Danielle Steel: Dating Game

a cognizant original v5 release october 14 2010

Getting Dumped and Getting Over It!A novel of the wonderful, terrifying

roller-coaster ride of life-after-divorce.

DATING GAME

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 vivid ness 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.”— The Pittsburgh Press “One of the things that keeps Danielle Steel fresh is her bent for timely story lines … the combination of Steel's comprehensive research and her skill at creating credible characters makes for a gripping read.”— The Star-Ledger (Newark)“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?”— The Philadelphia Inquirer

PRAISE FOR THE RECENT NOVELS OF

DANIELLE STEEL DATING GAME “A cheerful story full of colorful dating scenarios … you can't stop devouring it.” —Chicago Tribune “Fans will no doubt enjoy …” —Times Union , Albany ANSWERED PRAYERS “Smooth plotting …”— Publishers WeeklySUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ “Steel's skillful character development shines.”— The Star-Ledger (Newark)“Entertaining and suspenseful …” —The Kansas City StarTHE COTTAGE “A story of friendship … fans can always count on Danielle Steel to come up with a best-selling story … [her] charm has lasted.”— Abilene Reporter NewsTHE KISS “Steel pulls through with skillful plotting, steeping a gentle brew that will once again gratify her legions of fans.”— Publishers WeeklyLONE EAGLE “THE NOVEL IS BRIGHTLY PACED, and the World War II setting provides plenty of contextual drama.”— PeopleLEAP OF FAITH “STEEL IS A SKILLED STORYTELLER. [Her] tale provides entertainment and imparts important lessons.” —BooklistA MAIN SELECTION OF THE LITERARY GUILD

AND THE DOUBLEDAY BOOK CLUB

Also by Danielle Steel

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

On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur.L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux . One can only see clearly with the heart.What is essential is invisible to the eye .

—Le Petit Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

To those who are seeking, those who have sought, those who have found—the lucky devils! And especially, with great fondness and respect, to those who have ground through this unnatural process, and not only survived with their minds and hearts intact, but managed to find the needle in the haystack, and win the prize!Climbing Everest is easier, and surely less fraught with danger and despair.And to all of my friends, who have tried ineptly or expertly to find the perfect man for me, in other words someone at least as weird as I.To those of you who have set me up on blind dates, which will give me something to laugh at in my old age, I—almost!—forgive you.And above all, to my wonderful children, who have watched and shared, and loved and supported me with humor, encouragement, and infinite patience. For their love and eternal support, I am profoundly grateful.With all my love,

d.s.

What is a date? A date is when two people, who hardly know each other, go out to dinner, and push their food around their plates nervously, while trying to ask as many questions as possible in the shortest possible time. As in: Do you ski? Play tennis? Do you like dogs? Why do you think your marriage fell apart? Why do you think your ex-wife said you were controlling? Do you like chocolate? Cheesecake? Have you ever been convicted of a felony? How do you feel about drugs? How many alcoholics are there in your family? What kind of medication are you on? Did you have plastic surgery, or is that your real nose? Chin? Upper lip? Breasts? Behind? What kind of surgery have you had? Do you like kids? Have you ever dated any? What foreign languages do you speak? What's your ideal honeymoon? Two weeks in the Himalayas?? Really? Have you ever been on safari? To Paris? To Des Moines? Are you religious? When did you last see your mother? How long have you been in therapy? Why not? How many DUIs have you had? Where does your wife think you are tonight? How long have you been married? Divorced? Widowed? Out of jail? On parole? Unemployed? What's your next career move? I'm sure the circus does offer fabulous travel opportunities, but what about the high wire? Have you been bulimic all your life? How many twelve-step groups are you a member of? When is later? How soon do you think you'll call??A blind date is when well-meaning friends select two people from opposite ends of the earth, with as little in common as humanly possible, and lie to each of them about just how fabulous, interesting, normal, well adjusted, intelligent, and attractive the other half of the blind date is. Reality hits as they come through the door. You then pursue the same formula as on a regular date, hopefully in less time, and you pray that they wrote down your phone number wrong. After that you go home and cry, eventually laugh, and never speak to the friends who set you up again. And after you forget just how bad it was, you let the same friends, or others, do it to you again.With love and empathy.

d.s.

Chapter 1

It was a perfect balmy May evening , just days after spring had hit the East Coast with irresistible appeal. The weather was perfect, winter had vanished literally overnight, birds were singing, the sun was warm, and everything in the Armstrongs' Connecticut garden was in bloom. The entire week had been blessed with the kind of weather that made everyone slow down, even in New York.