Page 87 of Cole

“No, but thanks.” Annie hugged him briefly. “I need to think.”

The walk back to her cabin felt longer than usual, the security detail maintaining a discreet distance behind her. Nyla trotted beside her, occasionally bumping her leg as if to hurry her along.

Inside her cabin, Annie immediately reached for her phone. No messages from Cole. She considered calling him, but what would she say?

Did my father threaten you?

Are you planning to break up with me?

None of the options felt right, especially over the phone.

Tomorrow. They would talk tomorrow, and she would finally know the truth of what went down between him and her dad. And hopefully, it wouldn’t be the end of their relationship.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Cole swiped the key card to unlock the door to his room. They’d flown from Detroit earlier that morning to prepare for their next game in New York City.

He still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Annie, and though they’d said they’d talk that day, he wasn’t sure when they’d be able to connect.

Though they wouldn’t have an intense practice like they’d had the previous day, Coach had scheduled another meeting for the team. Plus, he’d been talking about team morale, so he’d probably arrange some sort of activity for all of them.

Normally, Cole would have been on board for all of it. Anything to help them get a win. Especially against the New York team, one of their bigger rivals. They absolutely needed the win that night.

Unfortunately, his thoughts and emotions were so tied up in Annie and the situation with her dad that he hadn’t spent much time thinking about the game.

A text from Annie lit up his screen as he tossed his bag onto the bed.

Annie:Free to talk soon?

Cole stared at the message, his stomach tightening. This was it—the conversation that could change everything between them.

Yep. Team meeting in a couple of hours, but we can chat before that.

He sat heavily on the edge of the bed, trying to organize his thoughts. What could he say without violating the NDA? Howcould he ask about her family without revealing he’d already spoken with her father?

Cole’s phone beeped with a message to their team’s group chat.

Coach:Change in time for the meeting. Half an hour, same place.

“Of course he changed times,” Cole muttered as he sent back an acknowledgement.

He quickly texted Annie that he’d need to push their call back, then got himself prepped for the meeting.

Marcus had just exited his room as Cole headed down the hallway, so he walked with him to the meeting room, frustration building with each step. It felt like the universe was conspiring to keep him and Annie from having this conversation.

The team meeting was briefer than Cole had thought it might be. Coach went over film from their previous matchup against New York, highlighting defensive assignments and offensive strategies. Cole forced himself to focus, making mental notes and asking questions when appropriate. Basketball had always been his sanctuary, the place where everything else was forgotten.

But today, his mind kept drifting back to Annie.

“Halverson, stick around a minute,” Coach called as the meeting broke up, with everyone heading for the lunch he’d arranged in a nearby room.

Cole nodded to Marcus, who gave him a questioning look before leaving with the others.

“What’s up, Coach?”

The older man studied him, arms crossed. “You want to tell me what’s going on with you?”

“Nothing’s—”

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