Page 65 of Cole

The open and honest conversations they shared had become a vital part of his days. And she seemed to know when he needed the lighthearted interactions and when he wanted something deeper. He’d never had that with a woman before.

“I might try to swing home for a couple of days during our next break that lasts more than two days. Would you be up for a date? Maybe we could double with Aiden and Skylar.”

“That might be fun,” she said. “Just let me know when that is, and I’ll make sure it works.”

That assurance from her made the prospect of not seeing her for a bit a little easier to handle. Time apart wouldn’t be fun, but since he was in the middle of a season, he was super busy, so hopefully the time would go by quickly.

“I’m glad you asked me to come,” Annie said, nestling her head against his shoulder. “Even though I was nervous about it.”

Cole rested his cheek against her hair, breathing in the subtle floral scent that he’d come to associate with her. “What were you nervous about specifically?”

She was quiet for a moment, and he could almost feel her organizing her thoughts. “Meeting your teammates, I suppose. Wondering if I’d fit in with the world you live in.”

“And do you think you do?” Cole asked, genuinely curious about her perspective.

“I’m not sure yet,” she answered honestly. “It’s very different from my usual life. More… exposed, like you said. But not in a bad way, necessarily.”

A cool breeze rustled through the garden, making the lights sway gently above them. Cole instinctively tightened his arms around her.

“I pray for you, you know,” Annie said suddenly, her voice soft but clear in the quiet garden.

The admission caught Cole by surprise. Not many people in his current life talked about prayer so openly. It reminded him of his childhood, of his parents gathering their children in the living room for evening devotions.

“You do?” he asked.

Annie nodded against his shoulder. “Before your games. For safety, focus, peace. Is that weird?”

“No,” Cole said, something warm spreading through his chest. “It’s… nice. Pretty sure only my family prays for me. At least, that they’ve told me about.”

She pulled back slightly to look at him. “When was the last time you prayed?”

The question wasn’t judgmental, just curious, but it still made Cole pause and think over the past few months when he’d started praying again, starting with Shiloh’s illness.

Before that, when had he last prayed? There had been moments—right before big games, during turbulent flights with the team—when old habits resurfaced, and he’d find himself silently asking for help or protection. But deliberate, intentional prayer?

“More frequently, recently. But before that, not very often,” he admitted. “I still believe, I think. It’s just… complicated.”

Cole thought back on his faith journey. “My family was all about church. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. Bible study, youth group, the works. But once I started playing professionally, that schedule was harder to maintain. Different cities every few days, practices on Sundays…”

“And maybe it felt less relevant?” Annie suggested gently.

“Maybe,” Cole acknowledged. “Or maybe I just got lazy about it. Let other things become priorities.”

“I wasn’t raised as a Christian, and I didn’t know much about Christianity until Dawn invited me to church. It was all very new to me, and I knew it was something I wanted in my life. The idea of having a real purpose here on earth—to honor and glorify God and not just self—appealed to me.”

The garden had grown quieter, most of the gala attendees having returned to the ballroom or departed for the evening. The privacy made Cole bold enough to reach up and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her cheek.

“I should probably get you back to your hotel,” he said reluctantly. “Early practice tomorrow before we fly out.”

Annie nodded but made no move to stand. “Can we stay just a few more minutes?”

“Of course.”

They sat in comfortable silence, the night air growing cooler around them. Cole found himself wondering what she was thinking, whether her thoughts mirrored his own jumbled emotions.

In just a short time, Annie had become important to him in a way that both excited and terrified him. Basketball had always been his focus—relationships were temporary distractions that never lasted beyond a season. But this felt different.

“What are you thinking about?” Cole asked, breaking the silence.

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