Page 29 of Bad Reputation

Cole was thehim.

Leonard was struggling not to laugh. “Because we’re old men. And if you have to double for him in some of the shots—”

“I’m going to do all of my own shots,” Cole insisted.

“—then you have to be up to speed.”

“I hate all of you.” Ryan fumbled for his water bottle. “I never should have agreed to do this. Guns and bombs and planes are where I live. I’m not taking another project that’s not all guns and bombs and planes.”

Since it was clear they were done for the moment, Cole picked up his own water. “You’re just jealous because, for once, I’m better at something than you are.”

“Give me another few days, James, and I’ll kick your ass.” But it was an empty threat. Ryan didn’t have time for extra training. He had enough stuff to worry about with the coming shoot.

“I think we’re done for the day, gentlemen,” Cole said to Leonard and Amin. “See you tomorrow at ten?”

“We’ll bring the ballet barre.”

When they’d left, Cole slid down to sitting, leaning his back against the wall.

“You’ve worked your ass off,” Ryan said. “I’m impressed.”

From anyone else, this would have carried a rancid air of surprise.Cole, I can’t believeyouworked so hard.But he’d known Ryan long enough—and had quite literally just kicked his butt several times in a row—so Cole wasn’t offended.

He took a long drag from his water bottle. “This one has gotta work. If it doesn’t—I don’t have many more in me.”

For years, Cole and Drew had made plans. Cole would take this part or meet that casting director, and it would lead to another part. Slowly, each of these moves would take him another rung up the ladder. When he got to the top, he’d be back where he was supposed to be. And he would’ve finally wiped the slate clean.

Not every step had been right. Some of the gambles hadn’t paid off. But in taking this part onWaverley, with how much time he was investing in it and how high profile it was, it was like going all in on a roulette spin.

Cole had gotten up off the dirt before. But if this one didn’t work, he didn’t have the energy for yet another backup plan.

It was this or nothing.

Ryan watched Cole steadily. They’d known each other long enough and liked each other well enough that Cole didn’t have to explain all that to him.

“It’s going to work,” the stunt coordinator said. “This show ... it’s a phenomenon.”

“That’s what Tasha said.”

And the reason that Tasha had agreed to take the part of Effie.

Cole carefully trained his attention on a piece of fluff on the floor halfway across the studio. “You working with Tasha on her riding?”

Effie, meaning Tasha, didn’t have many stunts. The character’s badassery came from not compromising. Since Tasha had spent most of her career literally kicking butt, this was going to be a change of pace for her.

But it also meant that she and Ryan weren’t working together much—which was a shame.

“Yeah. But she already rides well.”

The unspoken part was that Ryan thought Tasha did everything well.

Cole had never once doubted the guy’s feelings for Tasha. It was in Ryan’s face every time he looked at her. It was in his hands when he’d touch her in the course of his job. It was in how his voice changed when he spoke to or about her.

“You think it’s finally time to say something?”

“About?”

“You being in love with her.”

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