by Claire Adams
Eventually, I gave up and called Irene. If I couldn’t make things right in my personal life, then I could focus on work.
“Welcome back,” Irene said when I opened the door for her. She stepped inside, and I led her over to the couch.
“Thank you,” I said. “We have a lot of work to do and fast.”
“Okay?” She frowned.
“I’m moving the company to California,” I said. Her mouth fell slightly open. “And, I’d like you to come with me. If that’s possible.”
“Oh!” She blinked. “Um… Well… This is really sudden, Mr. Mathis.”
“I know,” I said. I nodded my head quickly. “But, I need your help facilitating this move. It’s not going to be easy. I need people around me that I can trust.”
“I’d need help with the moving costs,” Irene said simply. “And, my mother is in a home here in New York. I’d like to move her out there, too.”
“Done,” I said immediately. “Absolutely. No problem.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Then, yes. I’m in.”
I smiled and sighed deeply. I’d been worried Irene would turn me down, and I didn’t think I could take another hit just yet.
“But,” she said. I looked at her quickly. She suddenly looked nervous as she pulled out a magazine from her purse. “There’s something I think you should see.”
Irene handed me the magazine, and I stared down at it. My own face was staring back at me from the cover. It was a shot of me at some gala just last year. I’d seen this picture before, but the headline beside it was something I never thought I’d read.
“President and CEO of Mathis Industries Hires Known Escort”
That one sentence was enough to send my world reeling. I ripped open the magazine to find the right page. The article was almost three pages long. It outlined the last month of my life perfectly. The journalist even managed to get a quote from Marissa’s boss. With each word I read, my anger grew.
It wasn’t until I reached the end of the article that everything clicked into place. The only people who would know this much information were Stanley and Eloise. They must have caught wind of the fact that I was trying to blackball him. This article was their retaliation.
I closed the magazine and my eyes. Irene sat on the couch in front of me. I could feel her presence, but I didn’t want to look at her. I didn’t want to see or talk to anyone. All I wanted to do was find Stanley and throttle him.
Instead, I calmed down enough to formulate a plan. With a deep breath, I opened my eyes to find Irene staring at me nervously.
“Get me the editor of the magazine on the phone,” I said. “Now.”
Irene nodded and jumped into action. Within two minutes, she was handing me her phone. I took it and breathed slowly before pressing it again my ear.
“This is Dirk Mathis,” I said, “Who am I speaking with?”
“Heather O’Connell,” a voice said. “I’m the editor of New York Press magazine.”
“Excellent,” I said. “You’re going to want to write this down. Hell, you can even record our conversation if you’d like.”
“Okay,” Heather said slowly. “What is this about, Mr. Mathis? The article we published, I assume?”
“Let’s just say I have a better story for you.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Marissa
Veronica wasn’t expecting me, but I didn’t wait for permission before I entered her office. After the things she said about me in the New York Press article, I no longer cared how she perceived my actions.
“Marissa,” Veronica said. She jumped up from her chair and fixed me with a sickly-sweet smile. “I heard you were back from your trip.”
“I am,” I said simply.
“Well,” Veronica said. “How was it?”
“Judging by the ‘anonymous tip’ you gave,” I said, “I think you already know.”
Veronica dropped the fake smile and shrugged. She sat back in her chair and sighed deeply, running her thin fingers through her hair.
“Honey,” she said. “We all do what we have to, okay? I just answered a few questions. Where’s the harm in that?”
“You sold me down the river,” I said sharply. “You know how strict I am about not having sex with my clients, and yet, your quotes made it seem like I’m your hardest-working whore.”
“I said no such thing,” she said with a glare. “I run an upscale service, Marissa. I would never say anything that would compromise my work.”
“I’m sure.” I was still angry, but I wanted the conversation to end. I was there for one reason and one reason only.
“I’m here for my money Veronica,” I said. “I know Dirk has already paid you, so… My cut please.”
Veronica nodded and took an envelope out of her bottom desk drawer. She slid it over to me with a smug look on her face.
“You know,” she said. “I really am surprised by your anger. You know I never meant you any harm, Marissa.”
“I’m sure that’s true,” I said. “But, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Dirk was my last client, Veronica. I’m done.”
She sat forward quickly. She searched my face for some sign that I might be kidding. She found nothing but a blank expression and determined eyes.
Even before the blowup with Eloise, I knew I was done with this business. Dirk paid me enough to cover my student loans. I submitted my thesis the day I returned to New York. My future was within reach — and now, I was finally going to take control of it.
“You can’t be serious,” she said with a laugh. “You’re going to let one little article run you off?”
“No,” I shook my head. “I decided this long before that article came out. My debts are paid off. I’m almost done with school. I’ll be applying for jobs in child psychology. This part of my life is over.”
“Over? Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
Without waiting for her response, I pushed back my chair and stood up. She stared at me in shock as I turned around and took a couple steps toward the door.
“Wait,” she said suddenly. I didn’t want to, but I stopped and turned around to face her. “You should read this.”
