It felt as if the sun had broken through the clouds. Ashley picked up the phone again. “You know what I see when I look at that photo? I see a happy ending. The press hate happy endings. They’re boring. Maybe they will leave us alone now.”

Joanna looked at her. “Or maybe they won’t. They’re going to focus on you, too.”

“That’s my problem.”

Joanna straightened. “No. It’s our problem.”

Ashley felt a rush of warmth. “We’ll handle it. I’m not sure I even care.” She paused. There was one other thing neither of them had mentioned. “What are you going to do about Denise?”

“Denise?”

“You were deciding whether you wanted to talk to her or not. Whether it would give you closure. Are we going to go and see her?”

Joanna glanced toward the phone. “That quote of hers has given me closure. We’re done.”

And that, Ashley thought, was a giant step in the right direction.

“Good. Now let’s make these pancakes and then you can go to work. We can meet for lunch at the Surf Café, just as we planned. Twelve thirty?”

“If Mary-Lou can take over the store for an hour.”

“And are you going to talk to Nate?”

Joanna raised an eyebrow. “This, from someone who still has to listen to her messages from Jon?”

“Ouch. Point taken. I’m going to do that today. Maybe when we get home tonight.” Ashley watched as Joanna heated the pan and added a dollop of mixture. “Will you listen to them with me?”

“Of course.” Joanna put the spoon down and hugged her. “We’ll do it tonight, when we’re home. And I can show you the books I bought yesterday, for the baby. I was thinking maybe we could turn the small guest room into a nursery. If you decide to stay for a while, obviously. We need to research the best place for you to have the baby. We need to find you a good doctor. I’m going to ask Mel today.”

Ashley felt a ripple of anxiety. Talk of books, and nurseries, and doctors made it all seem alarmingly real. “You’re probably right.” It was so much easier to focus on Joanna’s problems than her own. “You changed the subject. What are you going to do about Nate?”

Joanna flipped the pancakes. “I’m not going to do anything about Nate.”

Ashley tried to hide her disappointment. She so badly wanted Joanna to be happy, and with Nate she’d seemed happy. But it was her decision, of course.

They ate their pancakes on the terrace and then Joanna stood up.

“I’m going to change.”

“Change?”

“I thought I’d wear a dress. If they’re going to take my photo, then I want to look my best.”

Ashley grinned. “Good plan.”

Ashley took a shower and they headed into Silver Point.