“They were tough, but none like that.” Hope put a hand over her heart. “In fact, I’ve really enjoyed the places we’ve been so far this year.”
“I agree.” Angelica sent Hope a smile. “Especially Georgia. Helen is this tiny little town that is fully of unique history. I’d never heard of a place like it before.”
That was one of the talking points they were supposed to lift up. To continue to help with the marketing of the hotels as part of their contracts.
“But being at Niagara?” Hope chimed in. “I’ve never been to Niagara Falls before, and it’s stunning up north.”
“Were you primarily on the East Coast?” Heidi asked.
“Yes, this part of the season we were.” Angelica nodded toward Hope, taking the lead on this one. Which was perfect, but she had far more to do with the planning of where they went than Hope. “But we’ve seen some beautiful places around the country, and I’m excited to see even more. I feel like every place we go starts so foreign and then becomes home right before we have to leave.”
Oh, that was a good one. Production would use that in sound bites for sure.
“It’s got to be interesting to move around so frequently. How do you two stay grounded through everything?” Heidi dropped her gaze down to Angelica’s hand resting on the arm of the chair and then to Hope’s.
Was she seriously checking out their left hands? To see if they had rings on them? The gall!
“I think the crew is what does it,” Hope said, not giving an inch in this quest that Heidi had. “After filming four seasons with them, they are our family. And we get to see everyone’s highs and lows, and we take care of each other.”
“We do.” Angelica’s smile faltered. “The car accident I was in last season is a perfect example of that. Everyone rallied around to adjust filming and to make sure that I was taken care of.” Angelica laughed lightly. “Hope especially. She always takes care of me.”
That was a bit close to what they were trying to avoid, wasn’t it? And why was it they were trying to avoid that?
“Is that when your relationship with each other deepened?” Heidi asked.
Oh, Angelica was smart. She’d laid that trap perfectly, and Heidi had walked right into.
Angelica nodded. “It is. That’s what built a lot of trust between us. Hope had to pick up my slack, and she did it beautifully.”
“We’re a family, and that’s what families do for each other.” Hope nodded firmly at Angelica. “And yes, that’s when I think the last of the walls between us finally started to come down.”
“We make a really good team together.” Angelica’s tone shifted from the light to the serious, and Hope knew without a doubt they were about to dive back into the work portion of the conversation. “And I think this season we really started to rely on each other and use that to our advantage more than we ever have before.”
She wasn’t lying about that, and it was in more ways than just in filming. They’d stood up for each other multiple times, they’d had each other’s backs, and the entire crew had been better off for it. They should do that more often. Hope bit her lip, dragging her gaze over Angelica before focusing back on Heidi.
“If there’s one thing that I know, having worked with Ange for so long now,” Hope said, “It’s that sometimes it’s easier to work with her than against her.”
“Are you saying that I’m usually right?”
“I’d never admit to that.” Hope flashed Angelica a flirtatious smile, knowing that’d also get attention.
Angelica hummed back at her, but there was still the tease there. This time, Hope knew that it wasn’t just there for show, but it was there because she truly meant it.
“So what you’re saying is there’s less arguing between you this season?” Heidi asked.
“Oh no, there’s still tense moments where we vehemently disagree.” Though if asked, Hope couldn’t name any off the top of her head. “We’re just better at admitting when we’re the one who’s wrong.”
“Well,youare.” Again that showstopper smile that Angelica had was flashing in her direction.
Hope wasn’t going to argue that one again. Angelica was right, that she was the one who gave in more often than not, butit was part of what made them such a fantastic team, and she wasn’t going to hold back on admitting that. Not anymore. They were the backbone ofHotel Bombshell, and Florence and Logan should know that the show wouldn’t succeed without them.
Hell, everyone should know that.
Theywerethe show.
And they should use that to their advantage going forward, to negotiate better, to demand better security. They really needed to stop working as separately as they had on the back end of things and start working together to make the changes they wanted to see. And with Florence as the showrunner, they actually stood a chance of getting some of their demands met.
“Your cooking shorts together have gone viral several times! Tell me, Ange, just how much of a general is she in the kitchen, really?” Heidi leaned forward, like she was trying to keep a secret from Hope.
