Angelica just hummed, too exhausted to give a full verbal answer. “This is all Josef, you know. After your interview, he saw an opportunity to drop this bomb where it’d hurt the most. He’s trying to take me down, Hope. And he’ll stop at nothing to make that happen.”
“But why?”
“Because I tarnished his name. Because I am the reason he can’t find work. Because I’m the one who called him out on his bullshit. And I’m the one he thought he could easily manipulate into whatever he wanted.” Angelica’s heart pattered hard. Saying that out loud was so easy. “He’s attacking me because I stood upfor myself and he faced the consequences of his actions. He’s a bitter, jaded person, and that’s what we’re seeing now.”
Hope sighed heavily.
“He doesn’t need any more of a reason than that.” Angelica reached for Hope’s fingers and slid their hands together. “But I’m afraid he’s winning.”
Hope furrowed her brow and shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
Angelica clenched her jaw and looked around the lobby. Lyric should be showing up any time now to take her to her room and put her things away, but she must be busy because she hadn’t automatically arrived.
“I told you before that I’m struggling with continuing withHotel Bombshell.” Angelica lowered her voice, not needing anyone to overhear her say this. “Nothing ever goes right on this show.”
“Because of Josef,” Hope jumped in, trying to deflect from what Angelica had actually said.
“Yes, because of Josef, but notjustbecause of him. There are other things too.” Angelica squeezed Hope’s fingers. “Like us.”
“But—”
Angelica shook her head, causing Hope to stop talking. “I want to make sure you hear me when I say this because I can see your brain spinning, and it’s not what you’re thinking. I don’t want our entire relationship to be about working together.”
Hope’s lips parted in surprise.
“I want to be withyou, not because of work, not because of business, but because I love you.” Angelica’s entire body calmed. In the middle of everything that had happened in the last few days and how she’d been treated, put under the microscope, this was the only thing that mattered. “I want to be with you because of who you are and how you make me feel—not because of howwe work together or the things we can accomplish. And I’m willing to be with you no matter what you want.”
Hope’s chin jerked up slightly at that, a line forming in the center of her forehead. She was confused, thoroughly. And Angelica clocked that in a second.
“In terms of an open relationship,” Angelica added, clarifying. “If that’s what you want, then I’m willing to be in a relationship with you still. It doesn’t change what I want or how I feel.”
“Angel…” Hope pressed her lips together.
“I want that to be my priority, no matter what.” Those words slipped so easily from her lips, and she knew they were true. “I need to know if that’s what you want.”
“Of course it’s what I want.” Hope’s lips curled upward.
“Good.” Angelica nodded sharply, swallowing. She looked around the lobby, trying to figure out where Lyric was. She really should have shown up by now. Angelica had texted her that she’d arrived as soon as the taxi had pulled up to the hotel. “Tell me what you did today.”
“You want me to slide right into shop talk after you make a confession like that?” Hope asked, squeezing Angelica’s fingers tightly. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
Angelica hummed, but that bubble of elation that had started in her chest grew slightly bigger. If only Hope had been able to go to Los Angeles with her, it would have been a much easier weekend.
“I don’t know if there will be a second half of this season or if Georgia is going to be the last, and I don’t know if I’ll be here for season five.” Angelica turned slightly, moving even closer to Hope. “And right now, I’m okay with that, because I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Would you really leave the show?” Hope murmured the question like she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to ask it.
“I might not have a choice,” Angelica responded.
“But if you did. Would you?”
Angelica shook her head slowly, pressing her lips together and wrinkling her nose. “I don’t know.”
Hope breathed steadily, not quite making eye contact. “I hate that.”
“I know,” Angelica said, her mouth pulling tight. Because she did know. Hope was someone who liked answers, and she wanted them immediately. She wasn’t good with waiting around to find out what was happening, and it often propelled her into action—which could work to her advantage or be a disaster.
“When will you know?”