She held out a magazine. I frowned and took a step closer. When I saw the magazine’s name, I looked at her with fresh anger in my eyes. It was another copy of New York Press.
“Relax,” she said. “It’s not what you think. There’s a new article. Page twenty-two. You should read it.”
I didn’t know what to think as I took the magazine from her. I tucked it under my arm and looked back up at her with a frown. She didn’t say anything else, but as I turned around to leave, I could have sworn I saw something like pride in her eyes.
***
My apartment felt tiny and empty compared to the bungalow in California. I’d only spent a few weeks there and yet, it felt more like home than my apartment ever had. I missed the smell of the ocean and the sound of Josie’s giggles. When I left Veronica’s office, I immediately dreaded going home. Being back in my apartment only reminded me of all the things I missed. Josie. California. And even Dirk.
Despite everything he did and didn’t do, I still missed him so much that it hurt. My chest ached whenever he crossed my mind. I couldn’t think about him without my eyes burning. I fought back tears and told myself I would get over it soon, but I wasn’t sure I believed it.
Dirk and I had shared something I’d never felt before. We connected on a level that was deep and profound. It wasn’t just about sex, though that was amazing, too. It was so much more. He understood me and cared about me. We shared so many interests and ideas, and we had bonded so fast and so completely. I hated myself for falling so hard.
Whenever I thought about my last day at the resort, a wave of nausea overwhelmed me. I could still see Dirk’s blank face, staring at me as Eloise screamed. It was horrible in the moment, but reliving it was even worse. I couldn’t believe my life had become so dramatic.
Wh
at was worse was how desperately I missed Josie. She’d looked so hurt when I walked away from her that day. I pushed her toward Dirk and fled. It was wrong, but I didn’t know what else to do. Josie wasn’t my child; she wasn’t my daughter. I couldn’t just take her with me, no matter how badly I wanted to.
The thought of telling her goodbye was too much to bear. I got on the plane without looking back. It wasn’t until I made it to New York that I realized my mistake. Dirk may not have deserved a goodbye, but Josie did.
Still, whenever Dirk called me, I sent him to voicemail. I couldn’t stand the thought of hearing his voice, not even long enough to get Josie on the phone. It was too painful, too completely heart-wrenching to even consider the possibility of answering his calls.
So, after three days of being back in New York, I still hadn’t spoken to them. I submitted my thesis, cleaned my apartment, went grocery shopping, quit my job, and went for a jog six different times just to distract myself. When Veronica handed me that magazine, a part of me was grateful for something else to do.
I took a cab back to my apartment, clutching the magazine tightly in my hands. I didn’t so much as look at it until I was safely on my couch. When my eyes scanned the front cover, I saw a headline that jumped out at me.
“Dirk Mathis Exposed: The Truth About His Escort Girlfriend”
My eyes widened as I read those words. I was shaking as I flipped to the right page and began reading the article.
Dirk Mathis is a well-known businessman and philanthropist. When he’s not running Mathis Industries, he’s busy supporting charities and throwing fundraisers for worthy causes. There’s no denying the Dirk Mathis we’ve followed for years is a good man.
Or, is he?
Just a couple days ago, one of our reporters sat down with a reliable source to find out the truth about Mr. Mathis. The man we all thought was nothing more than an upstanding man, widower, and father, might be much less honorable than he seems. Our source confirmed that Dirk hired an escort to play the part of his girlfriend while on vacation with his business associates.
To say our readers were shocked would be an understatement. Appalled, horrified, disgusted… These words seem more fitting.
However, Mr. Mathis recently spoke out to share his side of the story, and maybe, just maybe, we all judged him a bit too quickly.
“It’s a complicated story,” Dirk said during our interview. “And, I don’t expect anyone to understand, but I did what I thought was best. You see, my wife died over two years ago, and ever since then, I’ve been afraid to date. The idea of putting myself out there, of opening myself up to another woman, felt wrong. Almost like I would be betraying Amelia.”
As many of our readers know, Amelia Mathis died years ago. She left behind Dirk and their daughter, Josephine Amanda Mathis. Her passing was understandably traumatic for Dirk and everyone who knew and loved Amelia.
“It was impossible, you know?” Dirk said. “To think about being with someone else. I just couldn’t do it. And yet, my friends wanted me to. They pushed and pushed, encouraging me to get back out there. I think they meant well, but they didn’t understand. They just didn’t get it.
“So, when my friends invited me and a date to California, I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to go, of course. But, how could I find someone to take on such short notice? How could I explain to my friends that I hadn’t been dating, despite how much they pushed me to do so?”
Dirk admitted to having lied to his friends for months. He states that he couldn’t take the constant questions about his love life, so he invented a fake girlfriend to get them off his back.
“But,” he continued, “when it came time for them to meet my ‘girlfriend,’ I didn’t know what to do. Obviously, there wasn’t really a woman in my life. So, I panicked and did the one thing I could think of: I went to an escort agency and found a woman to take with me to California.
