Dream Man (Executive Women in Love Book 1) (3 page)

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 two 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.”

“What do you mean? You’re the man who has it all.”

Now he’d let the proverbial cat out of the bag. “Having it all, as you say, comes with a price. Like no freedom, running from the paparazzi, and having all kinds of people clamoring for your attention. It gets tiring. Then there’s someone like you. Who’s trying to make it in the world and seems to hit one brick wall against the other.”

“Ah, come on. I just had a little car trouble.”

Now she’s comforting me
. He wasn’t being quite the stand-up guy he’d wanted to show her. “Nevertheless, I’m going to insist you let me bring you to work tomorrow.”

Felicity shook her head. “You’ve done enough for me today. I can have Shantae pick me up.”

“Still, I’d like you to let me know how you make out with the mechanic.”

“I will.” She squeezed his arm.

And his heartstrings tightened—just a little.

Thursday night arrived. Felicity prepared for her usual time to meet her best friend Margo Spinelli, at their favorite restaurant,
The Ivy.
Felicity told her she had important news to share. Although Margo at first said she’d been too busy at her design studio, Felicity convinced her it’d been urgent.
The Ivy
was LA’s spot for the stars. She and Margo enjoyed stargazing on their weekly get-togethers.

Felicity spotted Margo and maneuvered her way in the crowded restaurant, between burnished wood chairs and tables glancing at the wall-to-wall coverings of Hollywood memorabilia along the way.

Felicity sat at Margo’s table, eyed her cold glass of white wine, and ordered one for herself.

“You won’t believe this. I met Maxwell Marx at the ER the night of Jenny’s accident, and he’s helping me with my new show proposal. He’s even offered to play a minor role and pitch it to a big network executive with me.”

“Wow.” Margo’s eyes widened. “Great news. What a major hook-up.” Margo leaned in. “But, do tell, how did this transpire?”

The server delivered Felicity her drink. She took a generous sip of the cold, oaky Chardonnay and sighed. “I met up with Max at the hospital, and while poor Felicity was getting her leg operation, I shamelessly pitched my new show idea to him. A few days later he called me for lunch.” Felicity had managed to drink down her drink in between words and quickly flagged the waiter for another round. Margo followed suit.

“Oh, and Margo, he is every bit as generous as he is handsome. Even better looking in person than on the screen. So tall, stocky built, and those gorgeous dimples when he smiles—I could barely eat my meal. All along, I could swear he seemed
interested
in me. I mean on a personal basis. I know it must be my imagination. Or wishful thinking. But he even said he wanted to take me out to dinner when we sealed the deal. When! Even claimed it would be a slam-dunk. He told me I could call him anytime while I prepare my presentation.” The wine buzz hit Felicity.
Damn
. She should have eaten lunch. She squeezed a lemon in her water and downed half the glass.

“I can’t believe it. How ironic. You met your idol! It must be in your stars.” Margo seemed to ponder on what she wanted to say. “I mean, we
do
live in LA. You were bound to cross his path, eventually. You should play it cool. Definitely don’t flirt. And that’s coming from
me
.” Margo raised her brow in warning. “You don’t want to mix business and pleasure. Especially if the network will only take the show with his backing. Not that your show isn’t worth it in every way, but we know how this business is.”

“First of all, I want full control. If I feel for one second his friend Doug is going to sign me only because of Max, I simply won’t do it.”

Margo rolled her eyes. “Come on, don’t be silly. It’s all who you know in this town. If Max is willing to back you, take it. Besides, you need a better job. The people at Applaud! have taken advantage of you long enough.”

“I don’t intend to leave
Teen View
behind. I’m under contract anyway. But I can delegate to others where needed and supervise the production. I need to move on for Jenny’s and my sake. I desperately need to get more money. The apartment we live in is horrendous.” Felicity shook her head still in disbelief about the entire opportunity with Max and a new potential studio gig. “Still, I can’t believe I’m going to collaborate with the one and only Max Maxwell. It’s like a dream.” Felicity giggled. “With my dream man.”

Margo paused and seemed to contemplate her friend’s words. “I don’t think he’ll get involved with you, personally. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but everyone knows Maxwell Marx is a ladies’ man. Don’t be naïve.” Margo sipped her drink.

“He’s an entrepreneur. I realize it’s just business for him. Don’t worry. I don’t have any dreams of grandeur. But having the connection to Max
is
a lucky break.” Secretly, Felicity had hopes to get more involved with Max. How could she not?

“You always had a determined streak in you.” Margo winked. Her long black curls bobbed in front of her heart shaped face. “And it’s never failed you yet.”

