Page 107 of Under the Table

“Auntie H!”

Angelica froze. A small child raced toward them, flinging their arms around Hope’s waist in a hug that lasted for what seemed like minutes. When Angelica looked up, she was greeted with a curious glance from a woman who looked so similar to Hope aside from her hair color. This woman had dirty blonde hair that was pulled back in a messy bun.

“Annalise!” Hope hugged the kid back before releasing them and opening her arms to walk toward the woman and the other child, who was glued to her side. “Rachel.”

Angelica watched the hugs and greetings, her chest tightening instantly. The little oasis they’d managed to build in the storage room was already gone. Rachel smiled and hugged Hope back, when she pulled away, she looked curiously at Angelica.

“Angel, this is Rach, my oldest sister.”

Angelica held her hand out in greeting, doing what came naturally to her. “It’s good to meet you.”

“You too.” Rachel’s eyes lingered on Angelica’s face. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, but not from Rex or Hope.”

“Oh?” Angelica furrowed her brow in confusion.

“From Eva.” Rachel smiled, her gaze still unwavering.

It unnerved her. What the hell was Rachel trying to figure out right now? And why was she pointing out that Rex and Hope didn’t actually talk about her? She supposed that would be a bit odd, considering they all worked together, and she and Hope worked closely together.

“Got to love Eva,” Hope said, nervously laughing as she bent down to pick up the younger child clutching Rachel’s leg. “Come give Auntie a hug, will you?”

The girl moved her gaze from Angelica to Hope, her eyes lighting up in an instant. She grinned broadly and launched herself into Hope’s arms and around her neck. Hope sighed into the hug and then stood up, the girl still in her arms.

“This is Jenna,” Hope said to Angelica. “But where’s Mandy?”

“Outside.” Rachel sighed heavily. “She found the pool table.”

“Ah.”

Angelica clenched her jaw tightly. She was interrupting this mini family reunion. And something about Rachel put her on the edge between wanting to run away and face it full on. It was as if Rachel could read every single thing that was happening under the surface between her and Hope.

“I need to check with Sy about where we’re filming introductions,” Angelica said. “If I see Rex, I’ll send him your way.”

“Thanks,” Hope answered, still gripping onto her niece.

Angelica walked away, not looking over her shoulder at them. She didn’t need to find Sy, actually. She knew exactly where they were going to be filming next. But she’d had to escape Rachel’s discerning eye. If they weren’t careful, Rachel was going to unravel absolutely everything they were doing and more. And it would be the end of it all.

Angelica would get fired.

Hope would go back to Rex.

And the only one who would lose out and be devastated would be Angelica herself, because once again, she’d started something with someone who was unavailable. She’d never learn, would she?

Chapter

Thirty-Six

“I’m going to have you all at the counter, okay? Just like at home when you help Auntie H cook.” Rex pointed toward the kitchen prep table where he’d set up some chairs for Jenna and Annalise. Mandy was tall enough to lean over the counter and see everything going on. “Then we’re going to have Auntie H show you some of the food she’s cooking.”

Rachel smiled at him.

Hope picked up Jenna again and popped her on her hip. “Where’s Eva?” she asked.

Rex shook his head. “Molly said she’s throwing a fit about this and doesn’t want to do it. I figured we could leave her out of it.”

“Don’t you think it’ll be a bit odd that her cousins are here and she’s not?” Hope frowned at him. She hadn’t heard anything about the fit. Then again, she had less access to her phone to keep up with what was going on than Rex did. Especially since she’d spent the last hour in Ansel’s chair trying to research where she and Angelica could go away for a weekend.

“You can try to convince her, but I don’t think you’ll have any luck.” Rex threw his hands up in the air and gave Rachel a pointed look. “She likes to think she’s a teenager already.”