Dream Man (Executive Women in Love Book 1)

by Rose, Celia T.

  Okay, well, maybe some.

  When she entered her apartment, she had second thoughts about agreeing to meet Jay again. She checked on Jenny who was fast asleep and got ready for bed. She crawled in, glad to have the warmth of her dogs lying on either side of her. Felicity fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  The next morning she stretched and recounted her date with Jay. Shoot. She’d committed to a date.

  Should she go?

  However, after deliberating over her coffee and Sunday Los Angeles Times she decided no, she’d better not go on the date. She couldn’t go to the movies or even one other date with Jay. It wasn’t fair to him and it wasn’t fair to her.

  She texted him:

  Thanks for a great time, Jay. I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel tomorrow. Please try and understand. I don’t think it’s right, for me, now. If I change my mind, I’ll call you.

  But she knew she wouldn’t.

  She had others plans. A perfect scheme suddenly came to mind. Now she had to get cracking on it.

  Max Googled his brother, found his contact information and reached him at his home. He requested that he meet him for breakfast. When Tommy walked in the Sunset diner Sunday morning, Max immediately recognized him. Fifteen years can change a person’s physical appearance but Max couldn’t miss the toothy grin or broad shoulders of his younger sibling who towered over even his own six-foot-two height. Max stood to greet him. Tommy appeared uncertain as to whether he should give Max a handshake or hug. He settled for the former and slide in the booth opposite Max.

  “I would have seen you earlier in the week but I had a lot of overtime being that the tournament is in town.”

  Tommy had done well for himself as golf resort manager. Max was proud of him. “That’s all right. I know my visit is unexpected. And much, much too late.”

  The waitress came over and took their drink orders. Coffee for both.

  “So, what have you been doing all week?”

  “I’ve been working on Mom’s house.” Despite his initial encounter with his mother, guilt got the better of him and he insisted on helping her out. Fortunately, she didn’t turn the offer down. “I hired a contractor to fix the roof over the garage, re-screen the patio, painting, and we’ve done some furniture shopping.”

  “You know Mom has to be desperate to accept your help. I’m surprised you got ‘Past Go’ after she kicked you out.”

  Max took in a deep breath. “Repairing the damage I’ve left behind over the past fifteen years wasn’t easy and it’s by far not done.”

  Tommy shrugged. “Means nothing to me, pal. Hate to say it. But, I was, like, eight years old when you left here. And as far I’m concerned you’re as nonexistent to me as Dad.”

  The coldness of Tommy’s statement slapped the reality of the situation into Max. His voice caught in his throat when he mustered a response. “I can understand you feeling that way.”

  The waitress returned with coffees and water and took their order. Max had been relieved Tommy agreed to stay long enough to eat a meal. He wouldn’t blame him for getting up and leaving.

  Max put sugar and cream in his coffee and sipped while formulating what he hoped would be the right words. “For what it’s worth, I never forgot any of you.”

  Tommy shook his head as he drank deeply from his cup of Joe. “Sorry, I don’t buy it. What’s your motive for coming here?” But Max’s brother didn’t wait for an answer. “‘Cause if ya turn around and don’t contact Mom again it’ll be reopening the wound she’s nursed all her life.”

  “Dad’s desertion hurt all of us. What Mom did to support us, I—”

  “No.” Max’s brother’s face flared red and he pointed his finger. “You have no right to judge her or talk about it. She did what she had to do.”

  Max leaned in and kept his voice down. “Listen, I get it. It’s in the past. What she did. What I did. Now we’re here in this moment and it’s time for forgiveness. I want to make up for lost time. I want to help her. And I want to make sure she’s going to get the help she needs with the drinking.”

  Tommy shook his head. “She doesn’t need anything. We have managed just fine without you. Just because you stroll into town for a week and throw some money around doesn’t mean you get us back. Or have a say in Mom’s life. It’s gonna take a lot more than that.”

  The waitress arrived and served Tommy’s eggs over easy with bacon, hash browns, and toast, and Max’s vegetable omelet. They ate in silence. Max could cut the tension with a knife.

  Max pushed his half-finished plate aside. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you, Mom and Roberta to trust and let me be back in your lives.”

  Despite the subject matter, Tommy seemed to have a voracious appetite. Puzzling, but at the same time while they ate, Max used the time to think of a way to redeem himself.

  The doubt niggled at Max, and he suspected Tommy either didn’t care or didn’t believe anything Max said. “All I ask is that you give me a chance.”

  “Take whatever chance you want. Like I said, it means nothing to me.” Tommy stabbed his hash browns and shoveled them into his mouth.

  Max took a deep breath. “I’d like to meet your wife and the girls.”

  Tommy glanced at him with a blank stare. “We’re not here for you to pick us up and put us down again whenever you want. Like all the women you have sprinkled about the country.” He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t want my daughters meeting an uncle they never had and will probably not see again.”

  “I deserve all of your suspicions. I directed most of my angst in the past toward Mom. And she didn’t deserve it either. She needs us to be reunited. That’s probably why she’s driven to drink.”

