The Prince Charming Hoax (17 page)

“
Then prepare yourself. Because if it does drop, you
’
re going to get hit hard.
”

Leah squirmed in her seat. She did not want to consider that possibility.
“
Look, would you mind skipping dessert?
I have to get out of here and pick up Ali at her father
’
s house in a half hour.
”

“
All right. I
’
ll order it to go.
”

“
Go ahead, but I
’
ve got to run.
”
Leah took out two twenties and put them on the table.
“
Let me buy. It
’
s the least I can do to thank you for listening.
”

“
No more than you
’
ve done for me a hundred times.
”

“
Yeah. Girlfriends rule.
”
Leah moved over to Roxie
’
s side of the booth and hugged her friend before she left the restaurant.

* * *

The other shoe dropped two months later. Leah and Tom were in her bed, watching television on a Sunday night. Ali was sleeping at friend
’
s house.

Leah had spent all Saturday and Sunday writing sales presentations to meet her deadlines. She had looked forward to a relaxing evening, but Tom was moody and much quieter than usual, especially after a couple of beers.

Leah clicked the television off.
“
There
’
s nothing good on. I have three hundred damn stations and nothing worth watching.
”
She rolled over and reached for his crotch.
“
But we could make our own entertainment.
”

Tom pulled away. Leah felt a stab of pain in her gut. He was always in the mood for sex, no matter what.

“
What
’
s going on, Tom?
”

“
I have a lot on my mind.
”

“
Business?
”

“
Leah, the final hearing for my divorce is in two weeks.
”

“
Hallelujah.
”

“
Yeah, I know. I can
’
t believe it. It
’
s just that now that it
’
s going to be over…I want…you know—
”

Leah sat up and turned toward him.

“
No, I don
’
t know.
”

“
Leah, you
’
ve got to admit it. Our relationship has lost some of its fire recently.
”

“
For God
’
s sake, Tom. You
’
ve been preoccupied with your divorce aggravation, and both of us have been really busy at work.
”

“
Leah, when I can
’
t get a hard on, something
’
s wrong.
”

“
So, it
’
s me that
’
s wrong?
”

“
I think that I need some time to be alone. After all, I don
’
t want to jump into another relationship right after I finally get divorced.
”

Leah leaped up off the bed.
“
You don
’
t want to get into another relationship? Exactly what has our time together been? Practice?
”

Tom sat up and starting putting on his boots.
“
Leah, try to understand. You
’
re great, really. I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you
’
ve given me, and the time we
’
ve had together. But…
”
He looked her square in the face,
“
It
’
s over.
”

“
Just like that?
”

“
I spent the last ten years of marriage miserable with a woman, thinking I was trapped. I am not going to repeat the same mistake again.
”

Leah thought she was going to explode.
“
Miserable, now you
’
re fucking miserable? You prick! Get out of my house!
”
She wanted to throw something at him, but the only things within reach were the decorative bed pillows. She threw them at him anyway, frustrated that she couldn
’
t hurt him the way he hurt her.

“
Leah, come on.
”
Tom reached out to block the pillows coming at him.

“
Get out. Get the fuck out.
”
Leah pushed him out of her room and slammed the door. She listened to the sound of his boots on the steps as he made his way downstairs and out the front door. She heard him gun his engine and pull out of her life forever.

Leah leaned her forehead against the door she just slammed and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt like she needed to hold herself together. If she didn
’
t, her insides were going to fall out. When she couldn
’
t hold on any longer, she turned and slid down to the floor. She pressed her back against the door, trying to keep the pain out, but she lost the battle. She grabbed one of throw pillows that had fallen near the door and held it against her chest with her bent knees. Rocking back and forth with her arms wrapped around her knees, Leah cried until she felt there was nothing left inside her.

Chapter
16

Tom
’
s abrupt departure from her life left Leah with an emptiness she did not know how to fill. She was glad she had finished her assignments because her ability to concentrate on anything seemed to have left with her lover. She didn
’
t work, sleep, read, or watch television. No walks on the beach or anywhere else. She let voice mail answer her phone, but the phone wasn
’
t ringing much anyway.

