Page 118 of Cole

She checked her watch—barely ten o’clock. Still two hours until it was midnight there in Serenity, and who knew how long the mysterious meeting would last.

“I think I need some air,” she announced, standing abruptly.

“It’s freezing outside,” Benji pointed out.

“I’ll bundle up,” Annie replied, already moving toward the door. “I just need to clear my head.”

Going through the kitchen, she called for Nyla where she lay next to the breakfast nook. The dog had been banished to her dog bed there while they ate.

Nyla quickly came to her side, and the two of them made their way to the mudroom, where Annie pulled on her boots andlong wool coat. She wrapped her scarf around her neck, then picked up her knit cap and mitts from the bench that ran along one wall.

Crisp, cold air took her breath away as Annie stepped onto the back porch. She pulled her scarf up over her mouth and nose and tugged on the mitts and knit cap.

When she stepped off the back porch, Nyla followed, sticking close to her side. Annie shoved her hands into the deep pockets of her coat as she headed away from the main house.

She didn’t know where she was going, but she just had to get away from what felt like a train wreck. She should have known better than to have had such high hopes for the evening.

Had it just been Julian’s antics, she could have taken it in stride. But her dad’s actions had really unsettled her.

It had definitely not been the New Year’s Eve that she’d hoped it would be. Her and Cole’s first as a couple.

Stars glittered overhead as Annie followed the road that wound through the snow-covered grounds. The security lights cast long shadows across the pristine white surface, and her boots crunched rhythmically with each step.

The cold numbed Annie’s cheeks, but she welcomed the sensation. It gave her something tangible to focus on beyond the anxiety churning inside her.

What could be so important that her father needed to speak with Cole alone? And why did Cole seem to know what it was about when she didn’t?

She’d thought they were past the secrets between them. That’s what had hurt most about their brief separation—the realization that she’d been hiding parts of herself, and the fear that doing so had damaged something precious.

“What do you think, Nyla?” she murmured. The dog tilted her head, ears perked attentively. “Am I overreacting?”

The dog nudged her hand in response, and Annie smiled despite her anxiety. At least Nyla’s loyalty was uncomplicated.

Almost without conscious decision, Annie’s feet had carried her toward her own cabin. The lights she’d left on glowed warmly through the windows, beckoning her home. She paused at the edge of the clearing, gazing at the cozy structure. Her sanctuary. The one place where she felt truly herself.

“Maybe I should just wait there,” she murmured to Nyla. “Let them come to me when they’re ready to share the secret they’re keeping.”

But even as the thought formed, Annie knew she couldn’t hide away. Whatever was happening, she needed to face it head-on. Running had never been her style, even when her father’s overprotectiveness made her want to scream.

With a sigh, she turned back in the direction of the main house, but she didn’t rush. Annie kept her gaze on the ground as she and Nyla moved slowly along the winding path.

As she retraced her steps, Annie found herself praying, the words forming silently in her mind.Lord, whatever’s happening in there, please let it be something we can work through. Don’t let it separate us again.

“Annie!”

Jerking her head up, she came to a stop when she saw Cole standing several yards in front of her. He was bundled up and stood with his hands in his pockets, watching her.

When he held his arms out, all the angst she’d been stirring up during her walk vanished, and she hurried forward and flung herself into his arms.

Without hesitation, they closed around her, holding her tight. They stood there for a minute, then Cole stepped back, taking hold of her hands.

“I was worried about you.”

“I’m okay. I just needed some air,” she replied. As she looked at him, she could see that Cole’s expression was strange—a mixture of shock, concern, and something else she couldn’t quite identify. “What’s wrong? What did Dad say to you?”

Cole tightened his hold on her mittened hands. “We need to talk. Your father is waiting for us in his office.”

“Cole, you’re scaring me.” Annie searched his face. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

---