  “Don’t even try to pin it on me. She’s been far gone for a long time now.”

  “It’s not too late for her to get help. Maybe if she has restored faith, in me, at least, it might give her some hope for a better life. If I accomplish anything while I’m here, I’d like to at least give her that.”

  Tommy seemed to consider everything Max said and remained silent for a few moments. “I know it took a lot for you to come here. It’s long overdue, but you did it. And, maybe, it’s not too late for Mom. I don’t think you should blame yourself for her drinking because it’s been a problem even in her heyday. But, if she keeps on going like this, she won’t be with us long. So far, she refused any kind of twelve step program, so if you think you can make a difference by all means you should try to do so.”

  “Are you willing to give me a chance at being your brother again?”

  “I-I don’t know.” Max’s brother cast his gaze downward and wet his lips.

  The waitress returned, refilled their coffee, and asked if they needed anything else to which they replied no. She dropped the bill and scooped up the plates.

  Max promptly took the bill.

  Tommy sat there for a moment and seemed to contemplate Max’s last question further. “How long will you be in town?”

  “For the next week, then I’m headed to New York.”

  “Tell you what. I’d be willing to give you a chance. But, if you lose touch with Mom again, I can’t forgive it. I won’t. She can’t take another let down, by you or anyone else for that matter.”

  Tommy words about Max’s current actions being long overdue ran through Max’s mind. If it weren’t for Felicity coming into his life he wondered if he’d ever face his past. Yet it didn’t matter that meeting Felicity spurred him forward to be the man he should be. What mattered most is that he finally did it. And if Max was sure about anything, he knew from this day forward he wouldn’t let his mother or anyone in his family down again.

  Felicity decided to spend her Sunday doing some important research. She dug up whatever she could on Ch
arlotte Winters. When she got started in the restaurant business, what locations she opened, what permits she’d applied for, her restaurant concept and menu specialties. By the end of the day, she’d been prepared for the perfect pitch.

  Felicity tried Charlotte office first thing Monday morning. She introduced herself to Charlotte and was pleasantly surprised Max had mentioned Executive Women to Charlotte on a prior occasion.

  “I watch the show. In fact, I love it,” she said.

  Felicity heard voices in the background and feared Charlotte would soon have to get off the phone. She knew she’d have to talk quickly. “I have a proposal for you. I think we should do an episode during restaurant week. I believe our show can increase exposure to the community and to the nation.”

  “Go on.”

  “My research shows you wish to expand your restaurant chain locally and the additional exposure through an Executive Women clip, simultaneously with the feature film you’re doing for the Food Network, could give you a break into parts of the country you haven’t considered.”

  “At the moment, we’re planning to expand the individually themed restaurants from lower Manhattan into the other boroughs, all within the next twenty-four months. But, the idea of going nationally had never occurred to me. Fabulous idea.”

  “We can have our camera crew take in our filming while the feature on the New York restaurants is in progress. Then perhaps you can give me the inside scoop of running the place. So, I can probably get everything together with my crew and be there as early as tomorrow.”

  Felicity hoped like hell she wasn’t too late.

  “Tomorrow? Oh, I’m sorry. The feature and Restaurant Week isn’t scheduled until the later part of next week . . .” Felicity heard the rustling of papers over the line “. . . uh, it opens the Friday after next.”

  WHAT? Max had left two weeks ago. So where, exactly, had he been? She needed to not act surprised by this interesting detail and carry on the conversation as planned. “Oh, well, I—I’m sure we can arrange to be there. I must have gotten my dates mixed up.”

  “It’s no problem. Now, you know we’ll have Maxwell Marx on location. Having him around will give us raving reviews, especially by our female viewers.”

  “Actually Max is partners on the Executive Women show. However, in view of the fact that we are taping a reality show, I’d like to make this a surprise shoot. If you don’t mind, don’t mention that we’re coming on the set, not even to Max.”

  “Why, would he see it as a problem?”

  Uh-oh. How would she pull this off? If he knew she arranged this he might high-tail it out of there. This for the show, she kept telling herself. But really she wanted to see what he was up to. Then she’d know for herself. For her own security. Even if she’d behaved somewhat stalker-like. No, a better word would be industrious. That’s it. “Of course it’s not a problem. Max and I previously talked about having you on the show. However, we weren’t planning on it in conjunction with your feature. I’d like to use the element of surprise—”

  A background voice called out, “Charlotte, we need you out here . . . now!”

  “Hey, it’s fine. Mum’s the word. I don’t get how you do your business but you’ve been doing a great job with the show. So, I’ll see you soon. You know where to find me. Ciao!”

  And with that she hung up.

  Mission accomplished. She’d rearrange things to make it happen.

  But where exactly did Max take off to? And why?

  Felicity finished her meeting with Shantae and had her plans made for the New York trip.

  A TMZ feed buzzed on Felicity’s smart phone.

  “What’s wrong, Miss Felice?”

