Nine Lives - Danielle Steel Page 0,69

a little progress with the business she wanted to start online, and had contacted a few artists who said they’d be interested in being represented by her. They were young and emerging artists whose work she’d seen at art fairs and galleries in Chicago when she had time, two of the artists were in London and one in Paris. The artists liked the sound of her online concept and the opportunity she was offering them. She wanted to sell the work at moderate prices, which was better than what they were getting now with no permanent gallery. Maggie wasn’t ready to set it up yet, but it was much on her mind. She was too busy with Paul to deal with it right now.

Paul had suggested that they could ship works to their clients on approval if the client had proper credit. The idea appealed to her, but the six weeks she spent with Paul in Paris and then the next six weeks spent at home with Aden kept her from making much progress. She was always either busy with Paul, or being available to Aden, which ate up her time.

She talked to Helen about it again when she got back.

“I don’t see how you can focus on starting a business, run halfway around the world to be with Paul between his car races and his battle with the IRS, come home to be a suburban mom, and then fly off again. I’m not sure how you’re keeping it all straight. Just hearing about it makes me feel crazy. Do you really think his mess with the IRS will turn out okay?” Helen asked her. She and Jeff had discussed it, and it was way over their heads too. It was financial manipulation at the highest level.

“It seems to be under control. I’m more worried about his races again now.” His race in France had gone well, he’d come in third, which he wasn’t happy about, but at least he hadn’t gotten injured. “I feel like a bullfighter’s girlfriend,” Maggie commented. “I worry about his getting gored every time. It was a lot easier being married to an accountant. My mother was right, the exciting ones will kill you. Especially Paul. The races aren’t enough for him, everything he does is dangerous. He’s either taking on the IRS, or wants to go skydiving with a friend, or goes mountain climbing to relax. I told him I’d kill him if he does anything dangerous with Aden this summer. He wanted to buy a special boat to take him paragliding behind the Lady Luck, and I wouldn’t let him. So he bought new high-speed Jet Skis instead. Aden is going to love them. It’s fun being with him, but too much fun at times.” She had gone from one extreme to the other, and yet there were other times when he was content to share some quiet time with her. They had spent a peaceful weekend in Switzerland before she left, and it was idyllic.

“Let’s face it. If you can stand the pace, it beats driving car pool as the high point of your day in Lake Forest,” Helen reminded her.

“I’m not so sure.” Maggie smiled at her, but she was looking forward to joining him on the boat and having Aden with them, and he could hardly wait.

“We’re taking the boys to a dude ranch in Wyoming this summer,” Helen told her.

“That sounds great to me.” Maggie and Helen had managed to stay in touch and see each other despite Maggie’s coming and going and the fancier life she led with Paul now. It hadn’t gone to her head, and she appreciated Helen’s friendship. She never forgot Helen’s getting her moving again after Brad’s death, and pushing her to take the trip to Europe, which had changed her life when she reconnected with Paul in Monte Carlo. It was hard to believe it was only nine months ago.

* * *

—

When Aden left on his backpacking adventure in Europe in June, Paul was already on the boat, working from there by phone and computer. Maggie flew to Nice and joined him on the Lady Luck in Monaco. They set sail the night she arrived, and took off for Portofino. As she stood on deck, feeling the wind in her hair, she could feel herself relax. Paul stood next to her with his arm around her. He looked as happy as she did. Everything else faded away when they were