Page 46 of Cole

By the time Annie had finished her tea, Blake and the boys had come inside and brought a small level of chaos with them. Since she’d already stayed longer than she’d expected, Annie took advantage of the distraction to say her goodbyes and leave. But not before she’d promised to come to the ice test, which was tentatively scheduled for Monday after school.

As she left the house, she sent a quick text to Dawn to let her know she was on the move and heading home.

It was hard to leave the normalcy of Charli and Blake’s home. Dawn’s presence in her car behind Annie’s was a stark reminder of the differences in their lives. It was a reminder she didn’t want, which was why she was in a hurry to get back to her home.

There, she could pretend that she had a normal life, just like everyone else. Within the walls of her home, she could pretend that the guards, fences, security cameras, and gates didn’t exist.

Did the pretense that she found comfort in there also extend to how she was viewing her friendship with Cole? Was that all a pretense too? Was she hoping for something that had no chance of ever happening?

She knew she wasn’t the sort of woman he usually dated, so why would he make an exception for her? Especially since he didn’t even know about the money she had, courtesy of the generous monthly allowance her dad gave her, in addition to the trust fund he’d set up for her.

Some men might overlook the fact that she wasn’t stunning if they knew she came with considerable wealth and connections. She really didn’t think Cole was like that, especially because he had wealth of his own.

But if it wasn’t her wealth that prompted him to keep in contact with her, what was it?

She wished she had more experience dealing with men. But the only ones in her life were either related to her or responsible for her security.

Cole was the first man who had taken the time to get to know her and seemed to truly enjoy interacting with her. She really didn’t want to do anything that might change that.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Steam billowed from the showers as Cole slumped onto the bench in front of his locker, a towel draped around his neck. The Atlanta arena’s visiting team locker room buzzed with post-game activity—teammates chattering about missed opportunities, trainers assessing minor injuries, and everyone trying to get showered and changed.

Thirty-two points. Twelve rebounds. Four assists. Numbers that should have left him satisfied, especially in a road win. Yet as Cole stared at the phone in his hand, the game stats weren’t what occupied his thoughts.

No new message from Annie.

Three days since their last real conversation, and nothing but a short “good luck tonight” text before the game. He scrolled through their previous exchanges, searching for clues about what had changed between them. Everything had been going so well—surprisingly well, considering how little time they’d physically spent together.

“Earth to Cole!” Marcus slapped his shoulder as he passed. “Coach wants us on the bus in fifteen. You planning to sit there all night?”

Cole nodded absently. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

He tossed the phone into his bag and pulled on a fresh team-issued shirt, his movements mechanical.

What was happening between them? The connection had felt so immediate, so genuine from the moment he’d saved her from that stray ball. Annie’s quiet intelligence and subtle humor had captivated him in ways no other woman ever had.

“Thirty-two points and you’re looking like someone stole your lunch money,” Marcus commented, zipping up his travel bag at the neighboring locker. “What’s eating you, man?”

Cole sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing doesn’t make our star player look like someone kicked his dog.” Marcus dropped onto the bench beside him. “Is it that woman you’ve been talking about?”

Cole hesitated, then nodded. Marcus knew him too well. “Annie. Yeah.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

“I don’t know.” Cole pulled on his socks with more force than necessary. “She’s just... gone quiet. We were texting every day, video chatting whenever our schedules lined up. The last couple of days, though, it’s been nothing.”

Marcus zipped his bag closed. “Maybe she’s just busy. Or maybe she thinks you’re busy and doesn’t want to bother you.”

That made sense. Sort of. Annie did seem to be the type of person who would think of him. He appreciated that, but he also wanted to talk to her. When he’d tried to initiate a video chat earlier that day, she’d texted back that she hadn’t been available.

He just hoped he hadn’t said something that upset her. As he replayed their recent conversations over in his mind, he couldn’t recall anything that might have bothered her to the extent that she would shut down on him.

“Grab your stuff,” Marcus said, standing up. “Bus is leaving soon. You can figure out what’s going on when we get back to the hotel.”

Cole nodded, gathering his belongings and shouldering his duffel bag. As they filed out of the locker room toward the teambus, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was off with Annie. Their connection had felt special—different from the brief, superficial relationships that typically punctuated his busy life as a professional athlete.

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