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Drew inhaled, and then didn’t say a thing. Maybe he had finally realized that this particular time, Cole had found his backbone, and Drew wasn’t going to be able to sway him.
“But do you have to talk?” Drew finally asked.
So much about life was confusing. Was happiness real, or just a chemical reaction? Where were people before they were born? What the hell did the phraseact naturallymean?
Look, Cole didn’t know if he’d ever have all the answers. But this—it had been so easy.
“Yes. I know that you’re trying to take care of me.” At least that was what Cole was hoping this was about. “But this conversation, it isn’t your job. Let Brett and me worry about the publicity angle.” Even if the publicity angle was awful, Cole didn’t care. There were situations that demanded you act in a certain way, even if you had to pay a high price. Standing by Tasha: it wasn’t something he could choose not to do.
Maggie had asked why he wanted this, and as he stood next to his car, he knew for sure why he didn’t want it. Cole might not be an A-lister—maybe he wouldn’t ever be one—but success was absolutely freaking meaningless if it stopped him from speaking up.
After a few more seconds, during which Cole was certain Drew was searching for another line of attack, Drew finally said, “Okay.”
But Cole suspected they weren’t done with the discussion.
For the better part of two decades, Drew had said jump, and Cole had jumped and then asked if that had been high enough. He’d taken Drew’s advice like a habit, one that might not be so good for him anymore.
Well, okay, that wasn’t fair. Drew had picked up Cole when there had been very little benefit in doing so. Cole was certain he’d been a drag on Drew’s books for a long time. And if it hadn’t been for Drew and his advice, Cole wouldn’t have bookedWaverley, and he wouldn’t have met Maggie.
Drew had been caught off guard, that was all. And even though Cole knew he’d done the right thing, it was abigthing. Vincent Minna had been the most important producer in Hollywood for a long time, and opposing him had been unthinkable for years and years. That was exactly why he’d been able to be a monstrous asshole for so long. Butonce Drew got used to the fact that Cole had gone public, he’d come around.
Cole was almost certain of it.
EXT. THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS
On Saturday morning, Maggie contemplated the trail she had, quite ridiculously, agreed to tackle with Cole. “You’rereallyconfused about the whole ‘What is a mountain?’ thing.”
“Aren’t you from Oregon?”
“Yes, but I didn’t go hiking there. I’m a drama nerd.”
“So am I. Besides”—he gestured at the vista—“we’re still in the city.”
“That doesn’t preclude this from being a mountain.”
“‘Preclude’? Maggie Niven, how dare you talk dirty to me when I can’t do anything about it?” From the twinkle in his eye, it was clear he was only half joking.
Cole had explained that Runyon Canyon was a popular trail, and so if they didn’t want to start any rumors, he’d need to keep his hands to himself. It was the same reason they’d eaten at his house every night. The same reason she’d told the director ofThe Mid List, her current project, that she was “staying with a friend” and had omitted who it was and, oh, that he was making her come every night. It would’ve made her feel like a dirty little secret, but she was the one who didn’t want to go public.
She needed to talk to Bernard, and one of these days, when her mentor was praising her in glowing terms, saying how she really didn’t need him anymore, she was going to do exactly that.Oh, and by the way, I’m dating Cole James.Cue the explosions.
But she wasn’t at that point, and she might not be for months. Once this news was out, there wasn’t going to be any stopping it. So she had to be absolutely sure, and absolutely secure, before they let that cat out of the bag.
“Are you properly sunscreened?” Cole was absolutely fanatical about SPF and fancy chemical sunscreens. Maggie hadn’t even realized there were different types.
“Yup.”
“You have your hat and sunglasses?”
“Check and check.”
“And we have plenty of water.” Cole’s backpack was sloshing. He’d filled it with canteens, more water than Maggie drank in a weekend, saying something about how he needed to get in some strength training.
Better him than her. As Maggie’s strength was more of the inner variety, it needed no training.
“After you.” Cole waved his arm gallantly to usher Maggie forward.
What she hadn’t realized about the mountain they’d climbed in Scotland was that they’d done it in the spring.Earlyspring, and Scotland wasn’t that far from the Arctic Circle.
