Page 5 of Culinary Chaos
“I get it,” Hope said as soon as Angelica stepped in front of the backdrop. “Opposites.”
“Well, they do attract.” Angelica cursed herself. What the hell was she doing? Hope had been commenting on the fact that her pants and jacket were pure white, and her blouse black with a deep V that was showier than Angelica was usually comfortable with. She wasn’t talking about the fact that often people were attracted to those completely opposite of them.
Hope laughed, shaking her head. “I didn’t peg you as having a sense of humor.”
“No one ever does.”
“Can you two stand shoulder to shoulder, slightly turned back-to-back, arms crossed? Then look directly at me.”
Angelica clenched her fist hard, digging her nails into her palm to wake herself back up. This had to be a dream, right? This wasn’t the kind of person she was. Maybe since Hope had just gotten the job because of Rex, she would be gone quickly.
“Do you keep it hidden?” Hope asked.
“Keep what hidden?” Angelica responded, staring directly at Wade, no doubt with a menacing look on her face because try as she might, she wouldn’t be able to smile right this minute. Hope smelled amazing, like lilacs after a fresh summer’s rain.
“Your sense of humor.” Hope turned a little, looking directly into Angelica’s eyes. “Or is it the world’s worst kept secret?”
“I bet you’d like to find that out.” Angelica’s lips pulled upward in a half smile. Hope took another second, but she mimicked the move, the lightness blossoming on her face and reminding Angelica of all the good things that she missed out on in the world.
“You know. I would.” Hope winked at her before turning back to look at Wade. “And I’m fairly certain I’m going to get a front row seat to your quirky sense of humor.”
“Oh are you? Also, bold assumptions there, Mrs. Lawrence.”
“Assuming that I’m getting a front row seat? Or assuming that you have a quirky sense of humor?” Hope was facing her again, arms still crossed. She stood at least three inches taller than Angelica, with her heels on, which meant without them—Angelica stopped that thought immediately. What was the point of it?
Facing Hope, Angelica dropped her gaze from her eyes to her lips and then flicked them back up, raising a curious eyebrow in the process. “Considering I’m a producer and lead and you’re a last-minute addition to the roster, bold assumption on both.”
“I doubt you’re humorless,” Hope leaned in whispering. “You’ve just proven otherwise.”
“Oh?” Angelica’s entire body was tuned into Hope. Every move Hope made, Angelica would be hyperaware of what was going on.
“You might be one producer on this show, Ms. Shields. But I’ve been in show business long enough to know that nothing is as straightforward as you just made it seem.”
Angelica hummed, her mouth pulling tight. “Touché.”
“So, back to that quirky sense of humor.” Hope winked again and then took a step back. “Was it your idea that we dress in opposites? Or should I blame Wade over there?”
Laughing, Angelica shook her head and tossed a glance to their poor photographer who seemed to have his finger glued to that clicker. She’d hate this later, wouldn’t she? Looking at the photos as soon as they were edited was going to be a stark reminder of the visceral intensity of this moment.
“Always blame Wade,” Angelica whispered before moving to face him, a light accusatory look in his direction. He wouldn’t mind. So long as he got the shot, he would take the abuse she was throwing at him now. They at least knew each other well enough for that.
“Yes, yes, blame me!” Wade chimed in, moving his hand in the air as if he wanted them to keep going. “Don’t stop, Hope. I can never get the Ice Fairy to smile when she’s in my studio.”
“Ice Fairy?” Hope repeated, that damn curiously flirtatious tone back in her voice.
Angelica wrinkled her nose and glared at Wade. “Is that what they call me?”
“Everyone calls you that, Ange. You just ignore the fact that they do.”
“Of course I do.” Angelica tossed a look at Hope. “There’s nothing wrong with being a little icy.”
“No, some of my favorite things to eat are served cold.”
If Angelica didn’t have as much self-control as she did, she would have moaned out loud right at that statement. What in the world were they doing? Playing with fire and ice at the same time?
“Ice cream, for instance,” Hope continued, as if she hadn’t just thrown Angelica into a horny tailspin that wouldn’t end any time soon. “Tiramisu. Mmmm, I make a mean tiramisu.”
It almost made Angelica want to try it. Then again, the thought sent a wave of nausea through her belly. It was exactly the wake-up call that she needed. And she wasn’t about to comment on Hope’s ability or inability to cook. That was only one part of her skills that they needed, and if she had her own cooking show, she could actually make a meal. Angelica was far more interested in her ability to run a kitchen well, and to clean up the messes she was about to be thrown into.
