Ditching The Dream (Dream Series) (32 page)

“Okay—” I interrupted. “Off to the shower with ya. I have the lunch shift tomorrow. You can come and see where I work, have lunch, then you can explore the city.”

“Cool! What are the plans for dinner? Kevin asked if we three wanted to go to some Mexican place in the West Village. God I love this place!
West Village,
” she giggled.

“Actually, we’re going to go out with a friend of mine. He’s the one who saved me the other night when I was working and you’re plane landed. The limo was his.”

Phoebe’s eyebrows nearly shot off her face. “You have friends with their own limos? I thought you
hired
the limo!”

“I do. His name is Jack. He wants to hear more about your aspirations in the communications field and NYU. He thinks he might be able to help you out.”

“Omigod! This is so destiny!” She rushed up and hugged me. “I love you, Mom. I’m so glad I came.”

I hugged her back tightly, feeling a bit guilty for not being fully honest with her. “I love you too, sweetie.” My eyes darted to the clock that hung on the wall. It was already two in the morning.

“Okay. Shower, then bed.” I released her and shoved her to the bathroom. “I’m going to sleep. I have to leave for work by nine-thirty, so you can’t sleep all morning if you want to go with me,” I called after her.

“Got it,” she yelled from the bathroom as she cranked on the shower. “And I LOVE this shower!”

I smiled and climbed into bed. This was all going work out, right?

P
hoebe and I made it to work in the nick of time. Everyone was really sweet with her as she sat and watched me work. She loved the food and the afternoon was in general uneventful and pleasant. Seeing how much I made in tips had Phoebe second guessing going to college at all. But, I quickly pointed out that her shopping spree yesterday was on Daddy’s credit card, not the money I bring home, as well as how much my rent was, and on top of that, the cost of groceries in this city.

Phoebe and I got ready for dinner with Jack. My stomach was in knots. I hoped that Jack and I would be able to pull off this “just friends” bit.

At six o’clock, Dominic called to tell us that our ride was waiting downstairs.

“The limo?” Phoebe asked hopefully.

I nodded. “Probably.”

She squealed and hugged me tight, then we headed downstairs. Sure enough, Anand stood at the ready at the passenger door of the limo.

As we stepped through the door that Dominic held open for us, Anand opened the back door and out stepped Jack. He stood and smiled, making my heart slam against my chest.

Phoebe leaned over giggling, and said, “Don’t you have any ugly friends in this town?”

Jack stepped forward and gave me a sweet kiss on my cheek. “Elizabeth,” he said. He pulled back and smiled his mega charming smile at Phoebe. I swear she almost missed a step. “This must be Phoebe.”

Phoebe extended her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. And thank you for the ride the other night.”

Jack took her hand lightly and covered it sweetly with his other. “It was no trouble at all.” He stepped back and swept a hand toward the open door of the limo. “Shall we? I made reservations for an Indian restaurant that I love, unless you’d like something else.”

As we settled in our seats, I turned to Phoebe. “I love Indian,” she said. “My friends don’t care much for curry, so I always get voted down.”

“Excellent,” Jack said as he settled into the seat with his back to Anand.

The ride to the restaurant was filled with getting-to-know-you-chit-chat. Jack seemed genuinely interested in Phoebe’s enthusiasm about New York.

And through dinner, Jack listened to Phoebe talk about switching majors. Apparently one of Jack’s best friends was a vice-president at one of the major networks here in New York. He offered to help her investigate internships for the summer and he’d put in a good word for her if she wanted to try it out.

He also shared that he an alumni from Columbia University’s business college and had several connections there, as well as at NYU, and that she should look into both. He promised to set her up with a tour of the schools, if she wanted, first thing Monday morning. Phoebe graciously accepted the offer then turned the tables.

“So, Jack. What’s your story? You don’t sound like a native New Yorker. In fact, you say a lot of words the same way my mom does.”

“We actually grew up in the same town,” he replied coolly. “I used to date you’re mom’s sister’s friend.”

“You grew up with Aunt Suzie?” she stared at Jack, stunned.

“I did,” he nodded.

“Small world,” she mused. Funny to see that realization come to your daughter. “So, how did you make it to New York? Columbia?”

“Actually, I came here after a modeling scout ‘discovered’ me.”

“You’re a model? This just keeps getting better and better! Are you still modeling?”

“No. I actually own a modeling agency myself, now.”

“And that’s how you have your connections,” she said.

“Many.”

“This is so cool,” she said, sitting back. “My friends at school will never believe this.”

Jack just laughed then ordered us some dessert.

The night ended without a hitch. Jack played everything very cool. I was thrilled that I’d spilled to Jack that we knew each other back when. It made the whole business of explaining who Jack was so much easier.

Phoebe nearly fell asleep on the ride home. I guess the flight and the concert finally caught up with her. I was grateful, because it made ending the night so much easier.

