Page 103 of Bad Reputation

The sting of it left him cold.

“What is this?” she repeated.

“I have no idea.” Because he didn’t. “It could be Vincent, or maybe someone from the production was ... jealous? Mad?” He couldn’t even comprehend that. Everyone on set had seemed to like both of them. As far as he knew, neither he nor Maggie had caused any bad blood during filming.

Cole had wanted not just for people tothinkhe was better but tobebetter. Maggie was one of the only people he knew who cared as much about that as he did.

Unless that change was the problem.

“Maybe it’s just my past.”

Maggie shot him a knife-sharp look. “Meaning?”

“Bashing me used to be ... kinda fun for the press. I was a punching bag for a long time. Maybe they wanted to go back to that. I have no idea. I’m sorry.”

If that was it, if this washisfault, Cole would ... he didn’t even know.

He wrapped his arms around his middle rather than reach for Maggie again. He was chilled, though. Straight through to the bone.

“What can we do?” Maggie had scrolled back up to the beginning and was reading the story again. “DoesBoulevard Babbleprint retractions?”

“Probably not.” They’d have to have standards first.

“This is so bad. It’ssobad. I don’t even—”

Maggie’s phone rang from the kitchen counter.

She handed Cole his phone and, with a wince, answered hers. “Hey, Linda.” It was the producer forThe Mid List. Maggie pressed her eyelids closed. A tear squeezed out and ran down her cheek and splashed onto her shirt.

Cole ought to get her a tissue, ought to apologize again, and ought to fix this. If he could just fix it, she’d let him do the rest, he knew.

He hoped.

“Yeah, I’ve seen it.” Maggie’s tears weren’t discernible in her voice. She was so strong. All the crap she’d been through had made her so strong. “None of it is true. You’ve talked to Zoya, and she’s so pleased with my work. I mean ...”

Whatever Linda said then made her body have an earthquake.

Cole set his hand near her foot on the floor. Not on her foot—she’d made it clear that she didn’t want that—but near it. He had to offer her comfort. Had to.

When she spoke again, Maggie’s voice was strained. Pained. “Yes, in fairness, I am romantically involved with Cole James, but—no, nothing happened on set. Linda, I swear, absolutely nothing happened until after the wrap party.”

That was, technically, true. The wrap party had still been going on, probably, but—

That wasn’t the point.

Maggie had said she couldn’t get involved with someone she’d worked with, and he’d just barreled right over that, assuming that he’d done enough to make up for his past. Assuming that because they loved each other, they should be together.

That “When you assume, it makes an ass out of you and me” thing had never been truer.

Maggie straightened her spine, but another tear ran down her face. “My work has been impeccable. OnWaverleyand onThe Mid List, I have followed every ethical standard. I have talked to Bernard about all my concerns and limitations and worries. Whoever gave these quotes, this venom, it’s just not ... yes. Yes, I get that. I know, it’s such a delicate role, there’s no room for drama. Yes, yes, I understand. Bye.”

Maggie hung up and scooted back across the floor, farther away from Cole.

So much was wrong right now, but the fact that Maggie wouldn’t look at him, that hurt most of all. If she wouldn’t let him touch her, she could at least let him see her eyes.

“What did she say?” Cole finally asked after the seconds of silence became too heavy.

“Well, I’m out of a job. Again.” Maggie snapped to her feet. It was so instant and so unexpected, Cole almost got whiplash.

---