is capable of, he surprises me.” She gave a bewildered shake of her head. “I never imagined he’d be able to open the gate and leave the yard.” Her gaze moved toward the kite. “It does look pathetic. I don’t get it. I followed the directions.”
“I can help you fix it, but if you want to have a fast, high-flying kite, this one won’t cut it.”
She frowned at him. “Lucas is four and a half years old and less than three feet tall; I don’t think the kite has to fly that high.”
“I’m just saying that this isn’t a competitive kite. It doesn’t have the right aerodynamic shape to really take off. If you want to stick with it, at least let me make a few adjustments.”
“Why do you care whether or not this kite will fly?” she challenged, suspicion in her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”
“Nothing is in it for me. But your kid seemed excited about the idea of a high-flying kite. And I’ve been there—it’s an amazing feeling to watch your kite take off into the sky.”
“It’s really that big of a deal?”
“I guess your parents never took you kite flying.”
“It never would have crossed their minds.” She moved past him and grabbed a glass out of the cupboard, taking a moment to fill it with ice and water. “Do you want some?”
“Thanks.”
She handed him the glass, then filled another for herself.
“So what are your parents like?” He knew she came from money and that her parents sported some impressive educational credentials, but beyond that he had no idea.
“They are academic, studious, globally adventurous,community-oriented, and ecologically responsible,” she said.
He put up a hand. “Whoa. I’ve never heard anyone describe their parents that way before. You sound like a magazine article. Do you want to give it another shot—in English this time?”
“My parents are professors. They’ve taught at several Ivy League schools. My mother specializes in immunological medicine, and my father has a doctorate in world history. They spend every holiday, summer vacation, and sabbatical traveling the world. They always have a purpose, like working in an AIDS clinic in a remote African village, or taking medical supplies down the Amazon, or bringing music to some ancient Indian tribe in South America. They’re incredible people, and the words I used to describe them are the way they were written about in an issue of
Time
magazine several years ago.”
“Very impressive.”
“Very,” she agreed, but there was a cool note in her voice.
“So where are they? They weren’t at Derek’s trial. They weren’t at the funeral. They don’t seem to have a presence in your life.”
She pulled out a chair and sat down. “I don’t know where they are. They didn’t like my decision to stand by Derek. They thought I was a fool.” Her gaze met his. “I’m sure you agree with that.”
He wasn’t about to touch that comment. “But you have a child, their grandson. Don’t they want to see Lucas?”
“Not so far,” she replied, taking a sip of water.
He took a seat across from her. “I no longer find them impressive.”
“Few people would agree with you.”
“It must have been rough, not having their support these past few years.”
“I’ve never had their support. They weren’t interested in being parents; I was an accident. My parents always felt that they were destined to do more important things with their lives than raising a child, so they left that to nannies and tutors. They prefer to spend their time solving big problems like world peace and poverty.”
“How are they doing on that?” he asked dryly.
A hint of a smile played around her lips. “Not even making a dent.”
“It doesn’t sound like you had much of a childhood.” No wonder Brianna had been drawn to the Kanes, who had showered her with love from the moment they met her.
“It wasn’t bad. I lived all over the world, had plenty of money, clothes, and educational opportunities.
“I can help you fix it, but if you want to have a fast, high-flying kite, this one won’t cut it.”
She frowned at him. “Lucas is four and a half years old and less than three feet tall; I don’t think the kite has to fly that high.”
“I’m just saying that this isn’t a competitive kite. It doesn’t have the right aerodynamic shape to really take off. If you want to stick with it, at least let me make a few adjustments.”
“Why do you care whether or not this kite will fly?” she challenged, suspicion in her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”
“Nothing is in it for me. But your kid seemed excited about the idea of a high-flying kite. And I’ve been there—it’s an amazing feeling to watch your kite take off into the sky.”
“It’s really that big of a deal?”
“I guess your parents never took you kite flying.”
“It never would have crossed their minds.” She moved past him and grabbed a glass out of the cupboard, taking a moment to fill it with ice and water. “Do you want some?”
“Thanks.”
She handed him the glass, then filled another for herself.
“So what are your parents like?” He knew she came from money and that her parents sported some impressive educational credentials, but beyond that he had no idea.
“They are academic, studious, globally adventurous,community-oriented, and ecologically responsible,” she said.
He put up a hand. “Whoa. I’ve never heard anyone describe their parents that way before. You sound like a magazine article. Do you want to give it another shot—in English this time?”
“My parents are professors. They’ve taught at several Ivy League schools. My mother specializes in immunological medicine, and my father has a doctorate in world history. They spend every holiday, summer vacation, and sabbatical traveling the world. They always have a purpose, like working in an AIDS clinic in a remote African village, or taking medical supplies down the Amazon, or bringing music to some ancient Indian tribe in South America. They’re incredible people, and the words I used to describe them are the way they were written about in an issue of
Time
magazine several years ago.”
“Very impressive.”
“Very,” she agreed, but there was a cool note in her voice.
“So where are they? They weren’t at Derek’s trial. They weren’t at the funeral. They don’t seem to have a presence in your life.”
She pulled out a chair and sat down. “I don’t know where they are. They didn’t like my decision to stand by Derek. They thought I was a fool.” Her gaze met his. “I’m sure you agree with that.”
He wasn’t about to touch that comment. “But you have a child, their grandson. Don’t they want to see Lucas?”
“Not so far,” she replied, taking a sip of water.
He took a seat across from her. “I no longer find them impressive.”
“Few people would agree with you.”
“It must have been rough, not having their support these past few years.”
“I’ve never had their support. They weren’t interested in being parents; I was an accident. My parents always felt that they were destined to do more important things with their lives than raising a child, so they left that to nannies and tutors. They prefer to spend their time solving big problems like world peace and poverty.”
“How are they doing on that?” he asked dryly.
A hint of a smile played around her lips. “Not even making a dent.”
“It doesn’t sound like you had much of a childhood.” No wonder Brianna had been drawn to the Kanes, who had showered her with love from the moment they met her.
“It wasn’t bad. I lived all over the world, had plenty of money, clothes, and educational opportunities.
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