Monday morning, just before I had to leave for work, Jack called to tell me that he’d set up a few meetings for Phoebe. Today she would get to speak to the communications department head at NYU at eleven to learn about their program. Then on Tuesday, he set up a meeting at ten o’clock at Columbia, and at three in the afternoon with his friend at NBC about summer internships. He’d also hired Anand to get her to all these places safely and on time.

So, I went to work like any other day, and Phoebe went off in the back of Anand’s limo. My Monday at work was peaceful. Jack did stop by for lunch, but he didn’t linger and he kept things friendly. It seemed he just wanted to spend time there. He wasn’t overly flirtatious or anything. It was really nice. I couldn’t imagine Greg doing any such thing.

Monday night, Phoebe and I poured over the information from NYU, and she prepared for her meetings the next day with Columbia and NBC. It was all so very exciting. And I was truly grateful to Jack for getting this all set up. If it were just up to me, we’d have gone sightseeing.

P
hoebe didn’t have anything interesting to say about how Elizabeth was doing. As Phoebe would, she only talked about herself. At least Elizabeth’s friends were treating Phoebe well, and Phoebe was enjoying her spring break.

Tomorrow was Elizabeth’s birthday. I was going to take her to this great new seafood restaurant that Morgan was telling me about, but she’s not here. What will she do on her birthday? Eat a microwave meal, like I was doing? Maybe she’ll get a steak from the place she’s working at.

And I bought her this really nice bracelet. It’s silver with a nice silver heart dangling from it. I thought about getting it engraved, but I didn’t know what to put on it. I’ll let her sort out what she wants on it, if anything. But it would have to wait for her to get home.

At least I won’t have to feel guilty for the meeting that got scheduled to start at six o’clock tomorrow night, meaning I won’t get out of here until after seven.

T
uesday morning I woke to the sound of Phoebe singing “Happy Birthday” and the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and was surprised to find her holding a tray, with a cup of coffee and a cupcake with a candle burning. A second cup of coffee and cupcake also sat on the tray, I presumed for her.

“Happy birthday, Mom. Make a wish,” she urged.

I closed my eyes and thought my wish as loudly as I could.
I WISH I COULD GET MY LIFE FIGURED OUT!
And I blew out the candle.

“I hope your wish comes true, Mom,” she said, kissing me on the cheek.

“Thank you for remembering my birthday, honey.” I said. “Where did you get the cupcakes?”

“Anand took me to Crumbs so I could get them. That place is awesome,” she beamed as we both dug into our unconventional breakfast. “I still can’t believe Jack did all this for me. The tours and the interviews. I’ll have to find a way to thank him.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” I assured her. “For now, just be your charming self at the meetings and that will be a start.”

“So, what are you doing on your birthday and day off?” she asked. “I wish I could hang out with you.”

“Don’t worry about it one second, hon. Actually, I have no plans what-so-ever.” I smiled. “I was thinking that I’d start with a run in Central Park. And this afternoon maybe I’ll just wander around taking in the sights. Something low key, for sure. Unless you want me to tag along with you at Columbia and NBC?”

“Thanks, but I think it would look better if I did this on my own, you know?”

I nodded, and was so proud that my little girl was growing up so wonderfully. “Hey! Would you like to go see a Broadway Show tonight?”

“I can’t think of anything better,” she grinned back at me.

“Any idea what you want to see?”

“It’s your birthday. You choose.”

Finishing our cupcakes and coffee, I let her get ready for her day of meetings, and I got dressed for a run.

At nine-forty, we headed to the lobby together. Anand was already waiting for her at the curb. I saw her off, then headed to Central Park for my run, trying to get my head on straight and make my birthday wish come true.

Let’s see, there was Kevin. Sweet, funny, smart, and gorgeous. Incredibly skilled in the ways of making love and happy to let me be the strong one in bed. He made me feel young and carefree. But maybe that was because he was young himself.
Just how young
? I wondered. Did I really want to know?

Then there was Jack — intense, thrilling, smart and gorgeous and a sex god in bed. He made me feel so very wanted. He was kinky and brought out a side of me I didn’t even know existed. I thought about the binding, the blindfolds, and the flogger.
What other things could he show me?
A fire started to burn in my belly.

And last, but not least Greg. The man who had been at my side for the past twenty-four years, the father of my beautiful, smart, and talented children. He was patient and kind. I think in the early years he was attentive, but since kids, his attentions have been more toward his job. And in bed he was – well, he was a dud.
Maybe I could teach him a thing or two?
I giggled to myself.

I made it back to my building around eleven, my six mile run taking me longer than it did the first time. I guess so many things on my mind, coupled with my lack of sleep was catching up to me. I took a luxurious shower and afterward, stood back looking at myself in the mirror.

Today I turned forty-three. I looked pretty dang good for forty-three. And for having born three children. I tried to see my body the way Jack and Kevin did. I could see it. I could see why they liked what they saw.