Page 51 of Under the Table

Angelica was glad to see that, to hear the words leave Hope’s lips. She just wanted to make sure that Hope wasn’t saying what she thought Angelica wanted to hear. Who was she kidding? Hope never held back or contorted what she said. She was always honest, sometimes brutally so. She just had a lighter touch than Angelica.

“But…” Hope whispered the word, taking a deep breath before she continued. She looked directly into Angelica’s eyes, holding her gaze. “I love Rex. I love Eva. And I don’t know what to do about that.”

Angelica parted her lips, ready for the letdown of a century, to ease Hope out of the turmoil that she was facing, to let her get away with the one night that they should have never had together and to let the kiss they’d just shared be their last. She was ready to make that sacrifice, because seeing Hope in this turmoil was breaking her heart.

“But I think I’m also falling in love with you,” Hope whispered, listing in closer, to the point that their lips and noses almost touched again.

A shiver ran through Angelica. She had to close her eyes against it, the wave of feelings that was so intense she couldn’t control it.

“I don’t know what to do, Angel. I just need a little more time.” Hope squeezed Angelica’s fingers tightly, imploring her with a gaze, looking for some kind of response.

But Angelica couldn’t give her what she wanted. She wouldn’t make declarations of love, and she certainly wouldn’t allow herself to fall down this rabbit hole of chaos. She had to protect herself, even if it was for just a little longer. Because Hope wasn’t ready for anything beyond what they had already shared.

Holding her breath, Angelica let go of Hope’s fingers and put that final space between them. “Then I’ll keep my fingers crossed for me.”

“Angel.”

Angelica snagged her iPad off the table and started toward the door.

“I just need to talk to Rex.”

Angelica stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Where was he today? He texted me that he was sick and needed the day.”

Hope shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know.”

Again, Angelica’s heart nearly shattered. This wasn’t what she wanted for Hope. She wanted Hope free from this pain that plagued her. As much as she wanted to hold Hope and soothe her, she couldn’t, and she couldn’t find words either. Nodding in Hope’s direction, Angelica walked out of the makeshift office and started toward the elevator to her room.

She just needed to escape.

“I need to talk with you,” Paris Jordanger, a force to be reckoned with, crooked her finger in Angelica’s direction.

“Naturally,” Angelica mumbled under her breath. She’d really wanted to get out of the lobby area before anyone saw her, but that was next to impossible. Clenching her molars, Angelica turned around and prepared herself for the battle Hope had warned her was coming. “How can I help you?”

“Calling the state? Really?” Paris’s lips quivered. “Do you know what the fine is for that?”

“Yes. Do you?” Angelica crossed her arms, holding her iPad tightly. “How did you get your inspections passed before?”

“We have a friend in the office.”

“Right.” Angelica sighed heavily. “It’s unsafe, and I’m not going to risk staff or customers because you don’t want to do things the right way.”

“I didn’t even realize half the things that were wrong,” Paris lowered her voice. “I didn’t know.”

“Ignorance isn’t an excuse for gross negligence.” Angelica’s lips thinned with her glare.

“But I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“No, but someone could have. You’re lucky no one has before now. But I won’t force Chef Lawrence to cook in a kitchen that could potentially kill someone, and I won’t allow you to continue to serve from it. You’re lucky all I did was call the state.”

Paris paled. “I don’t want to make an enemy of you, Ms. Shields.”

“Then don’t.” Angelica bit the inside of her cheek. She was being particularly harsh when she didn’t have to be, and she knew it was because of the conversation she’d just left and not this one. “Work with me.”

“I’m trying to.” Paris sighed. “I really am.”

Angelica was about to give a retort, but she managed to stop herself. She really was taking all her pent-up frustrations out on Paris right now, and that really wasn’t what she needed to be doing. Purposely relaxing her shoulders, Angelica noddedtoward her. “Would you like to hear the other issues we’ve discovered?”

“Yes, please.”