Page 68 of Bad Reputation

Libby snorted.

At least Cole had managed to make the kid laugh. “No, it was his growth. I guess I need to feel like that’s possible, that someone could be immature or selfish, and then learn to be ... better.” Cole’s voice went scratchy at the end of his answer, and he fumbled for a bottle of water.

When he had taken a long sip, Libby asked, “Is that kind of redemption personal for you?”

One of Drew’s rules was Cole shouldn’t get into his private life in interviews. He could talk about his workout routine or his diet, but the Cole James brand itself didn’t need shadows or cracks. Any reality. Answering her question—at least directly—would be getting into his own feelings and motivations way, way too much for Drew’s taste.

Brett took a more balanced approach to these things, saying that Cole could do what was comfortable for him but shouldn’t be afraid to draw boundaries. Drew thought that was too complicated for Cole and an absolute ban was easier to maintain.

But look, everyone with a functioning brain cell knew Cole was trying to get back to where he would’ve been if he hadn’t acted like a punk kid twenty years earlier. While that might have been clear as day, if you declared that you were making a comeback, it didn’t actually look like you were coming back. It looked pathetic.

It’s a universal message, really.That’s what Drew would want him to say. Cole understood the logic of Drew’s argument. But he wanted to be more than Cole James the brand. He could let people see him sweat.

“Yeah. When I got started, I was young—younger than you are—and I made decisions that were not for the best. I hurt coworkers and friends, and I hurt myself. I’d like to think I’ve grown. But when I look at Geordie, his mistakes aren’t the same as mine.”

“No tabloids back then, for starters,” Libby said.

“Yeah, he’s extremely lucky he didn’t have to deal withUs Weekly.” Cole couldn’t express how much he’d hated going to the grocery stores in those days, seeing his worst behavior splashed all over those covers. It was unfortunateColeandchaosboth started withc. So much alliterationin those headlines. “To answer your question, I hope Geordie and I can make amends and end up in better places than we deserve.”

Libby wasn’t satisfied, though. “Look, I read the book on the plane over here, and earlier, I chatted with Zoya about her changes to the material. This isn’t a spoiler to say Geordie eventually drops his disguise, marries Effie, and they’re reunited with their baby. He takes up his father’s title and moves into the big manor house. It’s kind of the ultimate happy-ending fantasy. I mean, he getseverything. So first, has he earned that? And second, if you identify with him, is that what you want?”

Wowzer, Drew was going to be pissed.

Around Cole and Libby, the crew were getting prepped for the next shot. Grips were moving lights, David was fussing with the camera, and Maggie was laughing with Tasha about something.

For a long moment, Cole couldn’t tear his eyes away from Maggie. She was half a head shorter than Tash. Her hair was tied back into a practical low ponytail, but the ends were slightly curled and bouncy. She was pointing to something on her clipboard, probably a checklist she’d be ruthlessly marking off as they went.

What did Cole want?

That. He wantedher.

Here he was, talking to a reporter about how he’d changed, but had he truly grown up if he admitted he’d fallen for someone on set? The lead actor getting involved with the intimacy coordinator sounded like a joke, like something that would’ve happened to Cody Rhodes onCentral Square.

Cole yanked his attention back to Libby.Don’t get personal. Stay light. Be charming.Drew’s words cut through the haze, like headlights in dense fog. “Sure.” Cole amped the California dudebro in his voice up. “Who doesn’t?”

Libby raised her brows. She knew he wasn’t being authentic. She would’ve called him on it, too, except Maggie was weaving across the set, through the crew, toward them.

“We’re almost ready.” Her smile was droll. She was trying to help him out.

Cole had been half complaining about this interview earlier, and she’d promised to save him if possible. And here she was, doing precisely that. He could’ve kissed her.

Oops, bad impulse.

“I’m sorry, Libby.” Cole offered a dazzling smile. “Duty calls.”

“Oh, you have a few minutes. I just want to give you a heads-up.”

No, no heads-up. He wanted to get out of this now.

But Libby wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. “You’re Maggie Niven, right? I’m Libby Hansen. We’re scheduled to chat during lunch, and I can’t wait. But I have to tell you, I’m going to have a million questions aboutCovering the Spread.”

“My old job?” Maggie was puzzled.

“And the musical itself. It’s one of my favorites. I played Hailey in high school.” She fluffed her hair.

A beat passed, and then Maggie burst into her high, melodic laugh. It was instantly identifiable, and Cole frequently found himself listening for it on set. “Of course you did. You definitely have Hailey energy.” That must be a character from the play that had gotten Maggie fired.

“Actually, if you have a second, I want to put the same question to you that I asked Cole.”

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