Page 117 of Cole

She wanted to demand that she be allowed to attend the meeting. But with both of them effectively cutting her off, the fight went out of her.

“This doesn’t have to do with the two of you,” her father said. “This is a conversation I need to have with Cole about something else.”

“Are you going to threaten him some more?” Julian asked with a dark laugh. “Apparently the first threats weren’t good enough because here he is. Still with Annie.”

“It’s okay,” Cole interjected, his voice calm. “I was expecting this.”

“Were you?” Julian drawled. “Then you’re smarter than you look.”

“Julian, that’s enough,” Elizabeth said firmly. “Perhaps you should retire for the evening.”

Julian looked like he might argue, but apparently something in Elizabeth’s expression made him think better of it. He stood,slightly unsteady on his feet. “Fine. I know when I’m not wanted. Happy New Year, everyone. May it be less secretive than the last.”

After he left, an uncomfortable silence settled over the table until Benji launched into a story about his latest science project. Annie tried to focus, but her mind kept circling back to her father’s request to speak with Cole alone.

The remainder of the dessert course passed in awkward silence, broken only by Benji’s valiant attempts to restart the conversation. When the plates were finally cleared, her father stood.

“Shall we, Cole?” he said, gesturing toward the hallway.

Cole got to his feet, then turned to Annie. He placed his hand on her chin, tipping her face up to his. The smile he gave her reached his eyes as he said, “I love you. Everything is going to be fine.”

After giving her a light kiss, he left the room with her father, leaving a heavy silence in his wake. Annie stared at the empty doorway, feeling even more unsettled.

“What’s going on?” Annie asked, turning to Elizabeth. “Dad’s been acting strange all evening, and now this private meeting with Cole…”

Elizabeth’s carefully composed expression wavered. “I’m not entirely sure, dear. Your father received some… information today that he needed to verify.”

“Information about what?” Annie pressed, her anxiety mounting. “About Cole?”

“No, not about Cole.” The smile she gave Annie was probably meant to reassure her, but it fell well short of that. “Just trustyour father on this. He’ll explain everything when the time is right.”

“That’s what he always says,” Annie muttered, placing her crumpled cloth napkin on the table. “And meanwhile, I’m left in the dark about things that directly affect my life.”

Benji cleared his throat. “Maybe we should go to the media room. We could watch the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square until Dad and Cole are done talking.”

Annie wasn’t in the mood for celebration, but sitting there stewing wouldn’t help either. “Fine,” she sighed, pushing back from the table.

As they moved toward the media room, Annie couldn’t shake the feeling that something monumental was happening behind the closed door of her father’s office. The urge to press her ear against it was almost overwhelming, but she resisted. Whatever was going on, Cole had seemed prepared for it, which meant he knew something she didn’t.

That realization stung more than she expected. She didn’t like that he was keeping something from her. But since she’d kept quite a bit from him, it was giving her a taste of how he might have felt.

In the media room, Benji turned on the enormous television, where crowds of revelers filled Times Square. The festive atmosphere felt jarring against Annie’s churning emotions.

“He really does love you,” Elizabeth said quietly, settling beside Annie on the plush sofa. “Cole, I mean. It’s written all over his face when he looks at you.”

“I know,” Annie replied, drawing her knees up to her chest and tucking the hem of the full skirt of the dress she’d chosen towear that evening under her toes. “But if Dad tries to drive him away again…”

“I don’t think that’s what’s happening,” Elizabeth assured her. “This feels… different.”

Annie studied her stepmother’s face, searching for clues. “You know something.”

Elizabeth hesitated. “I know your father received a call that upset him. That’s all I can say with certainty.”

“A threat?” Annie’s stomach dropped. “About me? About us?”

“No, I don’t think it’s anything like that.” Elizabeth’s eyes flickered toward the doorway. “Just be patient, Annie. Some things take time to process.”

On the screen, the hosts were interviewing celebrities, their laughter and excitement a stark contrast to the tension thrumming through Annie’s body. It was probably a rerun from earlier because New York City was three hours ahead of them.

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