Page 78 of Cole

I need courage, God. Courage and wisdom. I don’t know how to do this so that I can still keep Cole. I’m scared that because I wasn’t honest before now, he’ll be upset and think I’m lying or hiding other things from him. Please guide me to the right moment to share everything. And I ask that You prepare his heart for what I need to tell him.

Once she finished her cocoa, Annie went to the kitchen to make more. Benji liked the beverage as well as she did, plus he’d be cold from being outside.

After she’d prepared the drink in a pot on the stove, she also made herself a bowl of soup. The cook at the main house always gave her containers of food to put in her freezer, so she had something quick to grab that was good for her and tasted delicious.

Her phone remained quiet as she ate. Not even a text message.

The team had travelled to the East Coast for a series of games, which meant it was three hours later there than where Annie was. If she didn’t hear from Cole soon, she knew that she wouldn’t. At least not that night.

It wasn’t the first day they hadn’t had contact, and previous times had happened while he’d been on road trips, too. So it shouldn’t be concerning, and perhaps it wouldn’t have been, had she not sensed that something was off.

Annie stirred the hot chocolate slowly, watching the tiny whirlpool form in the center of the pot. The wooden spoon scraped gently against the bottom as her thoughts continued to replay the recent conversations she’d had with Cole.

It seemed like an odd distance had grown between them. An invisible chasm.

Annie didn’t think it was a figment of her imagination. She hoped it was, but she didn’t really think that was the case.

Their conversations had grown shorter over the past few days, his responses more measured. It wasn’t just the road trip—something had changed after his last home game. She couldn’t put her finger on what exactly, but the subtle shift in his tone worried her.

The doorbell rang just as she was pouring the hot chocolate into two mugs. Benji knew the code for the lock, so she didn’t go to answer it, knowing he’d let himself in.

Still, she moved from the kitchen to the foyer to greet him as the door swung open.

“It’s getting worse out there,” he said, stamping snow from his boots. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, snowflakes melting in his hair. “The guys are barely able to keep the roads around here clear.”

“I made hot chocolate,” Annie said, taking his coat and hanging it in the closet by the door.

After taking off his boots, Benji followed her to the kitchen, dropping his backpack beside the island counter. “So, where are the cookies we’re decorating?”

“In the living room in front of the fire.” Annie slid a mug toward him. “But these chocolate ones are ready to be eaten. Help yourself.”

As Benji reached for a cookie, Annie’s phone buzzed. She tried not to lunge for it, but her brother’s knowing smile told her she hadn’t been subtle.

“Cole?” he asked.

Annie nodded, feeling a rush of relief at seeing his name on the screen. “Just a text.”

Cole:Just finished a team meeting. Still snowing there?

Such a simple message, but at least he’d reached out. She typed back quickly:Yes, getting pretty deep. Benji’s here for cookie decorating. How was the meeting?

“Everything okay?” Benji asked, studying her face.

She waited for a minute to see if he’d respond, but there was no reply from Cole.

“I think so,” Annie said, setting her phone down. “Let’s get these cookies decorated.”

They worked side by side, Benji proving surprisingly adept with the icing. Annie’s phone remained silent as they covered sugar cookies with red and green frosting, adding sprinkles and tiny candy pieces.

“So,” Benji said casually, carefully outlining a star shape, “have you told him yet?”

Annie’s hand slipped, smearing blue icing across what was supposed to be a snowflake. “No.”

“Annie…”

“I know, I know.” She set the ruined cookie aside. “I’m going to. I just need to find the right moment.”

“There isn’t going to be a perfect moment for this conversation,” Benji said gently. “The longer you wait, the harder it gets. And the more ticked off Dad will get. And ifhe gets too upset, he’s going to have a conversation with Cole himself.”

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