Joanna stared at Addison while she mulled things over until her eyes flew open wide. “Oh, now I get it!” she said, rocking back in her seat. “I stay busy with contractors and gardens while you stay busy with Luce. That’s her name, right? Luce?”

The conversation had just taken an unexpected detour, and Addison felt her face grow warm. A few months earlier, she would have erupted with rage, but her anger had become tempered, mellowed by feelings she was trying to accept. “That’s not what this is about,” she said, her voice dropping almost to a whisper.

“No?”

Addison stood up, emptying the contents of the glass in her hand before placing it back on the table. “No,” she said. “I was trying to be considerate.”

“That’ll be a first.”

Joanna had no idea her barbs were penetrating Addison’s walls so easily, each brusque reply causing Addison to inwardly wince at the sting. “Maybe so,” Addison said, hanging her head. “But I don’t want any harm to come to you or your...or to anyone. If you want to have it repaired, you have my permission.”

“Lucky me,” Joanna said, raising her arms in the air. “I’ve been granted the great Addison Kane’s permission. When exactly am I supposed to kiss your feet?”

Unable to deal with the feeling of sadness washing over her, Addison headed to the door. “I’ll have Millie send you my calendar. I have several business trips already scheduled, so if you decide to take me up on the offer, please arrange the repairs around them,” Addison said as she forced herself to raise her eyes. “That’s all I want.”

Joanna got to her feet and threw her napkin on the table. “Trust me,” she said as she marched out of the room. “That’s all you’re going to get.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“You’re awfully quiet this morning?”

“Am I?” Joanna said, looking up from her coffee.

“Well, since those are the first two words you’ve spoken since walking into this room fifteen minutes ago, I’d have to say yes.”

“Last night, Addison told me to get the patio fixed.”

Evelyn tilted her head to the side. “That’s different.”

“I know. She said it was because of my fall. To make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“That makes sense.”

“You think?”

“Don’t you?”

Joanna sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

“Well, if you ask me, maybe this is her way of...of making peace.”

“How so?”

“You’ve barely spoken a dozen words to her since you found out about Luce—”

“This isn’t about Luce! I don’t give a toss about her!” Joanna said in a tone sharpened by her annoyance. “It’s about Addison being allowed to have a bloody life, and I can’t!”