Page 63 of Cole

But she knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, and it certainly wouldn’t have been pleasing to God.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cole noticed Annie shiver slightly as they stepped into the hotel garden. The evening air carried the first whispers of autumn, a gentle reminder that summer was fading. Without hesitation, he slipped off his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her bare shoulders.

“You don’t have to—” she began.

“I want to,” he said simply, his fingers lingering briefly where the jacket met her skin.

The garden path wound through meticulously trimmed hedges, illuminated by strings of soft golden lights that transformed the space into something almost magical. The sounds of the gala—the clinking glasses, the orchestra, the laughter—faded with each step they took, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and distant fountain splashes.

“I needed this,” Annie confessed, her voice quiet in the evening stillness. “All those people…”

Cole nodded, understanding without her having to explain further. He’d watched her throughout the night, noticed how she’d maintained her composure with grace despite the endless introductions and small talk. But he’d also caught the moments when her eyes would search the room, perhaps for a friendly face or simply an escape.

“You were amazing in there,” he told her, guiding her toward a stone bench nestled beneath a flowering trellis. “But I’m glad we escaped.”

They sat down, close enough that her shoulder brushed against his arm. The garden smelled of roses and damp earth, a pleasant contrast to the perfumed air of the ballroom.

“I’m not usually good at big gatherings,” Annie admitted, pulling his jacket tighter around herself. “Large crowds make me feel…”

“Exposed?” Cole offered when she trailed off.

Her eyes found his, surprise evident in their blue-green depths. “Yes, exactly. How did you know?”

Cole smiled, remembering countless post-game interviews and charity functions. “Even when you’re used to it, there’s something exhausting about being ‘on’ all the time. Sometimes you just want to be yourself, without all the…” he gestured vaguely, “expectations.”

Annie’s laugh was soft but genuine. “And here I thought professional athletes thrived on attention.”

“Some do,” he conceded. “In fact, I thrived on the attention early on in my career, but I’ve come to value this more.” He motioned to the quiet garden, to the moment they were sharing. “Real conversations. No cameras, no pretenses.”

She studied him then, her gaze thoughtful. “You’re not what I expected, Cole Halverson.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Definitely good,” she whispered.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they gazed up at the stars peeking through the garden’s canopy. Cole found himself very aware of her presence beside him—the subtle floral scent of her perfume, the way her hair caught the golden light, how her fingers absently traced patterns on the sleeve of his jacket.

“Can I ask you something?” he said finally, turning toward her.

Annie nodded, her expression open yet somehow vulnerable.

“What are you afraid of?” he asked softly.

He’d noticed the careful glances around the room, the way her body tensed whenever a new person approached them.

But strangely enough, she’d also exuded a sort of quiet confidence. Like she wasn’t totally out of place there.

Annie glanced down at her hands, now still against the dark fabric of his jacket. For a moment, Cole worried he’d pushed too far, crossed some invisible boundary.

She gave him a sideways glance. “What makes you think I’m afraid?”

Had he misread things? “You seem a bit… on edge. Like you’re waiting for something to happen.”

“I’m not afraid,” she said, though her words were lacking indignation, so he didn’t think she’d taken offense at what he’d said. “I’m just… wary. This is all new to me. I’m not used to being in a room of strangers, where I only know one person. Don’t forget that I didn’t go to school and now my job doesn’t require me to interact with people. The most I’m around people is at church.”

“Well, I’m glad you decided to brave the masses to come here with me tonight,” Cole said. “And I hope you’ve enjoyed the evening, despite the unfortunate run in with the two WAGs.”

---