“The woman I chose was studying to be a child psychologist. She got along well with my daughter, Josie. It seemed perfect. She was exactly what I needed to get through the trip. That is, until my friends found out about her profession and released horribly untrue things about her.”
We don’t have the escort’s name. Mr. Mathis refused to divulge that information out of respect for her privacy.
“You see,” Dirk said, “the woman I hired is wonderful. She’s kind and has more strength and integrity than anyone I’ve ever known. In the few weeks that we spent together, she completely changed my life. She showed me that business and money aren’t the most important things in life. She opened my eyes to the amoral things my colleagues were doing. And, she helped strengthen my relationship with my daughter. I honestly don’t know what I would have done had I never met her.”
Dirk told our reporter that he fell in love with this woman almost instantly, but he was afraid to admit it, even to himself. After losing his wife, who could blame him?
“I know it’s an odd way to meet someone,” Dirk said, laughing at the thought. “But, does that really matter? Hiring an escort is never something I thought I’d do, but I did. I did it, and I don’t regret it. Because love finds us when it’s meant to, doesn’t it? Sometimes, things sneak up on you, and you just have to run with it.
“I fell in love, which was something I never thought I would do again. When my wife died, I closed myself off to the world. And this woman, this amazing woman, opened me back up. She showed me exactly the type of person I want to be. And that? Well, I’ll never regret that.”
The article continued for a few more paragraphs, but I could barely comprehend the words. Dirk said more things about Stanley and Eloise, painting them in a negative light and proving that they were the ones who should be ashamed. He defended me and himself so eloquently that my eyes were filled with tears by the time I finished reading.
All I could think about were his words. “I fell in love…”
He’d never said those words to me. Not once. But, to see them right there in front of me was more than I could have hoped for.
I closed the magazine and pressed it to my chest, laughing and wiping happy tears from my eyes.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Dirk
I’d given a thousand interviews since my company first went public, but none were as important as the one I gave about Marissa. Each word I said was chosen carefully, meticulously. I hoped Marissa would read the article and know that even though I didn’t defend her at the resort, I was defending her now. I hoped she would see my words and forgive me for being such a dick. It was a lot to ask, but I poured all of myself into that interview.
The article came out early Thursday morning. New York Press released a special edition of their magazine just to run it. I pulled strings to make it happen because I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. Marissa had to know how I felt, and if she wouldn’t take my calls, this was the only way I could tell her everything.
Still, as Thursday came and went, I didn’t hear from her. I tried to tell myself it didn’t mean anything, that she just hadn’t seen it yet. But it didn’t work. By the time Friday morning rolled around, I was convinced she just didn’t care anymore. And honestly, who could blame her? I thought.
“Daddy,” Josie asked over breakfast that morning. “Is Marissa ever coming back?”
I sighed and put my fork down. Josie was no longer screaming at me or ignoring me. She spoke to me with an almost-normal tone and sometimes, she even smiled. Still, her heart was broken over the loss of Marissa. She didn’t know Amelia long enough to miss her, but Marissa… Marissa held the promise of a mother that Josie needed. Now that she was gone, I wasn’t sure Josie would ever get over it.
“I really hope so,” I said. I smoothed Josie’s hair and sighed again. “I’m so sorry this happened.”
“Did you really pay her?” Her eyes met mine, and I felt like she was x-raying me the way only a little kid can.
“Yes,” I said. “I did.”
“Why?”
�
�Because,” I said slowly. “I was afraid my friends wouldn’t like me anymore if I didn’t have a girlfriend.”
“So,” she said, “Marissa was never really your girlfriend?”
“Not at first,” I said. “But, after spending so much time together, I really started to like her.”
“Did she like you, too?”
“I think so.” I nodded.
“What about me?” she asked nervously. “Did she ever really like me?”
“Oh,” I said softly. “Sweetheart, she loved you. I know that for sure.”
“Then, why did she leave me?” Josie asked. “If she loved me, why did she leave?”
“Because I made a mistake,” I said. “Marissa left because of me, Josie, not you.”
Josie just nodded and took another bite of her eggs. She chewed slowly and turned to look out the window. Her eyes fell on the New York skyline, and she sighed deeply. It wasn’t just Marissa that Josie missed. She longed to return to California, to see the ocean just outside her window.
There wasn’t anything I could do about Marissa, so I spent the day working. I threw myself into the move, coordinating with Irene and the other assistants to make things as quick and seamless as possible. It wasn’t easy. The board was still hesitant to sign off on things, but I knew one meeting would be enough.
“I want to see everyone at the office today,” I said into my phone. “I know it’s short notice, but this is too important to wait.”
“Some of the board members are out of town,” Irene said. “I’m not sure we can get everyone here, Dirk.”
“Just try,” I said sharply. “Call me when you know.”
I hung up the phone with a sigh. It wasn’t fair of me to snap at Irene. She was doing more than her share of the work throughout all of this, but my mind was split between a thousand different things. I was nervous about the move and scared that I would never see Marissa again. My frustration was getting the best of me.