Angelica pursed her lips, holding her ground. Hope’s mouth opened like she wanted to say something else, but she closed it again. She let out a little sigh as she turned and reached the door. Angelica was just about to let her guard down when Hope spun around and eyed her again.
“I hope you’re happy,” Hope said, her voice tender and soft. “And I really mean that, Ange. I hope you can find joy and love.”
And then she was gone.
Angelica staggered back into her chair, plopping her ass down in it and closing her eyes. That had been the hardest conversation she’d ever had. Screw breaking up with Leanne. That had nothing on this. Angelica released a breath of pent-up tension and anger and hurt, tears forming along the brims of her eyes.
Lyric: Outside, ready when you are.
She stared at her phone and dropped her chin to her chest to take just one more moment for herself. A relationship that barely lasted two months shouldn’t be this hard to walk away from. She and Leanne had been together for almost a year before they’d ended everything. What she and Hope had had was a whirlwind affair and nothing else.
She just had to remember that every time they saw each other, and maybe she’d survive into tomorrow. Taking one last steadying breath, Angelica stood up, snagged her iPad, and left her office. She had a meeting with production that she needed to get to, one that she couldn’t miss.
Angelica slid into the seat next to Lyric, who gave her a curious expression before turning the car on and pulling out of the hotel parking lot.
“I saw Hope leaving.”
Angelica hummed and pursed her lips, but she didn’t give a verbal answer.
“Everything good?” Lyric asked, flashing Angelica a glance that said far more concern than actual curiosity.
God love this woman. She was so caring, way more than Angelica deserved.
“Yeah. Fine.” Angelica opened her iPad and started to work on the drive. She was woefully behind in more ways than one, and she needed the extra hour that the drive was going to take to get a head start on catching up. She didn’t need to explain that to Lyric. She’d understand. She always did.
The hour drive was exactly what she’d needed to settle herself. As she walked into the conference room, Angelica took her seat next to Rex and gave him a small smile as she settled in and prepared for what was coming next. Rex said nothing to her, not that she expected him to. And having just come from seeing Hope, she didn’t exactly want to mention anything either.
“This is Cadence Turner,” Josef said as he stepped into the room, followed by a young woman with wide hips, a black T-shirt with some band logo across it, a leather jacket, and piercings all up her ears. Angelica had to hide the smile as she looked down at her iPad to pull up the questions that had been prepared.
Once everyone was settled and introduced, Josef began the speech he’d no doubt prepared. “With the production ofHotel Bombshelltaking off and our series views expected to increase this season, we’re growing and expanding. Rex had the hard job of doing all the work himself this season, but we’re looking for an assistant director who will compliment his style and vision.”
Cadence gave Josef a small smile, but when her eyes locked on Angelica, that smile turned into a flirtatious smirk. Rex flicked his gaze from Cadence directly to Angelica, and he blinked at her.
“I didn’t realize you and Ms. Turner knew each other,” Rex said.
Angelica chest tightened instantly. “We don’t. Not really. We met at a networking event late last summer. That’s it.”
Rex didn’t seem convinced, however.
But he focused back on Cadence. “We’re aware of your credits and the work you’ve done. We’re not here to debate that. What we need to know is how well you and I will work together, and how well you’ll work with my wif—Hope.”
Angelica paused at that. She looked from Cadence to Rex curiously and back again. “You don’t want the new AD to work with me?” She’d assumed with everything that had happened in San Diego that the go-to would be to separate further from her.
Rex frowned, his face paling. “No,” he said, simply. Then he focused back on Cadence. “Our show is quick moving and semi-scripted, which means that we need to be ready to turn on a dime.”
“I can do that,” Cadence nodded in his direction. “I honestly loveHotel Bombshell, and I’ve watched and re-watched it a dozen times already. I appreciate the raw honesty in it, and I’d definitely want to still capture that.”
Rex took down some notes, but Angelica was still lost in Rex’s comment, in the slip of his words. He’d never hesitated to call Hope his wife before, he’d never tried to avoid that as a topic. So why now?
“Hope is hardheaded at times and will often not communicate when she’s moving from one location to another, so we need someone who can stay on top of her to catch all of the scenes.” Josef added his two cents in.
Angelica spared him barely a glance, still lost on what Rex hadn’t said. But if they wanted the new assistant director to follow Hope like a lost puppy then it was probably a good thing their relationship had ended. It had been hard enough to sneak around with the freedom they’d had last season. Eliminating that would have made it impossible.
“Of course. I know Hope’s style is impulsive and energetic, that’s what makes her so attractive to the audience. It’s why her daytime cooking show is a hit as well. She has this enigmatic personality around her that draws people in.” Cadence still had that smile plastered on her face, but she moved to look directly at Angelica. “You, however, are the exact cool opposite to her, which is why the two of you play off each other so nicely. You should be in more scenes together, if that’s something you’re interested in.” She looked at Rex then. “I realize that’d cut down my time behind the monitors, but it’s really what would help the show take off in a new ways. In fact, I think putting you two together on camera in between seasons would help keep the show alive even when it’s not airing.”
“What?” Angelica bit back the word, but her voice was barely loud enough to be heard over Josef’s.
“What do you mean by that?”
