Page 130 of Culinary Chaos

“You should be able to trust the people who work for you.” Hope cradled the phone in her hand and glanced out the office door when she heard the theme song for Bluey start up.

“You’re right. I should. But I can’t, and I made the mistake of thinking I could with this one in particular.” Angelica seemed sad now.

“I didn’t mean to bring anything up that you didn’t want to talk about.” Hope went back to biting her lip. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s my own fault.” Angelica breathed in deeply. “And as an offer for your help today, Hope, if you can’t figure out what’s wrong in San Francisco, let me know, and I’ll see if I can help you.”

“Oh like a trade?”

“It’s only fair, don’t you think?”

“Maybe.” Hope’s cheeks rushed with heat. The more she got to know Angelica the more she actually liked her. She really was soft underneath all the bravado armor she wore, and she had a feeling it was rare for anyone to be let in to see it. “But I think just seeing you at the wrap party will be enough of a trade.”

Angelica laughed. “You can’t be missing me.”

But she was. Desperately. Spending three months in close quarters with someone and then not having that person in her life was a sharp change. And this time, Hope hadn’t been prepared for it at all. Hope didn’t want to say that out loud though. Something held her back.

“I miss being busy.” That wasn’t completely insincere. Taking time off post-filming might not have been the best idea on the planet. Hope needed to be doing something, and the stillness, while it had been beneficial for Eva to spend some one-on-one time with her, had been driving her mad. Taking on the task of planning food and making it for the wrap party would give her exactly what she needed.

“Then it’s a good thing you have a new job to do. By Friday.”

“Yeah, by Friday.” Hope smiled. “Wait… you do have people to serve, right?”

“Yes, I do have that.”

“Good.” Hope’s stomach had dropped instantly at that thought. Finding enough people to keep the crew full and happy would have been difficult on such short notice.

“I have a call coming in, Hope.”

“Right. You have a busy life compared to mine.”

Angelica hummed. “Some days. I’ll have my assistant email you the budget.”

“Thanks. I guess I need to go shopping soon.”

“That you do.” Angelica smiled at her, gave a small little wave, and then hung up without saying anything.

Hope relaxed back into the loveseat, smiling to herself. How was it that one simple and random conversation with Angelica could put her at such ease? Because this feeling wasn’t like anything she’d had with Angelica before, but after not seeing her and having nothing to do, she’d needed this conversation. In fact, she would have loved more of it.

What if she and Angelica could set up regular calls or meetups throughout the break so they could prepare for the next season? They’d see each other a whole lot on the press tour, wouldn’t they? Hope had gotten that schedule in her inbox yesterday, but she hadn’t had the heart to open it and figure out where she’d be headed yet.

“Mommy! Can I talk to Angelica again?” Eva skidded into the room in her socks.

“I’m sorry, baby. She had another phone call she had to take.”

Eva frowned. “But when will I see her again?”

“I don’t know. Soon. Okay? I’ll talk to her about when you two can get together again, all right?”

“Okay.” Eva grinned. “Come watch with me.”

“I’ll be out in a minute.” Hope watched as Eva skittered off again. She breathed slowly and then snagged up her iPad so she could start on a catering plan. She could always adjust later depending on the budget and make it work. And she wanted to make sure that Angelica had plenty of options at the party. She would make this a party that the crew would remember—one that Angelica would remember.

Chapter

Forty-Two

“Thanks for coming in to meet with me,” Angelica said as she stepped into her office at the hotel she ran in LA. Hope was already sitting in the comfortable chair in the far corner near the window where Angelica had set up a small lamp and table with two chairs. She’d used those for more intimate and longer conversations.