“I’m so sorry,” Evelyn said as her cheeks grew rosy. “But the rain has finally let up, so how about you and I take a walk around the grounds, and then I’ll show you the exercise room?”

“As long as she doesn’t go out the front door,” Fran said, coming into the room.

“I didn’t know you were here,” Joanna said, smiling as she got to her feet. “And why can’t I go out front?”

“Because there’s a horde of reporters by the gate and down the fence line, most of which, I may add, have cameras with lenses longer than my arm.”

“Huh?” Joanna said, quickly looking back and forth between Fran and Evelyn.

“Haven’t you been watching the news?” Fran asked.

“Actually, no. I’ve been catching up on my reading. Why?”

“Because you and Addison are the talk of the town,” Fran said, placing her briefcase on the floor. “The nightly news is filled with special reports about your upcoming marriage, and the tabloids are doing their best to uncover every photograph and bit of information they can find on you.”

“Really?”

“I told you once the banns were announced, all hell was going to break loose, and it has. I spoke to her this morning, and she’s positively livid. It seems she can’t even leave our office in Paris without the paparazzi chasing her down the street, so she’s made it clear you aren’t to go anywhere near the front of the estate.”

Crossing her arms, Joanna eyed the lawyer. “Why? If she thinks I’m that repulsive, why are we doing this? I’m not planning to spend five years locked in this bloody house, and if that’s what she—”

“Joanna, calm down,” Fran said, holding her hands up. “That’s not what she wants.”

“Really?” Joanna said, changing her stance. “It sure as hell sounds like it to me.”

“Look, all we want to do is control the photos that are released,” Fran said, taking a step in Joanna’s direction. “So, until we can arrange to have some taken, we thought it best to keep you away from the paparazzi. That way, another grainy, misrepresentation of you doesn’t show up on the front pages of the newspapers.”

Joanna opened her mouth to speak, but shut it just as quickly. Pausing, she stared at Fran. “Um...what do you mean another?”

Fran tried her best to hide her grin. “Well, it seems that someone got hold of the photo you used on your badge at the bookstore.”

“What?” Joanna shouted. “Oh, crap! I looked like a bloody squirrel in that picture. I had my wisdom teeth taken out that morning. Shit!”

“Yes, well I was going to ask you why you looked like you were storing nuts for the winter,” Fran said with a chuckle.