“But I thought the gardens just went back to that stand of trees covered in ivy.”

“No, that stand of trees is actually an overgrown privet hedge,” Addison said, peering off into the darkness. “And behind it, where the property drops down, you’ll find a lot of out-of-control apple and pear trees...and plums if memory serves.”

Joanna drew her head back quickly. “Just how big is this bloody garden?”

“Upwards of twenty acres, give or take,” Addison said with a shrug.

“Twenty acres!” Joanna said, jumping to her feet. “Well, you must have been having yourself a great laugh at my expense. Huh? Me out here on my hands and knees pulling out weeds thinking I was getting somewhere when all along you knew I wasn’t even making a dent!”

Joanna turned to stomp up the stairs, but her motion was stopped when Addison grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back to the step. “If you remember,” Addison said, forcing Joanna to sit. “We weren’t exactly talking very much back then. Now were we?”

Joanna slouched and let out a slow breath. “No, I guess we weren’t.”

“But now that we are, I suggest we hire someone to clear out the mess. That way, we can see what’s existing and go from there.”

“We?” Joanna said, turning to face Addison.

“Sorry?”

“You said we.”

“I did?”

“Yes, and I like it.”

Addison’s face split into a grin. “Speaking of like. I adore what you’ve done to the patio.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. It’s lovely.”

“I was worried you’d get angry. I went way over budget.”

“I didn’t give you a budget.”

“I know,” Joanna said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Addison let out a hearty laugh and got to her feet. Holding out her hand, she helped Joanna to do the same and then leaned in for a kiss.

Joanna sighed as their mouths met, breathing in Addison’s cologne as she got lost in the feel of her lips. A hint of the essence of Cabernet remained, but the rest was a flavor Joanna had come to know as Addison’s.

Pulling out of the kiss, Addison looked into Joanna’s eyes and saw passion that took her breath away. “What say we go inside, and I show you just how much I appreciate what you’ve done with the patio?”

Joanna regarded Addison with a slow slide of her eyes, and leaning her head to the side, she snapped her fingers. In no time at all, Chauncey appeared out of the darkness, ran down the path, and scampered up the stairs.

“Now we can go to bed,” Joanna said, taking hold of Addison’s hand. “But I have to tell you, I’m really not that tired.”

“Good, because neither am I.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

“Good morning,” Joanna said as she strolled into the kitchen with Chauncey on her heels.