Page 67 of No Holds Barred

When had he gotten to know her so well? Angelica flicked her gaze to Hope, who just shrugged slightly. When she looked to Leanne, she was met with a head shake. Focusing more on Angelica would mean less screen time for Leanne, and it’d prove she could do the job still, which would mean that Leanne would have to admit she wasn’t needed anymore. Something she never wanted to do. She had an incessant need to be in the middle of everything to prove her own worth.

“I think that’d be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Leanne’s voice startled Angelica.

Turning around, Angelica locked her gaze on the young woman who was trying to take her job. “Do I ever second-guess decisions?”

“Yes.” Leanne looked at her squarely.

Angelica’s heart raced. The only decisions she’d second-guessed had been Leanne and Hope, and she was still in the middle of wondering if either of those decisions had been right. First to be in a relationship with each of them and then to end her relationship with each of them.

“You don’t want to appear weak on camera. It would only give Josef more ammunition.” Leanne crossed her arms and pushed her hip out to the side.

This was a classic defensive move. Angelica had seen it so many times from her, but she’d thought it’d been a cute, pouty look years ago. And now she understood it fully. This was Leanne throwing a fit because she wasn’t getting what she wanted. Angelica stood up, putting her weight on both her legs, and faced Leanne down.

“If you think that I’m weak, then I think you’ve got the wrong impression.” Angelica raised an eyebrow at Leanne. “And if you remember well from all those years you worked for me, I don’t take kindly to threats—overt or subtle.”

Angelica stepped around Leanne, walking out of the room and straight to where Ansel was waiting for her. Cadence and Rex would catch her up on what she needed later, but she needed to have the strength and the power in this moment. Leanne needed to stop throwing her weight around.

“Ange!” Eva squealed and raced forward, hugging Angelica tightly.

Angelica hugged her back, melting into the tender embrace.

“I was looking for my mom. Do you know where she is?”

“Oh, she’s—” Angelica turned around and froze. Hope stood right in the doorway, leaning against it with her arms crossed and her gaze alight with something that Angelica couldn’t quite name. Angelica eased instantly, not just because of Eva but because of Hope. She settled her gaze on the woman in front of her. Hope, while impulsive and sometimes misguided, neverintended to hurt her. Mistakes were mistakes, personalities would butt up against each other, rub each other raw in good times and in bad, but Hope had never purposely harmed her.

“She’s right here,” Angelica said, her lips curling upward as she let Eva go.

“Can you help me with math this week?” Eva asked, now completely ignoring Hope even though that was ostensibly who she’d been looking for.

“Sure.” Angelica still couldn’t drag her eyes away from Hope, the blues of her eyes, the lines around them that would never fade because of how much she typically smiled. Everything in her body pulled her toward Hope.

“Eva, where are you supposed to be right now?” Hope asked, not even looking at her daughter.

“Mom!” Eva whined, elongating the name with so much energy that Angelica couldn’t stop her lips from quirking up into a smile.

“Go,” Hope said slowly. “Now. Before you end up in trouble.”

“Ugh. Fine.” Eva hugged Angelica quickly before she pranced out of the room with a skip in her step.

Angelica swallowed, bowing her chin slightly as Hope took a few steps toward her. Her heart raced, her lips quivering. Hope stopped in front of her, half a step away. Angelica blew out a breath and smiled.

“Leanne was right, there are a few things that I regret.”

“And what’s that?” Hope reached forward, lacing her fingers with Angelica’s. She squeezed tightly, that ever-present smile never leaving her lips.

Angelica was floating, wasn’t she? She swore the only thing keeping her rooted to the spot was Hope standing right there, holding her hand. She glanced down at their joined fingers, at the way their skin pressed against each other, Hope’s warm,smooth fingers, with dull nails, and her soft and cold to the touch as always.

It’d be so easy to say it, wouldn’t it? Angelica had barely been able to stop thinking about the last couple of weeks. Not the accident. She barely thought about that anymore. Every waking second that wasn’t filled with work was centered on this woman.

“Hope…” Angelica whispered her name, her mouth going dry. How much should she say? “I?—”

“Oh good, you’re both here!” Ansel clapped his hands.

Angelica jerked her fingers away from Hope and took a step back. “Clothes should be easier now.” Angelica smiled at Ansel and put her full focus on him. “I’ve been cleared to walk.”

“Not every second of the day though,” Hope chimed in.