John had seen her in the Steak House, sitting alone at the bar, having a glass of white wine. She looked like one of a million long-legged beauties who visited Durango, except it was June. Most of the female visitors possessed of such blatantly powerful and photogenic looks made their appearance during ski season. Durango was a veritable smorgasbord of feminine delight. He introduced himself with nothing in mind but killing time with a knockout woman. That was when he found out she was Jess’s daughter. He had done some repair and landscaping work for Jess Wainscott. So he had a couple of beers while Leigh mostly just twirled the stem of her wineglass in her fingers. They shared chitchat, and John began to tumble into incredible love. Then and there.

Her soon-to-be-ex-husband was a molecular biologist at Stanford University, a genetic engineer. She had met him when she was very young and doing some research for an advanced degree. She married him and began to work on his research projects with him, for him. John had thought she meant she had been his secretary. Although some members of his family were impressively educated, he didn’t hang out with scientists.

Every time Max Brackon got a new project and new budget, Leigh explained, he hired his wife. Now she was home for a rest; she intended to change her lifestyle. A great deal was missing from her life.

So he asked her out.

“On a date? Should I be dating?” she asked.

“It’s okay during a legal separation,” he told her, as if he knew. All he really knew was a need to be with her.

“I need to be socialized,” she said. “With Max, you see, I was isolated and I haven’t—yes,” she finally said. He told her to meet him Friday night for a drink, same time, same place. “Do you think I should tell my mother?” she asked him.

“Well, sure…I guess. Why not? Or you could always tell her you’ve joined the Sierra Club because you’ve begun to love the environment.” He’d been kidding. Sort of. Even though he didn’t know much about Leigh, he wasn’t sure Jess would approve of her dating the handyman.