow for asking me to be part of her Sweetheart Colorado world. I’m so excited to be among the amazing authors writing in this world and hope y’all are excited to see what and who pops into everyone’s books. Second, I’d like to say thank you to all of you readers for reading this sweet, somewhat sexy contemporary romance from me. I enjoyed the heck out of Keifer and Nova and their love story.
To my amazing team of Beta’s, y’all are the very best an author could ask for. And of course, my hubby who is my rock.
XOXO,
Elle Boon
Chapter One
“Nana, I got this. You need to keep your leg up and rest. You know what the doctor said. If you want to get back on your feet next week then you need to keep the swelling down, and the only way that’s going to happen is if you stay off your feet as much as possible. I can handle your clients for a week.” Nova reiterated the same argument she’d had with her stubborn as a mule grandmother for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her mother had told her to stick to her guns, and that’s what she was doing. As the last line of defense, she’d pull out the big guns, which was threatening to call her parents who would fly in and take over.
“You are such a bossy little thing. I have no idea where you get that from.” Her Nana harumphed, but she stayed sitting.
Nova considered that a win. Oh, she wasn’t fooling herself into thinking the old woman wasn’t planning on moving around once she left, but at least she’d be good for a little while. “I have no clue, Nana. I mean, all the women in our family are meek and mild,” Nova said with a snort and eyeroll.
Her Nana lifted the cane like thing she’d been given, pointing it at Nova like it was a sword. “You best be getting. My first client will be there, and then there’s Hazel. You better trust and believe she don’t like to be kept waiting.”
Nova stared at the apparatus pointing at her then at her Nana. She’d never seen one with four feet on the end, but her Nana had popped pink tennis balls onto it and said it was jazzed up, whatever that meant. “I will ensure I’m there in plenty of time to take care of your clients and make sure all is well, I promise. Now you promise me you’ll be good and not over do it here by yourself.”
“I’ll do my best to be an invalid,” Nana agreed.
She left after filling up her Nana’s coffee cup and ensuring the remote was where she could get it, along with the telephone. Dear lord, the woman still had a landline along with her cell, but Nana insisted she needed the cordless one in case the towers were taken out by aliens. Nova didn’t even try to argue the lack of logic to the older woman. Nope, not today or tomorrow. In fact, she was never arguing with her if she could help it.
With her head down, her coat with more stuffing in it than was fashionable, she rushed down the sidewalk and around the corner, colliding with a solid body. “Oomph,” she said on a puff of air, pinwheeling her arms in an attempt to keep from falling on her ass.
“What the hell?”
The deep voice and firm grip on her arms startled her. She was pretty sure she knew every man in Sweetheart, Colorado. Of course, they did get their share of tourists, but holy shit, this man was...yummy. “I’m sorry. I was in a hurry and didn’t see you there.”
“That was obvious by you barreling into me. Maybe you should get a coat that fits you and start watching where you’re going. You could’ve hurt someone.”
Nova bristled at his curt tone and the way he reprimanded her. Sure, he had a point, but dammit, she wouldn’t have barreled into anyone else at eight in the morning on Main Street normally. “Like I said, I’m sorry for running into you. If you’ll excuse me,” Nova grit out, shrugging her arms from his hold, which was a little harder to do than normal. What the hell did the man do, work out with those hand machines she’d seen Sylvester Stallone use in a movie when he was preparing for an arm-wrestling championship? The thought made her grin.
“You find it amusing running into people and spilling their coffee?”
“Listen, buddy, I’m not going to apologize for accidentally running into you again. As for your coffee, that is a tragedy. I know I’m not quite myself without the proper amount of caffeine fortification in the morning, and clearly the same goes for you. Here’s five dollars, you go on and head over to One More Cup and tell Flora or Tatum that I sent you. They’ll make sure you get a great cup of java or whatever you want to drink. Now please step out of the way so I don’t injure you further.” It took all her control not to roll her eyes or stomp on his toes that the fool man had ensconced in a pair of loafers, which were better suited for an office, not a mountain town’s snowy sidewalk.
When the stranger didn’t appear ready to accept the five dollars she’d pulled out of her coat, she stuffed it into the pocket of the wool jacket, that again, looked better suited for a fancy place office, not Sweetheart, Colorado. She didn’t give him a chance to say or do anything, knowing her client would be showing up in less than fifteen minutes. Shit!
Skirting the scowling man, Nova rushed down the street, making the trek to The Hair Up Here in five minutes, giving her not much time to orient herself with the shop or the products. The quaint salon smelled like her Nana and looked just as she pictured it would. “Lord give me strength and please don’t let the rest of the day go like the last ten minutes,” she prayed.
“Oh, do tell.”
Nova gasped, her hand flying to her chest. She’d been totally unaware she wasn’t alone. “Linny, you nearly scared the crap outta me.”
Linny nodded, brushing her hands back and forth. “My job here is done.”
