Dream Man (Executive Women in Love Book 1)

by Rose, Celia T.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. My bad.” Felicity quickly gathered the paperwork and stuffed them in her attaché case. She opened the menu and quickly glanced it over then placed it to the side. “Do you know what you’re having?”

  “I’m going to get the grilled tuna over a salad.”

  “I think I’ll have the crab-stuffed tilapia.”

  Max called the waiters attention and put their orders in. “So, how’s Jenny doing?”

  “Thanks for asking. Good. I couldn’t get over how quickly she mastered the use of her crutches.” Felicity straightened her shoulders and sipped her drink. “They kept her at the hospital for three days after surgery. During her hospital stay, she got the bright idea of dropping out of high school and getting an early admission to college.”

  “I think it’s great about college. I’m not sure about her dropping out of high school, though. What are your feelings?”

  “She’s always complaining her school is more about cliques, bullying and boyfriend competition than study. Still, she has a 4.0 average. I think if she finishes out high school she’d qualify scholarship money.”

  “Do you think she’ll take your advice?”

  “I do. I’m feeling a lot better about Jenny. She’d threatened to drop out of high school before. Can’t say I blame her. We couldn’t afford a private school and it’s pretty rough at Ritmoore High. But, now with her renewed attitude, I think she’ll manage better. The accident seems to have completely changed her attitude.”

  There’s that term “we” again. “So it’s just you and Jenny?” Max could feel a twitch in his cheek. He hoped Felicity didn’t notice. He’d had his pick of any number of women in Hollywood, model and actress alike, who practically threw themselves at him. But Felicity’s quiet determination, drive, and sheer confidence along with kick-ass good looks unnerved him. Felicity was so unlike any woman he’d ever dated.

  She gave him a panicked glance. Max feared he’d gotten too personal with her. He finished his martini and flagged the waiter for another one. Maybe he’d better cool it with the personal stuff. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

  “You’re all right. It’s been just Jenny and me, since our parents’ accident. It happened, what, now four years ago.” Felicity shifted. “How’s Melania?”

  Max was relieved to hear Felicity didn’t have a significant other although he couldn’t fathom why. Could he really see himself with Felicity? Fact was, he wasn’t sure how to even act around her. “Melania’s is doing much better. It turned out she had a bad reaction to the diet pills and had taken more than the suggested amount. The doctor advised her to stay off them all together. I doubt she will. She and her friends put themselves under so much pressure, trying to get modeling gigs and casted into minor acting roles.”

  Felicity finished her Saratoga water. Max refilled her glass from the bottle. She squeezed in some fresh lemon. “I hope you don’t think I’m imposing on your generosity with the series pitch.”

  “Not at all. I’m always in search of a new project. I think I may be able to discuss this with my buddy, the executive producer at the Sharpen Network. With my financial backing and agreeing to a couple guest appearances, it’ll be a slam dunk.”

  Felicity moved her eyes slightly downcast. Max detected a flicker of disappointment. He suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to encourage her, make her confident her project could work. “They’re actually looking to fill in a slot on Sunday nights. Even though television is a little out of my league, I’d be happy to get the show off to a good start with my personal appearances.”

  “You’d do that?” She cast her eyes downward and seemed to be formulating the right words. “I feel uncomfortable with you putting your own money and time into it. I want to know I can do it on my own. And I’d also like to be the show runner, as I am with Teen View.”

  She was so adorably self-driven. For once, he’d met a woman who didn’t want to advance herself through him and his clout. It made him want to help her even more.

  “As I said, I dabble in all kinds of projects. I’m already a part owner in the network. Plus this show seems like it would be fun. I want to do it. And in between my movie shoots, I don’t see the harm in making a few guest appearances.”

  “Still, I’d insist you’d be on the payroll.”

  He snorted but caught himself and said, “I’m well compensated, don’t you worry.”

  He needed to get in control of his rampant emotions. Felicity was obviously dedicated to her work and her sister. The last thing she needed was some almost over-the-hill Class A commitment-phobe to make a pass at her.

  He promised himself he wouldn’t make his relationship with her personal. He truly wanted to help her.

  But why did she have to tempt him so damned much?

  Felicity wondered why Max had asked so many personal questions. Maybe he wanted to get better acquainted or make her comfortable. She was the furthest thing from being comfortable. He’d made her anxious.

  Did he want to be her friend? Or business acquaintance?

  What’s worse, he was so incredibly attractive. He’d been Felicity’s secret crush—for years. Being so close to him physically and seeing him in the flesh disconcerted her.

  Felice wanted so badly to get her project off to a start. Although it was to her advantage that Max was a part owner at Sharpen, she feared he’d want to get too involved with the project and possibly not let her run things the way she wanted.

  Yet she’d reached a dead end with Applaud! television. They made so many excuses. She was too young, didn’t have the experience, others had been around longer. Right. She knew Applaud! held her back because of her gender and her age. She never complained when Applaud! took credit for her show Teen View and let her run it without the title and the pay of director. Her pay as production lead barely sustained her and Jenny. Especially living in LA.

