Meet the Fitzgeralds

Try as I might, I couldn't shake Nick the entire train ride down to Philly. Somewhere around Trenton I caved and started googling his upcoming show. The premiere date was October 21, a Tuesday. I wondered if he was attending a premiere party and if so, if he was bringing a date. Then I stumbled across a TMZ article from the previous week titled, "Who Is Nick Murray?" 

Nick Murray, 25, upcoming 'Real Wolves of Wall Street Star', will sizzle the small screen come October as the resident bad-boy of the show. A resident of New York for the past year, this hottie is allegedly single. 

The photo they chose wasn't one that I recognized and seemed to have been taken at an event. He was standing solo in front of a step-and-repeat, looking ridiculously gorgeous and possibly photoshopped. I had the screen inches from my face, trying to decide if his bicep had been altered when the train lurched to a stop. Disoriented I looked up and realized I had just spent the past 40 minutes googling my ex. Oops. 

I stepped off at 30th my mood much more solemn than the giddy girl who usually bounded into his arms upon arrival. Spotting Dylan in the crowd I was relieved that my heart gave it usual somersault at seeing him. 

"Hey gorgeous," Dylan greeted me, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me up to plant a kiss on my lips. 

"Hey," I replied, stretching my grin further than it would go on its own. 

"I figured we could just take it easy and stay in tonight, are you good with that?" he asked, draping his arm around me and steering me outside. 

I nodded into his chest, glad that alcohol wouldn't be involved in the evening. I had a bad habit of drunk texting and with the day I had, lord knows I wasn't safe around an iPhone. 


By Saturday afternoon, the hefty dose of Dylan had almost erased Nick from my mind. Every minute I spent with him made me realize I was absolutely insane to even think about wanting someone else. I sat comfortably in the passenger seat as we wound through the familiar roads of the suburbs that I had grown up in.

"It's pretty back here," Dylan remarked, as the road curved past a breeding farm that I had always admired. The rolling pastures were framed by white picket fences, and pregnant mares dotted the fields. 

"I know, it's all horse country out this way. A lot of the major horse shows are out here and most of the people spend Spring and Summer here, then have second barns down in Florida." 

"Do you ride?" Dylan asked, reminding me again just how new this relationship was. There were still hundreds of things we didn't know about each other.

"My whole life," I replied. I missed riding everyday, but the only horses NYC has are the poor ones that pull the carriages. "Turn left here," I said as we approached my parent's street.

As we pulled in, I spotted my brother's car in the driveway and instructed Dylan to park next to it. As he turned the key, he let out a loud sigh.

"Are you okay?" I asked, a smile playing at my lips.

"Just nervous," he answered, his hand squeezing my knee. 

Well, that's adorable.

"They'll love you," I said, not a shred of doubt lacing my words. Dylan gave the best first impression I had ever seen. Waitresses, cab drivers, anyone we encountered fell under his charming spell. I leaned over to give him a kiss that lasted a little longer than appropriate. Even though we'd had about three rounds of morning sex, I found myself calculating how long until we were back in Philly and I could tear his clothes off. 

We got out of the car, me carrying the presents I had gotten my mom in New York (two books, a sweater and her favorite chocolates), and Dylan holding the bouquet of flowers that we had gotten this morning at the farmer's market. I let us into the back gate and up onto the back patio, sliding open the back door. 

"Dani!" my mother's voice immediately greeted me, followed shortly by the tiny wagging mass of blonde fur that was Clarence. I knelt down and allowed him to lick my face before greeting my parents, brother, and his girlfriend Rachel. 

"This is Dylan," I said proudly after hugging everyone. I stepped aside and presented him like a trophy I'd just won. 

"Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald," Dylan said formally, introducing himself to everyone. "and Happy Birthday," he said, extending the flowers to my mother.

"They're beautiful! Thank you!" she said, heading into the kitchen to put them in water. We moseyed into the living room for appetizers and the men immediately began discussing football, comparing their fantasy teams using names and numbers I couldn't even begin to keep up with (does this happen in every family, or just mine?)

I focused on getting to know my brother's girlfriend, Rachel, better since this was only the second time we were meeting. She was a 5th grade teacher and although seemed perfectly nice, was very quiet - something that my family was not.

As we headed into the dining room for dinner, my mom placed her hand on my arm and leaned over, "He's a looker!" she whispered and I couldn't help laughing out loud. 


"Oh, Dani," my brother said when we were halfway through dinner. "I saw Nick on a commercial for some reality TV thing, what is that about?" My heart skipped a beat and I gave my brother a death stare. Is it not common knowledge to not mention the ex when meeting the new boyfriend??

"What?" my mother said excitedly. "Nick is going to be on TV?" 

"Um.. yeah," I said, focusing on the pot roast on my plate. "Some TV show thing." I felt Dylan tense up beside me and I realized that I had completely forgotten to tell him about Nick's TV gig. 

"For what?" Rachel asked and I wanted to discuss anything other than Nick. 

"It's just this reality, banker thing. They're spinning it as a 'Real Wolves of Wall Street'," I said, taking a massive bite of food so that I could no longer answer questions. 

"This roast is great, Mrs. Fitzgerald," Dylan said, promoting a subject change. I wanted to kiss him. 


After we had said our goodbyes and climbed in the car a few hours later, I armed myself for the barrage of questions I was sure that Dylan was going to ask. Much to my surprise, he acted as if it had never happened, instead discussing my dad's motorcycle and my mom's great cooking.

I nodded along, adding words here and there all the while wondering why he was breezing over the subject that my ex had a TV show that I had failed to mention to him. 

As the city lights came into view thirty minutes later, I decided to just bring it up. Rip off the band aid. 

"So, about the Nick thing.." I said, and before I could go into more detail Dylan interrupted.

"I've seen the commercials, Dani," he said flatly. 

"Oh," I replied, surprised that he had seen it, let alone recognized Nick. "Honestly I forgot to tell you, I wasn't hiding it or anything."

"I know," he said, his eyes fixed on the empty lanes in front of us. 

"I had lunch with him yesterday," I spat it out like word vomit. When he didn't reply, I continued. "I saw the promo last week and texted him, he had wanted to grab drinks but we just had a quick lunch yesterday instead. Just catching up."

"Okay," he said. I dug my fingernails into the leather seat, frustrated with his lack of words. 

"Are you mad?" I pushed.

"No, he's your ex and something big is happening for him. I get it. I don't like that you saw him, especially without telling me first, but I understand."

"Geez, boyfriend of the year over here," I said with a weak smile. 

"Just tell me next time you two hang out, okay?" 

"Okay," I said. I wanted to add that Nick and I wouldn't be hanging out again, but I couldn't bring myself to say those words out loud.