Page 100 of Bad Reputation

“That marriage is a broken institution.”

“So you’re thinking about it?”

She snorted and played with the ties on her apron. With infinite carefulness, she said, “The thing is ... I love him.” The lineI totaled my carwas usually delivered more cheerfully than Tasha voiced her feelings. But since Cole knew Tasha’s mother and the example she’d set for her daughter, he knew that Tasha must be terrified by the depth of her love for Ryan.

She, of course, wouldn’t want him to reveal that he knew that.

“My condolences,” Cole deadpanned instead.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“My advice? Spring for the Elvis impersonator. Do itrealclassy.”

“That’s the secret to long-lasting marital bliss?”

“Of course.” Cole suspected the real secret was to marry the right person, and though he would never, ever say it to Tasha when she was in this mood, Ryan was the right person for her. Bar none.

Tasha raised her brows and did her own head-nod out the window. “And things with Maggie?”

“I’m done for.” Cole at least didn’t have trouble admittinghisfeelings.

“She know?”

“Yeah, I have absolutely no chill where she’s concerned.” He hadn’t meant to blurt out“I love you”while taking her over his bathroom counter, but it had popped out all the same. And besides, he did love her, so it had been bound to happen one of these days.

He’d had three massive bouquets of roses delivered the day after his surprise confession to balance the scales. Maybe he’d have to get a guy in a white jumpsuit to croon “Love Me Tender” to her in case he was on to something here.

“Hey,” Tasha said, jumping in to defend his honor. “You managed not to get together until filming was done. Well done.”

“I could star in an anti-sexual-harassment video series.”

“Oh no, my friend, that portion of your career is over.”

He snorted. Things had never been quite that bad. “Seriously, Maggie and I, we’re great. We just need to keep things quiet for a little bit longer.” As long as she was sleeping next to him, Cole—like a chalk-painted sign from a craft store—was all about gratitude.

Tasha gave Cole a consoling pat on the arm. “Good luck with that.”

His luck had been scary good of late. This had been the kind of night that Cole wanted to repeat every week from here on out, into eternity.

Except Tasha wasn’t wrong. Movie stars didn’t exactly have stellar track records when it came to sayingI do. For all that he wanted to believe Tasha and Ryan and Maggie and he were different, that Cole had turned a corner and grown the fuck up, it was hard to trust in it.

“Can we do this?” he asked his best friend. “Be us, and be ... happy?”

“Goddamn, I hope so.”

Cole did too.

INT. COLE’S BEDROOM

A few hours later, Maggie was snuggled on Cole’s chest, and he was stroking her hair when his phone buzzed for the fifth time in a row.

Tasha had sent the link to Libby’s story, followed by a series of flame emoji.I’m going to keep doing this until you write back.

Got it, great work, he replied.

“The story broke.” Cole dropped his phone onto his nightstand and went back to playing with Maggie’s hair. He managed to sound bored, but his body instantly revved awake. The adrenaline was bitter on his tongue, and his arms and legs were restless.

Under his hands, Maggie stiffened. “You’ve crossed the Rubicon.”

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