Page 107 of Bad Reputation

“You brought my plants?”

“I smuggled this one in. I thought you might need a friend.” Savannah flung her free arm around Maggie.

Maggie sank into the hug. She’d never needed one more. She hadn’t been comfortable touching Cole, not when touching Cole had been the thing that had set all this in motion in the first place.

“I can’t believe you came. Thank you.”

Savannah pulled back, her expression incredulous. “Of course I did. You think I was going to pass up a chance to sleep”—she dropped her voice to a whisper—“in Cole James’s house?”

“I hope it will be exciting enough to justify the trip. Come on in.”

Maggie took the plant, which honestly did make her feel better, and Savannah collected her luggage.

Ten minutes later, they were sitting in Cole’s backyard, drinking lime water. Even with the short notice, Savannah had somehow managed to wrangle together the perfect SoCal outfit: a drapey minidress ina bohemian fabric and cola-tinted sunglasses. With a scarf tied around her ash-blonde hair and a tangle of necklaces around her neck, she could’ve doubled for a young Stevie Nicks.

For the moment, at least, they were alone. Cole had left to train with Ryan just before Savannah had arrived, so they had some time to process things before he showed up and was ... perfect.

Because Maggie had no doubt that with Savannah, he would be, as ever, perfect.

“Do you want some sunscreen?” Cole had a basket by the back door with enough of it for a small army.

“I already have some on,Mom.”

“Cancer protection is one of Co—it’s important to take care of yourself.”

Savannah regarded Maggie over the top of her sunglasses. “Oh, is that one of Cole’s bugaboos?”

Maggie knew Savannah would never give quotes to the press, but she also reveled in juicy details about the life that Maggie had—at least until yesterday—fallen into. Who wouldn’t?

Besides, Maggie had walked right into this one. “Yeah, he’s really on top of UV blockers. He might be rubbing off on me.”

“A professional thing, I’m sure. But is he rubbing anything else?” Savannah asked that with the same casual tone she might use to ask if Maggie had eaten a peach or changed brands of facial scrub.

“From time to time,” Maggie said, equally casually.

“From time to time?” Savannah was almost offended. “It’d be a shame to be fired if you aren’t hitting that on the regular. Please tell me that you have stroked those glorious abs.”

Maggie chuckled for the first time in twenty-four hours. It was good to know that her sense of humor wasn’t broken. “I have.”

“And?”

“They’re amazing.” Everything about Cole was amazing. His amazingness wassonot the problem.

“Also, tell me Tasha Russell is single and you’re going to introduce me.”

“This has to stay under the cone of silence because it isn’t public yet, but I regret to inform you that Tasha is not single.”

“Boo.”

“I take it that Emily is not back?”

“Sadly, I think this breakup is going to take.” Savannah seemed to be over it, though Maggie was going to have to push later to figure out if that was real or a front.

“That sucks.”

“It does.” Savannah rearranged to get more sun on her face. “So are we going to talk about it?”Itbeing Maggie’s abrupt lack of a job.

“Can we stick with Cole’s abs?”

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