Page 106 of Cole

During halftime, Annie’s phone rang. Cole’s name flashed on the screen.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the locker room?” she answered, unable to keep the smile from her voice.

“I stepped out for a minute,” Cole replied, his voice low. “Just wanted to hear your voice. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas. You’re playing wonderfully.”

“Having something to fight for makes all the difference.” There was a pause. “Did you talk to your dad?”

Annie sighed. “Yes, though not exactly how we planned. He brought it up during Christmas dinner.”

“And?”

“It wasn’t a no.” Annie glanced at Benji, who was pretending not to eavesdrop. “I think we might be making progress.”

“That’s something,” Cole said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “I’ve been thinking—what if I come to Serenity after our New Year’s Eve game? Meet with your father properly. Present our plan.”

Annie’s heart leapt at the thought of seeing him. “You’d do that?”

“Of course I would. This is our future we’re talking about.”

Annie felt warmth spread through her chest at his words. “I’d love that. But are you sure? Dad can be… intimidating.”

“I’ve faced him once already,” Cole pointed out. “This time, we’ll be on more equal footing. No surprises, no threats—just an honest conversation about how we move forward.”

She heard voices in the background on Cole’s end. “You need to get back,” she said.

“Yeah, Coach is giving me the eye. I’ll call you after the game?”

“I’ll be waiting. And Cole?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for fighting for us,” she said softly.

“Always,” he replied before ending the call.

After they hung up, Annie hugged the phone to her chest, feeling lighter than she had all day.

Aware of Benji’s knowing smile, she said, “What?”

“Nothing,” he said, reaching for another cookie. “It’s just nice to see you happy.”

The second half of the game was starting, and Annie settled back to watch, her mind filled with possibilities. Cole coming to Serenity, meeting with her father as equals, laying out their plan—it felt like a significant step forward.

As if sensing her thoughts, her phone buzzed with a text from her father.

Dad:We need to speak privately tomorrow. 10 AM in my office.

Annie showed the message to Benji, her stomach tightening with apprehension.

“That’s good,” Benji insisted. “He wants to talk, not just dictate.”

“I hope you’re right.” Annie tucked her phone away, focusing back on the game where Cole had just made a spectacular assist.

The game ended with a decisive victory for Cole’s team, his performance drawing praise from the commentators. As they watched the post-game interviews, Annie noticed how Cole’s eyes seemed to brighten when a reporter asked what had changed in his game.

“Just remembering what I’m playing for,” he answered, a subtle smile playing at his lips. “Some things are worth fighting for.”

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