Dream Man (Executive Women in Love Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

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