She really didn’t have time to dawdle, but the other woman was almost as eccentric as her Nana, yet she was half her Nana’s age. “Alright, I give. What job did you just do that is now done?”
Linny tossed her head back, the long red tresses swayed as the other stylist chuckled loudly. “You and your Nana have way too much shit in you. Since I’ve scared some of it outta you already, then I figure I’m good for the day.”
Nova stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the beautiful woman who was laughing like a hyena, wondering if she should be offended or if they just became best friends. “Did
we just become...friends?”
Dressed in black, pleather leggings, a black and white checkered tank top with a black cardigan that had red lips on the back, and of all things on her feet, a pair of red high heels, Linny was the opposite of Nova’s Nana, and drop dead gorgeous. Nova knew most women would’ve been jealous of Linny on the spot, but not her. She could see the kindness that radiated out of the green eyes, even as Linny teased her.
“Girl, we’ve been besties before you ever showed up, you just didn’t know it. I’m glad you finally caught up though.” Linny tilted her head toward the back of the salon. “There’s a coffee bar back there with only the best for us and our clients. We have just about every color combo you might need in there, and if you have any questions, you just holler. I’ve got a full day but I’m here if you need me.”
She wasn’t going to ask Linny about the bestie thing. Seriously, the woman was a little on the other side of crazy, but Nova liked crazy. Her Nana always said, ‘Crazy is as crazy does’ and well, she preferred crazy over normal.
There were three stylist chairs in the salon, but her Nana hadn’t filled her in on who else worked for her. She hadn’t thought to ask, only hopped the first plane to Colorado when she’d heard her Nana had taken a nasty fall.
The bell over the door tinkled the most annoying sound, making her wince. “What the hell is that?” she asked Linny.
“That, bestie, is your Nana’s new alien alert device,” Linny said.
Nova stared at Linny who was grinning like a loon. “Um, is that public knowledge?”
“Hello, dear. You must be my fill in hairdresser. I sure do hope you don’t make my hair fall out like that one time at Bible Creek.”
“You mean church camp?” Nova asked.
The little blue haired woman hung her coat on a hook by her Nana’s station, then sat in the chair Nova stood behind before answering. “Church camp? Why no silly, I’ve never gone to one of those. But I went to Bible Creek once, and let me tell you, something awful happened that we won’t discuss. Suffice it to say, all my hair fell out after that terrible weekend.”
Through the mirror, she saw Linny making a slashing motion with her hand across her throat, shaking her head vigorously. But it was the way her mouth moved in an overly exaggerated way that nearly had her laughing. She narrowed her eyes to see what it was that Linny was trying to say, catching the words ‘don’t ask’ the other woman kept repeating, stopping herself from doing what was on the tip of her tongue, asking.
“So, what are we doing for you today?” Nova asked instead.
For the next couple of hours, she worked, doing her Nana’s clients hair and enjoying the heck out of their stories. She was just finishing Hazel’s weekly appointment, after getting out of a dinner date with the other woman’s charming grandson who needed to settle down with a nice girl. Again, Linny’s vigorous head shaking, and slashing motion was her cue to reject the idea, nicely. “Ah, Hazel, I’m sure he’s quite lovely, but I just can’t right now. I’m on a break.” She wasn’t going to go into details of what kind of break. Heck, her Nana had an almost break so that was technically true.
“Oh, honey, are you alright? My Charleston is a sweet boy. He’s exactly what the doctor would order for a broken heart,” Hazel murmured, her wrinkled hand patted Nova’s as she spoke.
Luckily for her, she was saved from answering as the alien warning system went off, or rather the chime over the door jangled. A young blonde girl stopped inside the entryway, clearly taking stock of her surroundings. Nova smiled her way while Hazel pulled out her wallet.
“Did you hear me, dear?” Hazel Lou asked.
She blinked a couple times, unsure how to answer the older woman. “Um, Miss Hazel, I’m going to have to decline that most gracious offer. While I do appreciate it, I assure you I’m perfectly fine err, being on my own this evening.” She didn’t say every evening for the rest of eternity if it meant being set up by any of Sweetheart, Colorado busy bodies. Lord save her if one more of the little town’s citizens decided to stop by for a chit chat and then casually drop the name of their grandson, nephew, or godson. No ma’am, she was not in the market for a husband, or boyfriend. An image of the rude man from earlier popped into her mind.
He was gorgeous, and if the well-defined pecs that his button-down shirt couldn’t hide was anything to go by, the man was built quite well. And his voice, damn, she was a sucker for deep, sexy, melt your panties voices. Too bad he was a jackass.
Hazel tapped the top of her hand. A sad sigh escaped her. “Well, hun, if you change your mind, you let me know. Now don’t tell your grandmother, but you did a fantastic job on my hair. Well, you might’ve done even better than her. Why, I think I look at least five years younger. Don’t you think, Linny?”
