Page 102 of Under the Table

That much she’d learned throughout her life. And seeing her father and brother this week was only a reminder of the things she couldn’t have.

But that didn’t stop her from wanting them.

Chapter

Thirty-Four

“Come on a walk with me.” Hope stopped by Angelica’s room, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed as she looked Angelica over.

“I’m exhausted,” Angelica said. She was already dressed down for the night, filming having wrapped late. The crew was packing up, Eva was asleep, Rex was still working, and Hope just wanted a few minutes with Angelica to talk—truly talk. Something she didn’t feel like they’d done since they’d arrived.

“Angel… come for a walk with me.” Hope needed to talk to her. She needed to right whatever was wrong between them and set them back on the path they’d been on before.

Angelica sighed heavily, looked over her shoulder and then nodded. “Let me get my tennis shoes on.”

It didn’t take long for them to be outside, the air much cooler during the night than during the day, although the dryness was still working on Hope’s skin and making it flaky. She shoved her hands into her pockets as they made it a block down from the hotel before she dared to say anything.

“This episode was rough,” Hope commented, her voice carrying into the breeze.

Angelica didn’t answer immediately, and she wondered if she’d even heard. Hope bit her lip, the lights from the street reflecting off the cars that passed as they continued to walk, but she didn’t push for conversation either. She wanted to take this easy and not scare Angelica off again.

“Family typically is,” Angelica finally said, her voice soft.

“Yours or the one here?”

Angelica looked directly at Hope and shook her head, except it hadn’t been a yes or no question. Which meant she was telling Hope something else entirely. Was this topic off limits? Because Hope didn’t want it to be. If anything, the last week had told her that she wanted to know more about Angelica and how she became the way she was.

“I liked your brother.”

Angelica laughed lightly. “He’s mostly got it figured out. At least, I like to think so.”

“Got what figured out?”

“Is this really what we’re doing tonight?” Angelica stopped walking, her hands at her sides, but her feet pointed back toward the hotel as if she was going to walk away from Hope.

“What would you have us do?”

“Pack.”

Hope frowned. “To leave?”

“Our flight’s in the morning.”

Disappointment rang through Hope’s chest. Was that really all Angelica was thinking of? Getting out of here and escaping any type of deeper conversation? With no one around, Hope reached out and took Angelica’s hand, lacing their fingers together. She stared down at the physical touch, wanting to keep Angelica as close to her as possible for as long as possible. She stepped in so they were only inches apart.

“Talk to me, Angel.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“There’s always something to say.” Hope tightened her grasp on Angelica’s hand before pulling her in and cupping the back of her head. She lowered her mouth, brushing a quick and sweet kiss across Angelica’s lips.

“The house I grew up in wasn’t a happy house.”

Hope could feel Angelica tense. But she held firm, encouraging Angelica to talk more.

“When Christian was born, it got worse. Not for him, but for me and my dad. For years I put him on a pedestal because he wasn’t as bad as my mom, but he didn’t stop her either.” Angelica didn’t lift her gaze to look at Hope. She barely even moved. “When I didn’t do the things they thought were proper for a daughter of a certain age, that only added to their frustration with me.”

Reaching up, Hope cupped Angelica’s cheek and brushed her thumb against her skin.