“You’re nervous,” Angelica said, her voice carrying no judgment, only honesty.
“Of course I am.” Hope rolled her eyes and reached over to turn off the oven. She’d made everyone’s favorites, at least whatshe remembered of them. She counted everything to make sure, and then double-checked the setting.
“Hope.” Angelica’s voice was a call back to reality, and she didn’t want to hear it, even if she needed it.
“We got the wine, right?”
“Yes. Hope…?” Angelica tried again.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.” Angelica stood up and came around the counter. She took Hope’s hands in her own and then pulled her in for a sweet kiss. “It’ll be fine.”
“They’re not… it hasn’t exactly been easy with them, you know. And I know what they think of you.” Hope bit her lip. “I hate that they think that.”
“It’s their right to think it.” Angelica brushed her knuckles across Hope’s cheek. “Their job is to protect you first and accept me second. That’s all this is about anyway, us showing them who we are.”
“Right.” Hope let out a deep breath and put her forehead against Angelica’s. “I’m so tired of feeling like an outsider to my own life.”
“I can understand that.” Angelica kissed her again. “So tonight that ends.”
“Okay.” Hope smiled. “Okay. Tonight it ends.”
The doorbell rang.
Hope groaned. “But right now? Really?”
Angelica chuckled and kissed her cheek. “I’ll let you get that and put my iPad up.”
“Yell at Eva to come down, will you?”
“Sure thing.”
As Angelica walked away, Hope brushed her sweaty palms on her pants and squared her shoulders. This would be the telling moment, wouldn’t it? Either her family would accept Angelica and their relationship, or she’d really start putting some distancebetween herself and them. She wasn’t going to allow that toxicity into her life anymore. Her second reason for inviting them over was because she wanted to foster that support system. Because they needed one, desperately.
Rachel stood on the other side of the door with her three daughters in tow.
“Thank God it’s you first.”
Rachel grinned at her fully. “I did that on purpose.”
The girls pushed passed Hope and raced into the house. They’d been there enough that they knew where everything was. She probably should have warned Angelica about that, but she’d completely forgotten in her anxious puttering.
Rachel gave her a half hug and then walked in with a bottle of wine in hand. “Your favorite.”
“Thanks.” Hope took the bottle and walked toward the kitchen—her safe zone. This time when she touched the puff pastry, it was cool enough that she wasn’t going to burn her fingers as she plated them. So she did that.
“I told Mom and Dad to behave.” Rachel leaned over the counter, resting on her elbows.
“I want them to say whatever is on their mind.” Hope glanced at Rachel and then looked over her shoulder as Angelica walked back in.
“Rachel,” Angelica said by way of greeting. “It’s good to see you again.”
“I need to apologize to you.” Rachel stood up immediately. “I was an ass. A total ass.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “I didn’t understand it, and I judged and pushed, and did a ton of shit that I shouldn’t have done.”
Hope’s jaw nearly hit the deck.
“So I’m sorry.” Rachel held her hand out toward Angelica and waited.