The stylist stopped cutting the hair of the woman she had in her chair and held her scissors in the air as if she was taking the time to look Hazel over. “Actually, you look a good seven, maybe eight years younger.” Linny agreed.
Hazel’s cackling laugh could seriously lighten any mood. “We will definitely rethink the bestie thing next month, dear. I’m sure Nell will be wondering how she became bestie number two.”
Linny pointed the sharp scissors at Nova. “You’re too late. I’ve already decided Nova and I were besties today, and then Nell of course is always my bestie.”
Nova and Hazel both snorted at that. “I see you’re already scheduled for next week, Miss Hazel. My Nana should be back by then. Is nine still a good time for you?” Nova asked. She couldn’t help but look over to where the young girl lingered by the door. “I’ll be right with you, hun.”
“That’s fine,” she replied in a husky voice.
Nova shook her head as Hazel sauntered out. Lord, the women in the small mountain town were going to drive her to drink by noon.
“Hi. What can I do for you?” Nova needed to keep her mind off of drinking and on her Nana’s salon. Although it was a far cry from the big city ones she was used to, it was perfect for Sweetheart, Colorado and exactly what her Nana embodied. Although the young woman, or rather girl making her way toward the desk looked like she belonged in the big city.
“I want to get my hair cut and colored. Something like this.”
Nova stared down at the magazine the girl placed on the desk, then back up at the gorgeous blonde hair. “Oh, hun, I don’t think—”
“I didn’t come here for you to think, hun. So, can you or can you not color hair?” She looked around the shop, then looked back at Nova.
The way she’d mocked hun back at Nova set her teeth on edge, but she didn’t let the girl rattle her. At one time, Nova was sure she’d been just like the little princess in front of her. She was half tempted to do just as she asked. But cut off all that glorious golden locks and color it black? Fuck to the no.
“Come on back to my station,” she said.
The girl stood taller, her shoulders going back, chin lifted. Oh, Nova recognized that too. She’d been just like her ten years ago. “Have a seat and tell me what exactly you’re aiming for?” Nova asked. Sometimes getting a client to talk about their goals actually got them to change their mind. “First, let me start by telling you my name is Nova. What’s yours?”
“Delilah. And before you ask, I’m eighteen.”
Nova lifted a black and hot pink cape from a hook behind her, snapping it open. She barely kept from snorting. Yes, Delilah looked like an eighteen-year-old, and she was taller than Nova, but she was only five feet five, so lots of people were. In the grand scheme of things didn’t mean crap, especially in the world today. Teenagers were fed some kind of grow old shit in their happy meals nowadays. “Do you have ID that proves that?”
The small purse that cost more than many peoples’ mortgages was popped open with a little twitch of her manicured fingers. A matching wallet with the signature LV label was pulled out, showing an ID with one Delilah Sparks was presented. Nova looked at it, then at the girl. “Alrighty then. Have a seat.”
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Delilah sat down in the freshly cleaned chair, after she inspected it of course. Nova was happy her Nana had a young girl whose job was to see to things such as sweeping up the hair and wiping down the chairs after clients. Although Nova wasn’t against doing it herself, she’d done her fair share of it, she preferred focusing on the clients.
“Do you have a lot of experience, Nova?” Delilah met her gaze in the mirror, one perfectly arched brow raised.
Nova liked the girl’s thought to question her professionalism. “I’ve been a stylist since I was nineteen, but I’ve been doing hair since I was fifteen. I’m a professional colorist and went to Paul Mitchell’s Parisian Beauty School in Paris. Anything else you’d like to ask me?” She truly had no problem explaining or showing clients her credentials.
“Um, no, that’s fine. I mean, that’s great. I’d love to go or do something like that,” Delilah muttered, looking down at her lap.
If she hadn’t seen the ID proving the girl was old enough, she’d be worried the girl was younger than she’d said. She focused on the request of her client, since she didn’t have the threat of some pissed off parents storming in after she whacked off their child’s hair. She began running her hands through the long strands, getting to know what she was working with. “You have really healthy hair, girl. Going black isn’t going to damage it, but if you decide you want to go back to your natural blonde, which I’m assuming is your natural color, it will be one heck of a process, and it can be hard on your hair.”
Nova looked at the girl’s face through the mirror as she spoke, paying close attention to her expressions while she did so.
“Yes, blonde is my natural color, but I don’t care. I have no wants to be blonde.”
She didn’t miss the way Delilah folded her arms over her chest or the slight tremble in her lips. “I see. Well, let me do the cut first, and then we’ll work on your color. How short were you thinking?”
Using her hands, Nova raised them to Delilah’s sides near her elbows. “Here?” she asked, but Delilah shook her head. Nova moved her hands up to mid arm by her biceps. “Here?” At this point she was cutting off a good twelve inches. She almost wanted to whimper in protest and refuse to cut the girl’s locks.