  Felicity supposed the shock and desperation clearly registered on her face. “Melania Hernandez was spotted in New York. With Max Marx. He left ahead of feature schedule for a rendezvous with Melania. Unbelievable. All along, he’s been involved with her.”

  “Now come on. You don’t know that.”

  “Oh, I know it. He’s been extremely evasive with me and standoffish. It’s because he had Melania on a string.”

  “Men are such animals.”

  “That they can be.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “We’re going to New York and get the scene on tape. As they say, the show must go on. And as far as Max is concerned, we didn’t have an understanding. So, all is in fair play.”

  Shantae rubbed Felicity’s arm. “Come on, girl. You can get any guy you want.”

  Felicity had thought she wanted Max. Yet this new information confirmed everything. He was every bit the cad the world painted. The playboy. And an out-and-out liar, who turned his back on his own family.

  What in the world made Felicity think he could ever be something more to her than a fling? Or that she could inspire him to change. He’d strung her along while keeping Melania on the side. He played Felicity for a fool. Only the last joke will most definitely be on him.

  Chapter 13

  Felicity organized her staff for the road trip to New York. The troupe included two cameramen, her production assistant Shantae, the scriptwriter and her, packed with enough clothes for the week.

  Felicity checked Max’s itinerary and confirmed he’d checked into the Marriott Marquis Sunday night. She made reservations for herself and the crew to stay there as well. She knew this to be a tad bit aggressive but then the entire plan was aggressive.

  “I dunno, Miss Felice, you might be getting yourself in over your head with this one,” Shantae said during their long plane ride to LaGuardia. They’d scheduled a late night flight, which would arrive in the early morning hours.

  “Sssh! I don’t want anyone to hear us.”

  “They can’t hear us. Just catch a glance at them.”

  Felicity observed the members of her crew. They were either asleep, with earphones, or otherwise detained with their smart phones or tablets. Still, she didn’t need Shantae knowing any more than she did. “You don’t mind what I’m doing. Concentrate on the job.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Shantae swayed her shoulders side-to-side in mock reverence. “Don’t wanna mess with the boss lady.”

  “I don’t mean to be harsh. I’m a little scared.”

  “I’d be a little scared, too, honey child. If he’s with, who-knows-who, you’re gonna be disappointed. Prepare yourself now.”

  “That’s complete conjecture on my part, and more than I should have told you. But I’m prepared for the worse. Max made no commitments to me. He has other issues.”

  “I’ll say, any man that can resist a hot chick like you—”

  “Come on, Shantae. I’ve told you too much already. Now let’s pretend it’s just a job.”

  “Either way, you can count on me for a shoulder to cry on. But I hope you won’t need it.”

  So did Felicity.

  The Betonia was hopping for a Tuesday night. According to the online reviews, this restaurant typically had reservations filled for a year in advance. Why Charlotte wanted additional exposure, Felicity didn’t know.

  When Felicity arrived at the restaurant, crew at hand, Charlotte was nowhere in sight. She should have expected them. Felicity had confirmed they were coming earlier in the afternoon.

  The hostess appeared flustered when she saw Felicity and her crew. “I’m sorry. We already have cameras set up in the private dining room in the back. Are you with ABC television?”

  “No, I—we’re here for an impromptu reality television episode. It had been arranged with Charlotte,” Felicity explained. Disappointment threatened to unravel her.

  “I’m sorry, but Charlotte isn’t here. She’s at Isabelle’s tonight.”

  One of her other restaurants. Now what? Maybe she had an unexpected schedule change. “Well, is Max Marx h
ere?”

  The hostess rolled her eyes. “I get it now. You’re with the press. I’m sorry but you’ll have to move along. This filming is for a private party.”

  Shantae grumbled under her breath, loud enough for the girl to hear. “Snotty little thing.”

  The hostess glared at Shantae. “Must I call security?”

  Felicity persisted. “It won’t be necessary.” She took a moment to read the hostess’s nametag. “Gina, here’s my card. Honestly, my credentials will check out. Please phone Charlotte, I’m sure she’ll confirm it.”

  Gina read the card and eyed Felicity with suspicion, made the call and must have made contact with her boss because she nodded and said, “Gotcha.” Gina smiled. “Charlotte gives you her apologies. She’s detained but you can start without her. She’ll be along later. Please follow me. We’ll have refreshments for you and your crew in the back.”

  Gina should have given her apology as well. But, Felicity was just relieved she was being escorted to the action. Her heart beat hard against her rib cage, both in nervous anticipation of how the shoot would go and about seeing Max.

  The room was crowded with cameramen surrounding a dining table party set for twelve. There were ten seated. No Max. “Gina, our episode was to tape both Max Marx and Charlotte. Is he expected to be here tonight?”

  “I have no idea. I believe so. Charlotte said she’ll be by later. As for Max, he runs on his own schedule. We weren’t given a time when he’ll show . . .”

  And, speak of the devil, just then, Max walked in through the side entrance behind the long table with none other than Melania Hernandez. Wonderful.