Page 83 of Cole

Cole took a seat in the second row, his mind still half on Annie. What would he say to her when they finally spoke? How could he ask about her family without revealing that he’d spoken with her father? The NDA hung over him like a thundercloud, limiting his options.

“Gentlemen,” Coach finally said once everyone was seated, his voice cutting through the murmured conversations. “I think we all know why we’re here.”

The room fell silent. On screen, a freeze-frame from their last game showed their defensive breakdown in painful clarity.

“Three losses. Three. And not because our opponents were that good, but because we’re playing like we’ve never met each other before.” Coach paced in front of them. “Halverson, your shooting percentage is down fifteen points from your season average. Williams, you’ve turned the ball over five times in three games. Evans, your defense looks like you’re escorting opponents to the basket.”

Cole nodded, accepting the criticism. Coach wasn’t wrong.

“So here’s what’s going to happen,” Coach continued. “We’re going to watch every painful play of these losses. We’re going to identify exactly where we’re falling apart. And then we’re going to fix it. Because I refuse to let this become a four-game losing streak.”

As the lights dimmed and the footage began to play, Cole felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Discreetly, he checked the screen.

“No problem. Dad’s coming today, so I won’t be available later. Dinner with him tonight. Can we talk tomorrow instead?”

Cole felt his stomach tighten. Duncan Burke was visiting Annie today—the same day she’d planned to tell Cole something important. That couldn’t be coincidence.

“Everything okay?” Marcus murmured, noticing Cole’s expression.

“Yeah, just rescheduling,” Cole replied, typing back quickly:Tomorrow works. Enjoy the time with your dad.

He slipped the phone away just as Coach paused the footage on a particularly egregious defensive lapse—one where Cole had been out of position.

“Halverson, what were you thinking here?” Coach demanded.

Cole studied the screen, trying to remember his thought process in that moment. Had he been distracted by thoughts of Annie and her father? Probably.

“I misread the play,” he admitted. “Thought they were setting up for a different screen.”

Coach’s eyebrows rose skeptically. “You’ve seen that play a hundred times. You knew exactly what they were setting up.”

Cole nodded, accepting the criticism. “You’re right. Won’t happen again.”

“It better not.” Coach turned back to the screen, advancing to the next breakdown. “This isn’t just about basketball anymore, gentlemen. This is about mental discipline. Something we seem to be sorely lacking lately.”

The film session continued for nearly an hour, each mistake dissected with surgical precision. Cole forced himself to focus, pushing thoughts of Annie and her father to the back of his mind. This was his job—his career—and regardless of what Duncan Burke might do to it in the future, right now, he needed to be present.

By the time they broke for a quick lunch before practice, Cole’s head was pounding with a mixture of basketball analysis and personal anxiety. He grabbed a sandwich and water from the spread provided in the meeting room and found a quiet corner.

“You sure you’re okay?” Marcus asked, joining him. “You seemed distracted.”

Cole took a bite of his sandwich to buy himself time. “Just processing everything Coach said.”

“Uh-huh.” Marcus didn’t sound convinced. “Look, whatever’s going on with you and your girl, you need to compartmentalize. Figure out how to leave it off the court.”

“I know.” Cole sighed. “Easier said than done.”

“True that.” Marcus glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Is it serious? Between you two?”

Cole considered the question. Was it?

He hadn’t known Annie long, but there was something about her that felt different from any other relationship he’d had. Thequiet intelligence in her eyes, the way she truly listened when he spoke, how she seemed to understand parts of him he rarely showed others.

“I think it could be,” he admitted. “But there are… complications.”

“There always are.” Marcus shrugged. “Question is whether she’s worth working through them.”

Before Cole could respond, Coach called them back to attention. It was time to head to practice.

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