“He’s doing okay. So is everyone else.” Hope wanted to lean in and kiss her, but she held back, wanting to let Angelica lead this. “What are you thinking?”
Shaking her head, Angelica squared her shoulders and looked around. “I don’t even know.”
“Okay, I mean, that’s fair.” Hope’s mind hadn’t stopped spinning, and even with the few conversations she’d had, she hadn’t been able to make it stop. “I don’t know what to do.”
“There’s nothing we can do. Not really.” Angelica flicked her gaze up, locking their eyes together. “I’ve contacted my lawyer, and the police. I’ll talk to Logan shortly to make sure everyone is aware of the harassment, though I’m sure he already knows. We just go on with filming.”
“Angel… he outed us.”
“No, he hasn’t.”
Hope jerked back slightly, her brow furrowing in confusion. “No, he definitely outed us.”
“Nothing in that video says we’re in a current relationship.”
“Oh my God.” Hope rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that keeping our relationship hidden any more than it already is will do us any favors. In fact, I think coming out with everything with allow people to truly see us for who we are and who we are together. Then it won’t be a big deal.”
“I don’t have time to talk about this.” Angelica stepped back, not looking Hope in the eye this time. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow after we’ve wrapped.”
“Angel.”
Angelica said nothing as she turned on her toes and walked out of the office. Hope stayed in the quiet. The distance between them was a chasm right now, and she wanted nothing more than to follow Angelica and rectify that. She needed to know that they were going to be okay, but she also had to trust that they would.
Hope ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes, lifting her face toward the ceiling. All she wanted was one season of filming to go well. That was it. Was it too much to ask for? Because this wasn’t typical drama you’d find on a set. This was devastating.
Gathering herself, Hope stepped out into the lobby and looked around. Cadence waved at her and then beckoned her over.
“Where have you been? We need to prep so we can do the hard launch filming tonight.”
“Yeah. I’m on my way.” Hope looked over her shoulder, hoping to catch one more glance of Angelica, but she was gone. “Always something to do.” She sighed as she followed Cadence toward the restaurant.
Chapter
Twelve
“We’re hereon set this week, but Ange and I thought we’d film a short cooking video for you together. Not only so you can see what it is we do every week when we’re on location, but also to give you a dose of our regular cooking clips.” Hope smiled at the camera, her eyes crinkling in the corners.
Angelica’s stomach twisted sharply. With the rest of filming wrapped, every single person on set was standing around watching them, including Rex and Eva. Her heart thudded hard, sweat pooling at the small of her back from the bright lights and the heat in the kitchen from the stove already being on.
She knew she needed to turn the charm on, to get into the mindset and role that she played when they filmed these, but with everything going on, it was such a struggle. She and Hope hadn’t really talked, not outside that brief moment they’d stolen in the office yesterday. And it was her fault.
She’d avoided.
She’d locked herself away and refused to even entertain the idea that she and Hope should be talking. Because it hurt too damn much to think about everything. Maybe that was whyeveryone was here watching them. They wanted confirmation of their relationship one way or the other.
Well, she wasn’t going to give them that satisfaction.
“We’re going to make lobster risotto today, which can be a bit temperamental, so if you have ADHD, then I don’t suggest you leave the kitchen for anything.” Hope winked at the camera.
Angelica held her breath. Most of the time, she didn’t know when to step into the monologue that Hope was giving, so she could actually interject her part of the conversation that needed to happen.
“Lobster is a fan favorite in our house.” Hope turned slightly, locking her eyes on Angelica. She had a grin on her lips and a softness in her face that Angelica had missed in the last week.
What Hope was implying was that she cooked lobster often and that Angelica was there to eat it with her. Which had happened once or twice in the last year, but it wasn’t often. Typically Angelica would show up after dinner and leave before breakfast because her work schedule didn’t allow for any other time off.
“It certainly is,” Angelica answered, though the flirtatious tone she’d been searching for didn’t quite ring true to her ears. She just didn’t want to be here doing this. Not right now anyway.
“First, we’ll start this pot with the stock in it and get it warmed up.” Hope worked as she talked.
