Page 54 of Culinary Chaos

“Which is what?” Angelica asked, intrigued now. They looked like such an odd couple here. Angelica in her professional work clothes, the skirt that ended just above her knees, black nylons that she hated putting on but would wear because they fit the image she was trying to create, and the red shirt that didn’t form to her figure. She’d chosen less of those as the week had gone on, not wanting to encourage John’s misogynistic ways any further. And then there was Hope—in tight jeans that formed to her plump ass and wide hips, the tight olive-green tank top that pressed against her skin in the way that Angelica hadn’t quite done when they’d kissed.

Fuck.

This wasn’t about the kiss.

Angelica banished that thought from her brain and looked up at the menu that was handwritten on a sandwich board on the counter. Hope had already ordered, and it was her turn. “Uh… I’ll just take a burger with only cheese.”

The waitstaff gave her an odd look, but Hope seemed pleased that she was at least ordering something. Hope paid, and they found their way to a small table in the back corner of the small restaurant.

“You need to eat more,” Hope said.

“So I’ve been told.” Angelica shifted uncomfortably in the seat. She needed to get better control of herself. She needed to understand what the hell was going on between them so that she could control it.

“What did we need to discuss…about work?” Hope leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

Angelica paused. What had they needed to discuss exactly? Because she wasn’t even sure that she could remember. This distraction was awful. But perhaps that’s all it was, a distractionfrom the chaos and pain of her breakup with Leanne. She had to think quickly.

“We’re going to Colorado next. I was thinking we could leave early.”

“To get the hell out of here?” Hope chuckled lightly. “Because if that’s the real reason for leaving early, I’m there.”

Angelica’s lips curled upward, her eyes alight. “That’s at least part of it.”

“What’s the other part?”

“I need to go check on one of my hotels next week, in between prep and filming. The sooner we can get to Colorado to do prep, the more time I’ll have to be able to do that check in.” Angelica crossed her legs and started to relax. This was so reminiscent of that first dinner they’d shared in New Orleans. Not all work, but some play and personal in there as well. It was comforting. Perhaps they were more on equal footing than Angelica had originally thought.

“What’s wrong with your hotel?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it.” Angelica canted her head to the side. “Unlike John and Nova, I know what I’m doing.”

“Then why the mid-filming check?”

Angelica sighed slightly, wetting her lips as their food was set in front of them. “My hotel manager recently resigned, remember? She’s had her last day, and I want to make sure the assistant hotel manager isn’t overwhelmed with the duties. That’s easier to find out when I’m there in person. It’ll also give me a chance to do three in-person interviews.”

“In person? Does that mean you almost have a replacement?”

Angelica smiled. “Perhaps. Though I’m picky about those who work for me.”

Oh God, they were back to that insane flirting, and Angelica was the one who was starting it. She really needed to get a grip on herself.

“Then I take it as high praise that you’ve hired me.”

That hadn’t been Angelica’s choice. But she wasn’t about to point it out to Hope. She didn’t need to know that, and if she got a bit of an ego boost from what Angelica had just shared, then so be it. They could all use that every once in a while. Hope was diving into her food, but Angelica cut her burger in half and then took a small bite. Her stomach rumbled, which told her just how hungry her body was. If only her brain would recognize that.

Hope hummed pleasure around her bite of food. “Good, fast, greasy—exactly what I wanted.”

It was quite the change from the champagne of the wrap party.

“Do you think they’ll notice we’re gone?” Hope asked.

“They won’t notice that I’m gone, no.” She shook her head and took a bite. What she wasn’t saying was that they didn’t care if she was there or not. They would, however, absolutely care if Hope wasn’t there. And she hadn’t exactly told anyone where they were going. How long would it take for Rex to text Hope with an inquiry?

“Do you want to make a bet on that?” Hope asked.

“No,” Angelica answered. She wasn’t going to bet on something that she knew was true. She didn’t come into situations like this, work situations, to make friends. And that was very clear from the beginning, which meant that no one would miss her when she was gone. It was by design, but it still left a lonely ache in the center of her chest when she thought about it.

“You know, if you got to know them better, they could miss you.”