bitter about it when she ran into Ross again at a party in Marin six months after she and Cullen had broken up.
“How’s Mr. Wonderful?” She had told Ross exactly why she was leaving him when she did, that she had met the man of her dreams. She had left Ross flat, and it took him a while to get over her. He had dated a few women since but no one he cared about particularly. He looked around to see if Cullen was at the party with her, but he didn’t see him. He hadn’t seen Kendall in almost four years. She was beautiful, but she had been heartless with him and he was leery of her. He didn’t have a penchant for mean women and didn’t want to get one now.
“Not so wonderful after all,” she said honestly.
“Ah. When did you figure that out?”
“About six months ago.”
“And you never called?” He seemed good humored about it. “How’s your interesting brother who makes the furniture in England? I wanted to meet him.”
“Still there, and making money at it hand over fist,” she said sheepishly. “There’s a market for what he does in England. Old-fashioned craftsmanship. He says he’ll never come back here to live. He thinks all people care about here is money, and they have no soul.”
“Harsh, but possibly right,” Ross said, thinking about it. “I think that’s where we parted company. You thought my small dreams to do tasteful houses with fine craftsmanship was pathetic and unambitious of me.”
She winced when he said it. She vaguely remembered telling him that, but she was younger and tactless then.
“Still working for your father and striving to be like him?”
“Yes.” But in the meantime she had seen how he ran over people and used people, and how cruel he could be, although she didn’t say so to Ross. Her father had hardened over the years and lost the innocence that her mother had originally loved. A fortune in billions had corrupted him in some ways. He was used to getting his way, and expected nothing less.
“Are you happy working for him?”
“Sometimes.” And then she added, “Not really. It’s hard to mix that kind of success with the milk of human kindness.” It was the gentlest way she could think of to say it. Ross nodded and knew it was true. People like her father scared him. He had had clients like that and hated doing business with them. You always came away with your wings singed and the taste of ashes in your mouth.
“I’m going to start flipping houses one of these days. I can afford to do it now. I couldn’t when I met you. Some dreams take longer than others.” He smiled at her. He had a warm easygoing style that was irresistible to most women, even to her. And he was the opposite of Cullen Roberts in every way, and her father.
She opened the subject cautiously. “I might be interested in doing that sometime, as an investment, flipping a house.” He nodded and didn’t leap at the opportunity. She had been harsh with him before, but she was still a beautiful, intriguing woman. He wondered if Mr. Right had knocked the wind out of her sails a little. He told her it had been nice seeing her, but didn’t ask for her number when he left. He wondered if it had changed.
It gnawed at him for days after he ran into her. He liked her, but he didn’t want to get burned by her again if another Mr. Right came along from the business world. She had seriously disappointed him the last time. And then he figured what the hell, what did he have to lose except his sanity and his heart, and he called her. The message was the same so it was still her number. He left a brief message and then forgot about her. He had a busy few weeks finishing up two houses for clients.
* * *
—
Her father had left for the boat in the meantime, after telling Kendall how tired and lonely he was. Her mother was almost always in Tahoe now, ever since her grandmother had died seven years before. Kendall felt sorry for him, and decided to surprise him over a long weekend, and she had nothing else to do. He had looked so sad when he left. It was a big trip for her, but she decided to do it. She flew to Nice and got