“What story is that?” Hope asked.
“The one that says we’re in love.”
Hope nearly stumbled. That sounded almost fantastical, like one of the fairytales she used to read Eva all the time before bed. Flicking her gaze to her daughter still asleep on the couch, Hope moved her gaze to Angelica who didn’t even seem to be aware of what she’d said. But she wasn’t adding anything else to the statement either.
“They know we’re in love,” Hope said.
“No, they don’t.” Angelica took a towel and started to dry the platter she’d just washed. “They’ve been told that, but they haven’t seen it. Love is something that can’t just be words. It has to be shown. Otherwise it’ll remain hollow and empty, and that’s all this is to them.”
Hope picked up a broken piece of cookie and plopped it between her lips as she continued to stare at Angelica. Who was this woman standing right in front of her? Because she wasn’t running from this conversation at all. And she should have been.Normally, she would have, and Hope would have had to chase her down and wrangle it out of her.
“But tonight started to change that, and everyone was pleasant.” Angelica dried another cleaned platter.
Hope took another bite of cookie and then packed away the rest before handing Angelica the plate they had been on. “You’re right. I’m expecting too much too quickly.”
Angelica sent her a look as if she’d known that all along and was glad Hope was finally on the same page that she was.
“That wouldn’t be out of character for you.” Angelica went back to cleaning the plate.
Hope stepped closer and turned off the water. “Leave it. I’ll do it in the morning.” She kissed Angelica’s cheek before walking over and sliding a blanket on top of Eva.
Then she took Angelica’s hand and walked directly to her bedroom—their bedroom? She wasn’t entirely sure she was ready to call it that, even though Angelica had spent just about every night there since they’d finished filming. But again they hadn’t talked about it. It was just something that they’d done, together.
And Angelica seemed far more willing to leave her things here this time around than before filming.
“Are we living together?” Hope asked, sitting on the edge of the bed while Angelica walked into the bathroom to take her makeup off.
“Do you want to live together?” Angelica asked back.
“Don’t answer my question with a question.” Hope pulled at her tank top and threw it onto the floor in the corner where she put all her dirty laundry.
“I haven’t officially moved in with you, no.” Angelica called back, her voice echoing slightly.
Hope shimmied out of her pants and threw them toward the pile of laundry, too. Within seconds she was finally naked andhad no energy to get any type of sleepwear, so she just pulled herself backward into the bed and lay flat, staring up at the ceiling.
Since they’d left filming, everything felt so much easier and smoother. Not that it had felt like a struggle during filming—it’d just been busy. As if every second of the day had been filled with something both of them had to do. Where they couldn’t even breathe to entertain these types of questions or shifts in their relationship.
But now they had that time, right?
“Answer my question.” Angelica stood at the edge of the bed, her cheeks rosy and her gaze dragging down Hope’s very naked body.
“What question?” Hope furrowed her brow, trying to think back to whatever Angelica had asked her.
“Do you want to live together?” Angelica sat on the edge of the bed, still fully clothed in her loungewear, but her face bare of makeup.
“Yes,” Hope answered simply. There was no reason for her to hold back now. She’d made her stance very clear with Angelica for a while now. She wanted a relationship between the two of them, and she wanted that relationship and love to deepen over time.
Angelica nodded, hummed, and then reached over and pressed her palm against Hope’s breast, massaging gently before she shifted and came a little closer. “It’s really hard to talk to you when you’re naked like this.”
“We started talking when you were in the bathroom.” Hope pouted slightly, but she was so glad for the touch. “And I was too lazy to get up and get dressed.”
Angelica hummed again, bending down to kiss Hope’s lips. “Are you toolazyfor anything else, then?”
“Probably.” Hope sighed heavily, but she reached up and tangled her fingers in Angelica’s hair to pull her down for another kiss. “That was emotionally exhausting.”
“For you.” Angelica kissed her again. “I was just fielding messages from Eva all night.”
“What?” Hope furrowed her brow in confusion. “How was she sending you messages? I have her tablet locked down.”
