Page 61 of No Holds Barred

Leanne bit her lip and sent Angelica a sweet look, one that was meant to manipulate her into doing something that Leanne wanted. “When we’re done filming in Vermont, I won’t have a job to go back to.”

“And do you think I just hand out jobs as if I have them at the ready?” Angelica raised her eyebrows in Leanne’s direction.

“You just offered Ashlee?—”

“Training, without pay, for three months.” Angelica canted her head to the side, giving Leanne a hard, direct stare. “You quit, Leanne. Two years ago. And I’m not inclined to hire you back.”

“But we make such a good team?—”

“Team means working cooperatively together.” Hope stepped in, resting her hand on the top of Angelica’s shoulder, standing by her side no matter what. “Which I think is still a lesson you need to learn, especially based on observation of this last week.”

Leanne swallowed hard, her gaze flicking back and forth between Angelica and Hope.

“Ange doesn’t need to pay for people to give her attention or for people to back her up. Some people do that freely out of care and love.” Hope tightened her grip on Angelica’s shoulder.

“And I’m far more discerning now about who I let into my life than I used to be.” Angelica said that to Leanne, but she immediately turned to look at Hope, who stared down at her. Their lips pulled into a smile, Angelica’s eyes twinkling with excitement. Hope understood what she wasn’t saying.

“Ange told me one time that nothing good can start with broken trust.” Hope moved her chin up so she was focused on Leanne. “And she was right. I should have listened to her then, but I didn’t. And now, I’m experiencing the consequences of my actions. All of us need to be more careful about what we say and do when in the presence of others. Because the ripple effects we have on others can be quite painful.”

Angelica’s heart thudded hard. She only had eyes for Hope, for the pain and pure honesty she had in her gaze. She reached up to touch Hope’s hand, but Hope had already moved away.

“You’ll have to excuse me. Ansel’s calling for my costume change.” Hope wiggled her eyebrows, but the light wasn’t there in the joke.

Frozen to her seat, Angelica watched as Hope walked off.

Whatever had happened in the last few months, Hope had changed. She wasn’t the same selfish person that she’d been before, and Angelica desperately wanted to get to know this person even more. When she looked back at Leanne, she widened her eyes and sighed.

“Ansel’s probably ready for me as well.” Popping a square of cheese between her lips, Angelica handed the plate to Leanne and stood up. “Thanks for taking care of that.”

Sliding her knee into the scooter, she pushed herself toward the door. She reached the hallway and paused. Hope was already gone, able to move much more quickly than Angelica at this point. But all Angelica could think about was threading her fingers through Hope’s hair and kissing her senseless.

“Ms. Shields?” Lyric asked. “Did you need something?”

“Oh, uh…” Angelica’s cheeks heated with embarrassment. She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed Lyric standing right there. “No, thank you. When do we leave for Vermont?”

“In the morning. It’ll take us about three or four hours, depending on traffic, to get there.”

“All right.” Angelica nodded. “Thank you.”

A day of rest would do her good, because she really needed to think before she acted.

Kissing Hope now would only bring up all those painful feelings she didn’t want to experience again. And she wasn’t the impulsive one of the two of them. Though Hope had shown considerable restraint lately, and that in and of itself was only adding to Angelica’s attraction.

Not that she’d ever admit that out loud to anyone.

Or even to herself.

Episode 3

WESTON, VERMONT - THE DORSET

Chapter

Twenty

Eva bounced in her tennis shoes as they reached Angelica’s door. Hope wasn’t entirely sure about this, but Eva had suggested it, and well, she didn’t want to resist the idea. Hope bit her lip as Eva lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

“She’s not answering,” Eva whined.