  Felicity would be forever grateful for what Max was doing. “I can’t thank you enough for reaching out to your friend. What is his name?”

  “Douglas Perry. He runs programming for the network.”

  “I’m excited.” Felicity hoped he didn’t hear the ring of uncertainty in her voice.

  The waiter served their meals and checked to see if everything was okay. Not that she had any appetite.

  “Do you think Doug will appreciate this information I pulled together?”

  “Most certainly. I’d like to schedule a meeting and we can go over it with him.”

  “Really? Together?”

  “Of course. We may be onto something very good.”

  We? Felicity loved the way it sounded. The way he said it.

  “. . . but, we’ll have to let the professionals decide.” Max observed her untouched plate as he finished half his own meal. “Are you going to eat that or stare at it?”

  She laughed. Really, she needed to relax. He genuinely wanted to help her. It was a business proposition for him as well.

  “I’ll set this up for next week.” A shadow glazed over his eyes, and she couldn’t read his mood for a moment. She’d realized he knew so much about her, but she didn’t know anything about him. Except what she’d read.

  “I think it’d be best to make it on a Friday afternoon. It’s the slowest time for Doug. Then I’ll take you out to dinner to celebrate.”

  So Max thought they’d get a deal with the network that fast? And dinner? As in a “date?”

  If she didn’t know better, based on all his prodding questions, he had an interest in her, other than professionally.

  Could he possibly be attracted to me?

  Nonsense.

  Max paid the bill for their dinner and offered to walk Felicity to her car into the parking lot. She didn’t valet. At first she resisted, but when they arrived to her beat up, appeared-to-be-on-its-last
-wheel Honda he knew why. She’d probably felt embarrassed to be driving it. He opened the car door to let her in, and she smiled as she sat and jammed the key into ignition. Only the car wouldn’t start.

  “Don’t worry about it, I have AAA,” Felicity offered.

  “I’ll give you a jump.”

  Felicity raised her hand in protest. “Really, it won’t be necessary.”

  “Now what kind of guy would I be to leave you here? Hold on. Let me grab my car.”

  For some reason, Max had actually been grateful for the delay. He wanted to spend more time with her. He jogged over to the valet to have his car retrieved, then slid into his Porsche and rounded his way back to Felicity. Even though Max frequently had his driver Floyd take him about, he never gave up his independence and had been grateful for being alone that evening. And any man would be a fool not to have jumper cables in his trunk.

  He set everything up and had Felicity re-start her car, but nothing happened. Her engine was dead. Now what?

  “I guess we’ll have to call roadside assistance,” Max said.

  Felicity got her cell phone out and made the call. “They’ll be at least forty-five minutes. You go ahead home. I’ll be fine.”

  “Not a chance. What if they can’t get the car to start?”

  While waiting for AAA, Max took the opportunity to learn more about Felicity. He couldn’t help himself. She intrigued him. “I guess Jenny won’t be able to drive for a while, huh?”

  “I’m not sure I would want her to. First, the injury is on her right side.” Felicity’s eyes glazed over. “Besides, I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her. The way the people drive around here . . .” Felicity shifted her weight against his Porsche. “I couldn’t think of losing the only family I have left.”

  “The night of your parent’s accident must have been horrible for you.”

  Max regretted bringing it up, but Felicity didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she opened up like a morning flower. “I was seventeen. It was a head-on collision on the Pacific Coast Highway. The other driver fell asleep at the wheel and survived the accident with minor injuries. Since I was close to eighteen-years-old, I was able to obtain custody of my sister and dropped out of high school. We got a nice apartment in a complex where the residents became an extended family. Sort of like Melrose Place. I got the job at Applaud!, functioned as a gofer but eventually proved myself and, well, you know the rest. Now it’s your turn. What about you?”

  “Your background is much more interesting. So Jenny was how old then?”

  “Only eight-years-old. And until recently when our apartment complex got taken over by new management, it seemed we’d found our replacement family.”

  “What happened?”

  “New ownership from I don’t know where rolled in and doubled the rents. Well beyond what we could afford. But we don’t have to continue talking about boring ol’ me. I’d like to know about you. How did you get your start in the film industry?”

  Max had managed to keep the subject off him, so far. But, he had a feeling Felicity wouldn’t let him get away that easy.

  Max surprised himself when he spoke. “I’d started my career in acting at a local playhouse in Outer Banks. I then had an opportunity, after high school . . .” He fibbed a little but she didn’t need to know why he left his single mother and siblings behind. “. . . and moved to New York, attended NYU on student loans and bartending tips, and aimed for Broadway. Success came easy only because while I failed miserably with history and math. I came alive on the stage. I loved the craft and crawling into a character’s skin. Then I’d starred in the Tony award-winning production of Treacherous. That attracted the attention of Saul Griffin who caught me outside curtain call and hasn’t let go since.”

  “Oh, right, Saul Griffin, one of the most sought-after Hollywood booking agents.”

  “And sometimes a royal pain in the butt.”

  The AAA tow truck arrived. The guy tried to jump-start the car again without success. Max took Felicity in his car, and they followed the flat bed to a local mechanic.