“It’s the only way to succeed.” Felicity toasted her water to Margo. “But I intend to do this on my own. I mean, I may have the contact with the network
through
Max, but I intend to be the show runner.”

“I get it. Just don’t read into things with him. I don’t want to see you get hurt again. Like with Brad.”

The cheating bastard
. “Let’s not go there. Brad is
so
over. And, I think I know how to conduct myself professionally.” Felicity leaned in and couldn’t resist saying, “Still, I can tell when a guy digs me.”

Margo shook her head and waved her finger as though scolding a child. “Felicity, you forget. I’m your best friend and I’ve listened to you moon over Max for years. Years. Now that you’re actually interacting with him you really need to get a grip. If he’s at all interested, on a personal basis, you know the rules, let him make the moves.”

“I never listened to the rules and haven’t done so badly in the men department. Well, then there’s Brad.” She always said she’d never move in with a guy, but broke down and moved in with the creep, later having regretted it. “All that matters to me is my career and getting Jenny and I set up in a better place to live. Besides, you’re one to talk, Miss Pick ‘Em Up Whenever She Wants. Since when did you follow the rules?” Felicity challenged.

“I don’t need to. I love ‘em and leave ‘em. Whoever said I wanted to keep any of them around? More than one night, anyway.” Margo laughed at her own comment. “But you’re the type who likes having a guy in your life.”

“I wish I could be more like you and not have a care in the world when it comes to men. But I’m not. I can’t buy into casual dating. It doesn’t work for me. Yet, I don’t think I’m ready for another relationship. Not now.” Deep down she knew she lied to herself. Even though every time she loved someone, they abandoned her. Her parents. Not that they had any control over what happened. And then Brad entered her life. She’d like to find a guy she could rely on. Someone like Max who seemed so self-assured, so capable, and able to possibly stand in as a role model for Jenny. “You know, it’s strange. For years, I’ve idolized Max and now we’re interacting. It’s crazy.”

“I don’t think you’re listening. He is
not
relationship material. And if he’s not the player the tabloids would have us believe, he still isn’t the type to take up with . . .”

“With what Margo?”

“I dunno. He has his Hollywood image to maintain. You are a regular person. Guys like him usually show up with a model, an actress or something. Don’t get overly hung up on the idea of being with him. That’s all. I don’t think he’s right for you.”

Felicity knew Margo had a point. But she didn’t want to believe it
.

Max shook his tumbler. The clicking of the ice in the now empty glass gave him a satisfying
ping
. He needed another Scotch. The Park Ave in downtown LA bristled with the typical Friday night crowd. Max liked the place, known for great burgers and craft beers. The dark hardwood floors and bar top shipped in from Scotland gave him the feeling he was in a real guy’s guy place.

Doug from
Sharpen
walked in and caught his eye just as Max’s second scotch arrived. Breathless from apparent rushing, Doug slid into the booth opposite of Max. “Sorry I’m late. It was unusually busy at the studio.” The waitress came to the table and took Doug’s drink order.

“So, Max, how’s the movie making world?”

“Good. Great actually. I’m scheduled to start shooting in Australia for the Jack Forth role soon and then will be touring a few countries in Africa.”

Doug nodded. “So, what’s up buddy? I can tell when you’ve got something up your sleeve.”

Max presented Felicity’s show idea.

Doug nodded and seemed to contemplate the proposal. “I don’t know, Max. I’m interested enough to see her research and plans. But, to take the risk on an unknown at the height of the season . . . I have some misgivings.”

“Come on, Doug. You know me. I wouldn’t push this if I didn’t personally believe in it.”

“The stockholders are coming down hard on us. We’re rolling around into the last two quarters of the year. I can’t risk prime time on a show, which might tank. Most of this reality stuff is frankly not my bag. Not our station’s bag.”

“It’s a little different. This will focus on the working professionals. I think she’s onto something.”

The waitress served Doug a frosty mug of beer. Doug tapped Max’s now empty glass with his and took a deep pull. “Or you’re onto her. Huh?” Doug smirked. “You can’t fool me, buddy. Is she another one of your emerging professionals you want to take under your wing? In more ways than one, I’m sure.”

Okay, maybe he deserved that. His reputation preceded him. Even his good buddy didn’t trust his intentions. Doug didn’t know his true self. He wasn’t the baseless, shallow playboy the tabloids would have the world believe. Still, he never denied it or showed the world anything different. What the hell did he expect? He felt empty playing up to this plastic, unreal image. Playacting became second nature to Max and sometimes it’d been difficult to distinguish the difference between reality and the world he played in. “She’s brilliant at her work. Determined. I wouldn’t put it past Felicity to run her own network someday.”