Page 111 of No Holds Barred

“What happens next?” Hope asked, clearly repeating the question.

That was the same question she’d been asking herself, wasn’t it? Angelica brushed the pad of her thumb over her fingers. She looked around the small office they were in. This was just thetwo of them on camera. No one else. Josef wasn’t here to bother them—in fact, he’d been scarce since the incident in the hallway. Just what exactly had Logan done?

“We wait.” Angelica stretched her broken leg out in front of her, longing for the day that she could take the cast off and walk without it being so cumbersome, when she could go out for one of her evening runs again.

“We don’t have any answers,” Hope protested.

“Some things take time.” Angelica’s lips quirked slightly. Since when did Hope share her thoughts? The only problem being that Angelica was having two conversations at the same time. This week had been a blessing in disguise, and while they’d started the conversations about what would become of them, they were nowhere near done.

“Yeah, but what about Raina in the meantime?” Hope put her hands out to her sides. “What about the others who want out?”

Angelica shook her head and sighed. “We can help them get out as much as they’ll let us, but often, these things just need to play themselves out.”

Hope scowled. “I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I,” Angelica agreed. “But it’s the way of things.”

Hope narrowed her gaze, her lips twitching slightly. Perhaps she did know that Angelica was talking about two things at once. Angelica folded her hands together in her lap and breathed out slowly.

“You know the report we just made will be the end of this hotel,” Angelica said. “So either way, Raina and the others are going to have to scramble for something new.”

“I just wish there was more we could do for them.”

Angelica admired that about Hope. She was always wanting to help someone, always wanting to give them the easy way out. And unfortunately, it got her into trouble sometimes. But still, Angelica admired the trait. She’d experienced it several timessince they’d met already. “I think we’ve done everything we can, except find my iPad.”

Hope snorted. “I’m fairly certain it’s long gone now.”

Angelica hummed and nodded. “Unfortunately.”

“But you will work on actually backing up your files now, won’t you?” Hope looked at her directly, a tease in her gaze that Angelica had come to expect.

“I will.” Angelica smiled, a flush rising to her cheeks. Only Hope was able to pull that from her. She laughed lightly and shook her head. “I promise.”

Surely Rex would call cut soon, wouldn’t he? This scene they were filming, while nice and calm, wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. But the heat in the room from the cameras and people still sat oppressively on Angelica’s chest.

“So, we solved a couple problems here, I think.” Hope rubbed her hands together. “The menu has been updated.”

Angelica grimaced. “That’s not a huge accomplishment considering.”

“Well, normally we’d be having this conversation with our lovely owners, but once again, we can’t find them. It’s as if they don’t exist in this hotel unless they want to be here for their own divine purposes.”

“I think you’re not wrong about that.” Angelica sighed. She shifted slightly in the chair and continued talking, recognizing the shift of conversation for what it was. “We can retrain, we can implement, but we always tell every owner and manager that unless the conversations and trainings continue beyond our week here, then nothing will ultimately change in the long run.”

“That’s a bleak outlook.” Hope wrinkled her nose.

“It’s reality.” Angelica blinked widely at Hope. “If things aren’t consistently worked on, then they will fail or be pushed so far into the background that they don’t matter anymore.”

Hope’s lips parted in surprise. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Are we finished here?” Angelica turned sharply toward Rex. She was tired of filming this episode. Hell, she was exhausted from this season. It had started out in such a difficult way, and she was barely managing to keep her head afloat. All they had left was Chicago, and then she could be done and go home and rest for the foreseeable future.

“Uh… sure.” Rex frowned at her. “Everything okay?”

“Yes.” Angelica slid out of the chair and walked away. She needed to breathe, to have cool air enter her lungs and refresh her. She didn’t hesitate or wait to see what Hope was doing as she walked directly outside into the sunlight.

Tilting her face up toward the sky, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. What was this mood? Melancholy? And where the hell had Josef and Logan gotten off to? She hadn’t seen them all day, and neither one of them seemed to be around—the entire feel of the set was different that morning. Crossing her arms, she relaxed her shoulders as best as she could.

“What was all that about?” Hope asked, startling her.