Page 74 of Culinary Chaos

When had she leaned back into Hope’s touch?

Angelica pursed her lips, suddenly uncomfortable. This was too familiar for her. It was too easy and calm and peaceful.

“Hope…” Angelica turned slightly on the bench, making sure she had Hope’s full attention. This question was either going to break them down or it was going to reinforce everything that Angelica had been thinking. “What are we doing?”

“Getting to know one another. If we’re going to be working together for the foreseeable future, then we should at least somewhat like each other. Don’t you think?”

“Well, yes, that would be helpful.” But that also hadn’t been what Angelica was asking either. Angelica sighed, finishing her second glass of wine and then standing up. The spell that this place cast over them was one that she needed to break. Immediately. “But as a reminder, Hope, most people who get to know me don’t like what they find.”

“Angel… Why do you think so bad about yourself?”

“I don’t.” Angelica stepped away. “It’s just the truth.”

She walked inside. She needed to leave. She needed to put space between them. She needed to stop the buzz in her head, and the scent of lilacs in the spring rain from following her. She needed to stop thinking that happiness was something achievable. Life had taught her over the years it wasn’t. And Hope’s weaving of the fairytale of happiness wasn’t helping her understanding of reality.

Because that’s all this was.

Fairytale.

Lies.

Magic.

And Angelica wanted nothing to do with it.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

“Look, we’ve released the first episode for early viewers, and it’s not looking great.”

Hope slowed her steps, Eva’s hand buried in her own. That was Josef. His voice was distinct anywhere. But what the hell was he talking about?

“If we don’t make some changes, we’re not going to get the viewers we need, and then we won’t be renewed for a season two.” He sounded worried now.

“I thought we were working on that.”

Angelica.

Who else was at this illustrious meeting that Hope hadn’t been invited to? Rex? Is that why he’d left her tofinish up some stuffthat night? But why were they having this conversation in the middle of the hallway? Where anyone could stumble upon them? Any of the crew who was loitering around?

Hope searched to see if anyone else was listening in, but she didn’t find them.

“We’re working on that, but you’re not giving us enough conflict,” Josef hissed at her.

Angelica scoffed. “Conflict? You want Hope and me to fight. Then you want us to get along. And now you want us to fightagain? Which is it? Because I can’t keep going back and forth on this.”

“You’re an actor now, Ange. Get used to it.”

“I’m not an actor.” Angelica’s voice was low.

Hope’s stomach dropped. How much had Angelica been fighting on this while she’d been completely in the dark about the fact that these conversations were even happening? How much had she been left out of the loop?

“Neither is Hope,” Angelica finished sharply.

Hope’s lips twitched upward at that. But Eva tugged on her hand. “I wanna go outside, Mommy.”

“Yeah, in a minute, just hold on.” Hope kept her voice quiet as she stood still, focusing back on the conversation she shouldn’t be listening in on.