“Well, the last time I checked, it was my home.”

“But I thought...you’ve not been here so...so I thought...I thought you moved out.”

“Like I said, we have lots to talk about, but now isn’t the time,” Joanna said as she placed her hand on Addison’s arm. “Go get yourself cleaned up, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Promise?”

A dazzling smile spread across Joanna’s face. “Absolutely.”

***

Joanna chuckled as she watched Addison dash across the front lawns. After swiveling around to make sure Sheridan was still asleep, Joanna pressed the intercom button. “We can go now, George.”

“Why didn’t you tell her?”

Joanna looked over as Fran made her way from the furthest seat to the one nearest Joanna. “I thought you were on the phone with that Reece fellow.”

“I was, but afterward I...um...” Fran pointed to a nearby window, now partially cracked open.

“You were eavesdropping?”

“Well, I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“So, you listened instead?”

“It’s what lawyers do,” Fran said, grinning back at Joanna. “Besides, when I heard you not mention a certain something, I thought I’d best stay in the shadows. It would be kind of hard to explain why I’m driving around with you if she saw me.”

“True. I didn’t think of that.”

“Oh, and by the way, congratulations on the reconciliation. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

“Thank you,” Joanna said, her eyes creasing at the corners.

“So...why didn’t you tell her?”

A sly smile slowly made its way across Joanna’s face. “Would you?”

Fran’s expression remained neutral for only a moment before she let loose with a loud guffaw. “Not on your life!”

Amused, Joanna joined in Fran’s merriment until Sheridan began to cry.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Fran said, leaning forward to take a peek at the baby. “I woke her up.”

“No, you didn’t,” Joanna said, checking her watch. “She’s hungry.”

“Oh my,” Fran said with a snicker as she relaxed back on the seat. “Guess I’m going to see your tits again, huh?”

Joanna’s life had changed drastically since meeting Addison, but six weeks shy of her thirtieth birthday, she knew she could add another change to the list. Joanna now had a best friend, and she was one who had unselfishly stood in for Addison for the past seven months.

Shocked and angry when she found out Addison had fled to Spain, Fran was at Joanna’s side before the corporate jet had landed in Madrid, and she remained there throughout Joanna’s pregnancy.