Page 37 of Under the Table

“No, let’s go.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

There. That was a good start. Wasn’t it? Hope kept her hand in his as she stepped out of the maintenance closet and towed him behind her. She walked slower than she normally would, but they needed all the extra seconds they could find.

Voices echoed down the hall, getting louder with each step she took toward the party. The room must already be filled to the brim. As soon as they stepped inside, her eyes locked on Angelica—shoved away in a corner with only Lyric to talk to. Hope hated that she always seemed the outcast, just a step outside of the group. She deserved better.

Rex stepped in closer, his arm brushing against her back. Hope gasped and turned toward the table of food she’d set out earlier before she’d gone upstairs to change. She needed to watch herself. She needed to get herself under control and put as much space between her and Angelica as possible.

Which was going to be damn hard to accomplish.

Because she hadn’t lied to Rex. That inkling of attraction she’d had last season hadn’t gone away in the intervening months.

If anything, it’d gotten stronger.

Episode Two

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OPAL OASIS

Chapter

Thirteen

“Oh, I uh… didn’t realize we were on the same flight.”

Angelica paused in her step as she came upon Hope, sitting at the edge of a bar with a glass of wine in front of her, her rollaboard next to her, and a curious look on her face. Angelica might not have even seen her if she hadn’t said anything.

They were supposed to be flying together from Los Angeles to Kansas City for their next episode shoot. Both had returned. Though Angelica had initially thought it’d been to woo an investor, when the investor had pulled out last minute, Hope had dived into work at her restaurant and Angelica had hidden away at the hotel for a few days.

“Why wouldn’t we be?” Angelica frowned at Hope, her grip tightening on her own suitcase until her knuckles were white. Something about the way Hope had interacted with her since the end of filming in Houston had been off, and Angelica couldn’t put her finger on what was going on.

Hope shrugged and turned back to her wine, a slight frown on her face, which Angelica didn’t like seeing. She held her breath, giving Hope a good look. She wasn’t being herself, andshe was holding back. Anyone who knew her could see that from a mile away.

“Do you mind?” Angelica asked, catching Hope’s attention again.

“Mind what?” Hope asked.

“If I sit with you and have a drink.” Angelica raised her eyebrows in Hope’s direction. “We haven’t exactly had much time to talk lately.” And Angelica was fairly certain that had been intentional. Ever since the wrap party, Hope had been distant. But with the episode ending and both of them traveling to Los Angeles and preparing for the second episode to shoot, it had also seemed somewhat natural.

Yet something niggled in the back of her mind that told her Hope was holding back.

“Uh… sure.” Hope lifted her wine glass and pressed it to her lips for a sip.

Angelica nearly walked away. That was the cold shoulder Hope was giving her, not her usual bubbly and welcome self. But they really should probably work through whatever this was, because they still had four more episodes to shoot this season. And Angelica wanted the rhythm back that they’d discovered.

It’d made work so much easier.

Sliding onto the stool next to Hope, Angelica glanced up at the bartender who was already waiting for her.

She glanced at the nametag emblazoned across her chest and smiled. “Hi Betty, just get me whatever wheat beer you have on tap, please.”

“Coming right up, boss.”

Angelica dropped her gaze to the counter and spun the coaster in circles on the counter. But now that she was here, she wasn’t sure what to say, or how to break the ice. Betty set the beer down, and Angelica immediately lifted it to her lips to take a sip. She nearly sighed into the flavor. It’d been a long time sinceshe’d managed to have a beer. She’d been stuck drinking wine for ages it seemed.

“Wh-when is the next investor dinner?”

“I haven’t set the date yet.” Angelica put her pint down and looked over at Hope, who still wasn’t making eye contact. “If you want, I can still schedule those for your restaurants instead…”

Hope shook her head. “No, you’re right. I should be there.”