Danielle Steel - Impossible

Life is an art form.

Two hopelessly mismatched people—

Is it possible that this is love?

Impossible … or not?

IMPOSSIBLE

PRAISE FOR

DANIELLE STEEL“Steel pulls out all the emotional stops … She delivers.”— Publishers Weekly “Steel is one of the best!”— Los Angeles Times “The world's most popular author tells a good, well-paced story and explores some important issues … Steel affirm[s] life while admitting its turbulence, melodramas, and misfiring passions.”— Booklist “Danielle Steel writes boldly and with practiced vividness about tragedy—both national and personal … with insight and power.”— Nashville Banner “There is a smooth reading style to her writings which makes it easy to forget the time and to keep flipping the pages.”— Pittsburgh Press “One of the things that keeps Danielle Steel fresh is her bent for timely storylines … the combination of Steel's comprehensive research and her skill at creating credible characters makes for a gripping read.”— Newark Star-Ledger “What counts for the reader is the ring of authenticity.”— San Francisco Chronicle “Steel knows how to wring the emotion out of the briefest scene.”— People “Ms. Steel excels at pacing her narrative, which races forward, mirroring the frenetic lives chronicled; men and women swept up in bewildering change, seeking solutions to problems never before faced.”— Nashville Banner “Danielle Steel has again uplifted her readers while skillfully communicating some of life's bittersweet verities. Who could ask for a finer gift than that?”— Philadelphia Inquirer

PRAISE FOR THE RECENT NOVELS OF

DANIELLE STEEL I M P OSSIBLE “Dramatic, suspenseful … Steel knows what her fans want and this solid, meaty tale will not disappoint them.”— Booklist MIRACLE “Steel is almost as much a part of the beach as sunscreen and jellyfish.”— New York Post “Another Steel page-turner. Three strangers' lives become linked after a terrible storm ravages northern California.”— Lowell Sun ECHOES “Courage of conviction, strength of character and love of family that transcends loss are the traits that echo through three generations of women …a moving story that is Steel at her finest.”— Chattanooga Times Free Press “Get out your hankies … Steel put her all into this one.”— Kirkus Reviews “A compelling tale of love and loss.”— Booklist SECOND CHANCE “Vintage Steel”— St. Paul Pioneer Press “Gazillions of readers around the globe worship Steel's books.”— New York Post RANSOM “This suspense novel has automatic appeal for Steel fans.”— Booklist “A surefire best seller.”— New York Daily News A MAIN SELECTION OF

THE LITERARY GUILD

AND THE DOUBLEDAY BOOK CLUB

Also by Danielle Steel

TOXIC BACHELORS ACCIDENT MIRACLE VANISHED ECHOES MIXED BLESSINGS SECOND CHANCE JEWELS RANSOM NO GREATER LOVE SAFE HARBOUR HEARTBEAT JOHNNY ANGEL MESSAGE FROM NAM DATING GAME DADDY ANSWERED PRAYERS STAR SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ ZOYA THE COTTAGE KALEIDOSCOPE THE KISS FINE THINGS LEAP OF FAITH WANDERLUST LONE EAGLE SECRETS JOURNEY FAMILY ALBUM THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET FULL CIRCLE THE WEDDING CHANGES IRRESISTIBLE FORCES THURSTON HOUSE GRANNY DAN CROSSINGS BITTERSWEET ONCE IN A LIFETIME MIRROR IMAGE A PERFECT STRANGER HIS BRIGHT LIGHT: REMEMBRANCE THE STORY OF NICK TRAINA PALOMINO THE KLONE AND I LOVE: POEMS THE LONG ROAD HOME THE RING THE GHOST LOVING SPECIAL DELIVERY TO LOVE AGAIN THE RANCH SUMMER'S END SILENT HONOR SEASON OF PASSION MALICE THE PROMISE FIVE DAYS IN PARIS NOW AND FOREVER LIGHTNING PASSION'S PROMISE WINGS GOING HOME THE GIFT a cognizant original v5 release october 14 2010

To my exceptionally wonderful, loving

children, Beatrix, Trevor, Todd, Nick,

Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx & Zara,

who not only make my life possible, but

joyful, happy, and loving in every way.

How blessed and fortunate I am to have

you, with all your laughter, love and

tender moments that we share so

abundantly. I celebrate you, I thank you, I

appreciate you more than I can ever say.

May you be as blessed as I am, with

children like you one day.

with all my love,

Mom

What does that mean—“tame”? It is an act too often neglected … It means to establish ties. To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you on your part have no need of me … But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world … If you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow … Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! … Please—tame me! One only understands the things that one tames … there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship … If you want a friend, tame me … What must I do to tame you? You must be very patient … first you will sit down at a little distance from me—like that—in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me every day … As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one … But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world. —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,

The Little Prince

Chapter 1

The Suvery Gallery in Paris was housed in an impressive building, an elegant eighteenth-century hôtel particulier on the Faubourg St. Honoré. Collectors came there by appointment, through the enormous bronze doors into the courtyard. Straight ahead was the main gallery, to the left the offices of Simon de Suvery, the owner. And to the right was his daughter's addition to the gallery, the contemporary wing. Behind the house was a large elegant garden filled with sculptures, mainly Rodins. Simon de Suvery had been there for more than forty years. His father, Antoine, had been one of the most important collectors in Europe, and Simon had been a scholar of Renaissance paintings and Dutch masters before opening the gallery. Now he was consulted by museums all over Europe, held in awe by private collectors, and admired although often feared by all who knew him.

Simon de Suvery was a daunting figure, tall, powerfully built, with stern features and dark eyes that pierced through you right to your soul. Simon had been in no hurry to get married. In his youth, he was too busy establishing his business to waste time on romance. At forty he had married the daughter of an important American collector. It had been a successful and happy union. Marjorie de Suvery had never involved herself directly in the gallery, which was well established before Simon married her. She was fascinated by it, and admired the work he showed. She loved him profoundly and had taken a passionate interest in everything he did. Marjorie had been an artist but never felt comfortable showing her work. She did genteel landscapes and portraits, and often gave them as gifts to friends. In truth, Simon had been affected but never impressed by her work. He was ruthless in his choices, merciless in his decisions for the gallery. He had a will of iron, a mind as sharp as a diamond, a keen business sense, and buried far, far beneath the surface, well concealed at all times, was a kind heart. Or so Marjorie said. Though not everyone believed her. He was fair to his employees, honest with his clients, and relentless in his pursuit of whatever he felt the gallery should have. Sometimes it took him years to acquire a particular painting or sculpture, but he never rested until it was his. He had pursued his wife, before their marriage, in much the same way. And once he had her, he kept her as a treasure—mostly to himself. He only socialized when he felt he had to, entertaining clients in one wing of the house.