Leah didn
’
t get out of bed until the late afternoon and then only to shower and dress before Ali came home. She didn
’
t want her daughter to know that she spent all day lying in bed. When Ali questioned her sedate behavior, Leah brushed her concern aside and said she was distracted with a new project.

Leah didn
’
t cry after the first night. Tom
’
s voice and look when he told her,
“
It
’
s over
”
left her feeling cold and barren inside. She relived over and over how he had flinched when she reached for him. He couldn
’
t have hurt her more if he had physically hit her.

Her inner critic was having a field day. What a fool she had been to open her heart and body to a man without first determining how much he wanted her. She had thrown herself into the relationship because it was something she wanted. She had been so eager to share her life with a man again that she forgot to ensure she had the right man.

Clearly Tom was not her Prince Charming. But Leah knew her prince was out there, searching for her as she searched for him. Somewhere there was a man who would love her so much that she would be his number one priority before anyone or anything else. Never again would she be so foolish as to give her heart away to an undeserving knave.

After two weeks of self-imposed isolation, Leah met Roxie for drinks.

Toasting each other and their friendship, Leah and Roxie clinked martini glasses.

“
I
’
m so glad you are ready to rejoin the living, Leah. I was worried about you when you wouldn
’
t answer your phone or return your calls.
”

“
I know, Rox. But I had to spend that time alone. I don
’
t want to go through this ever again. Promise me something, please.
”

“
What
’
s that?
”

“
If I ever date another man who is not divorced, just shoot me.
”

“
It
’
s your call. So, you think that was the problem between you and Tom?
”

“
A relationship can
’
t last if both people are focused on different things. From now on, I swear, I will only date a man who is divorced, preferably for at least three years, and who has grown children. And he should be far enough advanced in his career that he
’
s ready to focus on our relationship instead of his next promotion.
”

“
That narrows the field quite a bit, Leah. What are you planning to do until your prince arrives?
”

“
I want to take some time to be alone and concentrate on my work and Ali. You know, she
’
ll be going away to school next year, and I feel like I shortchanged her while I was so busy making a fool out of myself with Tom.
”

“
Hey, don
’
t be so hard on yourself.
”

“
You know, I
’
m over it. I really am. In fact, Roxie, I feel like I
’
ve learned a valuable lesson, and I want to write about it.
”

“
You mean like an article for a women
’
s magazine?
”

“
No, a book about the trials and tribulations of middle-aged divorced women re-entering the dating scene while at the same time trying to work and be a good parent.
”

“
Sounds a little like
The Life and Times of Leah Gold.
”

“
It
’
s not only about me. Rox. There are thousands of women out there in the same situation as you and me. We know dozens ourselves. I want to interview women and then present an account of our very real situation.
”

“
How
’
s the book going to end, Leah?
”

“
You know. Like all good stories.
‘
And they lived happily ever after.
’
”

“
Hey, that
’
s the fairy-tale ending, remember?
”

“
Doesn
’
t have to be make-believe. We can do this. Let
’
s have another round and drink to real happy endings, Roxie.
”

“
Sounds good to me, girl.
”

* * *

Several weeks later Leah was leafing through the business section of the
Sun Sentinel
, looking for professional women
’
s organizations to approach in her search for interviewees when she happened to catch the headline of a small article on the finance page:
“
Newly Formed International Banking Consortium Appoints Former North Miami Bank Manager Acting Chairman.
”

Leah didn
’
t read much further than the first sentence, which identified Douglas D. Dowling as the appointee and then went on to explain the formation of the alliance. She immediately went online and typed Doug
’
s name as key words to search. Her eyes and mouth opened wide as the search revealed fifty-plus pages of links to articles and press releases that mentioned his name or quoted him in a story. Leah was able to trace his whole career from Miami to Chicago to Los Angeles to his most recent appointment with the consortium.

