Angelica hummed, but she seemed pleased about being here. “Do you know what’s going on with Lyric? She tight-lipped about it?”
“No, sorry.” Hope turned to look directly into Angelica’s eyes. “But I noticed it too.”
Angelica frowned. “I’ve tried to pry, but I don’t want to push too hard.”
“Sometimes it just takes a well-worded question to get an answer.” Hope winked at her.
But Angelica paled instantly. She immediately looked away and around the reception area, putting space between them. Hope stilled, picking up on the rejection or avoidance instantly. But she was tired of chasing after Angelica—at least for right now. And to what end really? Angelica was the one who had to learn to trust her, not the other way around.
“Angel?” Hope reached for her, giving in to her emotional needs.
Angelica took her hand and squeezed before letting go and putting space between them again. “Logan’s joining us this week.”
“He is?” Hope furrowed her brow. “Why?”
“To observe me.” Angelica frowned. “The investigation isn’t done, Hope.” Angelica stepped in closer, lowering her voice so that people couldn’t overhear easily. “And someone needs to supervise my behavior.”
“Is that why you’re being distant?” Hope asked, her heart pounding at just the thought of asking that question.
Angelica pursed her lips and shook her head. “No, that’s not why. I’ve had a lot to think about lately, and what I want going forward.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“It might be.” Angelica’s lips pulled upward into a gentle smile. “We should find some time to talk. If not while here, then when we return home on break.”
Hope liked the sound of that. Home. She tugged Angelica a little closer and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Yes, we’ll find time to talk.”
“Good.” Angelica smiled at her. “Because so much has happened in the last few weeks, and I feel like we’re barely keeping our heads above water.”
“You’re right about that. The last thing we need is more to add onto it.”
Angelica hummed, and Hope knew that there was something she wasn’t sharing, but that she was working up to it. So she stayed still and quiet, just waiting for Angelica to get the words to her tongue and to say them out loud.
“I pulled the trigger on a civil suit with Josef,” Angelica murmured.
“You what?”
Angelica bit her lip and looked up, directly into Hope’s eyes. “I didn’t want to add anything, not right now, but his harassment isn’t stopping, Hope. It’s only getting worse. And I need to put my foot down, create boundaries. Just like I did with my family.”
So the two were connected, even if Angelica didn’t want to see it that way entirely. “Sounds like you have a plan.” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but she wasn’t sure she managed it. “I realize you’re very used to living on your own and doing life however you want, but…” Hope sighed a little. “It does hurt when you don’t at least talk to me before you make fairly major decisions like this, or when big events happen and you take days to tell me about them. I love you, Angel, but it sometimes feels like you still keep me at arm’s length.”
Angelica’s lips parted in surprise, but she didn’t say anything. “You’re right.”
“I… what?” Hope had expected some kind of argument. She really had. Or pushback of some sort. “I’m right?”
“I shared with you about my mother, and that…was difficult. No one else knows still, and I’d rather keep it that way. But you’re right about the rest of it. The harassment affects us both, and I need to remember to rely on you more than I have been.” Angelica squeezed Hope’s fingers. “And I?—”
“Good! You’re both here. Florence and I need to talk to you about forming that plan.” Logan put his hand on Hope’s shoulder and his other one on Angelica’s, breaking up their quiet conversation.
Hope’s stomach sank. Right when she felt they were getting to the meat of a conversation, they were interrupted again. Would it ever be easy for them?
“What plan?” Hope asked.
“Didn’t Ange tell you?” Logan furrowed his brow and stared at her.
“I didn’t. I’m sorry.” Angelica looked directly at Hope, the apology in her gaze. “Logan and Florence want to make a plan to start to clean up the press disaster we’ve had so far this season.”
“Oh.” Hope sighed heavily. “So what’s the plan?”