  “Bad time for the car to crap out on me,” Felicity said, seeming dejected.

  He bet she couldn’t afford a new car.

  “No worries. I’ll drive you home and we’ll take it from there.”

  Felicity’s apartment was clear across town, over the proverbial railroad tracks and on the bad side of town. They walked up four flights on a stairwell with a rickety banister. Her apartment was accessible only by an outdoor hall. Chipped paint greeted them on the doors and walls as they walked along the long hall to her apartment. Felicity struggled to unlock three locks to open the door. She gave him an uncertain smile. “It’s for extra security.” Dogs barked from the inside.

  Clearly, the girl needed help—and lots of it. She obviously needed a car that started and a decent place to live, somewhere safer and better maintained. Maybe he could help. After all, he had a fleet of luxury cars, a driver, and bodyguards at his twenty-four-hour access and lived in a sprawling mansion with more bedrooms than he ever had guests to fill.

  But flash warnings ran through his brain. He knew he trekked on dangerous territory where friendship and romance could not be separated. Besides, he had a hunch Felicity Burgess would be too proud to accept his help anyway.

  Chapter 3

  Felicity fumbled with the keys to open her apartment door. Her two collies were barking like crazy inside. She had to invite Max in after all he’d done for her. But, did she want him to see her apartment’s shabby conditions?

  She glanced at him. “Come on in. It’s too late now to do any work on my laptop. I’m tired. I guess I’ll be able to spend some time with Jenny.” Rambling. Again. “I’ll make some coffee.”

  “Sounds good.”

  As soon as Felicity stepped into the apartment, the collies barreled into the room, ignoring Felicity and inspecting Max.

  “I hope you’re not allergic to dogs.” Felicity tried to pull the collies off Max.

  Max shook his head and seemed to enjoy petting and playing with them. “No. Not at all. Love them actually. If I didn’t travel so much, I’d have them myself. What are their names?”

  “This one is Chicky.” Felicity patted the shorter, fairer-haired dog and then pointed to the other dark brown one. “The other one is Frisky. So named because Chicky is a girl and Frisky is a boy who constantly flirts.”

  “Hey, I didn’t know we were going to have company.” Jenny hobbled into the living room on her crutches with Ben in tow.

  “I had some car trouble,” Felicity said, showing Max into the parlor. “This is Max Marx and this is my sister, Jenny, and her friend, Ben.”

  “I know who you are.” Jenny leaned forward on her crutches and put her hand out to shake Max’s hand. “I—I’m a big fan of your Forth movies.” Her eyes glazed over in sheer admiration. You’re more handsome in person.”

  Max blushed. “Well, thank you.”

  Ben approached Max maneuvering between the squirming dogs and took his turn at shaking Max’s hand. “A famous guy in Jen’s place. Go figure.”

  “Yeah, I’m not such a big deal,” Max answered.

  Ben pursued the point. “I love the Forth action series. When will there be a new one?”

  “Umm, I’ll be heading to Australia soon for the next movie in the franchise. It’ll be released the end of next year.”

  “I’d like to hear more about it.” Ben raised his brow, obviously star struck.

  Jenny tugged Ben away from Max. “Come on. We can talk later. What’s up with the car, Felice?”

  “Oh it’s nothing. It could need a new battery. We had AAA tow it to a local mechanic.”

  “I hope it’ll be all right. Hey, Felice, I hate to ask, but the dogs need a walk and we haven’t gone out yet. Can you tw
o take them?” Jenny asked.

  Felicity grabbed the two-dog leash from the doorway bench. “Sure thing, Jen.” Felicity leashed the dogs up. “We’ll be back.” And she and Max were once again out in the balmy summer air.

  Felicity couldn’t get over how ordinary things seemed with this extraordinary person.

  Max was relieved Felicity didn’t say goodnight and grateful to spend a little more time with her. In the few short hours he’d spent with her, he’d already grown inexplicably attached.

  He laughed as the dogs charged ahead on their double leases practically pulling Felicity with him.

  Felicity gave him an escape from the plastic world he’d lived in. For the sake of his career, Max held up the shallow image the tabloids wanted the fans to buy. Behind the mega-watt smile and billion-dollar image splattered about town, in the tabloids, and air-brushed on movie advertisements, the man inside Max Marx desired normalcy. He’d willingly played the role of the unattainable bachelor who led his carefree lifestyle loving and having any woman, but his happiness existed only on the surface. People had the right idea, about the unattainable part, but not for the reason portrayed. And, not by his choice.

  The dogs excitedly clamored down the street. Max chuckled as he speed-walked to catch up to them.

  “You’re quiet all of a sudden,” Felicity observed as the dogs stopped to do their business on a nearby tree.

  “Sorry. I’m letting my mind run away with me.” He couldn’t divulge his true thoughts. Felicity had problems of her own. Problems ordinary people faced, such as car trouble, getting an unexpected rent raise, and fighting up the ladder at work. He envied what it would be like to be a modest person with mundane problems. “I guess I sometimes wished my life could be simpler.”