She quickly scanned the latest press release, which announced his appointment and referenced his former positions at First Federation. No mention of any personal information, such as wife or children.
“
Damn, they
’
re supposed to include that information,
”
she said aloud.

It had been just over five years since they were last in contact. Doug had tried to change her mind about moving for several months after he relocated, but when he realized she was firm, his phone calls gradually decreased. Finally, they lost touch all together. Although she had thought about it, she never updated him with her new address or phone numbers.

Rereading the release, Leah was overcome with an overwhelming urge to call him. But where would she call? He certainly wasn
’
t in Los Angeles anymore. No, but the bank would have a new contact number for him!

She dialed Roxie instead.
“
Rox, listen to this.
”
Leah read the press release aloud.

“
It
’
s hardly surprising. You knew he was ambitious.
”

“
Yeah, but this is incredible. Rox, there
’
s no mention of wife or kids. Do you think that means he
’
s still single?
”

“
Leah, exactly what are you thinking?
”

“
I was going to call to congratulate him. Don
’
t you think I should?
”

“
Should
has nothing to do with it. Is offering your congratulations the only thing you had in mind?
”

“
Well, no. I do want to talk to him. It
’
s been such a long time and to tell you the truth, I could use a good dose of Doug right now. He was always so supportive of my work. You know, he
’
d be thrilled to hear I
’
m writing a book. He was always encouraging me to do more with my writing than compose advertising and marketing copy.
”

“
Leah, it
’
s me you
’
re talking to. You know you want more than a good chat.
”

“
Look, Roxie. If anything, this new job will have him more preoccupied, not less, with his career. And I
’
m sure the past few years have brought many changes to his life, like it has to mine. I really do just want to talk.
”

“
So call him. Why are you wasting your time talking to me?
”

“
Because I
’
m scared to call. I
’
m not even sure where I can reach him. And when I do, what do I say?
”

“
Leah, you
’
re a writer. You track down people and ask them questions all the time. You
’
ll figure it out. I have another call coming in now. Call me later and tell me how it went.
”

“
Yeah, sure. Bye, Rox.
”

Leah sat at her desk, staring at the press release on her computer screen.

“
You never know where a little research will take you. I was planning on prospecting for leads today. And this lead may just turn out to be the perfect ending for my story.
”

Leah called the bank in L.A., but Doug
’
s former secretary wouldn
’
t give out his cell number.

“
Perhaps you could call him and give him a message for me with my phone number,
”
Leah said.

The secretary agreed.
“
Yes. I have several messages that I need to relay to him. I
’
ll give him your message when I speak to him.
”

“
Thank you so much for your help. Good-bye.
”

Leah hung up and started to pace.
“
What if he doesn
’
t call me back? No, that
’
s ridiculous. Of course he
’
ll return my call. But, when?
”

Leah decided to return to what she was doing before she saw the article about Doug. It could be hours or days before he had a chance to call her. Just as she reopened the newspaper and began jotting down contact names for the women
’
s organizations listed in the networking section, the phone rang. The call screen showed the Los Angeles area code. Leah
’
s heart raced.
“
It
’
s probably the bank calling back to verify the number. Doug couldn
’
t be calling me so soon.
”
She reached for the phone.

“
Hello, this is Leah.
”

“
Hello there!
”

There was no mistaking his booming voice.

“
Doug! I can
’
t believe it
’
s you!
”

“
And, I couldn
’
t believe my ears when Nancy gave me your message. I want you to know that you are the first person I called back. Even before the Secretary of the Treasury.
”

Leah laughed. It was good to hear his voice.
“
I want to congratulate you! I saw a story in today
’
s paper about a former local boy who made it big. Wow, acting chairman of an international banking consortium. One day you
’
ll have to explain to me exactly what that means.
”

“
It would be my pleasure, especially if you agreed to hear my story over dinner.
”

“
Dinner? Where are you anyway?
”

“
At my office in New York. But some very powerful Latin American financiers are at a convention in Miami right now, and I suddenly feel an urgent need to attend the conference. What are you doing Thursday night?
”

“
Having dinner with you?
”