“Fran, I never thought I’d get the chance to live my life the way I wanted, at least when it came to my sexuality, but by marrying Addison, I could. Yeah, the marriage is for show, but I can’t even begin to explain how much easier it was to breathe every day. I could hold her hand in public or...or kiss her on the cheek.” Joanna stopped, and all of a sudden it seemed as if sunshine was lighting up her face. “Fran, the world believes I’m gay...and I am.”

“But why continue to keep it a secret after your father passed? Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Knowing Addison the way you do, do you really think she wouldn’t have believed I had set her up? Agreed to this marriage because I had ulterior motives?”

“Oh, good point.”

“The point is that my sexuality, in the closet or out, has never defined me, so why should it now?”

***

Late in the afternoon, Joanna went to her room, and after a long, relaxing steamy bath, she puttered about deciding to what to wear for dinner. By five o’clock, her bed was littered with her first through her tenth choice, but standing in front of her mirror, she decided the eleventh was perfect.

Although it was April, spring was off to a slow start. Winter’s chill continued to hang in the house, so opting for warmth as well as comfort, Joanna decided on a pair of skinny fit leggings slightly darker than rainy-day clouds and a black honeycomb knit jumper, the length of which ended just past her hips. To finish the ensemble, and adding three inches to her height, Joanna completed the look with a pair of high-heeled suede ankle boots in the color of ash.

Checking her watch, Joanna’s stomach did a flip. In less than thirty minutes, she’d be facing the woman who had been in her bed the night before. Holding her chin high, Joanna headed for the dining room. Tonight she definitely needed to be early. Her hands had already begun to shake, and she was sure her knees would follow.

***

Addison wiped her palms on her trousers again. Her briefcase was on the seat next to her, filled with papers she had planned to read on the way home, but the latches on the attaché had yet to be opened.

After her anointing in scotch, Addison had used her private bathroom at work to clean herself up. Like most at her level in the world of business, appearance was important, and extra suits and shirts were always at the ready, so a change of clothes was not a problem. The problem was trying to keep her mind on business.