The Butler(71)

    “I love you too,” he said, and discovered that the words he had always been so afraid of weren’t frightening when he said them to her.

They had found what they needed and the courage to accept it. Maybe a final gift from Liese to both of them. He kissed Olivia then, and they both wondered what they had been so afraid of for so long. They had run away from it all their lives. She wasn’t afraid anymore, and neither was he.

They sat on the bench, thinking of his mother, aware of the gift she’d given them. He kissed her, and then they drove back to Olivia’s apartment. As they walked in, he remembered his mother eating the chocolate éclairs Olivia had brought her. “She wanted to see you that day,” Joachim said. “I think she knew she was going soon.” Olivia nodded and believed it too.

They went into her bedroom, and as though it was always meant to be, they made love for the first time. Everything about it felt right, and they lay in each other’s arms afterward, holding each other and feeling peaceful. He pulled her close to him. She had come to Paris to live life, and to find him. Destiny had a hand in it. And everything that came before had been preparing them. They had found what they needed at the right time. Liese’s wishes for her son had finally come true. He had found a woman as brave and honorable as she was. And the future would unfold as it was meant to, as they faced it together. They had so much to look forward to.





To my darling children, Beatie, Trevor, Todd, Nick, Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx, and Zara,

In a book about courage, to face the hard times, the hard blows, the losses, I wish you above all the courage to love and be loved

by someone who treasures you and treats you well, and may you find the right person to love and be loved by, With all my love

forever and beyond,



Mom/d.s.





By Danielle Steel


THE BUTLER ? COMPLICATIONS ? NINE LIVES ? FINDING ASHLEY ? THE AFFAIR ? NEIGHBORS ? ALL THAT GLITTERS ? ROYAL ? DADDY’S GIRLS ? THE WEDDING DRESS ? THE NUMBERS GAME ? MORAL COMPASS ? SPY ? CHILD’S PLAY ? THE DARK SIDE ? LOST AND FOUND ? BLESSING IN DISGUISE ? SILENT NIGHT ? TURNING POINT ? BEAUCHAMP HALL ? IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS ? THE GOOD FIGHT ? THE CAST ? ACCIDENTAL HEROES ? FALL FROM GRACE ? PAST PERFECT ? FAIRYTALE ? THE RIGHT TIME ? THE DUCHESS ? AGAINST ALL ODDS ? DANGEROUS GAMES ? THE MISTRESS ? THE AWARD ? RUSHING WATERS ? MAGIC ? THE APARTMENT ? PROPERTY OF A NOBLEWOMAN ? BLUE ? PRECIOUS GIFTS ? UNDERCOVER ? COUNTRY ? PRODIGAL SON ? PEGASUS ? A PERFECT LIFE ? POWER PLAY ? WINNERS ? FIRST SIGHT ? UNTIL THE END OF TIME ? THE SINS OF THE MOTHER ? FRIENDS FOREVER ? BETRAYAL ? HOTEL VEND?ME ? HAPPY BIRTHDAY ? 44 CHARLES STREET ? LEGACY ? FAMILY TIES ? BIG GIRL ? SOUTHERN LIGHTS ? MATTERS OF THE HEART ? ONE DAY AT A TIME ? A GOOD WOMAN ? ROGUE ? HONOR THYSELF ?AMAZING GRACE ? BUNGALOW 2 ? SISTERS ? H.R.H. ? COMING OUT ? THE HOUSE ? TOXIC BACHELORS ? MIRACLE ? IMPOSSIBLE ? ECHOES ? SECOND CHANCE ? RANSOM ? SAFE HARBOUR ? JOHNNY ANGEL ? DATING GAME ? ANSWERED PRAYERS ? SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ ? THE COTTAGE ? THE KISS ? LEAP OF FAITH ? LONE EAGLE ? JOURNEY ? THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET ? THE WEDDING ? IRRESISTIBLE FORCES ? GRANNY DAN ? BITTERSWEET ? MIRROR IMAGE ? THE KLONE AND I ? THE LONG ROAD HOME ? THE GHOST ? SPECIAL DELIVERY ? THE RANCH ? SILENT HONOR ? MALICE ? FIVE DAYS IN PARIS ? LIGHTNING ? WINGS ? THE GIFT ? ACCIDENT ? VANISHED ? MIXED BLESSINGS ? JEWELS ? NO GREATER LOVE ? HEARTBEAT ? MESSAGE FROM NAM ? DADDY ? STAR ? ZOYA ? KALEIDOSCOPE ? FINE THINGS ? WANDERLUST ? SECRETS ? FAMILY ALBUM ? FULL CIRCLE ? CHANGES ? THURSTON HOUSE ? CROSSINGS ? ONCE IN A LIFETIME ? A PERFECT STRANGER ? REMEMBRANCE ? PALOMINO ? LOVE: POEMS ? THE RING ? LOVING ? TO LOVE AGAIN ? SUMMER’S END ? SEASON OF PASSION ? THE PROMISE ? NOW AND FOREVER ? PASSION’S PROMISE ? GOING HOME